The San Francisco call., 1899-08-19


vestigating committee of the State Nor
nal School is not satisfied with the
white washing" given Principal Nc
Naughton. charged with immortality
tncompetency and lack of integrity, and
have appealed to Governor Gage to steI
in and intercede and save the school
Il is claimed the school has beer
greatly injured by placing a man OF
NcNaughton' character at its head
L IS feared now that many pupils will
leave the school and go to the other
normal institutions because of the no.
roriety given the local school. The citi-
zens of this city also propose TO take
up the matter and several strong Pc
titions will be sent TO the Governor.
The Board of Trustees has been Sc
verely condemned for their action IN
finding McNaughton not guilty. Irus-
Tee Short Of Fresno prepared the reso-
lutions that whitewashed McNaughton
and it is claimed they We're written be-
fore the investigation began
McNaughton is 10th 10 give up his
position without a hard fight, and mas
consulted an attorney about SUING lo'
q full years salary + dismissed.
The alumni committee, consisting o1
J. G.. Jury. Eli Wright and r r. Cail''
has prepared tn following appear 10
Governor Gage which. with poF LloIi
OF the evidence taken, has been loI-
warded TO Sacramento;
SAN JOSE, Aug. IS, 1899
To the ECn. Henry I Gage e1l.O'
of The State of California, SacTa1leIl'O. ".
al -Resyected SIT: The underslgIl-'
\ Association
-r. stare Normal School OF san Jose, aP-
--...,,+oT At rna last regular meeting 0t the
association 10 investigate into the t tIulI.
81 tsIsttv Of the charges made Dy cIL. cILIAsLls
gf council Bluffs and else" llsfe { 3Se'.--f 3Se'.--ff-.
T5r-reS,0r James MCNaughtOH. me NJ"
81 ,rsd r-inclI,al OF the y ormal School az
Sar lose beg leave 20 direct your ANteI-
r.an to the proceedings had IN SuCn ma ID
t.r before the Board Of trustees 49, u Ci1S
Norma School at the session nc
held On July H. July 81 ana august o .
this wear, and petition your E-NceIie1-CH ~ -
take such & course in reference 10 tt't
matter as We deem the eAlseIlOle9 "a III
occasion require. -
We present herewith sufficient Of the
testimony adduCeQ al the nearing bolCL Z
RI board TO establish the necessity LOT
ir7,arvention upOn your part. Tor II has "a
v-evs been and il still l. our CONVICTION
that the controversy in Wnlcn fIoLcSs''L i
NcNaughton has been involved tor Tie
uaSt ten wears, aside from the QUeSttYI.' >
of his guilt or innocence, Is aIOne sum
cient 10 CisqUaify him for the ngh once
Of principal Of one OF our Normal School9'
We are sorry that the Board OF trustees
OF the Normal School saw lit TO evade the
real issue by constituting itself trip1nai
Of Judges TO inquire INTO ana decide upon
the truth or faISity OF the Council Buns
charges rather than determine the more
vital questions Ceuterlng about the vel
fare of the Normal School and th'- ae-
mauds Of the people II the state IoI j
man above all reprOacn, or unlmpeacheu
integrity and Of uuqueStioned scholarship.
over and over again We stated to the
board that In our Judgment the truth or
falsity Of the Council Bluffs charges
could not be determined at such q great
distance IN time and space from the scene
OF events; that many of the witnesses
were dead. others had moved away and
others may have during the last Of the
years forgotten many OF the happenings
IN Council Bluffs surrounding the resig-
nation Of Professor McNaughton after
the charges had been filed against him
with the School Board Of that city. We
insisted. on the other hand, that Professor
MCNaughton' flight from Council Bluffs
without demanding any investigation 0f
the charges before a proper tribuna
should not be taken as proof of his in
should at least be considered as casting
u doubt over the career Of Professor Nc
NaughtOn filed in that city sufficient Il
warrant the Board Of Trustees of a Stat,
institution in refusing 10 keep such Il mar
tn q high and responsible position in a.
important educational institution.
Why should the State Of California
take UP the fight of this man who ir
1880 capitulated like a craven before what
he says was an unsubStantial foe? There
are many educators whose recognized
learning. ability and character would
lend greatness and StIR RlSth TO the school
and upon one Of these we think should
fall the mantle which has been 50 worth
iy worn heretofore. We do not saw not
Trustees To place . in that attitude
that the Council Bluffs charges are true
Nor DO - say they are false But we
do say that the State and tho Normal
School should be relieved from the neces-
sity Of mixing up in Professor McNaugh-
ton s scandals
We submit that the following conclu-
siOns as stated in our first report to the
Board Of Trustees are fairly If not ir-
refutably deducible from the vast amount
OF testimony reviewed in the matter
F'irst-W hen DR.. McNaughton was Citv
Superintendent of Schools at Council
herein were made against him by eight
reputable citizens OF Council Bluffs filed
with the School Board and spread upor
the minutes of such board as a perma
second-said charges have never beer
investigated by any competent tribuna
or court.
Third-We deem It Impossible at thi.
late date and at such a distance from
Council Bluffs to absolutely determin,
the truth or falsity Of such charges.
Fourth-We consluer that trOfeSso
McNaughton was derelict in not demand
ing a full investigation of the charge
made against him before some board o
competent tribunal in Council Bluffs, an
at a time when the controversy arose o
within reasonable time Thereafter.
FYfth-Whether or not NJ. McNaugh
ton is guilty Of these charges, the fac
stiu remains that he resigned his posi-
tion IN the face of them; that although
his accusers were wealthy men, he neve
brought suit against any Of them 70
damages or took any other active step
10 secure q retraction of the same.