The San Francisco call., 1897-07-28
A SLIGHT
DIFFERENCE
OF opinion
Twenty Changes Will Be
Made by the School
Directors.
CENSURE WAS NOT INTENDED.
Principals Say the Meaning Ct
Their Words Was Mis-
construed.
THE BOARD WILL INVESTIGATE.
The Responsibility of the Turmoil
Will Be Shifted to the Shoulders
of the Pedagogues.
THE BOARD WILL INVESTIGATE.
The Responsibility of the Turmoil
Will Be Shifted to the Shoulders
of the Pedagogues,

The time that the monkey and parrot
had or the battle of the Kilkenny cats
were pleasant little diversions comparec
with what will happen III the rooms o
the Board of Education during the mex
few weeks. When the solid nine started
TO make wholesale changes to accom- mo-
date its friends, it little thought that the
storm that has arisen would materialize
and it was not pared for the roar OF in
dignation that has gone up from all direc-
tionS.
Now that the scheme has been exposed
there has been scurry to hedge, aud in
stead of carrying Oil the investigation
themselves, the directors are prepared, tc
use the language of one of their mum ber,
to "alIow the teachers to fight IL OUT
among themselves.
Fighting it out means charges and re-
ordinations of all kinds and a merry lit
tie time all around, and the directors have
decided to throw the responsibility off
their own shoulders and onto those of the
pedagogues.
Several teachers who were reported as
unsatisfactory either in discipline or in
struction by their principals have pre-
pared for q royal battle, because they say
that the reports are the result of spite and
that they are less to blame for anv lack OF
order or attention than their superors.
Some have decided TO appear with attor-
neysto show that tn ey have been misrep-
resented and will bring counter-charges
against the principals.
The easiest way We can sec out of this
difficulty" said Director Waller yester-
! AkA
among them selves and show where they
have been misre resented if they can.
'If there has been any spite work ii
will soon develop, and the board can be
governed by what it learns while the in
vestigation IS going on.
''In some instances there is certainly
something peculiar about the way these
reports read.
IA short time ago a committee from
this board visited school where certain
teacher is employed and made inquiries
as to her standing.
1--WE were given the most glowing ac-
counts of her efficiency both as an in
structor and disc plinarian, the principal
eeming to take pleasure in recomm end
ing her.
I'm the face of this she is reported as
fair as disciplinarian, and is not spoken
OF in one way or the other as an instructor.
Reports from schools where she previously
taught are strongly III her favor, and she
aswelI as ourselves want to know the
reason of this sudden change of heart.
She says she will bring an attorney 10
conduct her case.
"At any rate all who wish will be ac-
corded hearing, and if teachers have
been misTepresented they will be vindi-
Gated.
The plan of the board now is to make
a large mum Der of changes to harmonic
the partment. L have had tour sppIl-
cations from teachers who fear that after
what has been published they will not be
on pleasant footing with their superiors.
Other directors have also had applica.
tions, and l think altogether that there
will be about twenty transfers"
There appears to be quite difference of
opinion regarding the construction of
sentences and the meaning of words IN
the English language among the edu-
Gators of the City The reports of the
principals of the various schools on the
qualifications of the teachers under
Them has stirred no considera bic feeling.
and those who have been censured have
taken occasion to call for specifications. ."
From the developments resulting from
this action on the part of the teachers if
appears that the word fair" is not used
as criticism, but means satisfactory"
Frank Morton, principal of the Lowell
as deeply regretling the construction that
had been put upon his report concerning
j. l.. Crittenden, which appeared as fair ~
M r. Morton took occasion to place him sci II
right in the matter to Mr. Crittenden in
the presence OF Mr.. Lill ie, and stated that
when he reported him as fair he in
tended that it should mean that his work
was entirely satisfactory. He further
specifically stated that the work of Mr..
Crittenden had always been III every way
perfectly satisfactory, not only to himself,
but that 1t had been accepted by The unl-
versity as such. He was sorry tnat mis-
construction had been placed upon his re-
port, and desired to have the matter mad q
plain in order that no idea of incompe-
tency on the part of Mr.. Crittenden should
obtain among the people.
The following letters regarding the case
Of Miss Julia a. Murphy are self-expIana-
tory:
Alfred Ly8er Esq,.-.DEAR SIR: Win you kind
ly let me know if Miss Julia Murphy is salts
factory 10 you as teacher.
ED. L. HEAD, Director
E. L. Hcdd-DEAR SIR: In reply to vours of
the 26th inst, will say that Miss Julia A
Murphy has never been, nor Is she now. .unsatis
factory to me either as a dsciplinarian or as a
teacher. Very truly yours,
ALBERT LYsER, principal.
Captain A. ]. 1tselI, teacher of the ninth
grade in the Hearst Grammar School. on
Waller street, believes that great in ius.
tice has been done him. He is one of
those who appeared on the blacklist in
TINS uncomplimentary way: "Qualifica-
tions as instructor unsatisfactory (see
note); ability as q discipline narian unsatis-
factory; Hearst Grammar School" In
discussing these remarks Captain Itsell
said: II think that all of this is uncailed
for and unnecessary. 1t may be that poll
tics have something to do with it, but
am of the opinion that the principal of
the school had more to do in holding me
up to disgrace than any one else.'
He went on to say that about two
months ago he was removed from the
Washington Grammar School to the
Hearst Grammar and that the change was
not OF his seeking nor 10 his liking in the
least. He had been under Principal Z. B.