The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1893-06-14
President Webster's Statement.
WELLINGTON, o., June Z, 1903.

issue of May 81, contains two errors that
desire 10 correct.
You state that on the occasion referred
to, some members of the senior class SEN
for "hop tea" and drank it upon the schoo
grounds. That statement is incorrect. Il
is true that two members of the class
named yielded TO temptation and drank
"hop tea" or beer, at the solicitation Of
persons older than they, but there was nc
evidence adduced, either during the inyes-
tigatioD instituted by the board of educa
tion or In the trial before the mayor, tina,
the young men referred to either procured
or caused to be procured the beer that was
drank. In my judgment 1t is altogether
! probable that persons outside the yelling
ton high school will in due time be in.
dicted for furnishing intoxicating liquors
to minors on the occasion you reler to.
You also state that at the Friday meet.
ing of the board of education a majority
OF tine board we're in favor OF expulsion
That statement is also an error. The
board OF education was determined TO put
an efectual stop to the drinking of beer
upon the school grounds. They proposed
by suitable punishment of the offending
pupils and vigorous prosecution of the
parties who, in violation of law and utter
disregard of public sentiment, furnished
intoxicating liquors to minors, to assure
the patrons of our schools that they may
safely trust their boys to engage in sports
upon our school grounds in future with.
out the fear that while there they will be
invited TO drink beer. All members OF
the board, however, desired to deal as mer.
cifully with the boys as they could and
yet teach the needed lesson to the pupils
of our schools: and 1t was never true that
a majority Of the board favored expulsion
after the full and voluntary acknowledg.
ments and promises Of the boys.
II is not my purpose or desire to treat
lightly the other serious faults committed
by the young men herein referred to, and
which are not mentioned In this article,
but 1t IS to be regretted that after they
had made public confession Of their faults
coupled with satisfactory pledges for the
future, andsaiter they had been publicly
reinstated In the schools in consequence
OF such public confessions and promises
they should, through the press, again be
arraigned, and especially that they should
be accused Of serious offehse of which
they were entirely innocent.
E. +. WEBSTER,
Pres't Board of Education.
Mr.. Webster closes the third paragraph
In his communication as follows: "And II
was never true that majority of the board
favored expulsion after the full and volun-
tary Acknowledgements and promises of the
boys" Now II the boys had not made the
acknowledgment demanded, will Mr..
Webster please inform the public what
would have been the action of the board ?
The following is a copy Of the official no.
tice read in the school room, which will
throw some light as to the course the
board intended TO pursue in case the boys
did not make proper acknowledgment:
"WELLINGToN, o., May 25. 1893
Prot. r. II. Kinnison, Supt OF Schools;
Dear Sir-The board OF education OF
the Union school district OF Wellington
hereby direct that Verne Banning and
Bernise Brenner, of the senior class, be
suspended from all privileges Of the Well.
ington schools until further notice.
You will please notify the scholars here.
by suspended that there will be meeting
Of the board Of education at the office oil
the president, In Hor, Warner g. Cos
building, on Friday evening next, at TOO
p, m, and that the board requests them 10
be present at the time and place named, 10
show, II possible, why this suspension
should not be made permanent by expul.
sion.
You will please read this notice OF sus-
pension In the presence Of all scholars in
the main room.
BY order Of the board Of education.
b. VANAToR, Clerk"
In regard TO the boys sending for the
hop tea we impaired TO the public Just
what was told us by one interested. And
1t hardly looks reasonable that any one
would come up town and purchase the
stuff for others to drink unlesssthey were
ordered to do so. Persons who indulge
don't do that kind Of business. Trans.
gressors care but little for fine imposed
by a court or a reprimand from a
board; but they do care when the press
looks after them. What was said In our
notes was In the interest Of the schools
and law and order. We have nothing but
good will for the accused, and was sorry
TO say word; but we publish paper for
the news, and II anything goes wrong the