The Washington times., 1911-04-17
|FRATERN|Tl[S NOT
| TO RULE, IS EDICT
OF SCHOOL BOARD
Officials Aroused by Lohr In
cident-Probe to Be
Thorough.
"WE'LL CLIP THEIR
WINGS" SAYS OYSTER
Entire System to Be Searched
for Trace of
Taint.

Determined to put an immediate end
to undue activities by high school
fraterrities in the running Of school
affairs, and to prevent reoccurrence
at Business. Central, Western. and
Eastern High Schools of the trouble
recently developed at the Technical
High School, Board of Education Of
hcials today decided to make a sweep
ing investigation of every Greek let
ter or other secret society in the
Washington High Schools.
This Is the announcement made to-
day by prominent school official and
oy three members of the Board of
Education. II 1t is found that the
| score or more of Washington High
School fraternities. whether they be
merely local organizations. or
Washington chapters of national So
cieties, are guilty in the slightest of
such charges as have been made by
DR.. George E Myers. principal OF
Technical High. against the Adelphfc
Society. of which Lenox Lohr is the
head. they will be removed from the
school life.
PENDING the suggested appointment Of
committee of teachers and members
OF the Board of Education to investigate
the high school fraternity in Washing
ton, 1t was announced today that Lenox
Lohr will be continued indefinitely un-
der suspension both from his classes at
Technical and from the High School
Cadet Regiment of which he is lieuten-
ant colonel
Oyster Speaks Out.
IF the charges made by Principal
Myers against the Adelphic Society are
true" said Capt. James F. oyster, pres
ident of the Board of Education. today.
the organizations wings will have to
be clipped. That any organization OF
pupils should attempt, in such a high
handed manner. to run school affairs,
whether they be dramatic. social, or
athletic, is preposterous. If such or
ganiZations feel they can run such
affairs. they will soon get it into their
heads that they can change the school
curriculum. Societies that attempt such
tactics are a menace to the public school
system and they will have to go, and
go quickly
1t was pointed out by the principals
of two Washington high schools where
there are in all about a dozen secret
societies, that in the history Of the
school there had been no trouble be-
tween members Of the faculty and fra
ternities,~ which are but local chapters
of national organizations.
Such organizations said a princi-
pal of one OF the largest of the fve
high schools today, generally are d.
rected in policy by some of the Leading
business men of the city who may be
flumni members of them. These bust
ness men are level headed and take CfIe
trouble to see to X that fraternitfes TO
which they belong are conducted along
only such lines as are beneficial both
to the school first and then its MEM
bers"
Favors Them.
Another school official said that a
recent investigation Of high school fra
ternities had brought out facts that
were only complimentary to them. In
this investigation, teachers and school
officials went personally among the
fraternity members and in a report to
the board declared that in many ways
they were not only credit, but in
many instances a help to the school
faculties.
However, in view of the sta>tllng
allegations made by Principal Myers,
and since he thought IL necessary not
only to suspend the Lohr boy following
charges, and then remove from the cast
of a school play two girls who were
said to have sympathized openly with
Lohr, the Board or Education and
other school officials will sift the matter
as thoroughly as would Congression-
al investigating committee.