The San Francisco call., 1896-10-03
TEACHERS INCOME
MAY Be REDUCED
Board of Education Takes
Up the New Appro-
priation.
Mrs. Nettie r. Craven Granted
Six Months Leave of
Absence.
DIRECTOR MURDOCH RESIGNS.
Richmond Parents Protest That the
Health of Their Children Is
in Danger.

An adjourned meeting of the Board OF
Education was held last night.
The Committee on Rules report was
adopted, to the effect that Miss Kate F.
Quinlan be granted q leave OF absence
from October to October 10.
The report of the Committee on Judi
ciary was referred to the committee of the
whole board. 1t represented that the
Farallone Islands are within the City and
County limits of San Francisco, and that
If there are the necessary number of chill
dren on these islands they are entitled to
q school with the same effect as If they
were in the City proper. There are sew
eral applications for the position of teacher,
and as the United States lighthouse off,
cials on the islands have stated in their
petition for school that there is a suffi-
clent numbe of children there it is be-
lieved school will be established on the
bleak Farallones.
The Committee on Salary recommended
that the salary of Mrs. Mayberry, teacher
of sewing in the Irving Scott Primary
School, be fixed at $50 month; that the
salary of Miss Anna Love of the Starr
King Primary School be $S5 month; that
of the principal of the Horace Mann Even
ing School be $75, and OF Miss Mary W.
Busteed, principal of the Paramount Even
ing School, be $50 month. The report was
adopted.
Superintendent Babcock submitted an
amendment to section 169 of the rules,
which refers TO the appointment OF pro-
bationary teachers.
His recommendation was that if such
teachers be finally elected they shall not
be dismissed, except after fair hearing,
and only for violation of the rules of the
Board of Education, or for incompetency,
insubordination, profanity, intemperance,
unpr OCCASIONAL or immoral conduct. The
amendment was adopted.
The petition from the people OF the
Richmond district was read as follows:
We, the undersigned citizens and taxpayers
residing IN the Eighteenth Precinct of the
Thirty ghth Assembly District, respectfully
ask you to consider the following petition:
Our children, who are in the first, second and
third standards, have been attending the
school situated upon the corner of Geary street
and First avenue, which is only six short
blocks from here, but they are now requested TO
attend the Park School, situated on Sixth
avenue, near Fulton street, which is about
eleven long blocks from here; and whereas,
the children are all very small they will also
have TO go for five blocks along q sidewalk
which skirts the edge of high, dangerous
and totally unprotected embankment of the
old racetrack, after which they will have to
cross two dangerous car-tracks, viz, the Geary
and Sacramento. We, therefore, respectfully
ask you 10 allow our children to attend the
Geary street and First avenue school as here
tofore. as the school is very much nearer,
free from danger in going and returning,
more suited to the children and agreeable to
ourselves.
Another petition signed by residents OF
various parts of the district praying for
prompt action regarding the Sixth avenue
School was read. 1t stated that heaps of
manure were piled near the schoolhouse
and that there was no outlet for the sewer,
by which the children's health was
menaced.
Director Henderson replied that the
building stood on sand aud its sanitary
condition was perfect.
A letter from the Point Lobos Improve
ment Club asking for postponement OF
action on the matter was read by the
Superintendent. The board deferred ac-
tion for another week.
The Committee on Rules recommended
that Mrs. Nettie r. Craven be granted
leave of absence for SIX months from
October l, 1896, to April l. 1897.
"Mrs. Craven has been sick for six
months or more" said Director Murdoch,
land she has not been at the school for
long time. 1t might be quite graceful
thing for her to resign, so that the school
be put in proper hands. For myself. /
don't feel like putting mortgage on the
school for six months by giving her leave
of absence
Director Knox said that it was quite
regular to grant the request, as it had been
done in other cases. DIR. Clinton left the
chair and declared that Mrs. Craven was
entitled to leave of absence, and the
board had no moral right to refuse it. The
request was granted, Murdock alone
voting no.
The following preamb BILE and resolution
were presented by Director Murdoch:
WHEREAS, The appropriation for the support
of the public schools for the ensuing year is
$40, 900 less than was expended for that pur-
pose during the past year, and it is evident
the schools cannot be maintained for the
entire year at the presentrate of expenditures;
and whereas, it devolves upon the board to
thoroughly investigate the situation and to
determine what action shall be taken in the
serious emergency; therefore be 1t
Rcs0tped, That the president be asked to ap-
point five members, VINO, with the Superin-
tendent the president and acting PRESIDENT
shall constitute a special committee, which
shall report at its earliest convenience, max
ing such recommendations as they think
proper regarding the conduct of the schools.
They shall specially report their conclusions
on the following points:
/. What action can be taken by the board to
restrict miscellaneous expenditures to the
lowest possible sum consistent with the wants
of the schools and to restrict committees to
purchases or expenditures approved or au-
thoriZed by majority of the board.
2. To what extent the expenditures for
special teachers can be reduced without Se-
rious disadvantage to the schools.
3. What consolidation OF classes can be ju-
diciously made?
4. Is it advisable to increase the number of
pu pills in any OF the classes? :?
5. Whether the salaries OF janitors may be
reduced without injustice.
6. Whether the inevitable deficit, should the
schools be continued for the year, shall be met
bya reduction of the salary schedule or by
withholding portion of the vacation salary.
z. If by reduction of salaries, to submit a
schedule that by rigid economy in other di-
rections may enable us to continue the schools
for the year within the appropriation.
al agree with Director Murdock," said
Director Carew. "This is very serious
question. If the Supervisors or any per-
SON outside of this board comments with
out reason on the School Department and
then reduces the appropriation, that is no
reason why the salaries Of teachers should
be reduced. am opposed to touching
teachers salaries, and believe that this
wEoie matter should be submitted to q
committee of the whole"
Director Comte moved to refer to COM
mittee of the whole, which was done.
The questions will be considered next
Wednesday night.
On motion the sanitary condition of the
Richmond schoolhouse Will be investi-
gated by Directors Clinton and Soper, who
I'll :~x-;.o uaalth nH3oo, -