Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-12
WOMEN TAKE RAP
At POLITICIANS
WANT NoN-PARTISAN SCHOOL
BOARDS
Speaker EIectrifles Audience by Urg-
ina Plea for More and Better
SaIaried Men as
Teachers

The question "Should Educational
| Institutions Be Under Political Con-
trol?" discussed before the Woman's
parliament at the closing session yes
terday, brought forth an emphatic
NO" numerous raps for politicians,
compliments for the non-partisan
school board and some advice of kind
with which women are seldom cred
| tied.
1--WE need more men in the public
schools-real men with real salaries"
was the declaration of the principal
speaker, Mrs. o. Shepherd Barnum,
in the course of her address.
I'VE must not fight with false meth
ods," said she. 1--WE cannot expect to
start out by demanding that women
receive salaries as high as men, for
they will not get them unless about
two-thirds of the women now teaching
will vacate the field.
mo matter whether it is corner
lot on Adams street or a special shade
of ribbon which you want to buy, the
price will be fixed by the demand for
it in relation to the supply.
"Women are foolish when they an
tagonize the idea that there should
| be more men in the schools.
"There is an age when boys do not
| like girls. They see a man working
and they want to work. If they have
a man for a teacher they are much
more apt to be satisfied, and all the
gentleness and refining influence of
woman will not do as much good.
In the seventh and eighth grades the
teachers would better be men.
There is too much rotation in poll
tics. Just about the time a board OF
education becomes accustomed to do
ing right, another board takes its place
and has to begin all over again.
What we need is not rotation, but
expert work in the schools--expert
| training and expert judgment"
A general discussion about schools
followed
One member declared that the school
system is "all bad" There is no
thoroughness at ALL" said she. THE
BOYS and girls in the seventh and
eigth grades can neither read we'll
nor write we'll and their spelling is
a disgrace" The speaker cited several
examples of work in schools which she
says she has visited.
Crowded Schools
"The classes are too large There
should not be more than ten pupils in
a class; then there would be some
chance for thoroughness
at is a shame that there should be
money for everything else and none
for the schools" was another COM
ment.
The course of study and text books
were also subjects for discussion.
Mrs. Wadleigh declared that the one
person who has no responsibility IN
the course of study is the very person
who should have-the teacher.
Mrs. Josiah Evans Cowles, president
of the State Federation of Women's
Clubs, was on the platform and she
was asked to speak regarding the work
of the federation.
Mrs. o. Shepherd Barnum represented
the Civic federation and gave a report
of the nine sections.
Mrs. Chambers Smith spoke for the
Outdoor Art and Park league. Many
other reports were given by delegates
from women's organizations in South
ern California.
An invitation was extended to the
Woman's parliament by the Woman's
club of Santa Ana and the w. c. T. u.
of Santa Ana to meet at that place next
May. The invitation was accepted.
Nine. Caroline M. Severance read a
letter which she had just received from
Alice Thorne Miller, scathing the
women who wear aigrettes in their
hats and before the close of the ses-
sion an envelope was handed to Nine.
Severance containing a beautiful white
specimen which a woman had torn
from her hat as she sat in the meeting.
The member requested that Nine. Sew
erance burn 1t.
Mrs. Vance of the boys home reported
for that institution and stirred UP much
Indignation against the police officials
by telling why Mrs. Pratt of the de-
tention home was unable to report at
the parliament
Mrs Pratt was detained in the home
as a result of the arrest of forty boys
Tuesday evening"" she said.
"The curfew law has been a dead let
ter for months and just because the
boys wanted to see the performance
at Prayer park the police revived the
law, getting not the hoodlums, but boys
from some Of the best families in the
city.
"If the law is to be enforced at one
time, why not at all times?"
Elect Officers
Election of officers was the principal
business Of the morning session, and
as a result the president, Mrs. J. D.
Gibbs, who declined to accept re-elec-
ton, was forced to throw her farewell
speech in the waste basket and resume
the chair.
The term of office in the Women's
parliament is two years, and Mrs. Gibbs
has been president during the past
term. To all invitations to continue in
that Office, she turned a deaf ear, and
a special meeting of the nominating
committee was called at her request
yesterday morning to consider another
nominee.
The committee was as firm as Mrs.
Gibbs and presented her name to the
parliament. She was greeted with
cheers from every part of the church,
and finally accepted.
Mrs. j. A. Osgood, a former president
of the parliament, made the nomina-
tions. The following were elected:
| PrnSidnnt--NIrc i d GihhR Los An