Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-30
|RATE PARENT
CALLS HAz|NG
H00DLUM|SM
Polytechnic Boys May
Be Arrested
Father Of Youth Subjected to cowardIy
and Brutal Assault Makes an
Appeal to Superintendent
of Schools

Dlrch rule is strongly advocated.
That pupils have been numerically
hazed by their comrades, heads shoru
of hair clothing torn, to furnish amuse-
ment for certain set of rowdies in this
school, and that almost no protection
has been furnished the injured pupils
by the principal or teachers, are few
of the charges made.
Yesterday afternoon DIR. G. E. Moore,
superintendent of the public schools,
and Principal j. H. Francis of the Poly
technic high school were in consulta--
tion with Fred H. Killick, father of
Victor Killick, the last one of the boys
who is said to have been hazed by
gang of ruffians who attend the high
school,
Assurances but No Protection
II took this matter up with DIR. Moore
after a great deal of thought" said
Mr.. Killick, land / would not have
done so except that I felt that condi-
tions at the Polytechnic demanded some
action be taken by parents to protect
their children against the assaults of
this gang of rowdies which has been
rampant at the school during the last
year.
"To my personal knowledge there
have been three pupils hazed at the
Polytechnic during the school term just
finished None of these lupils who
were hazed was seriously injured, but
it is wonder to me they were not.
1.-TWO of these hazings occurred dur
ing the early part of the year, and after
each of them the parents of the chill
dren attending the school were assured
that there would be no more of it dur
ing the year. Yet last Thursday, dur
ing the last-week of the school term,
gang of these ruffians set upon my boy
in the assembly room of the school,
while Principal Francis was there,
pulled from his toat and thrown to the
floor. They tore his clothing, and had
he not called for aid in such a manner
as to show that he feared bodily in
jury it is probable he would have been
severely ma1led.
Assault CowardIy One
GAS it was, Principal Francis heard
his cry and rushed to the scene. The
rowdies who had attacked Victor then
lcosed their holds upon him and he was
able to get to his feet.
"Mr. Francis then read those who had
attacked Victor a lecture in which he
called them towards and other terms
of like nature, but yet I am not GER
tain the same thing will not be re-
peated when Victor returns to school
next term.
Before seeing DR.. Moore and Mr..
Francis this afternoon I visited the Of
flee of the prosecuting attorney and
was there informed that if 1 wished to
swear out warrants charging the MEM
bers of this gang with assault the war;
rants would be issued. have the
names of the five ringleaders Of the
gang, the boys who pulled Victor from
his seat, and it is possible will swear
out warrants for their arrest within
day or so.
my son hasstold me that he has sus-
pected for several days that the men,
bers of this gang were intending to
haze him, and he has done all in his
power to keep out of their way. He
endeavored to leave the assembly room
on Thursday, before he was pulled from
his seat, but found e. cry passage way
blocked by young men intent on caus-
ing trouble, and at last returned to his
seat, where he sat Quietly until at
tackled
Other Students Hazed
'This is the second time he has suf-
fered at the hands of this gang The
previous time was when gang at
tackled him at the close of a debate in
which Polytechnic lost to Throop. AT
that time he was pushed and showed
around, but succeeded in escaping after
n hard fight.
"Other pupils have also suffered at
the hands of this gang. Frank, de Fri
tas, a freshman, was thrown to the
ground and shaved by members of the
same gang several months ago. He was
severely beaten at that time for no ap-
parent reason. John Warren, another
pupil, was also hazed one half of his
head being shaved. have information
which caused me to believe that two of
this same gang which hazed Victor
were also present at this time.
"In addition to being pulled from his
seat and roughly handled by this gang,
Victor afterward suffered further in
suits at their hands. While leaving the
building at the close of school a mob
attacked him on the stairs and pushed
and showed him about. He was knocked
from one to the other, while thoes who
were taking no part in the disgraceful
affair stood back and laughed. This
after Mr. Francis had spoken to the
pupils and assured Victor that he
would not be further molested.
Interferes with Boys Education
cat the high school there is what is
known as a government That is,
certain of the pupils are selected to
guard against breaking the rules and
to mete out punishments. The MEM
bers of this body are supposed to send
any one VINO DTedkS IHe rules 10 IIlelr
officers, yet two of them stood by and
watched the gang abuse my son Thurs
day and never even attempted to stop
them. This way of ruling a school is
called the honor system, and 1 have
poor opinion of it. My son lost his
chemical examination through this as
sault. His education is interfered with
by this hoodlumiSm.
81 do not know just what am going
to do in the matter, but this much is
certain. When / send Victor back to
the high school next year I am going
to have positive assurances from some-
body that he is to be protected, and If
1t is necessary for me to have any per-
son who touches him arrested l shall
do So"
Or. Moore Regrets Occurrence
When spoken to last night DR.. Moore
expressed regret that the incident had
occurred.
There was an attempt at hazing," he
said "but Mr.. Francis was there and
stopped it. 1 can assure the parents
of the, pupils that there will be none
of it in the future, as we will take
steps to see that the practice ceases.