The San Francisco call., 1901-10-04
TWO VACANCIES
FOLLOW SCANDAL
Board Acts Decisively
in Berkeley School
Trouble.
designations Of Principal
Atherton and Miss Earle
Accepted.

BERKELEY, Oct. 3.-The Board of Ed
ucation tonight closed the scandal in the
Berkeley Commercial College so far as
official cognizance went, by accepting the
designations of Principal A. w. Atherton
and Miss Gertrude Earle of the steno-
graphic department, who had charged her
superior with misconduct. The action of
the board had been forecasted. 1t was
sharp and decisive. Ten minutes time
sufficed to cover the formalities of the
session, and when all was over, Miss
Earle, escorted by her father, and her for
mer friend, Atherton, disappeared from
the lobby, where, with scores of pupils of
the school and their parents, they had
been hearers of the proceedings.
The bunch of letters which form an ele-
ment in the spicy pedagogical scandal
were returned to Miss Earle who declares
she will retain the missiveS from the late
principal unless Atherton's friends at
tempt to secure his reinstatement. In
that case the young woman threatens
that she will tell the whole story, putting
letters and all under the limelight of pub
lie criticism.
Letters in the Case.
The chief development in the Berkeley
Commercial College upheaval tonight was
the making public of the proceedings at
the secret committee meeting Tuesday
night, when the charges and denials by
L
heard. There were three letters read, as
follows:
BERKELEY, CAL. Oct 1. 1901.
Berkeley Board of Education-Gentlemen 1
the Board of Education the conduct of Prin-
cipal A. w. Atherton. 1 make direct charge
against him for not only threatening my life,
but that of every member of my family To-
day he insulted me as no gentleman could or
He went anq so fan oss @ to m
me he would slap my face and throw me head
ing boasts as to what he intended to do in
the way of blackening my character. Gentle
men, you may call on me for anything in con-
nectton with what state. Respectfully
GERTRUDE EARLE.
BERKELEY. Cal. Oct, 1 1901
To the Berkeley Board of Education-Gentle-
men: understand that paper has been
filed with you to-day by Miss Earle alleging
that I have said something out of the way
to her. have not seen the paper, but beg
TO state that any uncalled-for unwarranted
intemperate or unprofessionaI remarks attrib,
uted to me are absolutely false and part of
A. W. ATHERToN
BERKELEY, Cal. Oct. /. 1901.
Berkeley Board of Observation-Disclosures: 1t
has developed since the election of Miss Ger
insubordinate. I am prepared to furnish nu
inerous specific instances % Of b%IfrpToN b9th
Principal Berkeley Commercial College.
The board, in view of the designations,
simply filed these communications. All of
the directors and Superintendent S. D.
Waterman were present at the meeting.
Tuesday Nights Proceedings.
President J. r. Little called the meeting
to order and requested Superintendent
Waterman as secretary to report the ac-
| ton of the committee of the whole, which
met in private session Tuesday night
Superintendent Waterman reported as fol-
| lows:
| Communications from Miss Earle charging
Mr.. Atherton with certain unprofessional re-
marks, also a communication from A. w.
Atherton denying the same and also com
munication from Mr.. Atherton charging Miss
! Earle with incompetency and insubordination
/ were read. Resolved That the resignation of
! intendent be produced at the next meeting Of
the board for action. Passed unanimously.
! The president was requested to ask Miss Earle
! for her resignation. Passed unanimously.
The report was received and adopted
| and the clerk wrote the following petit
| ton:
! To the Board of Directors: We the under
! signed pupils and parents of the Berkeley Com
! merciaI School here express our wish to retain
| the services of Mr. Atherton our instructor,
realizing his ability in the commercial depart
| ment.
| The petition was signed by forty-four
pupils and twenty-four parents.
Miss Earle's Resignation.
| Miss Earle's resignation was read and
| accepted unanimously. 1t is follows:
BERKELEY, Cal, Oct 3, 1901.
| Berkeley Board of observation-disclosures: 1
wish to tender my resignation as teacher of
the stenographic department of the Berkeley
Commercial School, to take effect October 4,
1901, owing to the fact that the principal and
myself cannot agree. l am willing to render
| my services after that date until some one is
secured to take my place. Respectfully
GERTRUDE EARLE.
| Mr.. Athertons resignation, immediate
| ly following, was accepted by the board.
| The board then adjourned.
! Miss Earle presented herr resignation
| this morning and afterward received the
| letters written to her by Atherton. The
! Directors had decided that as the prop
| erty was hers it should be returned as
soon as her retirement assured. She
said tonight in reference to the letters:
If Mr.. Atherton Is reinstated 1 shall make the
letters public and fight to the end and 1 shall
win. If he is kept out shall say nothing, but
forget that the affair happened that the
school ever existed
Statement to Pupils.
This morning Superintendent Waterman
and President Little, Immediately after
securing Miss Earle's resignation, closed
the shorthand department and dismissed
the pupils until after the vacation of next
week At that time it will reopen under
new instructor. Superintendent Water
man went before Mr.. Atherton'S class
and made the following statement:
In Justice to Mr.. Atherton 1 want to saw TO