The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-09-29
MIXING Up
THE COURSE
OF STUDY
Directors and Principals
Abuse Webster and Take
a Vote.
ANVIHHN DIhUWUAL IO OUMlNu.
Amid Disagreement a Committee
Decides in Favor Of the Prin-
cipals' Report.
CUTTING DOWN EVENING SCHOOLS.
Dr.. Raglan Declares That the Board
Will Not Be Bulldozed Into
Doing Anything.
CUTTING DOWN EVENING SCHOOLS.

The Board of Education took the dinner
hour of last evening to straighten out the
woeful tangle over the new course OF study
that won't work, and when they got
through the matter was mixed up worse
than ever and all ready tor new fight
at the next meetins of the board, when
something entirely different will probably
be done.
They abused Superintendent We bster
to their hearts content, partly for getting
up such course OF study and partly for
not being there to be roasted.
1t was officially a meeting of the Com =
mittee on Elementary Education, called
to settle the question of a course Of study
that b ad be referred to it. The rest of
the mem bers of the board had been in
vited TO be present, ahd all tut two were
there, making it an informal meeting OF
the board. Madison Babcock, Principal
Albert Lyser, Principal Joseph O'Connor
and Vice Principal Ebenezer Knowlton
had drifted in, and occasion arose for DR..
Raglan to explain that he had invited
them. All are anti Websterites.
When Chairman Dsrbam called tn e
board to order, Carew moved in a steely
manner that Superintendent Webster be
notified to attend the meeting, and Sec
rotary Welc who had notified him twice,
went upstairs and then reported Web
! ster' absence. Derham moved that the
report OF the joint com mittee of primary
| and gram mar school principals amending
! the new course OF study be adopted with
out change To the end OF the meeting
! Derham contended that if this report was
| not all right it was the fault OF the said
! experts, and the BOARD should shut its
! eyes and adopt it.
! Carew moved an amendment that it be
| adopted, except for any new books pro-
vided which should BE- cut out. He be-
/ Iieved that there was a geography and an
arithmetic added for some grades.
I'VE have had enough odium cast on
the board by this course of study. and l
don't propose to have any more even by
principals adding books for which the
board is responsible" said Dr. Raglan.
Armer asserted that the report of the
principals would not gbe with the course
of study. There we're such little things as
leaving year OF spelling, geography, ETC.,
out of some grades when the TWO were
put together. There should be a general
revision.
Ragan took shot at Webster by say
ing. Il want to know how many mem bers
had anything 10 do with this course of
study. The very title page shows that 1t
! is by the Superintendent, ana now since
! board and he shirKs this discussion"
! Mr.. Babcock got a chance 10 turn loose
! on the new course OF study in reference to
/ the evening schools.
! IT'S curiosity and a copy shouiG be
! IN the park museum" he said. NV by, in
| the highest grade OF the evening schools
working boys and girls are required to
! buy eleven books! It's an educational
! crime. Now, take this so-called course of
| study, this thing i'll print, and this
amended report, and who can put them
/ together? Here are fifty pages left out Of
! the spelling book, for instance"
Raglan asserted that majority of the
committee of grammar school principals
were Websters friends and followed his
suggestions.
This course of study Yves prepared by
/ an inexperienced man" said Joseph
| O'Connor when he got to talking vigor-
ously, land far as | can learn was re-
| vised by inexperienced people. l. lis COM
| plete botch, ana there s no use Calling it
anything else. He has done US an honor
by calling me and some others his enc
mice. You will need 70 take a nalf dozeu
meetings if you wish to connect these
! things"
Albert Lyser took whack at Webster
and the course OF study. Carew suggest
! ed referring the matter TO a committee OF
experts, and RaIan favored adopting the
| Old course of study.
Finally Carew's amendment iavoring
the principals report. with new books
! knocked out, prevailed.
At the board meeting Raglan will pre-
! sent a minority report. Waller will stick
up for course OF study of his own and
other mem bers will have other ideas for
the mess which remains as tangled as