The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-11-05

IRE student body because of their
BUSINESS. 1 should like to see suff1-
c1sn.iy strong action taken to entirely
schools forever
Agitation against fraternities and
sororIties in the high schools through
oul the state was started by the school
aulhoflteS of this city and it was this
agitation that was responsible for the
enactment of the law by the last legis-
I abolishing them. But this law
H ids peeh pretty much of dead letter
LOT no effort was made to enforce IL
unlil the action of last night was taken.
benlnd this agitation started by the
locaI school authorities against the
scitool societies there lies an interest
ing Story as to why it developed to a
head. On general principles along the
INES OF MT Whittemore's remarks on
the resolution last night, the teachers
IN the nigh school, almost without ex-
ceptlon, have always been opposed to
lnese secret societies. But the parents
o! the pupils who belonged to them
dld not hold the same views, nor did
the school board, So the working
schooI authorities could only express
their opinions on the subject and let it
go at that
But the straw which broke the
Gamers back happened, so it is said,
something over a year ago when one
or the boys fraternities gave select
dance for themselves and their girl
friends. The dancing orders for this
AFFAIR cost $50. They were the most
elaborate that had ever been seen in
thls city The whole cost of the dance
amounted to more than 5000. AS
there are only about twenty or twenty
nVe boys belonging to this fraternity,
and as its treasury is never in an un-
usually healthy state, the drains on
fatherS' pocketboOkS for this dance
were trif1e steep. 1t was then that
good many of the parents whose chill
dren were members of the societies in
the school enlisted with the teachers
who had started the war against the
fratern1tes, and after the parents got
busy it was not long before the great
majority of the school board fell in
line
The statement was made by a man
of authority that the action taken by
the school board last night was has
tened by the fact that under a threat
of the expulsion of its members from
school, one of the high school fra
ternities recently went ahead and
gave a party. No action has been
taken by the school authorities, how
ever, on this piece of disobedience and
it is not likely that any will be taken.
But the school authorities intend to
use their utmost powers to enforce the
mandates of the resolution adopted
last night regardless of the trouble
which may ensue.
On the recommendations of the
teachers committee Prof H F. Look, |
of the faculty of Washburn college, |
was elected as instructor of music in
the high school for the remainder of
the ensuing year. Miss Nellie Wilhelm |
was chosen as teacher of modern lam
guages in the high school to take the |
place of Miss Anna Marie Nellis, who
left before the school term closed last |
year for an extended trip through the |
Orient. The resignation of Mrs. Minta |
Caldwell from her position as teacher |
in the Lane school was accepted and it |
was decided to have an assistant |
teacher assigned to the Quinton
Heights school on account of the large |
enrolment there this year.
That old question of purchasing the |
remaining two lots in the block be- |
tween Lincoln, Buchanan. Fifteenth |
and Sixteenth streets. which is to be |
the site of the new Euclid school |
house when it is built, was brought up |
again at the meeting last night The |
board owns all ofsthis block except |
two lots in one corner. The price |
their owner has been considered ex-
orbitant by majority of the MEM
bers, of the board and besides they
think that the board owns plenty of |
ground there for the erection of the |
school house without getting these
two lots although every one admits
that it would be nicer if the new
school house and grounds could oc-
cupy the entire block. A motion was
made last night to purchase these lots
put action on this motion was defer
ed until the next meeting of the
board.