The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-03-09
Principal of the Smith Center
School Accused
Of Grave immortality in Con-
duet Toward Pupils.
AFFIDAVIT is MADE
By a Number of Young Women
Concerning Him.
State Board of Education Re-
VOkes His Certificate.

At a meeting last night the state
board of education temporarily revok-
ed the certificate of J. n. Mosher, the
Smith Center principal against whom
sworn charges were preferred, but de-
cided that an investigation of the
charges should be made before any fin
al action was taken.
Mr. MOsher resigned as principal of
the Smith Center school about five
weeks ago. He had occupied that po-
sition for the past nine years, and was
regarded as q man of excellent qualities
and thoroughly progressive educator.
But according to the aff1davits re-
ceiVed by the state board of education
it has been some time since Mr.. MOsher
trod the straight and narrow path. One
of the ahdavits charges him with I'M
genuemanly conduct long as two
years or more ago The other afddavits
cover the time at intervals from that
time up to the Friday afternoon before
the Monday he resigned as principal
of the school.
Mr.. Mosher's prOclivities in an i'm
moral direction We're discovered, accord
ing TO the evidence in the hands of the
board, as a result of proposal made
to one of the young lady pupils named
ROrabaugh, who lives in the country
adjacent to Smith Center. The story is
told by Miss Rorabaugh herself in an
ahdaV1t sworn to before a notary of
Smith Center.
She states that on the Friday after
noon in question she was late in COM
pleting her examination papers, and
when she handed them in to Mr.. MOSh-
er there We're but two or three other
pupils in the room To see if she an
sWered certain questions in geometry
correctly she picked uD a text book
from Mr.. MOsher's desk after handing
an her examination paper, and sat down
IN chair near the desk to look the
matter up. While sitting there, she
states, Mr. MOsher wrote an indecent
proposal on a slip Of paper and passed
II to her. It stated that if she would
permit him to take certain liberties he
would allow her to see examination
questions two days in advance
Miss Rorabaugh goes on to say that
she made the principal no answer, but
went back to her seat and started to
weep. The other girls in the room
crowded about her and questioned her
Tor the reason of her tears. and she
finally told them. They accompanied
her to the home of relatives in Smith
Center where she repeated her story
and that afternoon her relatives hunt
ed up the members of the school board
and demanded that MOsher be removed
That night meeting of the board
was held, but because of the good name
MoSher had borne up to that time
his denial of the charge, and because
he was believed to be an exemplary
citizen, the members refused to accept
the charge as true, and exonorated the
principal The parents of many of the
pupils, however, refused to send their
children back to school on Monday. and
MONDAY evening MOsher voluntarily
rendered his resignation to the board
Then the question arose, who is tell
ang the truth, Miss ROTa baugh or Prin-
clpaI MOsher?' The relatives and friends
of the girl commenced to look about for
support for their position, and the af-
ndaV1ts seem to show that they found
1t. A half dozen young women swear
that at different times Principal Mosher
made indecent proposals to them, and
Two OF the young ladies of the school
state under oath that they found Mosh-
er and another young lady pupil in a
compromising position in the normal
room of the school one afternoon.
The affidavit that dates back over
two years is made by a young lady who
applied for a certificate as instructor
bers of the examining board of the
county. He was appointed to that DO
E;tion by Mr.. J. w. Amis now assistant
superintendent of instruction, who at
InaC time was county superintendent
Inc affidavit states that Mr. MOsher
promised to see that the affiant secured
a certificate without any trouble if she
would consent to a certain immoral pro-
pOsal.
Mr. MOsher has so far taken no steps
10 QeIend himself before the board of
education. The action OF the board last
night gives him the opportunity of
making defense before the next meet
anS, at which time his certificate to
teach in the state will be finally revoIx-
ed unless he esta bIishes strong prOOf or
his innocence
Mr. ~Mosher is still residing in Smith
center. He is As years of age and has
a family.
THE GOD AAEnTn ~