The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-12-10
NO ACTION TAKEN
School Board POstpOnes High
School sorority" Verdict.
Defendants Tell a StraightfOr-
ward Story at Trial.

Following a protracted star cham
Der session last night, members OF the
board of education postponed action
on the disposition of the fifteen girls
suspended from high school early this
week for alleged sorority affiliation-
Meanwhile eight of the suspended
girls and a number of their parents
who had attended an earlier and open
session of the board waited in the
corridors and outer offices At 1920
o'clock DR.. c. B. Van Horn. president
of the board. announced that no de-
cision was reached and stated that an
other meeting would be held Monday
evening at 8 o'clock This meeting
will also be star chamber" it was
announced.
When the meeting was called to or
der at 1880 O'Clock in the board room,
at the high school building, the cham
Der was lined with the girls and their
parents and relatives who appeared TO
defend the young women and prac-
tically all Of the open session was
given over to the defense" Shortly
before the guests and reporters were
invited TO leave. the position of the
school was explained by Superintend-
ent H. B. Wilson Then the curtains
were drawn
Early in the hearing it was agreed
that the dance given by the girls last
Friday should not enter into the dis
cuSsion and would not be taken IN
itself by the board as an evidence that
exists. The fate of the girls will rest
altogether on their ability 10 explain
away meetings held during the past
two years in their homes; alleged cleo
ton of officers and alleged pledgIng OF
two new members, it was announced
Represented by Attorney.
Shortly after the session opened.
Judge J. A. Burnett addressed the
board in the behalf of his daughter
and the other suspended girls That
hF4f
OF girls whose high school careers
were at least temporarily cut short this
week and the lambda Alpha Iamb da
sorority was the emphatic statement
of the former tax commissioner After
reviewing the case upon evidence
which he insisted the girls had given
him. the judge questioned the right OF
the board to dictate to him who shalI
or shall not be permitted to come 70
his house. The judge also cautioned
the board to refrain from reading into
the statutes anything not there FOL
lowing Judge Burnett E j. shake
shaft in a short talk covered practlcaI-
~ the same ground
After several of the parents had
been heard. Judge Burnett suggested
that the girls themselves be given an
opportunity to state their case georgia
Neese, Helen Lucas and Jessie Burnett
were then questioned by the Judge
In this much the girls and their
parents agreed: that none OF the meet
se cret, that none Of them were called
for any other purpose than the dis
ctls-5on of social affairs not associated
with L. \. L. and that Irene Seery and
Esther Paxton were not pledged
The Girls story.
According to the story told by the
E.r.s end their parents. the first al
Icsed meeting was called shortly after
tsoorEia Neese's return from Colorado
list summer This meeting, the girls
nm nj
than = spread" which, GeOrg1as
mother suggested should be given for
her friends whom she had not seen
Tor several months. Besides the girls,
several parents and older sisters were
present. it is claimed
It was at this meeting that the
question of giving a dance came up,
the parents of the girls maintain
some kind of an affair. the girls
decided that some one had to have
charge OF the arrangements It was
then that Georgia Neese was appoint
ed chairman of a committee on ar
rangements- At no time, however,
did she or Miss Burnett, who succeed
ed her hold office as president they
testified. A short time after the
ar-raaYnent 70 give a spread Miss
Neese asked to be relieved, she de-
clares, and upon Miss Burnett was
shifted the Craftsmanship"
The parents were practically unanl-
nous in questioning the right of the
hoard TO dictate to them with whom
their daughters shall associate They
declared. however, if such meetings
were improper in the eyes OF the
hoard thew would no longer permit
their daughters to get together
IF il be the wish of the board that
we not allow our daughters to asso-
ciate with one another, to keep them
in school then we shall have to sub
init to it o. A ROsser told the board