The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-10
SCHOOL CLASSES
AND TEACHERS
THAT MUST co
The Historical Act of
January f.
UNASSIGNED" MEANS NO PAY
AT LEAST FIFTY TEACHERS
WILL BE DROPPED.
Principal Hamilton of the Lincoln
School VIII Recommend the
Consolidation of Four
Glasses.

The work performed last Wednesday
evening by the new San Francisco Board
of Education VIII so down in the history
of this city as the act of January L"
While not matter of such moment as
that event which is celebrated on the
same day in July. still it IS the declaration
Of an intention which, if adhered 10, viii
overturn q few superfuOus chairs in the
Department OF Education and lop of 4
few Of the parasites that have been fat
tening on the tree of knowledge in this
overburdened municipality. As il is,
revolution with reformation walking close
behind is knocking at the schooIhOuse
door. There is d clucking and a eIuttering
among certain teachers whose skeleton
classes are doomed TO go a-glimmering,
leaving somebody on the unassigned
list"
In the days OF the old board OF NAL
odorous memory the unassigned list
had no terrors. 4 teacher whose name
was written thereon was favored OF for
tune. The job stopped, OF course, but the
pay went on, like Tennyson's brook, for
ever" But, according to the act Of Jan
uary and Superintendent Webster
statement yesterday, both salary and
situation viii be unassigned in the case
OF those teachers whose classes drop Well
below fifty pupils. Mr.. Webster declares
that in no case viii 4 salary continue Tor
one day when d teacher ceases work
This is one large feature OF the cyclone
that is revolving round the ears OF
teachers whose classes were created only
for the purpose of giving them job.
II is believed by those who are well
acquainted with school matters or this
city that fully 100 classes will be lost in
the great shuttle and that the number Of
teachers viii be counted out This Will
happen if the refOrmers grow not weary
in well doing. But in any case, nifty
classes viii be dropped and the pupils as
signed to other classes when the Board Of
Education considers the reports from
principals. which are now being prepared
Not only VIII the CiasS-cTOWded SCHOOLS OF
the city center be Weeded out, but the
smaller schools Of the suburbs will re-
ceive the attention OF the cOnsolIdatOTS-
4 number Of these seUi-countTy institu-
rions have classes in detached buildings,
and in many cases these classes are mere
skeletons. affordiug the teacher what IS
known as q soft thing his is the case
Of the Bay View School. corner OF Thir-
tieth and Railroad avenues. 1t is really
g. new class Of twenty-five pupils, IN a
small building about a half mile from the
Burnett Primary School The little Bay
y-iavC class i the child of Sam Waller
who slated a favorite for the $50 job just
before he became an unpleasant memory
with MS fellows. That primary school
Will probably die in its infancy.
There are three. and possibly four,
classes in the Lincoln Primary Of the
fourth. fifth and seventh grades that al
+
Yesterday about $50 pupils were in at
tendance and these are divided into SIX
teen classes These four vacancies viii
save the city $3.50 in salaries and in other
expenditures that Will lift the total saw
ing TO 5000 annually Not bad for the
first principals report.
The John SWEET Grammar School has
an enrolment of S3S pupils with an at
tendance Of about $50. One class viii fade
out OF its nineteen-a saving OF probably
5000 d year.
The Hamilton Grammar School has an
attendance of about 743 pupils in seven
teen classes. making an average Of forty
four scholars each Principal Robertson
explains this low average by stating that
many of his classes were crowded into
little rooms and consequently anything
like reclaSStficatiOn was not practicable.
When the TeclassiteTs get al that school
about three OF those classes viii lose their
individuality, making another saving OF
about $4,000 a year.
The Deuuan Grammar School has 80
pupils in sixteen classes and one Of them
will be dropped. Principal Mann reports
that two OF his first grade classes have q
minimum strength Of forty. The different
principals viii make full reports 10 the
+ Superintendent tomorrow concerning the
number OF pupils in their respective
+ schools together with recommended lions
regarding the classes 10 be merged into
others. Where no recommendations are
made the Superintendent viii make them
and the Board OF Education will pass on
his report at its next meeting.