The San Francisco call., 1897-01-29
GRAVE CHARGES MADE.
He Says Buildings Are Repaired
and Places Made for d.
rectors' Relatives.
AUDITOR BRoDEB1CK SCORED.
The Ex.School Director Makes Sweep
ing Accus ation That Funds
Are Squandered.

The controversy between the chairman
of the Finance Committee of the present
Board of Educati and the chairman OF
the last board promises to assume far
wider proportions than either one i'm
agined at the outset. f. A. Hyde, ex-
president of various boards of education,
has entered the arena to lodge grave accu-
sations against the last two boards. He
makes specific charges OF great extrava-
gance and nepotism.
Mr.. Byde's contention is that the School
Directors have no power to divide the
school fund and that the Auditor has no
right to withhold the payment of any bills
approved by the Board of Education pro-
vided the one-twelfth act is not violated.
Speaking of Mr.. Hyde's allegations in
Thursdays CALL Auditor Broderick said
last night:
II am acting under legal advice, govern
ing myself by the statutes of 1871-72 and
of 1876 According to my attorney S
views 1 have right to respect the con-
tract for the Mission High School and to
refuse to touch any such funds as may
have been set aside for that purpose. do
not think Mr.. Hyde's opinion worth any
thing, for he is away off on the facts and
the law"
Mr.. Hy de, however, reiterates his accu-
sations of extravaganza and violation of
the law.
There is a striking object lesson in
what the Board of Education did last
night" said Mr.. Hyde yesterday. "They
had hardly warmed their chairs until they
tod for fua uaors
$500 a month to nspect-nothing. They
pretend that he is to inspect the Mission
High School. Whenever there is anything
in sight to inspect it will be found that
the architect has been paid and hired to
do the inspecting. The truth is this is q
fat job for somebody's friend. This board
promised wonders in the way of economy.
What is it doing? 1t has dismissed no.
body, cut short no expenses; but has be-
gun to create fat places for its friends"
Continuing in the same strain Mr..
Hyde said:
The enormous increase in the expenses OF
the department chargeable to the creation of
unnecessary positions and the employment OF
unnecessary teachers is strikingly exempliied
in the estimate of expenditures presented last
evening to the Board of Education by the
chairman of the Finance Committee. He esti-
mates that for the first six months of this year
the sum of $453, ,117 rs will be required for
teachers salaries, which is at the rate of
1906, ,235 so per annum. For the fiscal year
1893-94 the total sum expended for teachers
salaries amounted to 1914, ITO SO. For the
closing half year during the adm inistration OF
the same board the expenditure was S40S,-
O34 80.
This would show an average teachers salary
list of about 1915, 900 per annum. Thus il
appears that the last Board of Education in.
creased the salary list alone about $50 OOC
per annum. While there has been gradual
increase in the expenses of the department
from 1SS4-85 to the present time no such re-
markable increase in any one administration
has heretofore been shown. The average
daily attendance of pupils in 1893 -94was about
$4,000. This attendance has been increased
by about 1900. Such an attendance as that
scattered through the School Department
would necessitate the employment of but few
If any, additional teachers, for it never hap
pens that the classes are full. In fact at 8
time when the minimum number for one
class was placed at fifty the actual average
attendance was only about forty.three. 1
every class in the department, however, hac
been full, and 1t were necessary to employ
additional teachers for the 1900 additions q.
pupils, only thirty additional teachers would
have been required. AS matter of fact tbs
actual number required would be nearer FIVE
and yet there are in the department about
seventy-fve teachers more than there were
three years ago.
The sentiment of the Supervisors and OF the
people has been that 81, 900, 600 per annum
was enough to conduct the schools; and, out
OF that the Directors are obliged to appoItion
over $500, 900 for salaries. leaving little over
$4,000 per annum to pay all of the other
running expenses, out of which about $40 OOO
is disbursed for janltors and others receiving
fixed salaries.
Mr.. Hyde's indictment of extravaganza
refers to Superintendent Babcock on the
question of back salaries, and is as fol.
lows:
The law provides for a City board of ex.
animation, who may examine applicants for
teachers certificates and grant two grades of
certifcates-primary and grammar grade.
The primary-grade teachers are authorized to
teach only in primary schools and their
maximum pay is considerably less than that
OF person holding a grammar-grade certff.
cate, Notwithstanding that they may teach in
the same classes.
About the year 1887, while B. c. Stone was
chairman of the Classification Committee. the
Board of Education passed a rule allowing
applicants for teachers certificates per ent
extra for each year of successful experience
in teaching, not exceeding 10. Shortly there.
after, the Board of Examiners, misunderstand-
ing the rule OF the Board of Education. rec.
commended that several teachers, numbering
about twelve in ALL should receive various ex-
ira credits for experience, and added the
same to the credits which they had previously
received on their primary-grade certificates.
thereby making the average of S5 per cent
and, on the strength of that result. gave tn EN-
grammar-grade certificates. The Board of Ed
ucation, later. discovered this error and an.
nulled the action by which these grammar
grade certificates had been granted.
Miss Annie Hines, who was one of the teach
ers who received certificate in this manner.
entered a suit against the Board of Education
for the recovery of her grammar-grade Ger ti-
fcate and also for the payment of back salary
the difference between the salary of q prim.
ary-grade teacher and that of grammar
grade teacher Before The action in court was
settled, however, Miss Hines entered an ex-
animation and, in the proper manner, se-
cured a grammar-grade certificate. The suit
in court, notwithsta nding, went on to final
issue upon the question Of salary only, and,
during the last six months. it was decided oy
Judge Murphy IN favor of Miss Hines.
During the time that the application was
pending in the Board of Examination. and