The San Francisco call., 1908-08-07
EDUCATION BOARD
R[PUDIATES HFRRIN
School Directors Go on Record
to Show Claim of Push"
Is Decidedly False
Professor Brownies Exposure
Shows the Desperation of
Machine Gangsters

The board of education has repudiated
the Herrin machine. In open meeting
yesterday every member of the BODY
went squarely upon record as independ-
ent in every act from the yoke of con-
troll that the push" has attempted to
foist upon them. There was no double
meaning about the action taken by the
board. 1t was a direct passing of the
lie TO the Herrin gangsters who have
made the boast that they could force
the board to do their bidding.
Professor Frank J. Brownies ex-
posure of the methods used by the ma
chine hirelings of the thirty fourth
district in their effort to make good
the threat to get" him, on account Of
his active allegiance to the Lincoln
Roosevelt league. forced the issue and
caused the school board to take a posi-
tive stand. The board acted quickly
and decidedly in order to save itself
from the suspicion of bearing the taint
of Herrinism.
BROWNE TELLS OF THREATS
Professor Browne. who told yester-
day through The Call of the threats
made against him by Ed Ritter and
other members of the push" and of
their boasts that John c. Lynch held
the board of education in the hollow
or his hand, was called before a spe-
cial meeting of the board Yesterday.
He was questioned closely concerning
his conversation with Ritter, AL Duffey
and Billy Gilfoyle, and told again
! of the efforts they had made to swerve
him into line with the machine organ
ization by threatening him with loss Of
position in the school department.
president Boyle of the board of edu-
cation was the first to put himself upon
record in the matter
Politics has never entered into the
/ actions of this board in the case of Mr..
Browne or in any other way" he said
so far as l am personally concerned,
no person has ever come to me. either
in behalf of or against Mr.. Browne.
and 1t is untrue that any politics or
political faction could influence the ac-
tions of this board in any way"
The other members of the board were
| ciamoring to put themselves on record
in the same way and President BOYLE
was forced to restore order and call
upon each member in turn. Directors
Oliver, Altman and OConnor and Su-
perintendent Roncovieri took the floor
one after another, and each expressed
himself forcibly TO the same effect as
had President Boyle.
SHOWS UP MACHINE METHODS
The meeting resulted in a complete
showing up of the machine methods
The records of the board of education
show that Professor Browne, who is
listed as regular teacher for the
grammar grades. was made a substi-
tute In the polytechnic high school,
later in the Lowell high school, and
then again the polytechnic upon his
own request TO the board. Later he
wrote the board a letter asking to be
transferred from the polytechnic in
the belief that he would receive an ap-
pointment to some other high school
position No high school vacancy ex-
listed, however, and he was given the
first opening in the grammar grades,
being assigned to the Franklin school
At no time was his name put upon the
unassigned list, yet the political heel
ers of the thirty-fourth district lost no
time in informing him that he had
been removed from the high school at
their demand and that they could Sc
cure him a return TO the higher posi-
tion and higher salary If he would
cast his lot with the push"
s'wE'vE GOT YOU,v SAID PUSH
When I was taken out of the high
school," said Browne, they came to me
and said, Now we've got you,' but 1
only laughed at them I told Ritter
that they couldn't hurt me, but he
urged me to see Fisk and Lynch, say
ing that they could fix it for me, as
they controlled the board. Come over
to u.s. he said, and you can go back
into the high school at your own sal
ary.'
The lying attempt of the machine to
force Browne to ally himself with its
interests was a failure. 1t has re-
suited in an exposure of push" tactics
of Misrepresentation. and Brownies
last remark as he left the board of
education rooms yesterday was evi-
dence of the effect the plan has had
We've fought Ritter, Gilfoyle and
Duffey hard out in the thirty fourth, .
he said, and now we're going to get