The Washington critic., 1890-03-29
HAD a KISSING BEE.
Young Cape may school BOys Rugged
the Girls

the Girls.
CARE MAY. March 30. Sounding
above the roar Of the WAVES that beat on
the Cape May beach there has gone up
the last few days a fierce cry of indigna-
tion from the little city's residents over
q sensational occurrence in the public
school few DAYS ago in which the sons
of several reputable business men of the
place transgressed the rules of order
and sobriety, and, in moment of reck
lessness, committed a rash, indeed,
shocking act.
The principal of the public school IS
Professor Charles Leroy Wheeler, u
man Of considerable reputation and
ability. Next to him In position and
authority is Miss Emma Williamson, u
strict dicipllnarian and a well known
pret eptress in Southern New Jersey.
Her department is known as the second
division of the school, and 1t includes
about fifty rosy checked girls and
brighteyed boys, ranging in age from
13 10 16 years. On Tuesday last Miss
Williamson was attacked by q sudden
Illness, and one of the older scholars in
Principal Wheeler's department, War.
rem Hughes, was substituted at the
head of the second division in the place
of the sick teacher for that day.
When the boys and girls sat down at
their desks at the opening Of the Tues.
day morning session they were sur
prised to miss the familiar face of their
lady teacher and to find her seat filed
by Master Hughes, a youth scarcely IL
years of age. The mischievous boys
p1 az fNfnn IN Nth hn 4 Il
rations for grand racket and fete. AS
soon as the youngest class lined up in
front of the desk of the embryonic
pedagogue, the boys, with eyes full of
deviltry, made one grand rush for the
pretty girls. The imploring cries of
the young teacher were unheeded.
Seizing hold Of the seaside lasses the
boys proceeded to deluge them with
kisses and then rolled them over the
seats. Not satisfied with this the chi
valrous but hot-headed gallants re-
sorted to some imprudent acts that
brought loud cries of help from the
indignant and anrightened maidens.
Acting Instructor Hughes was power
less, and could do nothing with his law
less pupils. Before Principal Wheeler
was able to arrive on the scene of dis
order the abused girls had begun to cry
loudly and protested that they were go
ing to tell their mammas and papas.
Upon the appearance Of the Chief
Pedsgogue the guilty urchins skunk
back in their seats to escape detection.
A sound lecture ensued, but every eff
fort on the part Of the principal to find
the perpetrators was futile. When the
school was dismissed the girls told their
mammas, and of course the whole
story Immediately reached the ears of
the papas, who ranted, stormed and
shouted by all the gods that punishment
Should be meted out to the reprehensible
lads.
On Wednesday night the School
Board held q star chamber meeting In
the highest story in the big school
building to investigate the serious
affair. The accused boys were arraigned
and all pleaded not guilty, The fathers
! of the girls were present and loudly
called for justice. After discussing
! the matter until the "wee sma" hours
of the morning, the School Board, non
plused, adjourned to meet on Saturday
night. The affair has created sensa-
tion in the little seaboard towns
! and the fathers of the abused
! girls and accused boys are at
dagger points and venting their spleen
at each other with all the prodigality
of the frogs that croak loudly at the
moon mounting every night over the
angry waters of the broad sea.