The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-07-25
DECKER'S LETTER.


TENDER.
DECKER'S LETTER.
In 1t He Reviews the Board of Super
visors.
To the Honorable L. R. Ellert, Mauor of San
Frdncisco-SIR: Permit me 10 call your atten-
tion to the recent action of the Board of Super.
visOrs in granting permission 10 the Board OF
Education to erect three story frame building
for use as an annex to the Commercial High
School at the southeast corner OF Bush and
Stockton streets.
The erection OF this building. az you are
aware, would be violation OF the fire limits
ordinance and contrary 10 the emphatically ex-
pressed wishes OF the Chief Engineer aud the
Board OF Fire Commissioners. There are other
and even stronger reasons against this con-
templated improvement, OF which entreat your
earnest consideration. Let me premise them
with brief statement OF facts.
The main building of the Commercial High
School contains thirteen classr0oms. The lower
cusivelv as a carpenter-sbOp and the two class
rooms on the upper floor by classes 10 mechan-
ical drawing, etc. In the main building alone
there is seating capacity for nearly 500
students and accommodation for 600, or 100
more than the total number enrolled. Tho lat
est report Of PRINCIPAL Walter n. Bush gives
339 as The average daily attendance, and dur.
ing the last four months of the term just closed
there was falling off Of forty-three students.
IL will thus be seen that the Commercial
High school Is not cramped for space and that
there has been no unusual increase In attend
apce despite the eXertiOns OF its principal,
who, since the opening OF The term, has indus.
triously Travelled around among the grammar
schools and earnestly solicited students. The
true reason why the enlargement is desI, ed by
President Hyde and six of his associates in the
Board of Education Is that greater prominence
may thus be given TO the manual training de-
parlment. Now, sir. also am an advocate OF
manual training, and believe 1t TO be a very
desirable feature Of public school education;
but the superficial way in which 1t Is taught In
The Commercial High School makes l. virtually
useless. Nor Will the erection OF the wooden
structure contemplated result 10 any material
improvement. for to make mammal instruction
of practical service TO students We need
large rooms and especially well lighted.
Safety thus secured against FIRE. there could be
no reasonable objec'i ion 10 the carpenter-shop.
the machine-shOp. the blacksmith-shop aud
the foundry, all of which would De d0ubly dan
gerous in a wooden structure.
Perhaps the utteg folly and extravaganza OF
this wooden annex scheme viii sppear Mist
clearly whom locked atfgom financial posnt of
view. We have not the money and II "a s oe0
be low expended By the Board OF Hanca,;on
for be temporary aecoalnoda iittsa!,,s-of nf,y or
sixty sllld * m s.s Commercial Eish School
: w1e are taking the manual training course. the
result vii! be a deieis sc the end of the year
and corresponding deduction In the the
teachers June sslari-s. Your Honor, who,
?
Tie rescue of the teachers, knows far better
than can tell you the unplasantnesS connected
with such a situation.
What Is the present state OF the finances OF
the School Department? We are confronted
with an overdfaft OF our monthly allowance of
$50. 61S At. and. TO quote the language of Pres
ideDt HYDE, THE schools Will have this year
only 81 025 900 or 500, 0O0 less than the Super
visors thought they were giving, because the
State appropriation for San Francisco falls
short that amount The sum allowed is also
100000 or theTeabouts less :han was spent
last year. AS can be seen The amount allowed
Is also S153,00O less than was asked for. In
view Of the lessened appropriation IL VIII re-
auire some close figuring 10 prevent the
teachers salaries from falling In arrears"
1t is needless to say that cordially indorse
:hese words OF the president but alas! they are
utterly at variance with his acts He favOrs tile
immediate construction of The annex TO the
Commercial High sch oi, and for that purpose
$4,000 has already been set aside by vote
Of the Finance COMMITTEES.
The residents OF Ocean View are camorous
for a new schoolhouse which is uraeptly
needed in that district. Fourteen thousand
dollars would provide tho Ocean View Primary
School with suitable home. siX-r0om wing
is required at the James Lick Grammar School
in Noe Valley; a four-foon wing at the Mission
Grammar School; four additional class-rooms
are needed at the Peabody Primary School; a
three-rOom wing Is needed at the Hamilton
Grammar School; the Hearst Grammar and
the douglass Primary School also lack requisite
space for the accommodation of their pupils.
But not single dollar is TO b. expended for
the benefit of these schools and their necessities
the ill-tmed desires OF an experimental DE- Tart.
ment, comprising fifty or sixty students of the
Commercial High School.
his. In my Judgment, is most nnwise and
vicious policy, for 1t Is not sanctioned by either
law or equity. If we had the funds to spare
and could place tile Misunderstanding depart
ment IN a desirable brick structure. such as l
have described, the cost ana equipment OF
which would not be less than $4,000 or
$50, 900, should be only too well pleased, but
since we have not any available means, We muSt
wait. Comfortably to the spirit Of the State
school law, 1t is our clear duty to look to the
welfare OF the primary and grammar schools
before we supply any special luxuries to the
high schools.
departments and special teachers. Is even now
a source Of heavy expense. Each year $22, 800
is required for the salaries of the principal and
his seven cen assistants. To enlarge the man.
department In tie way proposed
would necessitate the employment OF several
additional teachers. and thus Increase the sal
airy roll 10 at least $4,000. Inc emciency OF
the commercial departm' Ut would also be seri.
ously impaired, while the Misunderstanding de-
partment through the lack OF the requisite
light and space. would not be materially i'm
proved.
President Hyde, who with an ingenious In.
consistency processes himself to be In favor OF
a policy of rigid economy. says: "By consoll.
dating sixty classes the services of tn, many
teachers viii be dIslensed with. The salaries
of these, teachers will average $500 a year
each, and will probably save $4,000"
From this sum should be subtracted the
1000 earned by the teachers while serving
as substitutes, which reduces The saving TO
$4,000. This sum. in the present condition OF
the funds. is q mere drop In the bucker.
Ii has not been my desire to force upon your
HOn0r's attention any discussion that should
be restricted to the Board of Education, but In
view OF the peculiar circumstances attending
the action Of the Board Of Sup fvisOrs relative
10 the Commercial high School. the minority
claims a right to be heard. Without having
bis statement 0f our case to you l
should feel tn had failed in my sworn duty
as School Director.
trust, accordingly, that you will consider
the questions involved calmly and judicially,
and II you conclude you are justified IN SO
doing Will WITHHOLD your approval from the
action of the Board of Supervisors. Respect.
fully yours, CHARLES W. DECKER.
School Director.
San Francisco, July %, 1888.
->-o->
GOLD pens, tablets, lead pencils, sealing
wax In the stationery department. Sanborn &
Vail
The PETITION DENIED.-Judge Hawley Of
the United States Circuit Court denied the perI-
lion Yesterday a In 2