The San Francisco call., 1896-11-26
The Board of Education
CriticizeS the Health
Board.
Superintendent Babcock Is Very
Greatly Wrought
Up.
A Committee Will Meet With the
Health Board Tomorrow to
Discuss the Matter.

The meeting of the Board of Education
held last evening was largely employed in
critic=ing the Board of Health for its
action in having closed the Mission Gram
mar School and threatening to close the
Marshall Primary and the Everett Gram
mar.
Superintendent Babcock gave the cue
for the attack. He said the Mission
Grammar had been closed for the reason
that diphtheria was prevalent in the
school. He said that this reason was
based on two cases, one of which had not
been in the school since the 221 of Octo-
ber and the other had never been in the
school.
He then went on with harangue
against the Board Of Health, instancing
the closing of the Irving schools because
the sewage from some private tenements
emptied into the school lot, while neglect
ing for ten months to fix the source. He
said the Board of Health exercised the
privilege of giving orders and physic to
the public. and the public took the medi-
cine, but When it came to a point where
that board undertook TO run the schools
he thought it time to cali halt.
DIR. Clinton expressed surprise and re-
gret at hearing the Superintendent criti-
cize the best Board OF Health this City
ever had. He declared that the Health
Board has done nothing more than lis
duty. That board was created to look
after the health OF the City and nothing
was more important to that end than 10
see that the schools were ir good sanitary
condition. When they found a school
that was not so it was their duty 10
promptly close it and keep it closed 1ntil
the Board of Education made it fit to be
opened.
ceived notice from the secretary OF the
Board of Education only that same morn
ing; that he had answered it that it
would have been i'm possible for HIM to
call the board together earlier than the
regular meeting that night. He said he
agreed with the Superintendent, that the
Board of Health owed the Board of Edu-
cation some courtesy in the matter.
Superintendent Babcock said there was
only one hoard whose business it was 10
run the schools and when il came to any
other board trying to run them he OBJ
jected. He moved that the Board of
Health be required to state in detail what
repairs were necessary in the three schools
named as being in an unsanitary condi-
tion. This passed.
DR.. Soper reported that he had just come
from meeting of the Board OF Health,
where he had been given very little satis-
faction. 1t had been suggested, he said,
that committee from the Board of Edu-
cation meet with the Board of Health on
Friday morning.
This suggestion was acted upon, and
Drs. Clinton and SoIer were named as
such committee.
Henderson and McElroy entered the
discussion from opposite points of view.
Henderson. while declaring that the
Board of Health had transgressed beyond
It's authority, still favored immediate
10 IN
McElroy said such speed would put the
board at disadvantage in the matter of
the price of lum ber.
Henderson said it was ridiculous for a
board that had insisted on paying $52 600
for lot Of land that had been offered for
$50, 900 to bubble about the price of little
lum Der where it became question of the
health of the children.
A resolution directing that the yards
of the Everett and Hawthorne schools be
planked Immediately passed without dis
sent.
resolution requesting the Board of
Health to hold meeting Friday morning,
for the purpose of receiving and confer
ring with the special committee of the
Board of Education, passed unanimously.
Joseph O'Connor, principal of the
Horace Mann School, submitted petition
with other principals and teachers, asking
that the proposed withholding of salaries
be deferred for the present, in view of the
approaching holidays and the "expeneses
incident thereto" The petition was
placed on file.
A resolution to the effect that Brander
Matthews introduction to the Study of
American Literature" be adopted as
textbook for use in the seventh grade
classes, and that Select American Clas-
sics' be adopted as reading book in the
hands of the pupils of the eighth grade
classes, was adopted, both to 60 into use at
the opening OF the school term in 1857.
school In the Mission, TO be conducted,
pending the erection OF the high school
building, in the Hawthorne School; that
Class In the Horace Mann School he trans
ferred to it, and that Charles II. Murphy
be chosen as its superintendent.
Superintendent Babcock, while paying
tribute to Mr. Murphy and expressin g
the hope that under better conditions n e
would be made the principal of the pro-
posed high school, opposed The creation of
The school or the office at this time, while
funds were so short that thesalar es of
teachers were being withheld.
Others spoke in the same vein, and the
resolution failed to pass.
superintendent Babccck then brought
up the old question of the vacancy caused
Dy Director Murdock's resignation by ap-
pointing DR.. George |. Drucker as his sue
cessor.
President Scott said there was no va
cancy in the board and refused to put the
questioned. The board adjourned TO meet
f0N NV