The San Francisco call., 1895-10-19
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION Pre-
PAIRING TO CLOSE ITS
DOORS.
SURPRISED. THE TEACHERS
No ONE WILL BE SELECTED TO
FILL THE VACANT PRINCI-
PALSHIP.

The Normal School is going to be abol-
ished. That point was practically decided
at the special meeting of the Board of Edu-
cation yesterday afternoon. The teachers
in charge will be gradually transferred to
other schools.
This is surprise that the half-dozen
candidates battling for the principalship
never calculated on. Ever since the death
of Principal Kennedy there has been tire
less wirepulling to get the place, with its
$3.50 a month salary. Among the candi-
dates were w. w. Stone, principal! of the
South San Francisco Primary; Richard D.
Faulkner of the FRANKLIN Grammar, Prin-
cipal kellogg of the Boys High School,
Teacher Milton E. Blanchard of the same
school, Miss Jennie Smith of the Longfel-
low Primary, Principal Mrs. Celina r.
Pechin of the Cooper Primary, Principal
Miss Emma Stinson of the Whittier Pri-
mary, William S. Monroe of Pasadena and
Miss Mary Kincaid, formerly principal of
the school. Principal Joseph O'Connor of
the Horace Mann School was urged by his
friends to enter the contest, but he gave as
an excuse that his present position was
perfectly satisfactory.
Several of the aspirants gathered in the
anteroom of the Board of Supervisors
chambers yesterday afternoon, expecting
to be called inside to give their views on
how the Normal School should be con-
Quoted and fair estimate of their own
abilities to fill the office of principal.
They laughed and chatted with one
another and the first intimation they re-
ceived of the big change In contempl plation
was when the members of the board filed
out of executive session and made the an
nouncement.
There were nine members of the board
present and the sentiment was almost
| unanimous that it was better to close the
| school under present circumstances. The
! few members who had candidates to pro-
pose were so hopelessly in the minori ty
| and the chances of their candidates ap-
peared so poor that nearly all of them fell
! in line with the majority.
| President Dodge announced that the
! chief reason for closing the school was
! economy The City treasury is very low
at present, and the School Department is
| sadly in need of funds to improve the
/ schools condemned by the Board of
/ Health Two schools, the Richmond and
! the Sutro, have been closed within a month
| on account of their very bad sanitary con-
dition. score more OF them are black
! listed, and the chances are that they will
/ be ordered closed unless steps are taken in
! the very near future to remedy them. By
closing the Normal School the department.
| saves about $12, 600 year.
Another reason for closing the Normal
School at the end of the present term is the
fact that there are three other Normal
schools in the State and this one is not an
urgent necessity. There are about 100 pu-
pills there, and two-thirds of them come
| from other parts of the State. they can
very easily be accommodated at the other
institutions.
Accordingly the programme at present
| is to begin shaving the ex penses of the
Normal School. At the very first oppor-
tunities offered the teachers will be trans
ferred to other schools Miss Laura FowIer
the vice-principat, will remain in charge,
Later on there may be some plan of open
ing the building as school of another
class. Nothing like this, however, will be
discussed till the funds at the disposal OF