The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-05
Teacher and Pupil Initiate
FitZ and COrbett.
Pounded Each Other in the
High School at Auburn.
Reinf0rcements Came and Teacher
Was Finally Victorious.

Thomas Fearney a scholar In the high
school at Auburn has black eye. He re-
Gel . 10 in scrimmage with teacher
Greene who declared that Thomas could
not leave the school until nc had mastered
Il lesson. Thomas seemed Co have an
antagonistic opinion 20 that held by the
tcucher and there was fight, during
which teacher Greene was handled rather
roughly and the scholar gave outward
token OF tho wear and tear of conflict
Luckily, for the teacher, cinforcements
appeared upon the scene In time or "A
coffin might have been needed in the quiet
village. When the fight had nearly
reached the l4th round the principal Of
the school, Mr. Ray, came In and interfered
and Thomas decided Ii was time 60 quit
Meanwhile the Aupurn high school was
in hub-bub. Such scrap was never
known 10 happen ON the premises before
ana the scholars. those who were not
nearly frightened out Of their wits had
tneir sporting blood running at "A high
rate Of speed during the excltement This
happened Friday afternoon.
Young Fearncy is a large and powerful
boy, and IL Is SAID that he shows an incli-
nation 20 have his own way. This inter-
feres with his studies and he has been dis
ciplined for bad scholarship. He belongs
in Warwick and his taltion Is paid i'm the
school He Is "a student i'm the business
department. He carries newspaper route
in the evening, and Friday afternoon no
demurred at being compelled 90 stay after
school houys 60 get his lesson die told the
teacher he would be late with his papers
and that he would not stay after the reg
ular time
The teacher informed him that he would
or there would be use for "a new coffin in
Auburn. To this young Fearney replied
hA In hs.I l..ff L.. -.
once as he was going out at the regular
time.
Meanwhile the school children showed
the state OF excitement they were in, for
there was not n sound in the school room
as the teacher and the unruly scholar eyed
each other. The opposing forces took
mental calculation of the probable out
come OF the engagement and then pre-
pared for conflict. The teacher removed
his outer garments, his collar and cults
and summoned all his energy
fearney also prepared for action and
started for the door. This was the signal
for hostilities and the contestants sized
each other up. The teacher caught Thomas
with right handler on the eye. 1t was
sort OF hook blow and then experimcnted
with the fitZsimmons speciality. He fell
short, however, but managed to get a
short arm twist on the other side of
THOMAS head. Then he hit him good
thump on the back OF the head.
Thomas In the meantime had not been
idle, and he got in few punches on the
teachers anatomy. BY this time pan
demonlum reigned in the schoolroom and
the row attracted the attention OF @
principal, who appeared on the scene ia
time 10 prevent "A knockout blow The
two men took Thomas i'm hand and i'm a
moment or two he said that he was con
vinced that mis- position in the case was
not good one ard that he would obey
orders. He promised to come back and
study his lesson after he had delivered his
papers and he was as good as his word
for he showed up at 7:30 O'Clock and
studied until ii 30 o'clock. This all
haT pened in the school building az the
oorner OF Nallingftrd Nclue and Cross
street.
The matter and the fight have not vet
been reported To the school committce
but rs one member remarked IL
has been rumored on the street that a |
fight did take place in the schoolroom |
Personally, he said, he was not in favor |
OF corporal punishment but the town SAYS |
the children must bc educated If they |
are unruly, they must be punished Of |
course, and there is but one way of pun |
ishment outside of force ard that il TO |
dismiss them from school. Then the COM |
plaint OF truancy will DC agitated and the |
problem remains unsolved. Perhaps |
there is but one way and that is 20 noV |
unruly scholars. If there is an assault |
then the teacher must stand the penalty of |
an assault.