The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-31
PENALTY CUT DOWN.
School Board Decides to Sus-
pend Miss Ayres.
PETITION FROM THE PARENTS.
King and Colkett's Dignity Saved by a
Small Admission. but Teachers
Must Whip No More.

The board OF education ar its session
yesterday made a practical adrrsssio. that
- action in dismissing Miss Ayres vas
nasty, IL not altogether unwarrantegi by
reducing the penalty for whipping Allen
Pease TO two weeks suspension This ac-
ton was taken after fuller tnyestfgat ioa
had convinced the directors OF their error
and the weight of public opinion had
shown itself decidedly in her favor. They
had no sooner learned that petitions for
Mss Ayres reinstatement were in circu-
lation and were receiving many influential
signatures than in response 10 personal
appeals from some OF her friends. Messrs.
Colkett and King. upon whose report the
action OF the board was based gave II 10
be understood that they were willing the
board should reconsider its action, but
they did not wish TO appear as having
yielded 10 pressure, and therefore asked
that the petitions be withdrawn. They
also insisted that Miss s----~~- should an
ply for reinstatement and admit that she
had violated the rules of the school by
striking Allen Pease in the face, although
the prohibition against that punishment
contained in the state law does not appear
in the school rules However, Miss Ayres
was willing 10 yield this point in order to
save the dignity OF the directors and sent
the letter 10 the board which was made
the basis of its meeting yesterday.
All the members Of the board were pres
ent when the following communication
from Miss Ayres was read:
'.Inasmuch as / have through ignorance
thereof broken a rule of the board of edu-
cation concerning the punishment OF pu-
pills, ! hereby express 10 you my regret
for having done SO. and respectfully re-
quest that be reinstated as a teacher in
the public schools OF Seattle
Tn sha NH 1h
members OF the board disclaimed any ner-
sonai ili-feeling toward Miss Ayres King
thought the children needed the protec-
ton OF the board.
Yes" replied MaeDougail, but at the
same time Il is our duty TO see that un-
ruly boys are not allowed TO run the
schools"
The following petition, signed by sixty
four OF the parents Of children now at
tending the Cascade school, was also
placed in the hands OF the secretary, but
1t went over without even reading:
The Parents Petition.
1--WE. the undersigned, ask that a thor
ough investigation be made in the case OF
Miss Hortense Ayres, OF the Cascade
school. We feel that great injustice has
been done her. She was given no chance
TO defend herself in any way. The prin-
cipal OF the school was not consulted:
neither were any OF the teachers, notwith-
standing two of them witnessed the pun
ishment inflicted upon Allen Pease. Miss
Ayres has been a painstaking, loving
teacher. and we demand that she be REIN
stated, IL the investigation proves her in
nocence, as we know II WILL
Miss Ayres Reinstated.
The educational committee OF the board,
consisting of King, Churchill and Coikett,
had already prepared the following re-
-. NH, ell I'D Cd
I'm the matter Of the application of Hor-
tense Ayres to be reinstated as teacher in
the public schools the education commit
tee of the board of education would recon-
mend that the order disrnisslng Miss Ayres
be modified to the extent that Miss Ayres
be and remain suspended for two weeks.
to-wit till November IL. 1926, and that on
November II, 1895. she be reinstated TO her
position as teacher without further ac-
ton"
No More Whipping by Teachers.
The following resolution was also unani-
mously adopted:
Resolved. That corporal punishment in
the schools OF Seattle by grammar or prl-
mary teachers be abolished, and that when
a pupil Is in the opinion or his teacher Ge-
serving OF punishment, the teacher shall
refer the matter to the principal OK the
school, and the principal In the presence
Of the teacher and of one other disinter-
ested teacher, if possible. shall administer
the punishment The principal shall I'll
out a punishment blank In triplieate. Me
one mail one TO the secretary or the ooafd
of education and one TO the parents OF the
child. III any pupil be corporally punished
twice I'm any one school term, and shall In
the opinion OF the principal deserve pun
ishment a third time, the principal shali
not punish the pupil. but shall report the
matter 10 the superintendent, who shall
Immediately suspend the pupil TIL the next
regular meeting of the board of education.
70 whom the matter shall be referred Tor
action"
Mrs Pease Defends Her Boy.
Mrs. r. A. Pease, mother OF Allen Pease.
whose whipping caused all the trouble. OBJ
tects 70 the mention OF her former trouhle
with Mrs Foster in connection with AL
lens whipping. The Post-fntelligencer
nriv .Ilused 10 that affair because 1t was
due 20 the throwing OF stones by the two
Pegse BOYS at the little Foster girl, with a
view OF illustrating the character OF tho
how who has been the cause OF the trouble
IN the Cascade school. Mrs. Pease SAID
yesterday:
II would not have taken my boy before
the board II Miss Ayres had not whipped
him as she did. He told me so, and De-
sfdas ha bore the marks OF the punishment
re RAD been tied TO chair, and the marks
az the rope showed in two places on his
neck. A number OF grown people saw hifh
before o'clock on the day or the whlp-
riDp gave up my intention OF legal
,,vosar,1tgon for the sake OF Miss Ayres
family. hat I am MOI willing thar she
should now be entirely indicated ana my
NV condemned. II Miss Ayres had an-
,,roached me in a kindly manner at tho
meeting Of the board. l could nave OFe4
zha had done