The Detroit times., 1911-11-10
PRINCIPAL ELLIS WILL GET
JOB BACK WHEN NEXT TERM
OPENS IF HE REMAINS SOBER
Board of Education Reinstates.
Teacher, Inspectors Hely and
Miehnl Flopping.
JUDGE CHAPLIN oFFENsIxE
Former Recorder Makes Bitter
Attack On Clergy For Atti-
tude In the Case.

Principal William A. Ellis. who was
summariiy dismissed from his posi-
ton as principal OF the DufieId school
py the board OF education two weeks
ago, Tor drinking and making a spec
tacle OF himself in public, is going
Dack TO his job at the beginning OF
the next school term, provided he
Keeps sober in the meantime. The
board reinstated him on that condi-
ton, Thursday night, after ex-Judge
w. w. Chaplin had attacked the clergy
in general, and the Rev. Eugene X.
Shippen. of the First Unitarian church
In particular, for daring to express
themselves on the Ellis incident.
Judge Chaplin might have saved his
breath and his temper, however. His
eloquence did not swing a single vote.
for the men who turned the trick for
Principal Ellis, Inspectors Heiy and
Miehm, evidently had their minds
made up before the proceedings
reached the speech-making period. &c
was Hely who moved for the recon-
sideration and Miehm. who is a very
warm friend OF Hely, naturally swung
into line. Both Hely and Miehm
voted against Ellis two weeks ago.
when he was dismissed by a vote OF
10 to z. BY exactly the same vote he
was reinstRted. No other inspectors
"fopped," but Inspector Small, who
was absent at the last meeting, voted
with the majority and Inspector Cold
berg. who previously voted against
Ellis, was not present at this meeting.
The vote on the reinstatement OF El-
lis was as follows:
Yeas--Mumford, Small, McMichael,
Hunter, Charbonneau. Jeffries, Nowc,
Miehm. Hely and Wiedeman.
Nays-Burton, Kennedy, Condor,
Ellis, Began, Cary and Robertson.
The Ellis matter was the only en-
livening feature of the session and
came at the very close. In moving
TO reconsider the vote OF two weeks
ago. Inspector Hely stated that many
people. including parents OF pupils In
the Duffield school. had come to him
In the principals behalf, and he felt
that Ellis should be given another
chance. At the request of Inspector
Burton, the Rev. Mr.. Shippen was
then accorded the privilege OF the
floor. The minister explained that he
had not come as the representative or
any sect or class, that he had no per-
sonal animus against Mr.. Ellis, and.
In fact. did not even know him, and
that he entertained no dogmatic at
titude against the use of liquor
But" he added, when a man in
charge of one of our public schools
lowers himself as this man has done
and rolls into the gutter, he is not fit
to hold such position. | went TO
see Lieut.. Dench. before whom Mr..
Ellis was brought, the night of his
arrest. He told me that the language
used by the principal on this occa-
sion was not fit to be repeated in n
company of gentlemen: IL was such
as might have come from bum. Re-
instatement is impossible from an
ethical point OF view. and for the
sake of the children. | beg OF you not
to be influenced by any personal views
you may entertain on THIS matter. If
man Is digging a ditch for me and
gets intoxicated, | might forgive him
and let him complete the work, but
IL man i'm charge OF my children con-
ducts himself in this manner, that is
different proposition. and he should
not be given a second chance"
Inspector Mumford, who followed
the minister, said that Lieut.. Dench
had told him that, II he were school
inspector. he would vote TO reinstate
Ellis Dr. Shippen interrupted TO say
that Dench had told him he did not
regard Ellis a At man for principal
''ln that case, | do not regard thA
lieutenants opinion on either side OF
ICouttnued ON rnRc TenD