The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, November 28, 1897, Page 19

FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1897 31 California is one of the States which have emphasized tainmng special homes for the disabied military and naval heroes of our coun- try’s batiles. She is, moreover, pleas- antly distingumished also in that one of the seven national institutions for the care of disabled voiunteers is situaied within fact Ler bord The national home is located in the southern part of the "State, near the their loyalty by founding and main- | twenty-two | from the home omnibus at the door of the administration building and find your- self in the midstot a group of gray- haired “*boys in blue,”’ each with a look of con- tentment on his wiinkled face, and each anxious to, as far asin him lies, do the honors of his well-loved abiding place. Ther: may be, and most probably are, among the 700 inmates some who, weak- ened and made fretful by age or wounds or illness, are queruious and dissatisfied; but a tour of inspection through the dif- GENERAL VIEW OF THE HOME charming seaside town of Sa but the establishment, whic and supported by California hand, it he foot of Salv he west of Yountvi ched from this city rey of two hours Now that Br re has aroused s rest by e man- Governme 1on that there nt and respon- necessary for their own ‘“loved ward Army of the Republic” is factory. e s - rience o alight | /~'/"/—\~ RES G /"”—“""‘ M\fl.:’-’f—- o -~ e . s o - 1 tational’” in its interior arrangemen and cozy cottages surrounded by gardens brilliant with blosscms and carefully cultivated fields, and snhaded by tall and sturdy oaks. To the rightof the entrance to the grounds are the commandant’s resi- dence and adjutant’s cottage, and a little these, mn the order given, the memorial cottage, adminis- i’ | beyond | canteen, imposing and frowning buildine, archi- | ] tecturally impressive, but drearily “insti- | for the camp, and contains among other Social hall is a sort of assembly-room | pleasing features a commodious billiard- but of a group of cheerful-looking houses | room, well furnisned, and with pool and | bagatelle accessories, and equipments for | such other games as have proved popular | with those who find time hanging heavy | upon their hands. Amusement hall is conincced with this one by sliding doors, and has a seating ca- pacity of over 400 persons. It is fitted up with a stage, drop curtain, scenery and Monica, | ferent buildings and unrestricted conver- | sation with their occupants, jointly and severally, show that these seif-deemed unfortunates are unfortunate, indeed, in that they are liks the unhappy person who bated to do jury duty because he was “always sure to get shut up with eleven tinate men."” The chief eclaim of the home lies in the real homelike atmospbere which sur- rounds, permeates and vivifies it. The men are treated like members of alarge and harmonious Louseno!d, the ralers of which are actuated by a conscientious de- sire toin every way promote the comfort and happiness of those under their care. The rules are few and simple, the accom- modations and fare excellent, and a direct personal interest in the well-b:ing of each of their charges is shown by ail those in authoritv. The home consists not of one massive, ADMINISTRATION- i BuibinG tration building, social hall, din- !ing hall, engineer’s cottage, hospital, laundry, bathing-houses, the electric light and laundry nt and the resident physician’s home. At the rear of the dinin s hallis a bakery and kitchen and a dairy and icebouse, and still further re- moved from public gaze are the stables, i the cowhouse, the carpenter's shop an@ the teamsters’ quarters, The administration building is the largest and most otlicial-looking edifice on the grounds, and well it may be, since it contains the business oflices of those in charge of the camp, as well as the brary and reading-room and the post- office. The lastis the speciat pride of the | reside: since the mail matter is there | handlea twice a day in the most ex- | peditious and accurate mannef, and none of the aelays and mistakes uvceur which sometimes occur in larger establishments. HoSPITAL M ciage - qaly iR S b St - ol 2 o S R g-fé:mj il S 3 Nt s o~ Wirsoone dressing-rooms, various kinds are frequently given here, some of the most popular of which are the concerts of the home band, a recent | erystaliization of the musical talent of the | camp, Relicious services are held in this | hall by different denominations in turn | every Sunday sfternoon. | The dining hall is spacious, well ap- pointed and inviting, and the food served thera is healthful, well cooked and bounti- ful, but gueerly enough under its hospit- able roof hovers the one shadow of the bome life. Itisone of the few rulesof the estab- | lishmen! tuata certain number of men | st.all be detailed in turn to act as waiters 1 in this department, and perform such other duties in connection with the serv- ing of meals as may be necessary and ex- pedient. From this conscription almost all the inmates shrink with a unanimity | and entertainments of | which is inexplicable to those who believe that “the need justifies and ennobles the actor, whatever may be the act.” Those of the men who =re in receipt of pensions which make them the masters of a trifle of ready money, those who are on the pavroll for working as carpenters and laborers and g neral helpers, and such as are able to earn a little by their skill in different handicrafts, as making fancy basket:, rustic farniture, canes and other articles useful and ernamental, are glad to pay those less fortunate to act as substitutes in this department. “Ittakes folks who are naterally ener- cetic and accomodatin’ tv be good wait- rs,”’ said one old gentleman explaining | the matter elaborately, “an’ I wus allers pudgicky an’ fractions. I never could ! abide bein’ ordered round, except by my superior officers, an’ so I'd ruther pay out bard cash than take chances on my tem- per.” The nospital, because of the age and physical condition of the “‘comrades,” never quite deserted, but its kind aud ef- ficient head, Dr. W. F. McAllister, and his staff of four trained nurses, maka an occupations open to all who wish, and are physically able, to keep their places in the ranks of ti:e world’s workers. One of the men runs a tiny store with a stock of such small articles as are in demend among his associales; another keeps a fruitstand, and still anotber has a chicken ranch somewhat removed from the camp. Bicyeli s popular with those who are able to direct and govern a wheel; trout- fishing in the Napa River, close at hand, affords enjoyment to many, and helping hands are welcomed and appreciated any- where about the houses and grounds, A comrade of somewhat hermit-like tenden- cies has put in his spare time in building himself a coltage upon a hillside at a little distarce from those occupied by his brothers-in-arms. Those who ard comsidered fit for such service are detailed to perform light work in the d:fferent départments of the estab- lishment, and a few are exempt from flower-bed: in whicn they take great pride. Among these last is *‘Little Louts,” a German, who is an artist in his way, his taste and skill being exempiitied in the other tasks and gziven charge of certain | ercise, and has been known—his diminu- tive size exemipting him from wearing the general uniform — to don five different suits during the waking hoursof one short day. Interesting in a different way John McCormack, a ,veteran of was one of the argonauts oi Nay: alley, and a friend and co-worker of Georze Yount, for whom the town of Yountville was named. McCormpck was pilot and Yount was engineer of the Mississippi passenger boat Smelter for quite a num- ber of vears, but in the forties the latter came West, and when McCormack and two friends who had worked together on the same boat—one of them being James Colburn, the clerk, and the other Jack Brady, Yount's former apprentice—came to the valley in 1850 they found and his wife settled here in aloz cabin, the only dwelling for milesaround. Comrade McCormack makes frequent pilgrimages to the statue of his old friend in the Yountville cemetery, and is never tired of telling stories of their friendship and ad- ventures in the long ago. One of the recent improvements at the is old S DINING HALL enforced residence there more than en- durable, if not entirely pleasurable. The sanitary condition cf the building is most | excellent, and un annex consisting of many rooms, among them one for con- ~umptive patients, and one specially de- signed for the proper periormance of surgical operations, with a dispensary for medicimes and surgical necessities adjoin- ing it, is in process of erection. Food for the invalids is prepared in the hospital kitchen, under the direct supervision of the physician and his assistants. It would seem to outsiders that life in this quiet and secluded spot, though com- fortable, must after a time become un- vearably monotonous to those who find sheiter here, but such is by no means the case. Besides the provision made for their en- tertainment in the way of newspapers, books and games, there is a wide range of arrangement and luxurious growth of his floral pets. Saturday morning is the busiest {ime of the week at the home, for then the cot- tages, wards and rooms undergo a thor- ough and systematic cleaning, and every man is anxious that his part of the work may meet the approval of Commandant Walts, who makes a careful and critical tour of inspection each Sunday. There are many specially interesting characters among these cold soldiers and sailors. Many are gentlemen by birth, bree linz and education, and all are wor- thy of the respect and gratitude of us for whom they fought so bravely in days gone by, even though in some cases eccentrici- ties of age and temperament provoke kindly and indulgent smiles, One of the ‘“‘pets’’ of the institution is “*Bobbie.” a withered-up little man of 85 vears, who walks twenty-five miles daily just for ex- in Overholt Canyon, the camp is the dam which has beea constructed from plans of Captain Clarke, the comm and quartermaster. The completion this work settles the question of water supply most satisfactoriiy, as the reser- voir has a capacity of 10,000,000 gallons. The 900 acres comprising the home lands are nearly all under culiivation, hay, grain and vegzetables being raised ex- tensively, and an immense orcuard taking the place of the once fine vineyard, which was unfortunately destroyed by the phyl- loxera. On all sides are evidences of local pride, intellizent purpose and cheerful industry, and no Californian can be otherwise than glad to know that our State is caring so well for its charges, and that the $45,0600 which is yearly allotted to the home is expended so wisely in comforting the de- clining years of our nation’s preservers. Mgrs. M. J. DONOVAN. of k, present State Caiiforn resby ter: 1. and He was | Ame coun:ry, az 4 bound 2 he came to Wiscon- sin, where he chool for one term, and then cor rd joar- | ney arrived in San > in 1568 m the latter place he drifted norinh- ward to Yuba County and there began teaching in the rural schoois of that dis- trict. (n the little mining town of Comp- tonviile Mr. Biack had a school of seventy- five pup! ranging all the way from those siudying their alphabet to ynung | men and young women preparing 1o en- ter the Sta versity. 1t was in this same littie country school that Charles Ramm received tne education which Igter enabled nim to graduate from Berke- lev as medalist of hiy class. He will be a professor in the new Catliolic university h is now in process of erection near 1lo Park. saving Yuba Mr. Black went to Butte 5, and later became principal of the co school. In 1875 he was appointed ¢y Superintendent. After ‘his he it both in Lassen County and in Hol- In the latter place Mr. Black also | C Coun tau lister. | that d forty, but to-day in that little town 4000 inbabitanis there are some 170 ents attending the high school. 1d 1n this same territory of which I poke tefore,” continued Mr. Black, “there are now probably 1500 high school students in all, which certainly speaks well for this district.” In 1390 Mr. Biack became County Sup- erintendent at Ventura, and four years ater was elected on the Repubican ticket to the State suverintendency, which position he has ever since held. This in brief is an outline of the history of one of California’s foremost scholars, who both as pioneer and educator of to- day has done so much to raise the stan- dard of the public schools in our State. ol S In response to a question Mr. Black stated that there are to-day twelve wome acting as superintendents of tchools in California, *In my office at the State Capitol,” said the Superinteadent, *there hangs a rmed certificate which came from Dei orte in the early sixties. This document certified that the County Superintendent of that distric: had examined himzelf on of st N | the series of questions which were at that | time preparea by the State Board of Ex- On the back of ihe certificats indorsed statement to the effect the Superintendent could not getan examining boar:i to serve for $§3— amination. was an studied law, being admitted 10 practice iz | which was all the law allowed—while the Supr-me Court in 1879. *I ot one of my pupils, put a man through in- | solvency, got a man charged with horse- stealing out of jail—and that was the | extent of my legal career,” lgughud the genial Superiziendens:. | In 1#81 he moved to Oakland and be- e:me principal of the Tompkins and Du- rant schools. Bix years later Mr. Black w south to Ventura, and there estab- lisiied a high school before the yassage of t o law for creating such institutions. s school was supported by an annual 1 the people of the district. And I wish to state to the credit of ' suid the State Superintendent, luring the entire time the school was thus supoorted there were but three adverse votes to the tax. t time this school at Ventura was the only bigh school proper in the whole vast rezion between Santa Cruzand the city of Los Angeles. During the first year the pupils numbered between thir'y | teachers in the public schools were paid $4 sined a divorce for the mother of | , 4y, The standing on the certificate was a very creditable one and entitied the appli- cant to a first grade certificate. And I have every reu-on to believe,”” continued Mr. Black, “that the man earned faith- iully all the credits that were marked on the back of the certificate.” o O * “There is a littie country school up in Calaveras County,” said the State Super- intendent, “‘which has been tau -ht by the same teacher for the past twenty years. Receatly Mr. Price has introduced man- ual training into his school, and when I last v sited it I found that the children had made all their own desks and the schoo! furniture. Besides this some ot the boys had whittled cut and set in onera- tion a miniature quartz mill, with stove- pipe rigged up to carry the water, which is an exact copy of such mills used in that mining rezion. : “This shows to what an extent manuull By Eugenia fi.mnhm‘g; | training may be carriea schools with limit, in even rural ed opportunities. iR “Two years ago, in company with Pro- fessor Search of Los Angeles, I attended the Tezachers’ Iustitute held at Indepens dence, Inyo County. During the evening | sessions some 1wo hundred people at- | tended, and in the daytime between three and four hundred, who came in from thirty miles «bout. This was the first in- stitute in ten years hela at Independence, for counties not containing twenty school districts are not required to hold such meetings. But Mr. gratitied to observe the amount of culture and the great interest manifested in school affairs in that remote country town. R IR “During my present term of office,” said Mr. Black, “l have itea fifty counties in this State. While visiting the connty seats of Modoc, Plumas and Las- rouzh mountain roads, and, what is more, thoroughly enjoyed it. “In Indian Vailey, Piumas County, the Government has established a school which is attended by about fifty Indian boys and girls. At the present time a system of teaching trades is being success- fully introduced. ‘At Fort Bidwell another school along the same lines has been established. But it is a curious fact that for some elight reason—I Lelieve a child school—the Indian parents much prefer to send their children to the State public <chools, although the Government insti- tutions are capable of doing far more for their chiidren. * Pt ¥ g “During the present year I have been endeavor.ng to institute meetings of school 'rustees to discuss school affairs,”’ said Mr. Black. “I bave already suc- ceeded in ten or twelve counties, where the trustees now meet in regular session with tlieir County Superintendents, and much good has resulted from the plan., In a few of these counties these officials have organized irustees’ associations, which meet annuaily at various points.”” e e g During the annual meeting of the Santa Clara County Teachers' Institute Hon. 8. T. Black spoke last Wednesday morning on *‘The Certification of Teuchers.” Among other things he said: “Educa- }tmn Search and myself | were sgreeably surprised and intensely | sen I traveled 450 miles by buggy over | died at one | tion is to-day evoluting. time teachers should be required to pre- sent certificates showing their qualifica- tions for their positions. And, in addition to the common academic work, we should add professional studies in their examina- he academic requirements are now higher than u few years ago. In those days in California there were three classes of certificates issued. The holder of a first grade ceriificate was entitled to teach three years in the pubiic schools; those holding second grade certificates could teach two years, while certificates of the third grade were granted only to ‘females,’ who were allowed to teach but one year. “This was the best that could be done by the educators at that time. Later the third class of certificaies ard then a further change was made whereby only primary and grammar-grade certificates were granted. This showed that the latter grade was considered higher than the former; but I think just the reverse is | true, for if any exper.menling is to be | done, let it be done on the older pupils of 12 to 14 years, and not tried on ke little children, who look up to the teacher as the summum bonum of wisdom and men- tally absoib everything she says. Prep- aration for teaching should be ob:ained at public expense in a preparatory school, but as little as vossible at the expense of the children.” Continuing, Mr, Black said: no such thing as a peifcctly trained teacher. As in every other line of work, a teacher cannot stand still, but must either go forward or drop behind. “In mv opinion the time has come in the evolution of education when there should ba a special preparation for those expecting to teaeh. In New York ani also in Ma-sachuset!s there are about a dozen normal schools. Consequently, the teachers in these States are well prepared. And this is what California needs. She has at present two large normal schools, with some 1300 students in attendance, If the State, insiead of establishing these two, bad divided them and distributed the 1300 students among several normal schools throughout her territory there would be a greater demand for normally preparea teachers, and the prejudice against them in the rural districts would be broken down. “The tunctior of the normal school is to prepare teacheis for the publie schools. But it should alto furtheraid and stimu- late the teach»rs who are now teaching. If the normal schools in our State, espe- cially those in the southern part where the climatic conditions are so favorable, would arrange their vacations so tuat (ney ! could remain open during the summer | months to teachers from the rural schools, where they might study and gain credits, the whole teacbing force ihroughout the State would greatly add to their prepara- tion and an 1mmense benefit te derived. “After visiting s0 many countiesin Cali- fornia, and having carefully inquired into i | | | | “There is At the present) the school neeas of each, I have this rec- ommendation to offer: That the three grades of certificates should be abolished, and in their place simply three certifi- cates, equally good and strong, each de- signed for its own class of work, be issued. “First, certificates should be granted to kindergarten teachers. A!l the smaller towns, containing from 1000 to 5000 popu- lation, are clamoring for the establishment of kindergartens. The present law in re- gard to this is not very expiicit, and W ior the purpose of creating such institu- tions should be passed at the next session of the Legislature. *Moreover, there should be a law em- powering the State to issue certificates to these kindergarten teachers, which is not at present the case.” For this reason the jcities and towns alrcady containing | kindergartens have been compelled to re- | sort to various devices to secure the cer- tificates of their teachers. +Second, another certificate should be issued to teachers in the elementary schools without drawing any distinction between the ‘primary’ and ‘grammar’ cer- tificates, because in different counties these words mean different things. And | why should not the cbildren in the first | four years ot school life have as good | teaching as in the last four? “Third, three or four branches—such'as English, history, mathematics and science—should be common to all the high schools in the State, and certificates should be issued to the teachers thereof. Also, the latter should beallowed to sve- cialize along the lines esch prefers, with the priviiege of taking examinations snd specially fitting himself to teach these lines, while all certificates 11 high-school work would be mutualiy equivalent. “The certificates of kindergarten lead- | ers ought to represent an academic edu- cation equivalent to that obtained in the tigh school, and also show satisiactory evidence of peculiar kindergarten training | besides. * But for high-school teachers,’” said Mr. Bilack, “‘the best kind of preparation is an academic or normal school education, plus some university training “It is the opinion of many that school certificates should be granted lor life, but with this I cannot agree. Ifteachers take a vacation for ten or twelve years and tiien go back to their professional work they will generally be found very rusty. For this reason they should be period- icaily tested, But permanence of certifi- cates might be preserved by teachers who had thus been tested at various times and who had won renewals of their certificates. “When the latter are granted the ex- aminations in the different counties should be as nearly uuiform ss possible, in order that the teachers’ certificates might be valid anywhere in California. “The Supreme Court has laid down this principie: That while the county | boards of education have charge of exam- | ining teachers and granting them certifi- | i cates, it is the povince of the Legislature to govern these examinations. “Qur school laws ought to be amended along the lines of recognizing normal sehool teachers of other States. Some of the latter, having done but two years’ work in their own States, are at present allowed certificates, whereas the teachers here in California have four years’ prepa- ration required cf them. “In another instance the law of our State seems 1o me unjust. After teaching a ceriain number of years the high-scnool teachers are civen life diplomas. Now, the primary teachers may have worked just as hard and just as long, and why should they not also receive life cerii- cates? “In California to-day there are 1200 cer- tificated teachers who cannot get schools, and yet there are hundreds of additional certificates leing granted every year. This system shoald certainly be modified, for competition is becoming so sharp that the wages of the rural teachers are being cut down, and other evils resuiting. Let it aiways be remembered that cheap teaching means poor teaching, “Tn conclusion I would say that if the teachers of California are united they can obtain any kind of legisiation concerning school laws which they desire in this State,” * On the alternoon of the same day Mr. B'ack spoke hefore the teachers on “The Use of the Library Fund.” The sub- stance of his remarks was as follows: “In some places the ieachers of the pub- lic schools are allowed to draw books from Al classes during the specified two weeks. ThLis plan bas accomphshed a great good. In certain schools 1 found thai the pri- mary scholars had of their own choice read eight or ten of such liorary books out- side their regular class work and were well posted on the subject which they had been studying. “Many history books are hard for the child, because ttey are no! written for him. Our own State history is not so bad—except that it is twelve or fourteen years behind the times. [Applause.] “Lat us then use tbis library fund first and foremoat to purchase books which will supplement the readings in the first | three years in our schools and let us rv- quire the pupiis to read aloud from these books to the teacher. This will give the proper foundation in reading work. It should also be remembered that what we need is n.ot so mueh the purchase of more apparatus, but a larger proportion of these supplementary book-." B. Masury. QUEER ENGLISH NAMES, No Rules Extant for Pronouncing Many of Them. Chum!ey and Cholmondeley, Marsh- banks and Majoribanks and a few similar exhibitions of freakisiness in the pronun- | bas the uniform sound of **uf far to convince every one thatthere are no rules by which it can be told in advance how an effort of this kind is going to sound, however well known its spelling may be. But the real enormities of the English sy stem or lack of it can only be- come apparent to the careful student of such matters—and the more careful the greater the enormities. He will, it is troe, succeed in bringing out a rule or two for the guidance o f those who come after him, but the rules will be few and the names many, so that his work is of little valne at best. It can be safely said, huwever, that an Englishman’s name is his to muss up, quite as much as his home is his castle, end the results of the one are as incongru- ous as the castleship of the other. There are three names from the French, to take an example quite at random, which came into English at nearly the same time and bave much the same so:t of meaning. ‘These are Beauchamp, a pleasant field; Beauclerc, a zood writer, and Beautin, well ended, all of them, it will be noted, having the same word for their it be believed that they are pronounced as if speiled beecham, with a lo e’ ; bo- clar, with a long *“0,”” and biffin, with a short “i”? What, then, is the law govern- ing the word ‘‘beau” in composition? There 1sn’t any. But there are a few laws, as has been seid. *‘Stone” in combination with other syilables, itself being the last,1s always called “*stun.” Thus Bncksione and Black- stone are spelled indifferently buxton and | blaxton, while Gladstone is called glad- stun, of course. *Ou’’ at the beginning of a name is ‘00" long, as in Ouse, Quless, Outram, Qusely and some others. “*Ough’’ in mono- syllables, as in Clough, Hough and Lough, o A | mstead of being aistributed al over the ihe city libraries for the use of their | alphabet, 2s in common nouns. In the terminational *‘cester”’ the two letters *“‘c' and *'¢’’ are not sounded, and they gener- ally succeed in drawing others down with them: Worcester and Leicester are well known, Bicester (bisrer), Cirencester (siseter), and some others not so much so. “G' is generally hard before ‘'’ and *i*’ aiso, as in Eigin, Gillott, Gill, Gifford and some others, but stor: in Nigel, a Latin name, andin Gillett, as coming from Giles, another Latin name. Termina- tional “ohnn’" is ““oon,” as in Bohun and Mobhun. “Hove” is *‘up’’ with a short *'u,”” as in Courthope, Stanhope (cortup, stanup), and many more. “Ham’’ is “umw,” the vowel sound beinz the ob- scurest possible. Nor doss the *“L” in this sofien the it may happen to fol- low, therefore Gotham is zoi'm. Hotam is hut'm, Bzntham bent'm, and “Y<'"as an ending micht batier have the *'y’’ out, for O dysis olds; Sandys, P2pys. peps, veepsor pivs; Knoliys, noiz and Wemys, weems. Inilial *a in Aram and Avon, and it is also iong in the first syllables of Baring, Bageho (baje-u:), and Bathurst, where the “ih’’ is rounded as in the werd “‘then.” is generally pronounced ar, as in Berge- ley, Derby, Herts, Hertford, Derwent and many more. _This is the old English rule in su mafteérs, as may Le seen in Bartram and Bertram, Bernard and Bar. nard, and in the common LOUNS “mer- chant’’ and *“clerk,” from which come the not unusual family names Marchant and Clark. Short ‘o' is irequently the short *“u’’ of to-day, as in Cromwell, Boylyn and others. And 1t 1s just here ciation of English proper names have gone j or hereabouts that rules stop.