The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-05-16
Streets Paraded by Children, Eff
gieS Burned and Police Called
to QueIl Disorder.


dren to the school while Heeter was
allowed to remain at the head of the
local school system.
The board of education played its
trump card when it caused notices to |
be served on the parents of all chill |
dren who have remained away from |
the school sessions, informing them |
that prosecutions under the truancy |
law would be started unless all pupils |
able to attend returned to their respec- |
tive schools. Little heed, however, |
was paid to the admonition.
Bishop Regis Canevin of the Roman |
Catholic diocese of Pittsburgh, who |
was named as one of the committee to
conduct the investigation into the
charges against Heeter, refused to ac-
cept the appointment. No reason was
given by Bishop Canevin for his dec
lination to act as one of the commit
tee.
Mass meetings were held in several
parts of the city to take action to-
ward forcing the board of education
to heed public opinion and rid the
school system Of Superintendent Hee-
attacked both Heeter and the board of
education.
Riot at School.
4 small sized riot occurred at the
Letach school, on Bedford avenue. one
morning when the session opened.
gang of strikers gathered in front of
the school and called all those who en-
tered "scabs." Finding their taunts
had no effect, the strikers" began pelt-
ing the other pupils with stones. One
large rock struck Harold Hornmaker,
a lad of fourteen years, on the head,
causing n serious. wound. 4 call was
sent in for the police, but by the time
they arrived the strikers had fed.
The threat of The school board to
send truant officers after all pupils who
did not return to their classes was met
with derision by the older pupils in the
high schools. The pupils retorted that
| they would remain away from school
until Heeter was thrown out of Office.
1t developed that in several schools
| the teachers not only failed to main
| tain discipline, but abetted the strike
| and marched with the children.
| In the crowds that attended the mass
meetings in various parts of the city
were many teachers and school visi-
tors. In several instances the school
visitors presided over and addressed
! the meetings.
| Several verbal attacks We're made on
| the school board because of its pro-
| posal that the charges against Super
intendent Heeter be investigated by 4
| special committee of citizens. The
| speakers declared the appointment of
such q committee was unnecessary and
| censured the board for what they call
ed its attempt to shift an unsavory
problem to the public.
Fire Creates a Stir.
Considerable excitement was created
one morning in the vicinity of north
Morningside school, not far from Su-
perintendent Heeter's home, on north
Negley avenue. when fire was discov-
cred in the building. 1t was instantly
declared that q few of the more rabid
Juvenile strikers had adopted the meth
DDS of the London militant suffragettes.
1t was soon learned, however, that
the fire was the result of an explosion
of a timers gasoline heater on the
roof and that the damage was slight
The timer, John Baus, was burned
E about the face and hands. He was
rescued from his perilous position by
| firemen.
| So many and so numerous were the
: minor outbreaks arising from the gen
eraI disturbance that the police could
) not keep track of them all. Hardly al
| hour passed without the report of some
> disturbance due to the strike.
The press of Pittsburgh gave columns
. of space to the unusual strike, some
> Of the most powerful papers siding
with the strikers and their parents.
The attention of the whole country
o was attracted to the unique situation
The spectacle of the school board re
sisting the demands of citizens, of Pc
| licemen guarding the superintendent
home by night, of children of all age
! marching through the streets like 81
| many reyolutionists and of mass meet
ings being called to demand Heeter'
. removal was so unusual that its full
significance could hardly be felt out
:. side the immediate zone of action.
Various industrial organizations hav
!, from time to time threatened to cal
. their children from the schools o.
strike to win point in an economi
struggle, and classes in many school
and colleges have "gone on strike" be
cause they thought certain disciplin
should not be enforced.
The strike at Pittsburgh, however
b was the first demonstration of its kin
I and magnitude ever seen in the Uni
s ed States, and the point at issue ais
Z Ia II