The San Francisco call., 1897-08-19
NOT We, OH
NO, TWAS
WEBSTER
The Schoolbook Jobbery
Before the Iroquois Club
for Censure.
AUUUNLD NHlfl HE BLAME.
They Say the superintendent
and Principals Led Them
Astray.
BLUNDIBS WHICH COST THOUSANDS.
A Defense That Scholars We're Told
to Buy Books Meant for
Teachers Only.
BLUNDIBS WHICH COST THOUSANDS.
A Defense That Scholars Were Told
to Buy Books Meant for
Teachers Only.

The Iroquois Club has taken up the
schoolbook iobbery.
The document charging Messrs. Bar
rington, Waller, Bantel and Burns with a
gross violation of their duty was drawn
by John A Wall last week, and the ac-
cused members appeared before the Iro-
ouois committee on resolutions yesterday
afternoon.
The committee and many aggrieved
mem bers met at the Office of President
Lennon in the Marye building yesterday
afternoon. They heard the charges pa
tiently. practically admitted the iniouity
of their actions in tie school book ques-
ton. pleaded ignorance of the schoolDook
question, and concluded with accusations
i'm plicating School Superintendent Web
ster and withdrew from the contest.
According to the statements of the ac-
cused members they acted as Webster
dictated. and in all that they said yester-
day they practically alleged that sit was
Webster did it," The committee gave
Mr.. Wall another week TO discover further
evidence, after which it adjourned.
But the textbook robbery was not the
only charge in Mr.. Wallis resolutions, nor
was it the only charge discussed in the
presence of the accused directors. They
were solemnly accused of making changes
of teachers and otherwise changing the
workings OF the system greatly to its det-
riment and disorganization.
To these grave charges they replied that
such changes as had been made were a
the request of principals, and if any
errors had been made they were by the
principals who had M ade the recommends
tions.
The directors said that the course of
study adopted was one carefully prepared
by Superintendent Webster, who held that
the course in the City schools was from
one to two years behind all the other
schools of the State. They said they
were not familiar with these matters, be-
ing engaged in general merchandise and
work wholly unlike teaching.
Another most remarkable accusation
was that the purchase of thousands OF
dollars worth of books by the pupils of
the schools was great mistake.
They said that many of the books were
intended for teachers only, to be used as
manuals and reference books. According
to their defense Superintendent Webster,
busy with the cares OF office, had forgot
ten to tell the principals of the schools
that.the books we're for teachers only, not
for the pupils. Webster, according to this
extraordinary story, com mitted a grave
error in telling teachers that the books
were for pupils when they were really for
the direction OF teachers only.
Carrying out the blunder further. the
prin cipals told all the scholars they would
be obliged to buy these books.
LAS soon as we learned of this grave
error" said the president of the board
yesterday, 1--WE drove from school 10 school
in hot haste to correct the error, but we
found we were in most cases too late"
Going further in their defense, the di-
rectors said they were assured that Super
intendent Webster was preparing State
paper wherein he would manfully share
the blame and public reproaches that
have been bred by the boards remarkable
action on the school book question.
The principals have been officially
blamed by the directors for the jobbery
and changes of teachers, while Superin-
tendent Webster has been blamed with
the schoolbook job. 1t remains to be seen
what those thus charged by the accused
and generally denounced board Will say in
justification of their course.