The San Francisco call., 1897-09-04
Movement to Bring Them to
Answer Before the Bar of
Justice.
THE Law PLAIN, WITH no EXCUSE.
Attorney John A. Wall Will Not
Abide by the Action of the
Iroquois Club.

The Supervisors need not be lonesome
very long as defendants in an action to
oust them from office, for in few days
complaints will be filed against the equally
malodorous Board of Education to remove
them for malfeasance in office and will
ful and shameless violation of the law in
the matter of school textbooks.
John A. Wall, prominent member of
the Iroquois Club, has taken the matter
in hand and has already requested the
club 10 take some action. The refusal of
the club last night to condemn or to ex-
press any opinion about the matter has
not quieted the voice OF pn blic indigna-
ton, and Mr.. Wall will not abide by the
negative action of the Iroquols.
He realizes that this is not political
matter, bat one which concerns all the
people. Mr.. Wall said last night that the
offense OF the Board of Education was
more glaring than that of the Supervisors
and that it would be much easier to oust
them, for the Directors have not the
shadow of even a technical excuse.
Superintendent Webster made a recon-
mendation to the board" sai6 Mr.. Wall,
land the board entered actively into the
matter, and when the report of the COM
mittee on course of study was amended
and came up for final action, the book
called Heart Culture was mentioned in
the report as desk book for the use of
the teachers only. Then committee of
three was appointed and the proposed
course of study was referred to them.
When tnat committee made its eport,
Heart Culture was down as a textbook
for the pupils.
''The proposition that | make is this:
That when man is nominated by party,
whether it be the Democratic or the Re-
publican the party that nomInates him
should say to the people, we guarantee
this man; that he Will give the people
good service.
1.-The Board of Education have placed
themselves in such position tn at they
can be turned out of office with greater
ease than can the Board of Supervisors
The Iroquois Club will do nothing in the
matter and has placed itself on record.
THE law which tine School Directors
have violated is plain. 1t is found in two
places; first in section of article TX of
The constitution of the State of California:
Article TX section z. The Governor, Super
intendent of Public Instruction and the prin-
cipas of the State normal schools shalt cons IT,
tute the State Board OF Education, and shall
compile, or cause TO be compiled, and adopt
uniform series OF textbooks for use in the
common schools throughout the State. The
State board may cause such textbooks when
adopted to be printed and published by the
Superintendent of Safe Printing. at the State
Printing Office; and wnen so printed and
publis he'd, to be distributed and sold at the
cost price of printing, publishing and diStrib-
uting the same. The textbooks so adopted
snail continue in use not less than four years;
and said State board shall perform such other
duties as may be prescribed by Law. The
Legislature shall provide Tor board of ed u
cation in each county in the State. The
county superlntendents and county boards of
education shall have con troll of the examina-
tion of teachers and the granting OF teachers
certificates within their respective jurisdic-
tions.
"Here is the law as it appears in the
CODE" said Mr.. Wall:
Political Code. section 1s74-In the adoption
OF textbooks all county, city, and city and
county Boards of Education shall be governed
by the following rules:
1. Any books hereafter adopted as part of
uniform series of textbooks must be continued
in use lor not less than four years.
2 No change of textbooks must be made at
any other time than in the months of May or
June of the year n which the change is made;
and no changes shall be made to take effect
until the beginning of the school term com
mencing after the thirtieth day of June of
that year.
3. At least sixty days notice of any pro-
posed change in textbooks must be given by
publication III a newspaper OF general circu-
lation published in the county, if there be
one in which such change is to be made. If
there be no newspaper published in
the county, then such publication shall
be onnsrs made In any having
copy of the newspaper con tanning such pub
lication with such notice marked must imme.
dialeiy af.er the first publication thereof be
by the secretary of the board transmitted to
the State Board OF Education, and the same,
when received, must be filed by the
secretary of said State Board. Said
notice shall state what textbooks it is
proposed 10 change; that sealed bids or pro-
posals will be received by the board for fur
nishing books to replace them; the place
where and the day and hour when all bids or
proposals will be opened, and that the beard
reserves the right to reject any and all b ds or
proposals. Said notice shall be pub isned in
such newspaper as often as the same shall be
issued alter the first publication thereof. etc.
-Four of the directors admitted to the
Iroquols committee that they had violated
the law, but they pleaded Ignorance
Ignorance of the law is no defense in
cases OF this kind, as the directors will
find out when they go before the court"
Last night the committee appointed at
the previous meeting of the Iroquois Club
made its report on the resolutions pre-
sented by Mr.. Wall condemning the
action of the School Directors in the text
book outrage. The report was that the
resolutions be not passed.
A blush was seen to sweep across the
face OF Allan G. Thurman in the picture
on the wall just over Max Popper' head,
but Max dio not follow suit. The renort
of the committee was adopted. Mr.. Wall
spoke his mind on the subject but the
CLUB was too much ashamed to say any.
thing.