The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-08
SHORTRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL
WHAT SHALL THE BOYS WEAR AT
COMMENCEMENT.
Some of Them Advocate Duck Trous.
ers and Serge COats-An Athletic
Controversy.

a question that occupies the attention of
the boys OF the senior class OF the Short
ridge High School is what they will wear
on the night of the commencement. June IS.
Girls have been many times ridiculed for
discussing dress so much. but if one could
hear the warm arguments that the boys
have lately been having one would believe
the time was coming when men would give
as much thought TO wearing apparel as
the fairer sex does When the matter first
came up II was thought that very little
trouble would be experienced in settling it.
However, some members of the class Of
1902 preached the idea OF attring the boys
IN white duck trousers and blue serge coats
and this caused an argument.
Supporters Of white ducks and blue coats
met a storm OF opposition, and many of
the girls OF the school also expressed
themselves as against such costume. But
the believers in negligee dress for gradu-
alton were not TO be discouraged, and
many still cling TO the original plan. Meet
ings have been held, but compromise
had been agreed to- and the school papers
attempts to settle the matter appear fu-
tile. The majority Of the students is be-
lieved TO favor dress suits. which have
been worn on such occasions for years.
Whatever is decided on will necessarily
have 10 be agreeable to all members of the
class.
Many ideas have been advanced by va
rious pupils and also through the columns
OF the school paper. The Friday Echo last
week printed "A number Of suggestions for
the undecided senior boysbu u is not prob
able any Of them will be selected. good
deal OF fun had been had with the members
of the 'e2 class, and the young women Of the
institution are also making suggestions as
10 the sort of dress that the boys should
wear the evening of commencement.
Prince Albert coats, getaways, bicycle
suits. linen suits, shirtwasts and many
other forms Of attire have been mentioned
while the more irOnical have asked why
pink pajamas would not be original and
attractive These suggestions have all met
The reason many are opposed to duck
trousers is that the speakers would not
wish TO speak in such costume. 1t was
said by one student that ii would be
clever idea to dress the boys in overalls
and let the speakers Of the evening carry
a full dinner pail Strange 10 say this
plan was strongly opposed No doubt a
compromise of some kind will be effected
this week, and it is very likely that the
dress suit advocates will be victorious and
the boys Of the class of 1902 will appear in
the same attire that their predecessors did.
XXX
There have been some interesting de-
velOpments behind the scenes of Shortridge
High School athletics lately. The disturb
ance in the peaceful circle of athletes was
caused by the taking of the school mono
gram from two of the men on the baseball
team who played in the NJ. T. II. S. con-
test Coburn Allen and Howard Griffith
are the persons deprived of the initial
The committee which awards the IS" to
deserving athletes is composed Of the cap
e ~L.IT
football teams and one member of the fac
ulty- In this case its members were Way
land Masters. Maynard Allen, Bob Scott.
Byron LaFOllett and Mr. Ferguson. 1t has
been the custom TO give all the members of
a team the initial who participate in the
final contest with the Manual Training
High School Everyone scoring point
that is getting third in the field meet also
gets the s.. This rule is followed in Yale
and at Harvard. The present trouble in
the Shortridge school came about in this
way. The monogram committee held a
meeting and awarded the initial to all
members Of the track team who scored one
point in the field meet and also 10 every
member of the baseball nine including the
substitutes Arthur DeWar Will Kearney
and Clarence Mckinney. This action, how
ever. was nothing more than was expected
by most of the members Of the athletic as
ISOLATION. and If the team had won from
the Training School il is believed the rul-
ing would have stood. At any rate the
matter began 10 be discussed among the
members of the committee and a second
meeting was called.
The monogram was taken away from the
substitutes in the second meeting and then
arose the question of taking it from Allen
and Griffith. who, it was claimed by GER
tain members. had not played winning ball
I'm the NJ. I. II. S. game. The suggestion it
is said caused much debate and a stormy
time was had. The friends of the two men
declared that they had worked hard and
put up good game as any member of
the club. But regardless Of the article of
ball which Allen and Griffith played their
friends said they were entitled to the IS -
However when the question of taking the
monogram from the two members Of the
ball club came TO a vote three voted for
the taking of the initial while two upheld
the players.
II was some time before the matter be-
came known and 1t is not a general topic
now although those prominent in athletics
are aware OF the committees ruling The
school organ, the Daily Echo. has not yet
announced the action Of the committee and
when IL does there will doubt be a
good deal OF feeling expressed among the
students. The general impression seems to
be that the initial should not have been
given the substitutes on the ball team. but
that Griffith and Allen were as entitled to
II as those in the field meet who got third
II any OF the events. The matter is said to
have been put before Mr. Hufford and
although IL is not known his opinion on the
question the impression is that the princ-
PAL cid not favor the action Of the commit
tee No reason is given for the course
taken by the initial board and IL is not
known whether the work is that OF the
'rins" or not.
on the evening OF June 20 the alumni
association will hold its annual meeting at
the school. II is the intention OF those in
charge 10 make this years meeting one of
the most enjoyable in the history of the in
stitution- Lawrence Davis is president OF
the organization. There will be dancing
and refreshments and after a short literary
and musical programme of off,
GERS will be elected. All graduates and per-
sons who attended the s. II. S fifteen
years aso are invited