The San Francisco call., 1898-10-11
WRECK|NG SAN
 JOSE'S SCHOOLS Boss Rule Stirs Up New
 Difficulties. TROUBLE IN THE LOWELL AUTOCRATIC MISS PECKHAM THE DIsTURBER. Principal Causes the Transfer of Teachers Whose Advance
 ment Arouses Her
 Envy.
TROUBLE IN THE LOWELL
AUTOCRATIC MISS PECKHAh
 THE DISTURBER.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

SAN JOSE, Oct 10.-There is another revolt in the San Jose School Depart ment. This time the scene of trouble Is the Lowell Grammar School, and the chief actor about whom the storm of fury centers is Miss Lois Peckham. the principal For some time her tyran- nical and czarlike rulings have aroused i'll feeling among the teachers, and some have even left the school rather than suffer abuse. It has been neces- sary to transfer teachers from the school in order to have harmony, and those to whom the principal took dis like and who had no political pull have either resigned their position or been classified out by the classification committee. Miss Peckham has the support of Rea, and what she says in school affairs goes, and even the mem bers of the Board of Education have to respect her wishes.
 This was clearly shown the first of last week. At that time there was se- rious trouble in the school and for while it looked as though the dozen teachers there would go on strike for the removal of Miss Peckham rom the principalship. These sentiments were freely expressed by the schoolmarms and 1t was necessary to call in mem berS of the School Board to paclty them As it was Miss Peckham and Miss Charlotte Brewer of the seventh grade nearly got into a hair-pulllng contest and only the manly form of the ianitor prevented a physical encounter. The outcome of this was that Miss Peckham told the Trustees that they must transfer Miss Brewer to another school or she would ignore their au- thority and go straight to Rea. The Trustees took her orders as II they came direct from the boss, and Miss Brewer was transferred to the Lincoln Grammar School
 The story of last weeks trouble Is this Miss Ida M. Love, vice princi- pal of the school and teacher of the eighth grade, was removed with her class to the new High School. The classes of this grade from the different schools have been located in the High School to help fill the vacancy made by the striking High School pupils who have gone to the Santa Clara High School. The removal of this class from the Lowell made Miss Brewer of the seventh grade vice principal. Miss Peckham objected and started in to drive Miss Brewer from the school by making 1t unpleasant for her. The other teachers took Miss Brewers part and then trouble was on in earnest. In order to restore quiet the classifi- cation committee-composed of Trus- tees Graham and Kenyon-transferred Miss Brewer to the Lincoln School and gave Miss Nellie O'Brien of the Lowell the vice principalship. Miss Eliza Higgins of the Lincoln was put In Miss O'Briens place in the sixth grade. This has patched up the matter for while, but it is said the trouble is not ended
 San Jose's School Department is 11nPOVfa bIe renItatIOn Diff ficulty after difficulty has arisen and the people are beginning to ask where all this quarreling will end. Politics is the cause of 1t all, and unless checked the methods of Req and the Macken- zies will be the ruinatiOn of the schools. The new High School has been almost wrecked and now the grammar schools are threatened
 The City Board of Education Is really to blame Instead of conducting the schools for the best interests of the tax payers they are using the positions In the department to strengthen their "gang" politically.
 Trustees O'Neill and Wemple are in clined to do what is right, but they are powerleSS to act with Langford, Graham and Kenyon opposed to them. When Langford was appointed Trus- tee by Mayor Martin people believed he would act for the best interests of the city; instead he sold out to Req for the nomination for Sheriff. His record for the few months he has been on the School Board shows how thor oughly gang" he is, and If placed in the Sheriff's office he would be even more neglectful of the peoples inter- ests. His vote was needed on the School Board, and as he wanted to be Sheriff the "gang" made the bargain with him. It was his decisive vote that removed Professor Smith from the High School and Mrs. A. Clement from the City Superintendent's office. He also was instrumental in creating the office of Supervisor of Kindergar- tens for Miss Belle Mackenzie.