The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-08
TROUBLE In SCHOOL.
Charges Of Cruelty Against
Prof. Hartranfl.
NOT BACKED BY GOOD EVIDENCE
He Was Accused Of Crushing a Girls
Hand. Tearing n Boys Trousers,
and Other Things

time was taken in trsfng 10 flni out IL
Prof. W @. Hartranft. ~ the Olympic
school. crushed Laura ken.zier's hand
while she was writing. u he knocked TIE
breath out OF Mabel Ewing while sssank-
in- her. and IL ne punished Carl BerdeSon
severely. tore his clothes and then sne-red
al him.
While the board postponed final action
In the case after hearing speeches from
the fathers of the children the professor
himself. and listening 10 many IN
ieresiing documents, il Is but fair
to say that Prof. Ha-tranft vas
vindicafed The case OF Mabel Ewing
resolved Itself down 10 he complaint mat
the professor took her across his knee, ana
that while the punishment was not severe,
yet the manner in which Il was gwen SUD
1eefed Der TO ridicgle. Mr.. Ewing said that
the little girl was nervous. and al ne lad
to complain Of was the way N which she
was punished
The entire case was covered in a report
Superintendent Barnard made He was
not called upon 10 investigate. but did so
in connection with his position as superin-
tendent. He called Unexpectedly at the
school During the investigation the pro-
fessor and children implicated were ex-
cluded from the room. Following Is the
testimony as the superintendent got IL;
Kentzler case-Th.rty-fiye children were
present Mr.. Hartranft and children inpli-
Gated being out of the room Thirty-four
children emphatically denied the charge OF
hai--pUIirg. ali agreeing that Mr. Hart
ranft stood in the aisle and rested his hand
on the boys head while talking to him.
one was out OF the room at the time. Ike
garding the crushing of Laura's hand, two
pupils were aDsens, one did not see ii, and
thirty-two vigorously denied il. Agnes
York saw it all. and said that MIR. Hart
10 = ali
10 teach her the correct position.
Regarding Mr. Kentzler's foTcible entry
10 the school room. the unanimous tesri-
mony Of all the pupils was that kentZier
forced his way in pushing Mr. Hartranft
to one side lie called Mr.. HartraEft a
villain, and said he would get tar and
feathers. knocked the books off the table,
and said: Cd d--n you, II lay for You
and smash your id face"
Mabel Ewing case-The testimony of
thirty-one Of The thIrty-five children, four
being absent on Gay Of punishment, was
that during the reading recitation Mabel
was not giving any attention, and as a
punishment Mr.. Hartranft told her TO
write her name on the blackboard. which
she refused 10 DO. Mr.. HartTanft then
spanked her. administering three light
taps. lifting his hand when doing SO. six
or eight inches. Mabel returned 10 school
the same afternoon.
Bertleson case-The testimony Of the
children VAS that Carl was spanked four
or five times for whispering. and that Carl
told the boys that 1t did not hurt. Eleven
Of the boys saw Carl tear his trousers
while playing in the yard. before school.
and ne did not 90 home 10 have them
meuded for fear of being tariy. All the
pupils said mo" TO the charge Of sneer-
ing remarks.
Mrs. Thomas said she visited the school,
and that only one little boy said he
thought 4 boy named McCabe had been
punished more than was necessary. Il
don't know whether he deserves il or not.
but there is a deep seated feeling against
Mr. Hartranft." she concluded.
Mr. Bertles0n said t5at Hartranft sent
Carl out Of the room. and he had learned
that while Carl was out Hartranft was
busy getting the scholars 10 say he tore
his clothes on the fence He read letters
from people at Sidney about how Hartranft
whipped boys for playing ball on Sunday.
He also had letter IN which it was said
that the professor whipped Arthur Ksene
50 that be did not get over ii for a long
time.
Hartranft said there was not a word Of
truth in what Bertleson said about his
sending Berlieson's boy out of the room
and 1hen talking 10 the children. He de-
MED the Sidney charges. and continued:
The thing THAI aroused Joseph kentz.
ler's ire Was this. The hoy smelled so bad
the pupils could not ST near him. one night
/ kept him after school and asked him now
long since he mad taken a bath. The boy
sad that he did not know. The professor
read letter from Mrs. Ber;leson in which
she explained why the boy smellea. ard
added that his father would not punish
HIM. kentzier SAID his children were kept
out OF school 10y Hartranfcs spite work.
he was a taxpayer and demanded the M
mcI.a.e removal OF H8rtranft.
Frank NcCBbF, the boy mentioned by
Mrs Thomas. told the hoard that after
Prof. Hartranft punished him once they
never had any trouble The boy stated
plainly that the professor never intimi-
dated him. concerning what he should say.
\ communication from parents OF chill
dren tn HartranfIs room said they were
pleased With the progress made by their
children and did not think be was too strict
IN The enforcement of the rules. Follow
ing are hose who signed and Il is said the
letter was not carried 10 many who might
have signed:
O. III Underwood, Mrs T.. Underwood.
S NJ. Ogden. Mrs. +. Ogden. Mr.. and Mrs
" IL. Crawford. Mr.. aUI Airs. J. B. i
son, Mr. and Mrs +. NJ. DeLappe. Mrs
Kate Shields. Paul Grou. Mr. and Mrs
Nels Jacobson. G. +. Murray. Mr.. ana
Mrs + Albln. Mr.. and Mrs. T. g. Murphy
A Erase, Mr.. ana Mrs. G \. Johnson.
Mrs n NJ Jones. G. A. Weed. Mrs, c. a.
Weed Mrs ! T. Mcdonald. Mr.. and Mrs
schwers. Mrs NJ. +. York.
Another testimonial 20 Hartranfts cred
g as q teacher ana citizen came from the
following people at Ross. where ne taught
two wears. Mr. and Mrs r r. Mason
William Crawford, J. Hayward, A. r.
Harvard. Mrs II. n Sargent. Mr.. and
Mrs l. : Johnson. .. 4. Mesery. John
Ross Mary Ross.
Among the bills not audited was one for
So for clea1ing out he Columbia school
oessroal What ahout ghc cssspool bile
"a ; Chgrchu
The sanitary officer came 20 me-" said
King -au8 reported that there was "A nui-
sauce az the Columbia school and that ne
was investigating. II that Is so / don't
care t0 pay the hiIi vet
Secretary Guernsey said he went cut and
examined the grounds ana could not End
anything Finally pc set "a man who was
there ra show htn where the nuisance was
The man took him about a quarter Of
mile from The buil5 Sing, where there was "A
small ntle 81 debris. There was nothing
offensive The ceSspools had been cleaned
out twice in 81 short time and were as fan
ROW as thsy we're iH rne erst place
Il thluk. said Cuerns-v that SANITARY
Of8rer 5arsyms- IS making Tot OF noise
about nothing : viii sive any ore So ~
sboE IRE ary nuisance ont there
~Yoa has BETTER make ar oryer DC R~av-
uer- sa5J * tuE
~ 90. : wouid Just as soon make the
offer tc him replied Guernsey. Payment
- the ti3' Ass postponed