The San Francisco call., 1896-08-03
Parents Are Jubilant-Children
Are Resigned to Their
Fate.
CoNFECTIoNERs ALSO GLAD
Incidents of the First Day of the
Term-Some Class ification
Changes, Etc.

To thousands of parents and pupils and
hundreds of teachers to-day is red-letter
day. 1t is the opening day of the school
year in the public schools of San Fran
cisco. The teachers, married and single,
young and old, male and female, who
during the last six weeks have been
making the most of their vacation al the
springs, in the mountains and by the sea-
side, have all returned 10 the City and
will to-day, reluctantly in many instances,
resume their professional duties.
If, though, the teachers are sorry that
the midsummer vacation is ended, the
parents of thousands of poor children are
sincerely glad. Many tired mothers are
relieved of great responsibility, or,
rather, it is shifted from their shoulders to
that of the teachers.
So far as the children themselves are
concerned, they are like their teachers.
Those of them who are bright and studi-
GUS are only too willing to return to their
school studies and TO nurse their ambi-
tions. The idle, lazy and dull pupils, on
the contrary, detest their books and stud
les even m ore, if possible, at the opening
of the term than at its closing.
The opening of a term is time when
the nervous system of principals are SUBJ
jected to a severe strain. Glasses must be
graded ana organized and teachers are
clamorous for change of grade or more
desirable classroom. There are pupils to
be enrolled and others to be transferred.
In schools which were not graded o the
last day of the term there is great hustle
and activity and on the opening day the
last thing nybody thinks of doing is
teaching.
Now that it is finally determined not to
disturb the Webster Primary School
brisk contest is under way for the princi-
palship of the LIE Conte Primary on Powell
street, between Washington and ] ackson.
1t was the original intention to give the
appointment to Miss Mary M. Murphy,
principal of the Jefferson Primary, but now
the conditions are changed. Miss Murphy
is still anxious to be transferred from Te-
hama street 20 Powell, but it is now un-
certain if she will be. Miss Daisy Crowley,
the daughter of the Chief of Police and the
present principal of the Stanford
Primary, would also ike to go to the LIE
Conte.
So, too, would Miss Minnie G. Stebbins,
the acting principal. Miss Josephine
Saunders, teacher in the Redding Pri-
mary; Miss Martha M. Galloway, a teacher
in the Cooper Primary, and Miss Eliza
Mann Grammar, are also candidates for
the position. Who will get it remains to
be seen, but the battle is believed to be be-
tween Miss Crowley and Miss Stebbins. In
the event of Miss Crowley's success there
would be a vacant prIncipalship at the
Stanford Primary.
With its appropriation of only 81 900, 600
tie school sages will be com PEELED to be
economical during the ensuing year. The
idea of reducing teachers salaries is not
entertained by any of the Directors, who
realize the unpopularity of such an action.
Retrenchment must come, though, in
some direction, and just where is the point
| which is now bothering the brains of the
Board of Education.
| 1t has been suggested that a lot of spec
| ial teachers be dropped from the payroll
of the department and that the manual
| training at the Polytechnic High School
be curtailed or temporarily suspended.
The principalship of the San Francisco
Normal School is vacant, it having been
successfully conducted since the death of
| the late James G. Kennedy by Miss Laura
T. Fowler, the vice-principal. 1t may be
| filled and it may not, but the name of
| Mrs. Mary w. Kincaid, who in former
| years was at the head of this school, has
| already been suggested as a candidate for
| the principalship. Several of the direc-
| Tors. while personally favorable to the
| ClatInS OF hIS. hluCdlu, QOlQ LDdL unQer
/ the existing stringent financial conditions
it would be folly to fill the vacancy and
thus increase the salary expense by some
! $2400 year.
1t is claimed that it would be both wise
| and economical to continue the school for
at least another term under the admins
tration of Miss Fowler, who, as has been
said, has given general satisfaction.
| Miss Elizabeth e. Crowley, teacher in
| the Hamilton Grammar School, is ambi-
tious to become principal and has her
| eye upon the Mission Grammar School In
case Mrs. Nettle r. Craven. the principal,
should take notion to resign.
! The opening of the term is marked by
| the introduction of few new features in
! the line of instruction. A high school
class has been established at the Business
Evening School, E. c. Fitzpatrick, princi-
| pal, ana evening classes will be formed, if
| possible, in the Franklin Grammar and
| the Mission Grammar. These will be
| tenn porarily under the tuition of Richard
d. Faulkner, principal OF the Franklin.
and Selden Sturges, vice-principal OF the
Horace Mann.
| For their services they receive only $10.a
month extra pay, and the idea is to keep
the evening schools, so far as possible,
under the tuition of trained day school
| teachers.
! Two of the classes of the Horace Mann
Grammar are to be transferred to the
| Haight Primary and three high school
| day classes will be established in the up
per story of the Horace Mann. Miss Ada
| Goldsmith OF the Broadway Grammar has
been appointed as one OF the teachers
| The other two have not vet been selected
| 1t is expected that the new rules, lately
adopted by the Board of Education, will
soon be in print and in the hands OF the
| teachers, who will then get chance to
study them.
Two teachers at least will return to their
respective class rooms with light hearts
and peaceful minds. At the close of the
term they were single ladies. now they are
married, and despite the rule to the con-
trary, they are generously permitted by
the Board of Education to retain both
their positions and husbands. The names
of these ladies are Mrs. Marquis, formerly
Miss Metealf of the Haight Primary, and
! Mission Grammar.