Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-04-25
FORBIDDEN TO FLIRT.
The Willist0n Seminary Boys Shnt off
from Communication with the Fac.
tory Girls, Haze their Prineipal---A
Vigorous Juvenile Revolt.

Vigorous Juvenile Revolt.
A letter from Easthampton. Mass.
says: The boys of Williston seminary.
at Easthampton, not to be outdone bv
college students, have been doing a lit
tie hazing. Only, instead of taking the
lower class man. they have tried It on
the principal. In 1875, the death of
Samuel Wiliiston, the founder of the
school, occurred, and in 1876 DIR. Mar
shall Henshaw. who had been principal
of the school for thirteen years, was de-
posed by the new board of trustees.
DIR. Henshaw, although somewhat stern
and Grabbed, was a teacher of unusual
ability, and had brought the school to a
high degree of prosperity. His govern
ment, however, was not all that could
be desired. and on account of this and
some minor matters, it was thought
that change would be beneficial. DR..
j. NJ. Wilton, of Lynn, formerly rector
of the Hopkins grammar school in that
town, was made principal His Access
sion TO the office was marked by a
general Overturning of the established
order, and the inauguration of an en-
tirely new regime. Although some of
the innovations were wise, large part
were thought to be ill-advised. and, as
schoolboys are proverbially -conserva-
tive, he Immediately became unpopu-
lar. He brought with him DIR. r. P.
Keep, of Hartford, once consul at
Athens, and Roswell Parish, of Worces-
ter, whom he installed as masters of the
classic and scientific departments, re-
spectively, placing them over the heads
OF the old teachers, some of whom had
been there for years. This, of course.
created considerable hard feeling among
the faculty, but despite 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 Easthamp-
ton include the mills of the National
Button Co, which We're started by the
founder of the seminary, and the EN-
ployes consist in large part of comelv
American girls from the country. OF
course, there were some black sheen,
and some trouble had occurred from
their association with few of the
schools wilder pupils. The principal
made Il sweeping order, absolutely for
bidding the students to associate with
any of the factory girls. As the wives
of many of the leading citizens of the
town were formerly factory girls, this
was thought to imply slur on the
character of that class; and great deal
OF ill-feeling prevailed among the towns
people. One Of the prominent men of
the town took up the cudgel for the
girls IN letter to the local paper so eff
fectually that the order became practi-
cally dead letter. This is but one in
stance out of many, and the history of
the last two years has, consequently,
been continued series of petty insults
and annoyances to the faculty by the
students. All this ill-humor eliminated
Saturday night, when several of the
students went to the principals house,
and, by a plentiful use of paint, CON
verted the two large pillars in front
into BARRIERS poles, while the front of
the house was decorated with BARRIERS
signs, telling the public the price of
hair-cutting, shaving, etc. Naturally,
the principal was indignant at such a
dastardy outrage, but the means he
took to discover the offenders could
hardly be approved. On Sunday
morning, when the students were at
church, two of the teachers only at
tended service, while the rest made a
systematic search of the boys
rooms, going through trunks, bureau
drawers, and carpet-bags. and being
rewarded by finding clothes spotted
by paint in three or four rooms.
When the boys, after church, discov-
cred what had been done they were fu-
rious, and at a mass meeting in the
gymnasium all but four of the one hun
dred and ninety students agreed to
"cut chapel the next morning, and one
hundred and thirty of them did so.
Sunday night threats of vengeance on
the principal were loudly made. and if
he had made his appearance on the
streets he would undoubtedly have been
mobbed. He wisely kept his house,
however, and it was guarded through
the night by four watchmen. No fur
Their trouble was experienced, and as
the term closed Monday night, the stu
dents have now all dispersed to their
homes, from which many will not re-
turn. That such disgraceful deeds
should occur is matter of deep regret
to all friends of the school, which has
always stood IN the front rank of such
institutions, and has many distinguish
ed alumni in all parts of this country.