The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-06

:. widespread comment as the meet
Ing of the School Board held on
Wednesday night. There is a
spirit of unrest among the teach
ers in the department, and many are
already threatening to bring legal &C
ton to prevent the Directors from
carrying out their policy of economy
and consolidation. While the resolu-
tions, resembling the concluding acts
of the last. board, have brought many
nip in arms, it is the proposition Of
Wholesale consolidation in the day and
night schools that has created the
most general uneasiness.
=: The Directors are firm in their in
tention to reduce the teaching force OF
the department to what they believe Is
a legitimate basis. An absolute prom
ise is given that no personal or poltl-
cal influence will prevent the proper
REORGANIZATION Of the department. All
schools that have not an average at
tendance Of fifty pupils for every teach
er must be Immediately reclasslhed
and the surplus teachers sent to the
Superintendent for instructions. This
refers to the day schools. and In the
night schools, where the greatest
abuses have grown up, similar pro-
cess will be followed.
. 1t is in the night schools that the
greatest consolidation will take place.
Fully one-half the teachers in these
schools, it is estimated, will be conson-
dated out In the day schools great
deal of latitude must necessarily be
given to suit varying conditions. The
Reconsideration of the schools will begin
on Monday and will proceed as rapid
Nv as possible. Where it is found that
certain classes in certain schools do not
have an attendance of fifty pupils an
Investigation will be made. II 1t is
folnd that the school cannot maintain
its efficiency by consolidating the class
the teacher will be allowed to remain
This work of investigation and al
iustment will necessarily be long. IN
the work of reorganization, when Is
practically revolution in the school de-
.nartment, the Directors intend to take
every precaution to prevent demorah-
cation. Il would be dangerous to leave
large classes without instructors and
this will not be done. 1t is estimated
that the labor of reorganization, reclas-
sifcation and consolidation will take
fully two months. At the end of that
time the board expects to have the de-
partment in a normal and healthy con-
dition.
4. AS soon as Superintendent Webster
finishes his report he will submit it to
the board for consideration. The re-
port will include a list of the teachers
who did not have classes of fifty pupils
Of
stances in each case. The board will
then take action. 1t has been prac-
tically determined that there shall be
mo unassigned list Of teachers. 1t is
claimed that no law will justify the
payment of teachers who give nothing
in. return. The members of the new
board insist that they cannot be COM
PEELED TO pay salaries of instructors
who have nothing to do.
: There will be therefore no unassigned
list. What will be done with the teach
ers that are consolidated out of the
schools remains to be seen. That they
will not be paid is a certainty. Whether
or not an attempt will be made to con-
selidate them out of the department is
a question that will be answered when
the proper time comes. Some of the
Directors go so far as to say, however,
that the courts will sustain the board
even if useless teachers are con-
.sohdated out of the department. There
are many decisions of the State courts
which declare that such a course is
impossible, but the board is in a mood
to take the chances and throw the
burden of vindication upon those that
may be injured in. the. consolidation
This question is, of course, far broader
and more far reaching than that which
has arisen over the resolution which
rescinded the concluding acts of the
last board. One affects a few teachers
and the other involves the interests of
them all.
After the tremendous work Of reor-
gaDization and consolidation has beer
accomplished attention will be given to
the labor Of investigating the special
departments. These departments are
greatly overcrowded and a great deal
Of pruning will be done
In speaking of the matter yesterday
p Director E. L. Head outlined very
clearly the proposed policy of the board.
1T is not the purpose of the board to
satisfy either personal or political obli-
cations in this matter" he said. 1--WE
have great labor to perform to- restore
the School Department to it's normal
condition. 1t is to be regretted that
some teachers in the department must
suffer, but personal interests must be
subordinated to public policy and the
welfare of the School Department. Con-
solidation is absolutely necessary and
it will take place.
THE untruth of the rumors that
there was friction in the board was
demonstrated at the meeting last night.
The board, as every one saw, is a unit
upon matters that appeal as Just.
Whatever is good for the department
will, i have no doubt, get the unani-
nous support of the board. AS a mat
ter of course there was some friction
during the period of our organization,
but that was to be expected 1t is in
cidental to all organizations and ours
lis no exception. After organization
was completed everything ran smoothly
and the members of the board are now
as one in hearty support of every meas
ure that will be beneficial to the schools.
1T is absolutely criminal to be pay
ing teachers for doing nothing and the
practice will be stopped. 1 believe in
this matter that we have the hearty
Endorsement Of the people of the city.
We are expected To remedy Soma Of a.