The San Francisco call., 1908-11-22
BOOKMEN IN ARMS
OVER THE CHARGES
DR.. Burk's Statement Causes
Great Excitement Among the
Board of Education
Local Agents of Publishing
Houses Express Sadness
Over Accusations

Scholastic calm fed the councils Of
the state board Of education yesterday
when the members who gathered at the
capitol in Sacramento read the state
ment given to The Call by DR.. Fred
eric /. Burk, president Of the local
normal school. regarding the subtle So
cial activities Of the school book sales
men.
Pedagogic peace gave place to hub
bub and excitement when the school
men read Of the dinners, the cigars, the
duck hunts, the rides ana the tennis
parties instanced by DR.. Burk as the
more superficially respectable, more et-
fective and more far reaching means
Of cOrrUpting the impersonal Judg-
nents Of educators.
A bombshell dropped into the drowsy
quiet of a class of penmanship would
not have created more commotion than
The Call article wrought among the
members of the board. Apprised Of DR..
Burk's intention to night for a revision
Of the rules governing the relations of
the bOokmen to the schoolmen, the
board thwarted the attempt TO open
the battle Dr. Burk was burked' by
a resolution postponing the discussion
until next month.
LOCAL BOoKsIEN EXCITED
The local bookmen showed the same
excitement over the charges. The
fact that DR.. Burk had disclaimed any
purpose of even limiting at conscious
corruption, by mercenary means or
otherwise, did not quiet the statesmen
or still the retorts which sprang to
their tongues. The apple of discord had
been thrown and they were full of
tight
When Or. Burk tried to open fire in
the board meeting his guns were quick
ly spiked by his colleagues. The meet
ing of the board had been called TO
consider q question Of discipline, and
when DR.. Burk attempted to place his
written criticism of the existing rela,-
tions between the bookmen, and the
schoolmen before the meeting he was
prevented by parliamentary ruling 1t
was decided that the regular session of
the board next month would be the
proper occasion for DR.. Burks cam
paiga So Burk sheathed his knives
and stacked his guns.
DR. Burk was inclined TO modify the
statements quoted in. yesterdays Call
and TO change the Interpretation placed
upon some of the facts cited. when seen
after the session Of the board.
-Social bribery" the doctor consid-
cred a, misleading term in the circum-
stances and wanted it understand that
he did not infer that any members of
the board had been influenced by the
social courtesies Of the bookmen.
CONFIDENCE IN COLLEAGUES
i have absolute confidence" he said
in the motives OF my colleagues in all
Official actions"
Dr. Burk. however. did not withdraw
his previous statement that the init
macies sought by the bookmen were
fraught with possibilities of danger
Nor did he express any intention of Civ
ing up the battle which he has under
taken.
The local agents of the big school
book publishing houses were very, very
SAD when they read Burk's statement
in yesterdays Call.
With feelings Of resentment mixed
with sorrow they deprecated. the criti-
cism of DR.. Burk They have known
DR. Burk long. very long. was the
tenor of their remarks. and they re-
gretted that his admirable bluntness OF
speech should have carried him so far.
But with this attitude OF unselfish
grief over DR.. Burks public utterances
went lofty disdain for the specific
charges which he made:
Il have known DR.. Burk for a num-
Der of years" said Philip s. Woolsey
agent OF the American book company,
and have always entertained a very
high opinion Of him and Of his educa-
uoEal service in this state.
Not FAIR TO ALL
"But I do not think he has been quite
fair TO all parties concerned in this
matter. Certainly, DR.. Burks well
known and well earned reputation for
blunt frankness old not require him
to speak at this time
WOolsey defended the social ameni-
ties that have passed between the
schoolmen and the bookmen, but made
no specific reference to the dinners, the
cigars, the rides, the duck hunts and
the tennis parties of which DR.. Burk
spoke.
". c Doub of the firm of Doub &
Co. took issue with the statement that
he had beasted of his ability to have
the legislature pass and the governor
sign the3 constitutional amendment
that would have put the state school
board into politics If the voters had not
defeated it. Doub declares that he
voted against the proposed amendment
I am thoroughly dfsgusted," he said.
with the cheap rot some of the op-
ponents Of the amendment circulated
TO the effect that the book interests of
the state were behind it. The sooner
some men get it into their heads that
the publishing business is as honorable
as any other line Of business the bet
ter II viii be for them
S-