The San Francisco call., 1896-03-04
DIRECTOR LEACH RESIGNS
A New Surprise Last Night at
the Home for the Adult
Blind.
OLD employees REINsTATEp
Max Glass of Alameda Appointed Clerk.
A Statement by Ex.Mayor
Spaulding.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, !
O02 Rroadwav March g

for Adult Blind created q surprise when
the board met by announcing that he had
mailed his resignation to the Governor
this evening. Mr.. Leach made no remarks
further than to say that he informed the
beard so that they would not appoint him
on any important committee with instruc-
tlons to report at the next meeting.
The directors of the Home of the Adult
Blind at their meeting tonight reinstated
the three men removed by the former
trustees about eighteen months ago. They
were Messrs. Taylor, Tuck and Nelson.
Max Glass of Alameda, who has been night
watchman since Superintendent Hays
assumed control, was MADE clerk, vice A.
Dice, removed by Hays. The latter
named Mr.. Flood of Alameda for the posi-
ton, but when the latter visited the insti-
tuition he refused the position.
L. A. Mulialy, clerk in local grocery
store, was appointed TO succeed Glass as
night watchman. A former employe, one
Teddick, was appointed to position in
the broom factory displacing Dan Weider
and 7. Ploughman, two blind inmates.
The change saves the wages of one man.
At the last meeting of the directors
question regarding the funds of the home
was discussed at some length, in which
Directors Irish and Leach were in the
minority. The former said he would pre-
pare statement embracing the former
action of the directors, which he would
present and have placed on file so that it
might be had for future reference. Just
before the meeting closed tonight Director
Leach called this to the attention OF the
board, and remarked:
.'For obvious reasons, which you all IN
derstand, Colonel Irish cannot present the
report tonight, and as 1 have it here l
will offer it as my statement, and ask that
it be read and be placed on fiie.'
The report was read and filed as re-
quested.
In speaking of his resignation Mr.. Leach
said that it was very evident that it is the
intention OF the present board to entirely
ignore the work done in the past.
Il have been working for the good of
the home since it was first started" said
Mr. Leach, land it has been labor OF love
with both Colonel Irish and myself, and l
think we are entitled to a little considera-
! ton on account OF our experience, if for
nothing more. At the first meeting after
Budd's appointees took their seats 1t was
very evident there was desire to ignore
all the pre- cedents of the board. Even in
little things this disposition was mani
tested. ana it hurt my feelings. Superin-
tendent Hays took upon himself TO upset
all the rules that we had formulated as
the result of thirteen years OF experience.
l went to the home when it only contained
ABOUT six inmates and | have watched its
fntv HaS 81 II
Irish and myself are entitled to some con-
sideration.
"The trouble that eliminated in the dis
charge of the three men reinstated tonight
was the result OF having to enforce disci-
pline. The men were among the earliest
inmates, and when the manner of conduct
ing the home as a large family was i'm
practicable on account OF the large increase
in the number of inmates it became neces-
sary to adopt a system OF discipline.
The men rebelled, made themselves OBJ
noxious, and we had no alternative but to
fire them. Another rule we made with re-
gard to the visiting between male and fe-
male inmates was rendered necessary.
Where such risks occur discipline must be
maintained in accordance.
Hays has abandoned some of these
rules, and their speedy abolition is not
very gentlemanly position to take toward
those who have spent years in framing
them. / thought perhaps the Governor
might treat me as he did John P Irish,
but when l convinced myself that he did
not intend to, concluded to resign"
n. w. Spaulding ex-Nayor of Oakland.
and formerly treasurer of the United States
at San Francisco and trustee of the Chabot
Home, who was removed from the Blind
Home directory by Budd in November
last, was interviewed and made the follow
ing statement about the affairs of that i'll
stitution:
have read what has been published oflate in
regard to the managementof OF the Home for the
Adult Blind. served as director about one
year and took great interest in its manage
ment. /, like Mr.. Morrow, entered upon my
duties with doubts concerning the methods
which had been employed by the directors
and superintendent in conducting the institu-
tion.
The i'm npressions were formed from the COM
plants of some of the inmates who had been
disciplined and suspended or expelled and
from newspaper articles criticizing the man.
agemenl OF the home.
Several years ago spent about seven months
visiting the penal and charitable institutes Of
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia,
Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri, Massachu-
setts and Maine, where acquired much infor-
nation concerning the management OF the
deaf and dumb and blind, the reformatory
schools, the homes for old peoole, and the
schools and homes for the feeble minded and
orphanages.
These claimed the most OF my attention and
sympathy, hence when i became one of the
directors of the Home for the Adult Blind in
California felt in some degree competent to
Judge what should be done for the best in
terests of those unfortunate men and women,
for whose comfort and support the State had so
bountifully provided and who are entirely de-
pendent upon those in whose charge they are
placed.
These people the inmates) are of all ma
tionalities and from all stations in life, with
and without teducation-froIn the happy home
from the hovel and from the gutter, of ages
from q to rs years. Many of them had long
been neglected aud were addicted to intemper-
ance and other bad habits which are hard 10
control and were unaccustomed TO restraints
or discipline.
Nearly one hundred of these people congre-
gated together in an institution require ex-
perience, thought, patience, judgment, for
bearance and untiring care in order to do the
host that can be done for the welfare of such q