The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1903-09-24
Principal HammiII Of the City Schools
Orders the Expulsion Of all
Cigarette Smokers.
BOARD MUST SUSTAIN ACTION.
Principal Declares that Action Has Been
Made Imperative to Save Small Boys
From Cigarette Habit.

Following the action of many large
industrial companies in placing the
ban on cigarette smokers Professor
Hammill of the Kenosha city schools
has taken decided stand sssagainst the
use OF the paper pipe and has!sent out
a rigid order demanding the expulsion
of all members of the schools found in
the act of smoking cigarettes. The
action is the most unusual sone ever
attempted by q school principal in Ke-
nosna and it bas caused great deal of
excitement among the boys of the city
who are users of tobacco in this form.
It is estimated that fully fifty per
cent Of the boys ia the city schools, re-
gardless Of grades will be affected by
the order and there is little doubt but
that there will be hard fight made to
secure the repeal of the order. AS yet
no explosions have taken place but the
boys found smoking have been given
fair warning and at the next offense
they will be stricken from the rolls
and sent before the board of education
before they .can be &reinstated. In
every case where the boys have been
found smoking the parents have been
notified of the discovery and the in
tended action and haves,been asked by
the principal to cooperate in the at
tempt to kill the vice among the boys
of the city.
The superintendent derives his pow
er for this action from the rules of the
board which gives him the right to ex-
pei any student until the end of the
term but the student always has the
right to appear before the board and
make an effort to be reinstated. It is
not known whether or not the board
will sustain this action of the principal
but every influence will be brought to
bear to have,them take favorable action
on the ruling. Mr.. Hammil1 has al
most the united backing of the parents
and the ruleE will undoubtedly prove
very popular with them.
In speaking of the matter this morn
| ing Mr.. .Hammill said: OQssFor some
time have noticed that the cigarette
habit is. rapidly INCREASING in the
ranks of the school boys. It is not
confined to the higher grades of the
school butaeven the boys of the lower
grades who should be protected by the
laws have become confirmed cigarette
smokers. It is possible that my radi-
cal action may not be sustained by the
board but shall leave the matter up
to them and they an do as they
choose. recently called the boys to-
gether and gave them a talk on the
matter and told them that while I
thought thatsit was best for them to
let tobacco in severy FORM alone, yet
there was no rule against the use of
cigars or pipes SO long as they made
no appearance son the school grounds
but that cigarettes we're hurtful and
that they would not be allowed with
the boys. I am anxious to secure some
evidence to secure test of the ruling
and am hopeful that the board will
sustain my action"
The radical action of Mr.. Hammill
will attract the attention of the entire
country to the Kenosha schools and if
he is able to enforce the ruling he has
made it will serve as an example for
other schools.
It is estimated that more than half
the boys in thescity Of school age are
smokers Of cigarettes and if few Of
them can be saved from the habit by
this ruling it should have the moral
support of all the school patrons in the
city.