The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-04
DOOR is CLOSED.
Four High School Students
Must Stay Out in Cold.
Refused Permission to Enter
Until Next Fall.
WERE FRAT MEMBERS
Deaf Ear Turned to Their Prom
ises for Future.
Members Of Other Organizations
Have Not Been MOlested.
WERE STRAIT MEMBERS

Open war on high school fraterni-
ties was declared last night by the
school board.
It is a well known fact that there
are probably a hundred girls and boys
in the high school who are active
members of sororities and fraternities.
The violation of the orders of the
board and school officers has been so
open and fragrant as to lead to the
conclusion thai it was winked at by
those in charge.
Never since the famous order OF dis
continuance was made have the mem
bers given heed to the mandate nor
have the activities of the organizations
been checked.
Now four ooys are singled out
members of one of the newer fraterni-
ties-and treated with such harshness
as to give the action of the board the
outward semblance of persecution. 1t
is not fair to those concerned who have
given their pledge to abide by the
rule of the board and the laws of the
state. 1t is making flesh of one and
fowl of the other.
Suspended until next fall! This was
the action taken last night by the
board of education in the case of the
four boys, Lloyd Savers, Frank Nc
<itrick, Chester Hamilton and La Rue
Royce, members of the Kappa Alpha
Pi fraternity who were temporarily
suspended a few days prior to the
Christmas holidays. In the estima-
tion of the boys and their parents 1t
was a severe sentence, as the fraterpi-
ty fellows fully expected to be imme-
diately reinstated. The school board
looked upon it in a serious light, how
ever, and considered the violation of
the state law and the ruling of the
board a most fragrant offense. Then
the disregard to the pledge which the
boys signed at the beginning of the
school year stating that they were not
members of a frat or If they were
they would Immediately cease to be,
was considered in itself a just cause
for punishment Aside from this ac-
ton taken by the board. the super
intendent of schools and the principal
of the high cchool were instructed to
be on the lookout for other Offenders
of the state law and board ruling, and
it seems not al all unlikely that other
suspensions will take place in the near
future as quickly as evidence is OBJ
tanned against other frat men,. 1t
is known that fraternities and sorori-
ties exist in the high school other than
Kappa Alpha Pi, but that on account
of the wording of the charters of one
or more of them ic might be little
difficult to handle the question in their
case.
Mr.. WhitteInore's Recommendation.
Superintendent Whittemore'S recon-
mendation was that the boys be rein
stated at the beginning of the second
that they give sufficient assurance that
they were not members of a fraternity
and that the organization to winch
they belonged had been disorganized,
but there were number of the mem
bers of the board who thought that
the boys would really enjoy the vaca-
ton they would get between now and
that date and that it would be actually
q triumph for the fraternities.
The vote was 8 to in favor of the
suspension. The ayes were Nicholson,
Kutz Lynn, Anderson, Cuthbert,
Hardy. Poole, Norton and the nays
were Smith, Evans, Swendson and Jor-
dan.
"I believe that the spirit of those who
belong 10 these fraternities, both boys
and girls is to violate the ruling of the
board of education as far as they can,
was the statement of E. H. Anderson.
Their spirit is to stand in direct Vlo-
lation of the ruling of the board.
think that to reinstate them immedi-
ately would be a victory for them, and
! think that the least penalty that we
could inf1ict would be to make them
stay out of school until fall, and l rec
Omrnend as a substitute for the sugges-
ton of the - erintendent that this be
DONE" ....
Il think that it should be right that
the penalty fit the crime said A. B.
Poole. "but we should not desire re-
venge. However, I think that the boys
should not be reinstated until the fra
ternity is stamped out"
1.-THE young men are looking for weak
spots in the board" was the assertion
of c. c. Nicholson. land also in the
superintendent, principal, and teachers.
The board cannot afford to weaken in
this matter. If we lose in this battle,
we lose forever"
Mrs. c.. j. Evans, although decided
~ opposed to high school fraternities,
did not believe that it was right to pun
ish four boys severely when it was
said that there are others in school
who are equally guilty of breaking the