The facts in the case are these: During the course of a conversation, nearly two years ago, the County Superintendent of Contra Costa County mentioned to the State Superintendent that he was not satisfied with the conduct of a certain teacher in that county-whose name we will not mention; that he was informed the teacher was in the habit of playing billiards and cards. Mr. Avery preferred no formal charges; would give no written statement of facts; could introduce no letters or testimony of any kind, as evidence against the teacher whose Certificate he thought should be revoked. The State Superintendent did not submit the case to the Board, for there was no case to submit. When county officials bring serious charges affecting the reputation of teachers, they are expected to have manliness enough to put them in writing, and to adduce some evidence. The semi-official position of a teacher subjects him to the closest scrutiny, and not unfrequently to insinuations and slanders which float around the community, injuring his reputation and usefulness; and yet they are only idle rumors, the authorship of which nobody will dare to own. The State Board is not in the habit of revoking Certificates without testimony and without giving teachers a hearing in self-defense. Whenever County Superintendents, or County Boards of Examination, will submit any testimony, other than idle rumor, against the character of a teacher, the State Board will receive it, and act upon it according to the rules of testimony. But the State Superintendent does not mean that personal spite, or narrowminded notions, or slanderous reports, or idle rumors, or whispered charges of "infidelity," or anything of the kind, shall be made the occasion for revoking the Certificates of teachers. Before the State Board, at least, they shall have the right of an impartial hearing. The law does not authorize the State Board, or any County Board, or any County Superintendent, to ask whether a teacher be Jew or Gentile, Catholic or Protestant, Orthodox or Heterodox, Methodist, Unitarian, Presbyterian or Episcopalian. Before the State Board, no question has ever been asked concerning either the religious or political opinions of an applicant for a State Certificate. The only two points to be determined by that Board are good scholarship and good character. The State Superintendent recently received a letter from an ex-County Superintendent, complaining that a young lady who was educated at a Catholic school had received a State Certificate, and gravely asking, “If a Catholic could be allowed to teach in our public schools?" The answer was, that the School Law did not authorize Boards of Examination to make any inquiries whatever as to religious opinions. The time has passed when men or women are to be proscribed on account of religious opinions. Bigots and sectarians may still characterize all who differ from their own particular church creeds as " infidels," but they must not attempt to carry this illiberality into our public schools, nor to exclude teachers from the profession on account of liberal opinions. The spirit of the age is against it. During the past four years, no evidence has been put before the State Board to show that any holder of a State Certificate, out of the three hundred Certificates issued, has been guilty of "immoral conduct," or "habitual profanity, or intemperance." Slanders against teachers and school officers may be whispered from mouth to mouth, and ear to ear, and circulated in "private letters" by those who are too cowardly to speak openly; but the State Board of Examination never will be made a Star Chamber, where, without a chance for self-defense, a teacher shall be condemned on testimony that nobody dares to give in open court. The reputation of a teacher is dearer to him than life; and the State Superintendent does not intend that any one shall be deprived of it without a full hearing in open court, and unless the evidence is sufficient to convict. "INFIDELS.”—We understand that a certain County Superintendent from the interior, went away from the State Institute in high dudgeon, charging that the State Superintendent invited nobody to lecture but "infidels and atheists." What will the lecturers say to this? Who are the "infidels?" who are the "atheists?" Rev. John E. Benton, one of the lecturers, is a Congregational clergyman; Rev. Charles G. Ames was formerly a free-will Baptist minister, and is a "liberal Christian," independent of any denomination; Bernhard Marks is of Jewish descent; William White is a member of a Presbyterian Church; D. C. Stone, we believe, is a Presbyterian; Prof. Knowlton is a member of Dr. Scudder's Church; the opinions of Mr. Bradley we do not know; the State Superintendent, who invited himself to speak, is a member of the Unitarian Church; and what the religious belief of Mr. Keeler is, we do not know. Who were the "infidels ?" JOHN BAGNALL.-Our well known contributor John Bagnall, who came over from the State of Nevada to attend the State Institute, has been visiting us the past week. He has been successfully engaged in teaching in Nevada for two years past, but likes California so much better that he has made up his mind to stay with us. Mr. Bagnall has the misfortune to be crippled, so that he can only walk by the aid of crutches; but he has a great soul, a well cultivated mind, and enthusiasm enough for a dozen ordinary teachers. If any of our country friends desire to secure one of the best teachers in the State, they will please inform us by letter. TAKES A HOLIDAY.-Our well known contributor, Mr. Bernhard Marks, Principal of the Spring Valley Grammar School, accompanied by his family, goes East by the steamer of the 1st of June, on a six months' leave of absence, for the purpose of seeing his friends, visiting schools, and attending the National Teachers' Convention, and various State Associations. The TEACHER Will miss him sadly, the city schools will miss him, and everybody will wish him a pleasant trip and a quick return to California. We commend Mr. Marks to the courtesies of all our educational friends in the East, for they will be the gainers by a personal acquaintance with a representative teacher from the Occident. Month ending MONTHLY REPORT OF CITY SCHOOLS. No. Boys enrolled No. Girls enrolled on Register. Total No. enrolled. 93.0 119 1215 made by Teachers. No. visits made by School Directors. No. visits made by Superintendent. No. school visits made by other persons. RECORD OF VISITS. Feb. 8, 1867.. March 8, 1867 6639 5737 934 281 12376 11026.9 10261.6 6562 5643 12205 11105.8 10227.8 92.0 323 229 138 1045 6629 5733 12362 11267.2 10660.1 94.6 408 195 129 1245 STATE TEACHERS' INSTITUTE.-The attendance of teachers at the Institute. was unusually large, numbering in all 569 members enrolled. The counties of San Diego, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, were represented for the first time in a State Institute. Santa Clara, next to San Francisco, sent the largest delegation, 49 members; while Sonoma County, which has 70 school districts, was represented by only 8 members. The ablest teachers of the State were present, and the preponderance of the holders of State Diplomas and Certificates the "professionals "—was very marked. The best of feeling prevailed. The practical work of the Institute was done in visiting the city schools and observing methods of instruction, which was more profitable than weeks of discussion. The influence of the Institute for good, will be felt all over the State. From time to time, as space can be found, we shall publish the various able addresses delivered before the Institute, and shall give abstracts of the more important discussions and exercises. STATE BOARD OF EXAMINATION.-At a meeting of the State Board, May 13th, it was unanimously resolved, that no more State Certificates should be issued on papers from examinations in which the Marysville questions, or the December set of questions, 1866, had been used. It was further made a rule of the Board, that hereafter no papers be received by the Board unless the examinations are held within thirty days after the questions are sent from the Department of Instruction. The next questions used by the City Board of San Francisco, will be sent out on the 8th of June. PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS.-We publish in this number a carefully prepared alphabetical list of the holders of State Certificates. If any names have been omitted, or any errors made, teachers will please call our attention to the fact. Any teachers whose State Certificates have expired, are invited to apply for a renewal of the same. We call attention to the new rule of the State Board in another item. APPLICANTS FOR THE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.-All pupils applying for admission to this School, from San Francisco, will be required to present themselves before the City Board of Examination, on the 3d of June. Candidates will be admitted in the order of their per centages in examination. SPECIAL REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT PELTON.-We make the following extracts from a Special Report of the City Superintendent to the Board of Supervisors: I would respectfully call the attention of the Honorable Board of Supervisors to the foregoing statistics, and especially to those exhibiting the extraordinary growth of the School Department during the short period embraced in the resolution of your honorable body, calling for this report-an increase of 65 classes, and, in the total enrollment of the public schools, an increase of 5,275 pupils during twenty months, to wit: Number of classes organized June 30th, 1865. 149 Total number of pupils enrolled (exclusive of those in evening schools) at that date 7,131 Total number of classes now formed (April 25th, 1867).... 214 with a total enrollment (including evening schools) of 12,426 pupils. It will be observed that we here have an increase in the total enrollment of pupils in the public schools, in less than two years, amounting to over 73 per cent. Our special care has been given to primary schools-providing suitable accommodations for these the especial effort and main outlay; and the increase in these schools has been the most extraordinary, to wit: an increase from 90 to 147 classes, having an increase in the total enrollment of nearly 4,000 pupils-equal to an increase of over 81 per cent. on the enrollment of June 30th, 1865. This rapid growth of the School Department is, of course, mainly attributable to the increased facilities and the rapid growth of the school accommodations, which have been recently supplied; especially for the lower grades, or primary schools. With all our schools judiciously classified and consolidated, in wholesome, convenient, and pleasant buildings belonging to the city, as is, or soon will be, the case, their future /prospects are certainly excellent-full of pleasurable encouragement to the friends of education. Perfecting a uniform system of classification in the various grades of all the schools of the city-improving methods of instruction, rendering the entire course of study in our public schools more simple, more natural and practical, and, hence, more useful— developing a superior mental, physical, social, and moral discipline and culture; in short, bringing the schools to the highest possible standard of merit in everything which is excellent, making them, indeed, institutions of a character so good and so complete in organization as to meet every demand of all classes of our citizens, will be, in the future, the legitimate and the pleasurable duty of our Department. The success which has attended the organization and management of our public schools during the past twelve or fifteen years-the high degree of excellence already reached-is a matter of general remark throughout the State, by strangers as well as citizens; but the excellence which they may, and, we believe, will hereafter attain, under improved circumstances, we have reason to hope will fully meet, if not transcend, the highest expectations of their most sanguine friends. The work of our Department, earnestly undertaken in the early part of last year, and continued since during the past year and a half, we feel has been an important one for the city; one which, we believe, will be appreciated by all who will give the subject sufficient attention to understand what has been done, and with what moderate sum it has been accomplished. DIED, in this city, April 15, JULIA J. WALKINGTON, a member of the State Normal School, and only daughter of the late S. B. Walkington, of Patterson, New Jersey, aged 18 years, 6 months and 15 days. LEFT OUT.-Notes of a visiting tour of the State Superintendent in the counties of Santa Cruz, Sacramento, and Yolo, are unavoidably crowded out this month. ALUMNI MEETING.-The Fourth Annual Meeting of the " Associated Alumni of the Pacific Coast" will be held in Oakland, on Wednesday, June 5th, 1867. The Orator of the occasion is the REV. A. L. STONE, D.D.; the Poet, FRANK BRET HARTE, Esq. The Oration and Poem will be delivered at 3 P.M., in the College School Hall. In the evening will be the customary Alumni Supper, with attractive speaking. This occasion has already established for itself a reputation for rare and unique excellence. The Committee invite you to what they are sure will be a feast of good things. The Association calls upon all College and Professional Graduates to join this literary fraternity, and to prove their interest in its objects by their presence at its annual festival. NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS.-The proceedings of the National Teachers' Association, National Association of School Superintendents, and American Normal School Association, at their annual sessions in Indianapolis, August, 1866, together with the lectures and papers, are published in one volume of more than 150 pages, and now ready for delivery. Send orders inclosing 55 cents for each copy to JAMES CRUIKSHANK, Treas. N. T. A. Brooklyn, N. Y. Volumes of proceedings for former years, 50 cents each. Set of seven, $2 50. STATE BOARD OF EXAMINATION.-The Superintendent of Public Instruction has appointed the following teachers as members of this Board for the coming year: Theodore Bradley, Principal of the Boys' High School; George Tait, of Oakland, ex-City Superintendent of San Francisco; Ellis H. Holmes, Principal of the Girls' High School, and Thomas S. Myrick, Principal of the Union School. CITY BOARD OF EXAMINATION.-The City Board of Education have elected as members of the City Board of Examination the ensuing year the following teachers: James Stratton, James Denman, and Ebenezer Knowlton. The ex-officio members are the City Superintendent, the President of the Board of Education, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction. * UNDER INVESTIGATION.-The case of Miss Amelia Doyle, of Antioch, who was granted a special examination for a Third Grade State certificate, is under investigation, and will be acted upon by the Board as soon as written evidence can be filed before the Board. CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LINCOLN MONUMENT FUND.-Tremont District, Solano County, W. H. Fry, Teacher, $4.00; Evergreen District, Santa Clara County, Mary Merritt, Teacher, $5.50; Peralta District, Alameda County, A. J. King, Teacher, $1.00. OMITTED. In the list of First Grade State Certificates published in the last number of the TEACHER, the name of Miss Minnie E. Hubbard, of Nevada, was accidentally omitted. OUT OF DANGER. "Father," said a cobbler's boy, as he was pegging away at an old shoe," they say that the trout bite now." "Well, well," replied the old gentleman, "you stick to your work, and they won't bite you!" |