The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-02-24
To THE HONORABLE BOARD OF EDU-
CATION, SAN FRANCISCO:

To THE HONORABLE BOARD OF EDU-
CATION, SAN FRANCISCO:
GENTLEMEN: Under date of Sept.
Ath we addressed to every member of
your Board the following communica-
ton:
Gen tIemen: We are about to put into
op ration a project tor securing an in
creased demand for certain high-cIass
SpeciaIties of our manufacture or impor-
tation, by setting aside a percentage of
the cost of each package for the benefit
of the TEACHERS ANNUITY AND RE-
TIREMENT FUND.
As member of the Board of Educa-
ton, you are naturally interested to know
the details of anything that concerns the
teachers; while we are anxious that you
possess direct and accurate knowledge of
every feature OF this pro jet before the
information thereof comes to you at
second hand and possibly in an incom-
plete, distorted or prejudicial form.
We inclose herewith a copy of our
proposition to the teachers and of our
announcement to the public, and solicit
your careful inspection of their contents
We should be very much pleased to be
informed of your opinion as to the fol-
lowing questions:
the legal source of income in order that
Fund may be fully realized2
2. Is not the cause of Teachers An
nuities deserving of public support, as
being in its final and correlatiVe results a
public benefit
;. Are not the details of the proposed
plan for increasing the Annuity revenues
so constructed as to preclude any injuri-
Gus results to school discipline or to the
efficiency of the Department.
4. Do you see anything unseemly or
derogatory to professional dignity to
teachers accepting our Annuity tickets or
even encouraging among their relatives
and friends trial of the goods in which
they are found?"
Similar communications were sent to
Mayor Jas D. Phelan, Superintendent
r. H. Webster and Treasurer A. 6.
Widber in their ex-officio capacity as
commissioners of the Annuity Fund.
At the same time the project was given
the widest possible publicity. 10000
little folders were distributed in the vest-
tule of the Mechanics Institute during
the last Exposition, in such manner
lat they must reach nearly every home
in tie city. $4,000 booklets" fully
uescricing the plan in all its details were
distributed to practically every residence
in San Francisco, including those of the
proprietor and editor of the paper which
now makes the ridiculous claim of hav-
ing made an Exposure" A more ex-
t5nsive presentation and discussion of
the subject was sent to every teacher of
the department. Of the goods in ques-
ZION many thousand dollars worth were
already on grocers' shelves in all parts of
the city and we at once provided each
package with the ticket which advertised
The fact that it was contribution to the
Teachers Annuity Fund.
Since then the matter has been under
discussion among the teachers-some ac-
cepting our proposition favorably at
once, some Directing on general princi-
ples-others holding out against the aux
iiary feature providing certain prizes or
rewards for teachers returning to US the
greatest number of tickets for redemption
in cash to the Teachers Annuity and
Retirement Fund. This part of the prop
Osition was withdrawn, Whereupon the
Teachers Annuity Society appointed a
committee of five to further investigate
the matter and to formulate a correct
statement of the modified proposition,
with the arguments advanced for and
against it, and to take steps to have this
submitted by the Superintendent of
Schools with a view of getting a free and
fair expression from ali interested. The |
vote taken was on the question: ''Are !
you in favor of accepting and co-operat-
ing with the proposition made by Till |
mann & Bendel for aiding the Teachers |
Annuity Fund.-" The Principals of most
of the evening schools and of few |
day schools made no report. The total