The San Francisco call., 1897-08-11
Reforms
FOR THE
SCHOOLS
Joint Meeting Of the Direc-
tors and the Charter
Committee.
STATUS OF TEACHERS DISCUSSED.
Should the Board Of Education
Be Elected or Ap-
pointed?
AGED TEACHERS TO RE PENSIONED.
Fred Campbell Lifts Up His Voice in
Defense of Some New
Textbooks.
AGED TEACHERS TO RI PENSIONED.
Fred Campbell Lifts Up His Voice in
Defense of Some New
Textbooks.

The subcommittee on schools of the
charter committee held meeting last
night in the rooms of the Board OF Edu-
cation for conference with the board Oh
the subject of the school provisions OF the
proposed charter.
School Director Derham opened the
discussion by saying that anything iust
and ialr would be suitable and satisiac-
tory. Laws should be form ulated so that
all advancements in the department
should be based on ability and experience
on civil service rules. New teachers
should be chosen by competitive examina-
ton.
He believed also that the Board of Edu
cation should not be elected. The men,
bers should be appointed and that six
members would be sufficient. He favored
also rotation in office. He would not
have the SIX members go in at one time.
The Board of Education should deal
with matters OF education only and have
nothing to do with the erection OF school
buildings or the repairs to the same.
Director Waller remarked that the rea-
son he would give would be that peda-
gogues were pedantic; they we're confined
broad minded. Experience in the public
schools of the East showed that business
ability was required in a board of educa
tion.
II deny the statement in regard to the
Eastern schools" said Mr.. O'Connor.
Mr.. Waller took fresh hold and went
on:
Teachers should be retired on PEN
sions after having passed certain age.
Il believe also," continued Mr.. W Waller,
growing eloquent, "that teachers should
be required to pass an examination every
five years to see II they have kept up with
their work. Otherwise they would get
into one groove and fall behind the prog
ress of the age. There should be no
graded schools. The same teacher should
take The same class from the beginning
until they get out of the grammar school,
and then go back for new class in the pri-
mary grades.
Director Armer presented the following
plan:
1. Board composed of five Directors ap-
pointed by the Mayor without regard TO poll
tics. Each to represent district.
2. To be 80 years OF age or over and heads Of
3. To receive suitable compensation for
4 To hold office for four years. Those first
appointed 10 be retired by lot as follows: One
to go out OF office at end of first wear, one at
y
and two at end OF fourth year,
3. Three to constitute quorum.
3. All sessions public; records of proceed
ings and books in general to be open 10 public
inspection.
z. Power to employ, pay and dismiss teach
ers and office employees and recommend the
fixing and altering OF their salaries to board
having jurisdiction over same.
s. No teacher TO be dismissed except for
cause, as defined by the State law 179l), and
after fair trial.
ha lorlIy
substitute list in the order in which they are
placed on the substitute list. Teachers to be
placed on The substitute list in the order and
according to the percentage received upon
competitive examination of those holding
teachers certificates.
10. Substitu list for day schools to consist
OF thirty-fYe. List to be Teplenis he'd when it
falls below twenty-slx
IL. Board OF examiners to consis OF heads of
departments OF pedagogy al Stanford and Uni
versity OF California, two PRINCIPALS OF San
Francisco schools with salary, and Superin-
tendent of Schools without extra salary)
II. Board of Education not 10 employ
janitors, shopmen or other employees OF de-
partment except teachers and Office EN- oyes
and to attend strictly to educational matters
only
13. A Board of Public Works to have charge
of all expenditures for buildings, supplies
ETC., receiving recommendations from the
Board of Education.
IA. Board OF Education to have power to
grant and revoke teachers certificates: to
establish and enforce all necessary rules for
the government of the schools; to investigate
charges against any person connected wi or
in the employ of the School Department.; 10
administer oaths and take testimony in the
conduct of such Investigations
is. To adopt and reject text books, not to be
changed in four years, and then only if found
to be deficient.
16, Yice-principals. Vacancy N position of
vice-principal to be filed by seator teacher in
point of service at the school in question, pro-
vided said teacher has a life diploma indicat-
ing ten years or more experience. If senior
teacher has no life diploma vacancy to be
filed by competitive examination of senior
teachers OF other schools having such
diploma.
II. Vacancy in principaship to be filed by
vice-principal of same school. If school has
no vtce-principal, then by competitive ex-
animation of vice-prtncipals of other schools
who wish TO compete.
1S. No teacher to be transferred from q
school where she has taught for one year or
more except with her consent
A general discussion followed on the
subject OF the election of the board by the
people and their appointment by the
Mayor. 1t was argued that the Mayor
(any Mayor might be partisan and
might appoint strictly partisan board,
while on the other hand it was conceded
that the present mode of election was
partisan also.