The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-12
AS SEEN By A FATHER.
The 'Frats'' in the High School Dis
cussed Calmly.

To the Editor of the State Journal.
1T is the inalienabIe right of every
child within statutory age to attend
public school, unless the child is in
corrlglpie, and then the child should
be sent 70 cur state reformatory
Kansas has emphatically spoken for
compulsory education in the truancy
law.
''The high school secret fraternity
law assumes that the school board has
control of the child when the child
Is under the Jurisdiction of the home
and under the civil and criminal laws
of our land. The child must be &C.
cupied out of school hours in study,
work, pleasure. public lectures, reli-
gious worship, Christian Endeavor. Y
M. c. A. fraternities or otherwise
From these various employments the
law attempts to control fraternities
alone. The assumption is that fra
ternities result in cfiques within. the
school and that the members of fra
ternities injure themselves by poor
grades of school work because of
fraternal meetings and social affilia-
lions. Law can not prevent clioues
in schools. They are as natural as the
school itself. AS to the standard of
scholarship, why not place it where it
belongs in each individual case rather
than attempting to control the habits
of the pupil outside of school hours so
long as the child obeys the laws of
the land
1.-THE school board assumes the pow
er of court of Justice, to pass on
each individual case and provide a
penalty. From their verdict there
seems to be no appeal under the law.
Different from a court of Justice
charges are made with no date of trial
without the hearing of evidence, and
the accused has no chance to be pres
ent at the hearing or to be represent
ed by counsel. This may be legal, but
it is something of a high handed pro-
cedure and is certai nly very unjust.
The board should at least appoint an
Investigating committee to hear the
evidence on beth sides before SEN
tence of expulsion is executed
There seems to be some doubt as
to the validity of this law. Would it
not show wisdom on the part of our
school board to submit case in court
on an agreed statement of facts that
the board may know their duty as to
trials and punishments before serious
ly injuring the education of many of
our children.
The penalty of expulsion may in
some instances not iniure the feelings
and desires of the child. Too frequent
ly the boy does. not want to attend
school and the nenalty falls on the
parents who are doing everything in
their power to keep the child in school
and make education attractive
MANY of our school board are mem
bers of secret fraternities. Masons, Odd
Fellows, etc. They know that all fra
ternities are founded on good princi-
pies Fraternities teach the members
parliamentary law, fraternal good will
each to the other. They make better
and broader men. 1t is no new thing
to have secret fraternities prosecuted
by legislative enactment and other
wise The writer in high school days
belonged for years to a secret frater-
nifty known as the Juvenile Sons of
Temperance. and no one thought that
such a society untitled him for his high
school wo<k.
whether we believe in the high
school fraternity law or not, or wheth-
er it be constitutional the fact remains
we have the law and the question is
now as to it's reasonable and humane
enforcement. 1t may be used as IAN
instrument of good Or bad among our