The San Francisco call., 1910-03-07
HANCOCK SCHOOL
CORNERSTONE LAID
Mayor Mccarthy Presides at
Ceremony and Addresses
Gathering

The cornerstone of Hancock oosmo-
politan grammar school, at Mason and
Filbert streets, was laid by Mayor Nc
Carthy yesterday afternoon. In his ad-
dress he said that the dedication of the
new Hancock school building marked
an effective stride in the progress of
the city. He insisted that it was his
cardinal and most solemn obligation to
protect the children in the public
schools, and that they were not to suf-
fer through the activities of politicians
or reformers; and that he proposed to
restore confidence and good feeling
among the teachers of the department.
During the course of his remarks,
Mayor Mccarthy referred TO the news
papers as the poisoned press" He said
that he understood that VIII Irwin had
been sent to San Francisco to gather
material for a magazine article on the
newspapers of the city. The poisoned
press" he continued, will never stop
me, however, in my effort to help these
schools, and put them upon proper
basis. I know l am right and justified,
and am going to win this fight
COMMENT ON CAR STRIKE
"One of the speakers continued the
Mayor, 'has said that he sympathizes
with the striking carmen OF the east
1t is strange to me that at a time when
John d. Rockefeller is asking the fed
eral government to aid him in giving
away $250,000,000 that another corpof-
alton should be robbing deserving men
and their families of bread. These
same men will, undoubtedly, be seeking
a few years from now to help charity.
Andrew Carnegie belongs to this
class of phiIanthropist, distributing his
libraries throughout the country But
when we recall the hundreds of lives
taken in the Homestead strikes, men
killed and wounded, we wonder why
people accept these gifts. He tried TO
give San Francisco s750,O00 for IL
brary This city refused his money
and In doing so made for itself an ever
lasting place in the hearts Of union
men,"
Many of the men and women present
had attended the school, among them
being Superintendent of Schools Romeo
vieri, who was one of the speakers.
MANY of u.s." he said in his address.
who were born and raised In old North
beach received our first lessons here
and gained the elements of knowledge
in the old building.
RECALLS NOTED TEACHER
The life work of Miss Kate Kennedy,
the first principal of the school, and
who entered the school department in
1858, was reviewed by the speaker. 1t
is sad," continued the speaker, that
Miss Kennedy's closing years were rem
dered unhappy by those who were
strangers to her character and her good
work In 1887, while she was absent
-t, G
transferred without her knowledge
from the principalship of this school
to an inferior position. On her return
she refused to accept this transfer. In
the courts of justice she fought against
the wrong that had been done her and
achieved for herself and the noble pro-
fession which she honored a victory
NOW known as the famous Kate Ken
nedy decision that has enshrined her
memory in the hearts of all teachers
IN this department"
CHILDREN FURNISH MUSIC
Theodore Bacigalupi acted pres
ident of the day. For many years he
has been actively engaged in school
work. 1t was from studying condi-
tions at the Hancock school that he
framed the bill passed by the last legis-
lature, providing for the teaching of
the French, German and Italian Ian
guages in the schools of the state.
Mrs. E. K. Burke, sister of Miss Kate
Kennedy, the first principal of the
school, told of the life work of her
sister. Rev. T. Caraher, Father Rada-
han, A Sbarboro Mrs. Mariana Ber-
| tola and r. P. Troy were among the
speakers. The children of the school
sang God Save America, Santa
Lucia My Own United States, STARS
and Stripes" and America" under the
direction of Miss Estella Carpenter, a
| teacher in the school Music was fur
nished by the Telegraph hill boys band.