Evening journal., 1914-05-26
TUESDAY MAY 26. 1914
MrRE GRANpsTANp WORK.

MERE GRANDSIAND WORK.
THAT was a very fine grandstand play that was
made by Samuel H. Baynard president and
certain other members of the Board OF Education, at
their meeting last night They purpose calling upon
the newspapers and others who have been critcizng
the administration of the ianitorgoverned High School
for the sources Of the information upon which such
criticism based
Those who are responsible for the conditions which
exist discovering that the public opinion,
they must do something. have decided to investigate
themselves AT least that is their announced purpose,
but perhaps the real purpose is to endeavor to as
certain the names Of those persons who supplied
the inside information relative to the administration
of the school in order that those informants may be
disciplined or terrorized, into silence
For the reinsurance those persons old and young,
who have supplied to the newspapers and incidentally,
to the public the inside information that has thrown
the High School clique into such frenzy of we'll
feigned indignation and activity we wish to
notice now upon President Baynard and his associates
ihat they viii receive from THE EVENING JOURNAL
no information relative its Of information
save in one instance. That exception has to do with
the circulation of stories and nsnuatons rejecting
npoa the morality teachers and students in the High
school and told as a Justification for the activity of
the janitor after cass-hours and excuse for not
permitting the boys and the girls to the front
door Of the High school building.
If President Baynard will write asking us for the
name of that informant and for the details Of the
despicable snsinuations made against the and
women and the boys and girls that High School and
give us written permission TO print, the first page
tl,fa his latte in
Guiding the name Of our informant we will give to him
and to the public that information within twelve hours.
Then we will let the public know Who in at least one
instance engaged in the work of circulating such
stories at the expense of the womanhood and the
childhood Of the city Of Wilmington
And wish add that no letter of request for such
Information and no letter Of permission to use the
name Of the informant will be recognized by this
paper unless come from the president of the Board
Of Education both official and an individual
Apart from that THE EVENING JOURNAL declines
aid any way this latest scheme Of the board to
terrorze teachers and students and to silence pub
he and private criticism of the High School admin
istraton
1t is useless for the Board Education to beg the
issue. It knows what the trouble is in the High school
i has its sources Of information right at hand The
people not to be satisfied with such grandstand
plays that indulged night by President Bay
nard and his associates by such an Incorporate
and il-consdered speech as was the one INDUCED
in by the chairman of the board. The public has
known for years that the administration of the High
School building is upside and that teachers and
students have been fntimdaed by the nature Of that
administration.
II an Investigation is to be made let it be made by
impartial who bent upon getting at the truth
and finding the remedy who will take the testimony
teachers and students under oath and have power
to promise them immunity against subsequent perse-
cution and terrorism if they tell the TRUTH the whole
truth and nothing but the truth. An investigation of a
condition by men who responsible for and bent
upon upholding that condition would be a farce-a
mere whitewashing expedition so far as the High
School administration is affected, and mere fishing
expedition far the names of the critical in
formants complained Of by the High school CLIQUE
are affected. In other words on the one hand the
accused would be trying themselves and on the Other
hand they would be terrorizng the witnesses for th
prosecution.
AS alternative proposition we suggest that
meeting of the parents Of the High school students
and the relatives of the High School teachers be called
that that meeting an Investigating eommitte
Of who will investigate and who viii protec
the Witnesses against reprisals. and that 1t call an
swear witnesses to testify as to the main points a
issue in the High School controyersy-the nature q