The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-10-10
A NEW DIRECTOR.
j. Symmes Elected to the
School Board.
There Was a Quorum, and Teachers
VIII Get Their Long-DeIayed
Salaries To. Morrow.

| At special meeting last night the
Board of Education succeeded after three
failures in collecting quorum. The
members. therefore. passed the most
pressing outstanding demands, and, hav-
ing filed the vacancy in the board caused
! by Director j. French's resignation, adj
iourned.
When President HYDE assembled the ros-
trum soon after O'clock there were pres
ent, besides himself and Superintendent
SWEET, Directors Ames, Carew. Dunn,
Decker, Culver, Bowling, Dalton and
Rosewald Director Clinton is in the East.
The call for the meeting only specified
two parDOseS-the consideration of Direc-
tor French's resignation and the passing of
bills.
On the former question French's letter
refusing to withdraw his resignation and,
at the request of Director Carew, the resig-
nation itself were read. CaIew pointing
out that the resignation was addressed to
the Board of Education, Decker said a
resolution to accept it was out of order, as
il was not addressed to superintendent
SWEET. Ames protested that French had
been elected by the people and moved that
the resignation should be accepted. He
was seconded by Rosewald On the ground
of the positive character Of the resigna-
ton.
Then President Hyde made statement.
lie said Director French had refused to
take back his resignation although he had
been approached by nearly every member
of The board requesting him to do so.
Moreover, after an exhaustive research OF
The highest authorities, he ruled that a
resignation once offered was final and
needed no resolution of acceptance.
Director Decker made last appeal to
the board for time and indulgence foI
French, who be declared had changed his
mind and ought not to be thrown out OF
the board. But the chair ruled again that
an acceptance was out of order. Then
Carew gave a little premonition of what
was coming by stating that he did not
know Mr.. Symmes" and could not vote
| for him.
| The decks having been thus cleared
! Superintendent SWEET arose and said that
while the appointing power for vacant
dictatorship rested equally with the board
and himself and must be confirmed, aud
while he regretted to lose Mr.. French as a
| colleague, there could be no doubt as to the
Iatter's position. Whereup0n he read a
| letter from Mr.. French, under date of that
evening, stating that If his resignation
was not positive enough he would like to
make 1t more so.
The Superintendent then formally ap
pointed to the vacancy, caused by the
resignation of Frank j. French. Frank j.
| Symmes. who was approved by French a.
''the man who would be his choice as sue
cessor of all men in the city," Mr.. SWEET
described Mr.. Symmes as "a we'll known
business man, graduate of the United
States Naval Academy of Annapolis, o.
the Lawrence Scientific School Of Harvard
| University, vice. president of the Harvard
Club and a man in every respect suited t
| and likely to do honor TO the position"
A vote to confirm the appointment re
suited as follows:
Ayes-Hyde Ames, culver. Bowling. button
| RosewalG-6.
Noes--Carew Decker, Dunn-3,
Carew gave notice that he would contes
the appointment on the ground that Direc
tor French'S resignation had not been ad
dressed TO the proper quarter. President
Hyde stated that such contest must bs
| confined to the board.
The outstanding demands for salaries
la Dor and contract bills were hurredly
passed and the board adjourned. Directo
| Dutton noticed that some coal bills which
he had signed were not included in the de
MAIDS. and Director Decker intimated tina
he had refused TO sign the bills, as they
had been contracted in the open market.
he was getting tired of these ''open mar
ket" bills and proposed TO investigat,
them in future before signing.
Principals are notified to send in janitor
for teachers salaries tomorrow, or, il
other words, that payday will be Wednes
| day next.