Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1911-09-13
GIRL REFUSES
FLAG SALUTE
Catherine AudsIey, IA Year9
Old, Sent Home from Gram
mar School Yesterday.
FIRST CASE IN STATE
Parents Claim She Is British
Subject Would Not Take
Oath of Allegiance.

School authorities for the frz
time in the history of the state havG
been called upon to deal with ali
extraordinary situation caused by tho
refusal Of Miss Catherine Audsley,
fourteen years old, of Market street,
this city, TO salute the American far
or take the oath Of allegiance during
the exercises in the grammar school.
For her disloyalty to the country
and in obedience to the state school
laws which compel the saluting Of
the flag every morning Principal
Henry Hulse was forced to send the
girl home yesterday morning after
she refused to comply with the or
ders of her teacher, Miss Mary Mead
Board Reserves Decision.
The case is one of the most com
plicated ever brought to the atteDs
ton OF the State Board Of Education
Superintendent of Schools S. E. ShuII
when told Of the case at once 'phoned
to the authorities in Trenton. So
bafled were they when given the in.
formation that they would not give
a decision relative to the case. In
forming the local superintendent
that this was the first one Of its kind
ever brought before them.
The State Board considers the
matter so important that they direct
ed Superintendent ShuH to send
them detailed account of the affair
and they will give him further in
structiOns by return mail. This wear
the school law requires the salutina
OF the flag and renewing the oath Of
allegiance every morning. Miss
Audsley claims to be a registered
British subject and her parents, Mr..
and Mrs. NJ. F. AudsIey, assert she
should be exempt from participating
in these practices.
Mother Is Tncensed.
In conversation with a NEWS
representative today Mrs. NJ. F.
Audsley said that her daughter acted
as she was told to by her parents.
Mrs Audsley is very much incensed
over the affair, claiming that's
charm OF this country is fre--
why her children can ~praC
beliefs is beyond her conceptions
says.
Mr.. Audsley is q subject OF the
British empire, never becomlnesss-ssl
citizen of the United States. IA few
weeks after Catherine was eBorn she
was registered a British subject and
has always lived up to it. Mrs.
Audsley says that if Catherine salut-
ed the American flag and took the
oath of allegiance to this country
she would be acting in wrong man
ner, being a British subject.
Notifies British Consul.
Mr. AudsIey yesterday travelled ID
New York and placed the matter be-
fore the British consul, who inform
ed him that he would send to the
proper authorities in this citv the
papers confirming the statement
that Mr.. Audsley's children are boni-
fde subjects OF Great Britain.
Some time ago the local authori-
ties were forced to send for the
Audsley children TO attend school as
they were Of school age. Catherine
was directed to the grammar school
and Douglas to school No. /. If the
assertion that they are British sub
Jects be true then, according to some
OF the authorities, Truant Officer
Meshrow had no right to force them
to attend school.
Mr.. Hulse, principal of the gram
A-1SRA SNAASN4F Al0 4ICt u4SCuSS Tic
matter today. Superintendent OF
Schools Shun explained the law and
said it is up 10 the state board TO act
in conjunction with the attorney
general.
Douglas AudsIey Is pupil in
school No. ], but as Joseph F.
Walker. the principal. has not placed
this new rule into effect as vet, there
has been no trouble experienced with
the boy. Mrs. Audsley has taken the
boy from school for the present
Mr.. Audsley's Statement.
Mr. Audsley when seen late this
afternoon said: i don't prohibit my
children from paying all The respect
due TO the American flag if they are
allowed TO eliminate the oath of al
Iegiance, which at the present time
they are forced 10 make every morn
ing