The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-02-19
RELIEF FOR PROFESSOR PELTON.
the Pioneer Friend of Free Schools in
Distress.
The City Board OF Education Endorses
the Bill Providing for
His Relief.

considering memorial To the Legislature
in behalf Of Professor j. P. Pelton, the
veteran educator, and other matters con-
nected Herewith.
Mayor Steinman appeared before the
board and submitted a letter on the SUBJ
ject from Hon. Henry E. HIghton, in
which the writer spoke of Mr.. PeltOn's
pioneer school labors, and warmly urged
the Mayor and Board of Education to do
all in their power to aid the passage of
the bill providing small relief for the
aged and penniless educator.
Mayor Steinman stated that he had
been acquainted with Professor Pelton
for over forty yea rs, and had always
known him to be connected with educa-
uonal matters IL San Francisco. Now,
in his old age, he was left in a state of en-
tire destitution. He has wife and two
children dependent upon him, and so
depleted are his finances that he had been
warned to Vacate the premises occupied
by his family.
The Mayor stated that if the board
would recommend the passage of the
bill that had been introduced in the Legis-
lature for his relief. he would be pleased
to do all that lay in his power to assist in
its passage.
The bill itself provides that the sum of
$40 per month be paid to Professor Pei
ton torsthe space of twenty-one months.
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.
The following resolutions were then
unanimously adopted:
WHEREAS, The board learns with pro-
found regret of the misfortunes which in
his declining years have overtaken J. e.
Peiton. to whose unselfish and patriotic
labor California is indebted for the estab-
Ilshment or the first free public school,
ana Tor the practical introduction of the
pu sic school system into the State.
''ReSOt0ed, That it is the sense of this
board that the Legislature should pass the
bill for the relief OF j. c. Pelton, intro
duced in the Assembly by the Hon.
James a. Waymire, as some measure
OF the indebtedness OF the great State of
California to Mr.. Pelton. To refuse it
would be unworthy of her proud name.
The sum 80, 625) is but slight compensa-
ton for benefits received.
''ReSOLUed, That the Sacramento delega-
ton i'll the present Legislature assem-
| bled, and our State superintendent of
Public Instruction, Hon. S T. Black, be
and are hereby respectfully yet earnestly
requested to use their best endeayors to
obtain the legislation contemplated in the
| foregoing resolution.
''ReSOtUed, That orr Secretary be d.
rected TO furnish copy of these proceed
ings to the Hon. S. L. Black, Superin-
tendent of Public Instruction, to the
Chairman Of the Sacramento delegation
in the Legislature, and to the press of
this city, with request for publication"
a PLAINTIvE APPEAL.
Professor PeIton appeared before the
| board and said: Il need scarcely say that
l appreciate the honor l sincerely 1eel in
standing before you tonight, and the
kindness you have all accorded me. 1t
is sublime in its humanity to mankind.
Nv hat am l to you, or to the world at
large? Nothing. Physically, educa-
| tionally, mentally, l am nothing. Not
that have forfeited my manhood-no,
not that-but owing TO circumstances
over which l have no control l have be-
come back mum ber The world has
grown, enlarged, and has no longer any
use for me. |, who have been at the
head Of numerous institutions of learning
in this State; L, who am, so TO speak, the
father OF the public schools of California,
! have been OutgrOwn by my child and
| cast aside, and to-day am no better than
| the veriest tramp who treads the street,
! homeless and penniless.
when 1 arrived in this city and laid
my case before the President OF this
| board, was struck by his broad magma
niinity on finding that he had already
spoken OF my needy circumstances to
Judge Waymire, and made an especial
request that he forward my interests to
! the full extent OF his powers.
81 have no need to refer to my early
efforts for educational advancement in
the State of California; you have full
account of them before you in that little
pamphlet. The story is told in eleven
| lines, and it is the simple, unvarnished
truth, gentlemen.
~ ears ago, in old New England, while
struggling, enthusiastic young school
master, my every dream was. after read
| ing Eremonts account of his expedition,
to remove to that great and glorious
! country beyond the Rockies, and forward
by my every possible effort the free school
system on this coast. Every cent l OBJ
! tanned 1 devoted to the forwarding of nv
! purpose in life, and when gold was dis
covered | procured, with the slender
means at my command, map, globes,
! school books and a bell and came here to
! begin my chosen labors.
| ITO these labors are due the fact that
! San Francisco to-day possesses a school
| property worth millions of dollars. Dur
| ing the serious contagraUons that ragged
in San Francisco at that day, the city be-
came nearly bankrupt and proposed to do
away with the public schools. At that
time l had five district teachers and 325
| scholars in my charge. Sooner than see
! the system broken up that L had Iabored
| so hard to bring to the status it then Oc-
| cupied, l mortgaged my little home and
! devoted the proceeds to the use of the
| school. | lost my home and all l pos
sessed, and for years | was forced to labor
to repay the debts l personally contracted
| for the same purpose.
I'm after years, when going home one
evening, my horse sprang over high
| fence and threw me violently to the
ground. l struck on my head, and my
next ten years of life were blank. Ten
years out of lifetime! Oh! gentlemen,
| you cannot realize what it is.
when my friends expostulated with
me on expanding all my means on my
pet scheme, laughed and replied that
my pupils would never see me want. l
love them too well, and yet to-day / see
! those scholars occupying positions OF
honor throughout the country. Some
are Judges on the bench, some are Sena-
tors, but l am forgotten"
He then spoke of the accommodations of
misfortune that had followed him until,
forced from nome on to the street, he
came TO Sacramento and found himselt
with fifteen cents in his pocket. From
this level be appealed to the sympathy
and the manhood of his fellowman, and
this was the claim he had on the great
State of California.
AN ENDORSEMENT.
p. NJ. Fisher, ex-Superintendent o.
Schools of Alameda County, made shor
speech in which he stated that of his per.
sonal knowledge all the statements IN ado
by Professor Pelton we're true.
The meeting then adjourned.
OF all the baking powders made DIR
Prices is the only one absolutely pure.