The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-30
THE SAD PLIGHT
Of THE UNPAID
CITY TEACHERS
Many on the Verge of
Destitution.
AWAIT SEAWELL'S DECISION
PETITION FOR THE MISSION
COMMERCIAL CLASS.
An Old Order Against the Marriage
of Teachers Which the Board of
Education Is Not Inclined
to Test.
AWAIT SEAWELL'S DECISION
PETITION FOR THE MISSION
COMMERCIAL GLASS.

The 9th of this month was expected
by the unpaid teachers to have proved a
Good Friday for them, as Judge Sea-
well was to have rendered decision on
that day, which, they hoped, would dis
solve the injunction suit, thus permitting
them to receive at least their salary for
January If not for November and De-
cember. But the matter went over to
next Friday, and they are still waiting.
How important this salary matter is to
these employees of the School Department
may be known by the statement that
there are at least 200 unpaid teachers who
are absolutely in want for their three
months pay. Most of them are. dependent
on their salaries for support from month
to month, not having a dollar laid UP for a
rainy day or school fund deficit Rent,
grocery bills and other household ex-
penses are staring them in the face, and
no money in sight.
A Few instances may show to what des-
perate straits these unfortunates are re-
duced. One teacher, who had purchased
furniture for her cottage several months
ago on installments, now finds not only
the wolf at her door, but the collector as
wen; Ii the educational money market
OF TINS city does not loosen up soon she
Will lose her furniture and the previous
payments on the same. Another is three
LOGGING
Tor herself and little family and her land
fora, being unfortunately in deep water
from his own business disasters, is on
the the verge OF closing up his establishment.
his School teacher tenant is pennileSs
ana the street is threatening her A third
mas been lifting a mortgage from her
nome by monthly payments, but for four
months she has been unable to meet her
Obligations and her creditor is clamorous.
Names could be given in many cases
proving tnat this statement is not imagin-
dry' out, OF course, such publication will
not De made. While many of the mer-
chants and other creditors, who have sup
ply claims against the department need
their money, their situation is not nearly
erS.
Judge SeawelTs decision, if favorable to
an immediate settlement of these claims,
should come speedily Seven DAVIS DELAY
has been stated that the decision may
force the entire school system of the city
to shut down for three months. Such
result would bring trouble on trouble for
the already destitute teachers.
In the work of retrenchment and econ
omy such questions as salaried vacations
ana the employment of married female
teachers have come into notice. The va
cation matter may be disposed of by the
fact that teachers are really employed by
the year and formerly they were paid in
eight installments, which arrangement
was afterward changed to twelve pay
ments:. The matrimonial matter was not
,
order or law in the department, that u
married woman shall not be elected as a
teacher and should teacher marry she
must resign. Several years ago the
board 'let down the bars" as an old
bachelor educator expressed 1t, land
about a dozen schoolmarms Immediately
jumped over into the matrimonial corral"
This rush to the altar caused the cruel
Directors to put up the bars again. How
ever, there has been a marriage now and
then, but the board has never dared to
noly tnS of a W fa1 a M
Supreme Court would decide that bride
was professionally or morally incompe-
tent, even if she add her earnings to her
The following petition protesting
against the closing of the Mission High
School commercial department was ac-
lively circulated yesterday and over 2OOO
signatures were obtained.
To the Honorable Board of Education of the
City and County of San Francisco-Gentlemen
The undersigned taxpayers and residents of the
Mission and parents of children attending the
Mission High School, and whose children are
students in the commercial classes of said
to close the said commercial classes We
heartily indorse your determination to correct
wrongful action of the late board. but ask
you to consider the welfare of the one hundred
the Mission High School, who are now in the
middle of the school year and would be de-
prived of all the benefits of their last year s
last Wednesday evening is now enforced. We
believe that you faithfully endeavoring to
improve the schools of the city, but we ask
you to give US an opportunity to be heard in
this important matter, and we therefore again
urge that the order closing the commercial
classes of the Mission High School should be
suspended and that we be granted hearing
at the next meeting of your board
The petition will be presented to the
Board of Education this evening. Princi-
pal Bush of the Polytechnic states that
his school can accommodate about eighty
five pupils from the Mission commercial
classes.