Arizona republican., 1911-09-17
CHARGES FILED IN
 DUNCAN SCHOOL CASE
Matter Is Now Formally Before the
 Board of Education.

The district school scandal in Dun- can, Greenlee county, which has
 hitherto received some publicity in
 the territorial press, became a mat
 ter of official record yesterday, when
 the territorial school superintendent received from J. w Aker, superin-
 tendent of schools of Greenlee coun- | ty, for filing before the territorial board of education, formal charges against Clarence Wiggs. principal of
 the Duncan school. The facts as | they now appear are of such a char
 acter that rightminded persons will be impelled to reserve judgment un | til an official investigation has been had.
 The charges accuse the principal
 of immoral conduct, making ungen- 1 tlemanly advances to the larger girls who attended the school and giving lectures on subjects unfit for chil-
 dren to hear, and telling stories of an immoral nature" No specific in cident is mentioned in the charges, and if there are any to figure in the case, it has been left for bringing out in the testimony to support the
 charges. The closing paragraph of the charges alleges a violation of section 113 of paragraph 2243 of the
 revised statutes. a very general rule for the conduct of teachers, and which reads as follows:
 Tt shall be the duty of all teach CTS to endeavor to impress on the minds of pupils the principles of morality, truth, justice and patriot ism: to teach them to avoid idle ness, profanity and falsehood. and to instruct them in the principles of free government and to train them up to a true comprehension of the rights, duties and dignity of Amer ican citizenship"
 The charges are signed by ninety two men and women, and among them are thirty couples. who from the names appear to be husbands and their wives The other thirty two are individual signatures. though many of them appear to belong to one or another of these thirty fami- lies The list of signatures is headed by the county superintendent.
 These facts and the numerousness of the complaints make it appear that there is at least a strong sent- ment in the community against Wiggs, and it is known that he is not now teaching. because of this sentiment which has resulted, so IL is alleged by a complainant. in the issuance of an injunction by justice of the peace, prohibiting him from so doing. notwithstanding an in junction was asked for in the dis trict court and denied.
 The friends of Wiggs contend that he is a man of blameless character and that the charges are a frame up." backed by the liquor interests of the community. on account of the activity Wiggs displayed in the late local option election. It is also said | in his behalf that the trustees of the school support Wiggs and the fact | that the district court denied an ap- | plication to enjoin him from teach | ing would seem to be in his favor It also raises the interesting ques- tion of the limitations of the author itv of justices of the peace in Ora ham county. or the lack of such linn itations. Viewed from any stand point. it is one of those unfortunate incidents that divide communities, wherein possible indiscretions are magnified and prejudices are dis played. perhaps unconsciously.