The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-05

in the history of the School Depart
ment, revolutionary. Upon the recon-
mendation of Superintendent of Schools
r. H. Webster, the board, by a unani-
nous vote, rescinded all but one of the
acts that were adopted on December
Is, 80 and 81 by it's predecessor. The
superintendent and members of the
board admit that their action is unpre-
cedented, but they declare that public
policy and the welfare of the schools
will justify their action even in the
court. There is a grave question, even
in the mind of Superintendent Web
ster, that the action taken last night
infringes upon the decision of the Su-
preme Court in the Kate Kennedy case,
but if it does, the teachers that are in
jured are placed upon the defensive
and must take the necessary legal steps
10 secure a remedy.
The board, by the adoption of its res
olutions last night, restored the School
Department to the condition in which
it was before the Raglan Waller outfit
made the sweeping changes which
closed an ingloriouS administration
with the year. In addition to this
restoration the board made another
last night and reScinded every order
made in December by its predecessor
and affecting the grade of schools.
While the new board thus showed its
supreme contempt for the old board, it
took the opportunity to dismiss one of
its own employees TO reanDoint one who
had served under the old board. This
action won hearty tribute of applause
from the gallery, for the opportunity
I'll h1 ie- = hn
sole support of a blind mother was
thrown out of employment by the
change of administration. Vanderlynn
Stow heard of it and asked his aSSO-
ciates to dismiss their own employe
and reappoint the first girl This was
done by a unanimous vote.
1t was long after 8 o'clock before the
board met last night in special session.
AS soon as the Directors were seated
each was served with an injunction of
the Superior Court preventing the
board from degrading Miss l.. A. Orr
from the position Of vice principal of
the Haight intermediate Grammar
School. Miss Orr was promoted to this
post by one Of the concluding acts of
the old board For a few minutes the
Directors were staggered last night.
They seemed, at the very beginning of
their campaign of reform, to be threat
ened with the vengeance of the Superior
Court for contempt. The weapon of
Judge ,elcher was as dangerous to
them as to Walters and Ragans. There
We nodding and bobbing of wise
heads, a harmonious blending of the
club flush and the solid seven." and
out of it all came a clever ruse.
The board decided to rescind all of the
acts of it's predecessor, within the
period indicated, except that promoting
Miss orr to the position of vice Drin-
cipal of the Haight school. In this way
the board avoided being in contempt
and won substantially all it sought
Miss Orr will receive attention later.
At the meeting last ni"ht there was
nothing to indicate any but the most
complete harmony of the members.
There was a little baking when Grant
G.. Cole. son of School Director Cole.
was appointed to the position Of assist
ant StOrekeeper, but the disturbance
took the form of a simple negative from
three or four members A little uneasi-
ness was expressed When Director EellS
beamed upon the scene in a dress suit.
but this was accounted for by the eX-
pl1nation that he had no other. He
tionize the dress of the board as well
as it's rules. 1t has been limited that
Mr.. EellS intends to establish dress
suits as the official garb of the board
After the shock Of Mr.. Eells' appear
ance had disappeared the members be-
gan the serious business of the session.
AS resolution after resolution was
adopted there was many an anxious
look from troubled faces in the gallery.
The school department is in period
of revolution. The most important ac-
ton taken last night, as already indi-
Gated, was the adoption of the Super
intendent's resolutions, resembling the
last acts of the old board. These resO-
lutions were unanimously adopted and
are as follows:
Whereas, The changing, transferring
assignment or election of principals vice
principals, special instructors or teachers
from one school. position or class to an
other in the middle of the school year de-
moraliZeS the schools, classes and pupils
affected by such changes transferring.
assignment or election; and whereas, the
late Board of Education has made an
alarming number of changes transfers.
assignments and elections of principals,
Vice-principalS, teachers and special in
structOrs in the month of December 1895
from one school or class or position to an
other in almost every school in the de-
partment under the control of the Board
of Education; and whereas. such changes,
transfers, assignments or elections i'm
posing additional burdens upon the tax
payers have been made without any good
or valid reason to serve merely the inter
ests of the directors and their favorites
the school children in particular and the
School Department in general.
And whereas. the integrity of our public
school system. the best interests of the tax
payers and the depleted condition of the
school. fund imperatively demand that
such changes transfers, assignments or
elections should be Immediately set aside
annulled and countermanded, in order to
save our public school system from irrep-
arabic injury; now, therefore, be it re-
solved and ordered that principals of
grammar and primary schools will with
out delay reclassify with a minimum
number of fifty pupils enrolled in each
class, provided receiving classes. shall
have n minimum enrolment of forty pu-
nils: and be it further provided that in
the Reconsideration principals may so re-
classify that the average for their entire
school shall be at least fifty pupils en-
rolled in each class. And principals of
evening schools will reclassify with a
minimum of twenty-five in each foreign
or ungraded or high school class. and av-
eraee thirty in attendance, provided that
IN The Reconsideration principals may so
reclassffy that the average for their en-
fire school shall be fifty pupils in each
class. .;,z :, a..
of their schools consolidate