The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-12-04

PAPERS WERE
SOLD FOR COIN
Board of Examiners in
the Market.
BANTEL AS A PURCHASER
GRAND JURY SHOWS UP MORE
SCHOOL CROoKEDNESS.
Six Aspirants Who Obtained Their
Teachers Certificates for $50
Each-Supplies Secured
Without Requisition.
BANTEL AS A PURCHASER
GRAND JURY SHOWS UP MORE
SCHOOL CROoKEDNESS.

Contrary to all precedent the latest
Grand Jury investigation into School
Board crookedness is prolific of results.
Jobbery in all its profitable variety, mean,
petty larcenies and graver thefts have
been unearthed by the delving that has
been done these past three weeks into the
books and affairs of certain men who
have for two years made merry and
waxed fat over the sack of the public
schools.
So far as the Board of School Direct
ors is concerned it is the old, old story
the selling of teachers billetS at fat
prices, the manipulation of department
stores, juicy contracts let to members Of
the combine and dozen and one lesser
affairs of profit that, in the constant
light of larger propositions, have become
too insignificant to have general interest.
But the overhauling that the books and
numerous witnesses have had at the
hands of the jury's experts has involved
others than the Directors. That august
and virtuous body the Board of Exam
liners, which is supposed to pass impair
TALLY upon the examination papers or
the sweet girl graduates who aspire to
hold teachers certificates and the chance
to ultimately yield up $500 to the Direct
ors for job, have been caught in the drag
net, and if unlimited evidence and proper
law go for aught the jury's investigation
may land the culpritS where they belong.
The average. well-regulated Director
don't like no s2o cheap h+ ian his MINIMUM M tba
season now, and he has dropped the rate
to $500 per single job; However, $500 is
high pile when stacked up next to two
twenties and ten, and $50 was the maxi,
mum of the untutored and inexperienced
operator of the examining board.
The recent teachers examination gave
the Board Of Examiners its maiden oppor-
tunity. Phe applicants were many and
anxious, and the word went out through
the medium of a Mills building LOB
broker that many of them were burdeneI
with a surplus of expense money. The
bait took, and after three days of clever
dickering six well-meaning but ill-advised
young women of this city yielded up to
the go-between $50 each. In return they
We're instructed to apply to the presiding
principal, from whom they would receive
copies of the. questions that would be pro-
pounded at the coming examinations.
No paper changed hands on the trans
action and no other evidence or the JOB,
cheap as it was, would have existed had
not one of the fair aspirants, whose name
is for the present withheld, applied to the
wrong principal for her tip. The startled
professor was not one OF the wen iltoa 1ie
in which he persisted until called down
by his Superiors.
Facts ascertained by him finally came
into the hands of the present Grand Jury
which, through a rigid comparison of the
examination papers, discovered the names
of the six who paid for advanced infor-
II.
session the jurymen have been biding
their time against the day when one of
them should appear on the pay roll of the
department.
attracted by any unusual action on the
part of the board. On the morning of that
day young lady, fresh from the presence
Of Secretary WEIGH. appeared at Mouder
High School and informed the principal
MISS K. Brogan, that School Director
Hammond had sent her out with instruc-
ff-cs 2rnc n MI hnf-
upon her reports as one of the teachers
at the school, and lat her name would
henceforth appear regularly on the sub
stitute list, which it now graces. Miss
Brogan declined to receive the new-made
substitute on any such irregular order
and sent her back to Director Hammond,
from whom she shortly returned with a
peremptory order to include her name on
the regular reports.
Although the name of the new Moulder
pedagogue made its sudden appearance
on the substitute list, the Grand Jury ex-
pert has a copy of the list taken last
week, and if the two do not compare
while close watch is being kept upon the
names of the half-doZen in hand. 1t
was known to the jury that an attempt
was to be made at the last meeting of
the board to railroad into the department
a fresh bunch of substitutes, but prompt
action prevented.
shorter in which the board must realize
its largest profits, an effort will be made
to stock the substitute rolls, as there is
a large number of anxious and willing
aspirants who must be placed before
January 1, in order that no pledges shall
be broken.
The investigation that Professor Kill
patrick has carried into the stores de-
partment has disclosed a condition of
affairs that goes a long way to account
for the 900 deficit that the board will
leave as a legacy to its newly elected
successor 1t likewise puts Director Ban
tel in a decidedly unenviable position.
AS the duties of Mr.. Bantel in the I'M
salared capacity of School Director and
chairman Of the committee that does the
buying having increased, he has found it
necessary to sell out his modest bakery
on Larkin street and retire to private life
in a handsome fiat at 1887 McAllister
street.
For nearly six months past Mr. Banters
sole duties have been the purchasing of
school supplies and guessing the winners
at Ingleside
With what success he. has acted In the
first capacity is demonstrated by the
amount of school supplies which Professor
Fitzpatrick has found stored in every nook
and available corner in the buildings of
the department. And for none of this sur
plus has a bill been rendered since the