Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-04-17
THE BOYS WHO OUGHT TO BE
WHIPPED.

The ERBthnmptOD Lads who Deco
rated Their Teachers House
with BRFbsE's Higns-Ehe Reason
fOr, their Misconduct.
A correspondent writing from
Easthampton, Mass, says:
The boys of Williston Seminary,
at Easthamptou, Mass, not to be
outdone by college students, have
been doing little hazing. Only,
instead Of taking the lower class
man, they have tried it on the prin-
cipal. In 1875 the death Of Samuel
Williston, the founder of the school,
occurred, and in 1876 DR.. Henshaw,
who had been principal Of the
school for thirteen years, was de-
posed by the new board of trustees.
DR.. Henshaw, although somewhat
stern and grabbed, was a teacher of
unusual ability, and had brought
the school to a high degree of pros
perity. His government, however,
was not all that could be desired,
and on account of this and some
minor matters, it was thought that
some change would be beneficial.
DIR. j. NJ. Wilton, of Lynn, former
ly rector of the Hopkins Grammar
School in that town, was made prin-
Cipal. His accession to the Office
was marked by a general overturn-
ing of the established order, and
the Inauguration of an entirely new
regime. Although some Of his in-
novations were wise, a large part
were thought to be ill-advised, and
as schoolboys are proverbially con-
servative, be Immediately beoame
unpopular. He brought with him
DR.. r. P, Keep, Of Hartford. once
consul at Athens, and Roswell
Paris, of Worcester, whom he in
stalled as masters Of the classical
and scientific departments, respeG-
lively, placing them over the beads
of the old teachers, some Of whom
had been there for years. This, Of
course, created considerable hard
feeling among the faculty, but de-
spite this they have aided him in
every way in their power. One of
his most obnoxious deeds was an
order in regard to factory girls,
The manufacturing interests Of
Easthampton include the mills of
the National Button CCmpany,
which were started by the foundes
of the seminary, and the employees
consist in large part Of eOmely
American girls from the country,
OF course there were some black
sheep, and some trouble had oc-
Cured from their association with
a few Of the schools wilder
pupils. The principal made a
sweeping order, absolutely forbid
ding the students 10 associate with
any of the factory girls. As the
wives Of many of the leading eiti-
zens of the town we're formerly fac
tory girls, this was thought to imply
a slur en- the character OF that
class and a great deal Of ill-feeling
prevailed among the townspeOple.
One OF the prominent men Of the
town took up the cudgel for the
girls in letter to the local paper
80 effeetually that the order became
practically IA dead letter. This is
but Que instance ont of many, and
the history of the last two years
has, consequently, been continued
series of petty insults and annoy
ances to the faculty by the students.
All this ill-humor eliminated on
Saturday night, when several OF
the students went to the principals
house, and, by q plentiful use of
paint, converted the two large pill
lars in front into BARRIERS poles,
while the front Of the house was
decorated with BARRIERS signs, tell
ing the public the price Of hair
cutting, shaving, etc. Naturally,
the principal was indignant at such
a dasturdly outrage, but the means
he took to discover the offenders
could hardly be approved. On
Sunday morning, when the students
were at church, two oil the teachers
only attended service, while the rest
made q systematic search OF the
boys rooms, going through trunks,