The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-14

reuuestad. When the demand was made this
morning the teachers with one accord enthusi-
astcally threw cold water on the trio of chubby
faced urchins constituting the committee, and
ordered them to their seats under penalty Of q
severe whipping.
The scholars closed their books and waited
for the signal to leave the room. For a second
time the teachers were informed that the schol-
ars meant business. The juveniles were, as be-
fore, told to go and sit down ard resume their
studies Instead of doing so they marched to
the ward rooms, took their hats, and with
shout of delight left the school-room. Almost
every pupil, boys and girls, followed suit and
as this occurred within few minutes in every
room in the Eleventh ward school the
teachers were left dumfounded at their
desks. at loss to explain how such
brought about. Outside the school-house the
children yelled and hooted and pandemonium
reigned. The strikers ranged in ages from nine
to fourteen years, and the girls were in the ma
jority. They made more noise if anything than
their boy companions, and shouts of "Give us
shorter hours" and eve amt goin' to stay in
there all day." were heard ON every hand. the
janitor of the building, an old man named Dew
or, was sent for. and he appeared and scolded the
children soundly for the disturbance they were
creating He told them they must either go
home or re-enter the school-house and submit to
punishment His remarks were received with
shouts OF derision, and mud and stones were
merclessly thrown at him. He attempted to
numbers proved his defeat, and he was driven
into the chool-house, covered with mud and
bruises from small stones whirled at him by the
youngsters. He made two or three dashes at
the young idea" represented by the noisy
crowd. an6 was each time repulsed, until he was
forced TO shut and lock the door after him. A
police officer who attempted to drive the chill
dran home was laughed at for his pains, and he
had the humiliating satisfaction of standing by
while the scholars threw great chunks of mud
at the anitor every time his face appeared at the
window. The war waged thus fiercely for half
an hour. not one of the teachers daring to come
out of the scho0lhouse
At il o'clock the entire reserve of the First
precinct was called out and sent to the scene.
The officers made bold front and scattered the
riotous strikers in every direction. Nothing
daunted, they returned to the fight strengthened
by large number of spectators and other chill
OF the oldest boys braced up to the policemen
and said
'sYou go away and leave US alone. This is
our fight, and if you bother us we'll fix you" Il
took nearly half an hour for the reserve to clear
the streets adjoining the school-house, and then
quiet was not restored. for the children gathered
in groups and noisily discussed the aspect of af-
fairs. Most of them were afraid to go to their
parents, but when the dinner hour arrived their
hunger got the better Of them, and they dis
persed to their homes
While this scene was being enacted in the
Eleventh ward the pupils of the First ward school
were working the same scheme. About 60 per
cent of the scholars went out at given signal.
but no assault was committed, as the provocation
was wanting.
AS the knowledge of the affair became known
throughout the city this afternoon it furnished
the topic for gen eral discussion of the remark
able proceeding Fathers who first learned of
1t while returning from the workshop or the
office made a careful canvass soon as they
reached their fresides. and it is safe to say
that never in the history of the city so
many children swung across the parental knee
and chastised in the good old way at one time.
A wall of indignant pain went up from thou
sands Of throats and more stomachs went early
to bed stranger to the evening meal than ever
before.
Notwithstanding the damper put on them. the
juvenile strikers are confident Of winning. Be-
fore o'clock this evening scouts were sent out
all over the city making recruits to enter into
q general revolt to be inaugurated tomorrow.
The scholars who have not as yet joined the
army OF strikers are notified that they must do
so or take severe licking on their way home.
The unruly element is in the majority, and the
outcome is awaited with not a little interest
Parents are in despair in many instances for
their children are out at all hours tonight per-
fecting their plans and arranging for picket duty
tomorrow. The Board of Educatiof-states il
cannot now grant the scholars what they wish
without destroying the discipline of the schools.
The teachers of the Eleventh and First wards
were this afternoon given half holiday, and the
principals in each school were directed to punish
the ringleaders of the novel movement