The record-union., 1897-02-16
s. B. AL.
A Number OF Objections Urged Against
Its Passage.

In the Senate Committee ON Educa-
ton yesterday Senator Wilmington gave
notice that he should offer S. B. 41O,
known as the Jones BILL" as a substi-
tute for s B. All, saying that he was
satisfied from the conversation he had
had with Assemblymen and teachers
that there was a strong opposition to
S. B. All on account of a number Of
features in it that Were Objectionable
to them.
Last fall, at the biennial convention
of the County Superintendent of
Schools, they discussed a number of
proposed changes to the school law in
volving a radical change in the kinds of
certificates granted by the county
boards the taking away from them
the granting of High School certif-
Gates on examination and placing it in
the hands of the State Board. and the
holding of annual examinations for ex-
animation of applicants for teachers
certificates instead of semi-annual ex-
aminatiOnS, as at present, the reason
advanced being that SO many appI
cants get certificates at present that
there are not one-tenth enough schools
to give them employment and that,
even with annual examinations, there
will be a surplus of teachers
The proposal with regard to High
School certificates was adopted, being
favored by all or nearly all, and that
for the change of kinds of certificates
was also adopted. as we'll as relating
to annual examinations. A number of
bills to amend the school law have been
introduced embodying one or more of
these things, and Nos. 410 and Al are
among them, similar bills being intro
duced in the Assembly.
No. All embodies all these changes,
but drops some important sections from
the present law and changes other
parts in a manner that does not suit
many of the old teachers.
1t changes the semi-annual examina-
tons to an annual one to be held in
June. While not Objectionable to county
boards, this provision will bear hard on
some applicants for certificates for two
reasons. In the first place many who
graduate from the High School wish to
teach The June examination comes at
the time when they are preparing for
graduation, and they are thus shut out
from taking it and have to wait a
whole year for an opportunity, while
under the present law they can try it in
December. Then, too the school year
commences on July list, and by that
time nearly every school in most of the
counties has its teacher selected, if not
actually engaged, and the successful
applicant at the June examination must
wait another year for an opportunity to
secure a school
The bill as introduced, for some un-
explained reason, drops out two sec
tionS of the present law, one providing
for the compensation of county boards,
and the other that incidental expenses
for printing, stationery, etc, shall be
paid out of the general fund. as other
claims are. These two sections were
restored in the Senate Committee. In
Section 2, amending Section It'll of the
present law, the clause providing that
the county board shall establish a
standard of proficiency to which appli-
cants must attain, has been dropped.
The clause relating to diplomas of
graduation from country schools also
omits to state on what standing the di-
plomas shall be issued. The present
law prescribes that diplomas shall only
be issued on successful examination
prescribed by the county board.
In Section 3 the bill provides that
applicants shall, among other things,
pass an examination ''in English, gem
eral history" and other named studies.
while for kindergarten certificate it
is required that an applicant shall
have passed a satisfactory examination
in English equivalent to the fullest re-
qurements for admission to the Uni
versity of California, general history"
and other studies. General history
may take in ancient and mediaeval and
modern history if the County Board so
construes the law. The requirement
for English is apparently more rigid
for a kindergarten than for high
school certificate.
Section q amends Section 1775 of the
code in relation to what certificates
may be granted by the County Board
without examination. An innovation
here provides that they may be granted
10 the holders of high school certifi-
Gates of any county. city or city and
county in California, which would open
a wide door. No provision is made for
granting certificates on life diplomas
of this State, either high school or or
dinary. The life diplomas granted
prior to the adoption of the new Con-