The morning call., 1893-05-11
CHANGE OF FRONT.
Is DR.. CogsweIl Coming to
Terms !?
1.-THE CALLS" AID HELPFUL.
An Appeal to the Mayor-Teachers
DismisSal-RumOred Schemes
of the Trustees.

ing.
There is evidently distinct tendency to
retreat.
After long silence one of the trustees
on the present board yesterday came for
ward with somewhat family expressed
belief that Dr. Cogswell does not mean to
close the college.
The trustee was William G. Badger, who
said that he believed the doctor merely
meant to change the present conduct of the
college, so as to make it more available for
the children of poor people.
As the college course is free at present it
is not quite clear how it can be made more
available"
II the doctor means to change the con-
duet of the school it may possibly be in the
line of teachers.
At any rate the entire staff of teachers
at the school is under sentence of dis
missal.
Their names are:
GEORGE A. MERRILL, principal.
MISS MARIE VAN Week.
j. NJ. SToCkMAN.
j. l.. MATHIS.
j. 5. PARTRIDGE.
EMMA b. HEFTY.
OLIVER 5. GooDELL.
MARIAN MICHENER.
Each of these is subject to the following
resolution by the board. dated April 26
last
Resolred, That all teachers and employees OF
the Cogswel folytechnical College be dis
missed on the 3lst day of May, 1898. aud
their salaries cease from that date.
This dismissal was all the more uncx-
pected by the teachers because many of
Them on May % last were offered and ac-
cepted their present positions for year at
least, to terminate June 80. AT the same
.rSla Il
be raised in 1894, when the revenue was
expected to increase.
That these wholesale dismissals were
not caused by dissatisfaction with the
teachers is amply shown by the testimony
of members of the School Board to the
effect that they compose. perhaps, The best
staff of teachers In the city.
Their educational standing alone would
vouch for them
The following is q portion of their
records: George A. Merrill, principal,
and teacher of the Department of Science
A graduate Of the College of Mechanics of
the University of California.
Miss Marie Van Week. teacher of free
hand drawing ard designing, w0od-carv-
ing and modelling, graduate of the New
York Women's School of Design.
j. NJ. Stockman, woodworking depart
ment, mechanical engineer and graduate
of an Eastern college.
j. l.. Mathis, teacher of ironworI, prac-
tial blacksmith, and formerly foreman of
forging department i'll the railroad shops
at Sacramento.
j. S. Partridge, teacher of mathematics.
Bachelor OF Arts OF the University of
California.
Emma b. Hefty, teacher of English,
a. Il. of the University of California.
DIVER 5. Goodell, teacher of mechanical
drawing, graduate of Cogswen's Poly
technical College
Marian Michener. student. assistant OF
treehand drawing, graduate OF art school.
thus it will be seen that ali the teachers
are fully competent to fill their positions
enthusiastically, while their successful efforts
and popularity are attested by the pupils
now and lately under their charge.
Considering all these things the pupils
met yesterday and expressed their senti-
ments in very decided terms.
They unanimously thanked THE CALL
for its efforts, and determined TO appeal to
the Mayor.
s. A Copper presided at the meeting and
Miss Blanche Cover acted rs secretary.
The following resolutions were passed
without dissentient voice:
In fu!therance of the object In view. viz the
opening of the school at The beginning of The
next tenn, on The second Monday in July, be IL
PesoIrod, That we, the pupils of the school
OF the boys and glIls Of California. to see the
school continue It's excellent course OF study;
and be IL
Resolred, That we do earnestly protest
against the proposed closing of The college; and
be il
Resolred That we do present a petition TO
the Hon. Mayor Ebert, appreciaIng Ills power
and influence In reearu 10 the opening Of the
school next term; and be 1t
Resolred, That We do send 10 DR.. CogsweU
our benefaclor. a letter expressing our appre-
citation Of the benefits we have Obtained during
our course at The college; aud, further be 1t
ReSolUed, That We do formally at some future
especially to The CALL, for the great aid It
has given us In our efforts 10 open the college;
and be IL
Resolved, That we do at some future time
call a meeting of the pupils OF the school, their
parents and all those Interested in The advance
ment OF the college 10 promote The purposes of
the foregoing resolutions.
The committee appointed to wait upon
Mayor Ebert with the petition consisted
of S. A. Copper. a. Lans burgh, W. L. Pid-
well. G. Il. King. r. II. Walker. Miss
Blanche Cover.
The alumni are also In line with with the
pupils, and have changed the date of their
annual meeting TO tomorrow, the 18th
inst. at the college, in order 10 aid the ex-
preston against the closing of their alma
mater.
Down at the college they are very skep-
teal over the doctors alleged change of
front.
1t is openly asserted that his tactics are
directed toward creating an atmosphere of
instability and uncertainty about the
school, which will inevitably break 1t up.
Parents will not entrust their children to
an uncertainty, and people interested are
already wondering whether or not to re-
move their boys and girls.
1t is just this end-the closing of the
school-which the doctor is said 10 be
ultimately aiming at.
In that case no one would be interested
in the maintenance of the trust deed, which
would accordingly lapse and the endow-
ment property thereby revert to the sole
and singular use of DR.. Cogswell.
The resumption of his property Is by
this theory said to influence all the actions
of DR.. C0gswell and his trustees in the
premises.
Two of the trustees, who have made
themselves very active in the doctors be-
half, are said to work on contingent fee of
a strange characterize less than COM
mission calculated on the value of the
property they may manage to redeem from
the iron-clad trust deed.
If they succeed in breaking that deed,
which is said to be their object, they are TO
receive a certain percentage of the value
of the property thus given back to DR..
C0gswell, so the knowing ones say.
In the meantime the boys and girls 60 on
learning under difficulties.
They are unsettled in the midst of all
this reported seheming-the teachers are
are unsettled, the parents are unsettled