The evening world., 1903-04-23
May Demand Removal Of Pin-
\ cipaI Wight, Of WadIeigh High
School, for Having Whole
Class Searched After Theft.
PUPIL HAD LOST 80 CENTS.
Classmates Then Submitted to Rig
orous Search, Their Clothing and
Even Their Stockings Being Rel
moved In the Scrutiny.

Parents OF thirty-one wadleigh High
fBchooi misses, indignant because of the
accusation Of theft made against them
and the subsequent searching to which
they were subjected, are preparing to
tcall on the Board OF Education to. de-
mand the removal of DR.. John q.
wight as principal of the school in
One Hundred n Fourteenth street be-
tween Seventh and Eighth avenues.
The revelations made yesterday when
thrty-one girls told the story of how
they had collectively been accused of
btealing the purse containing so tents
Ind how each had been stripped IL her
ciothing by the teachers and searched
for the booty, have brought to light
much which has transpired in this high
school, which is attended by about
400 young women.
About a year ago the second year
Mass was searched similarly, and the
pupils say that 1t has been the practice
30 handle the pupils. many Of them be-
longing to the best-known families In
the city, much as though they were
prisoners with suspicious regulations.
All Considered Guilty.
The cause of the search was the an
nouncement of Miss Celia Caroline, Of
No. 1914 East One Hundred and Seventh
street. that she had lost her purse. Miss
Caroline is the daughter of Mrs. Teresa
Caroline, who keeps the largest fruit
market in Harlem. The young girl. who
1s studying to. be a teacher, told an
Evening World reporter to-day that she
was searched as well as her classmates,
DR.. Wight informed the class that all
would be considered guilty until proved
hnnoeent.
Following the search DR.. Wight and
his assistants refused to remove the
.suspicSon they had cast upon all The
members Of the class, n would moi
say IL they had found the stolen prop
Arty.
In the last few months four minor
Narefts have been reported by members
uf the hrst year division known as
SsCaass 3, sub. 81 and when Miss Caro-
btns reported yesterday to her teacher.
MIS- Bugbe, the loss OF 80 cents the
hsaossex reported the matter at onoe to
pr. Wight.
lDT. wight went before the class OF
shiSty-one girls and said:
Garls Consented, Of Course.
Z I'VE have reason to believe that tho
areah culprit is among the girls OF this
class, yet we cannot suspect my one.
In order to discover the thief It is our
DUTY to consider each guilty until she
Ns proved innocent. The only way to
discover the real thief In for EACH Of you.
to submit to a search. I cannot order
this without your consent. Will each of
syou who Is willing hold up her hand?.'
Every one Of the girls. whose ages
ranged from thirteen to eighteen years.
flushed with the shame of the accusa-
taon, but the hand of every one shot into
Vkhe air seeking acquittal.
Miss Bugbe and Miss Spear, another
teacher. hen too the thirty-one girls,
enc at a time. into a dressing-room
and searched each one thoroughly,
Every garment was searched. Their
stockings were removed. Even their
hair was searched. During this search
ing process all of the thirty-one girls
were locked In the room INT held as
prisoners.
When tho search was over and the
girls had returned to their homes the in
dignation among the parents and families
was great, and 1t was current that to-
ohy complaint WOulu DC maze TO tne
Board Of Education.
Not only was the search embarrassing,
but the victims OF 1t believe that the
stigma placed upon them by the accuse
tiop should be removed in a statement
from'the principal and teachers. Instead.
however. DR.. Wight and the teachers
refuse to discuss the matter now and Will
not say II they found the cuipdit. In the
mean time the pupils feel that the sus-
picion is still upon them.
eachera VIII Not .-,aIk.
When DR.. Wight was seen to-day he
refused to deSy OF affirm the story of
the accusation and seareh as related by
the girls. He had also instructed his
teachers t osay nothing and not one
however, admitted that 1t was a com
mon thing to search school girls In
Wadleigh High School. u. =,
Stealing Is 80 common here" he
said, that is tie only way we can
keep 1t down. The last search before
the one of yesterday was among the
young ladies In the graduating class or
the second year, class Just before grad
uation last year. But the girl who
stole the purse threw II on the floor
when hall The class had beer stripped
AZ the offices of the Board of Eduea-
SIberintendept Of Schools said there
GSsl Case a~nS os sss Wa sS ri iRR%f iSR:ysob tstS
girls who were searched, DIR. Maxwell
was on an inspection tour ana
ing from SmS pr. wight Viz nh the ppraiaelbain. s the
affair part Of a series OF attacks that
have been made on Pr. Wight. The