The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-10-05
FRAT" BOYSLOSE
School Board Rules Three
Students Must Quit School.
Their Parents Plead Cause for
Them in Vain.
BLAKELY ADMITTED SONS GUILT
Rigby and Brier Said Their
Boys Had Resigned.
Board Members Regretted Hav-
ing to Take Drastic Action.

There was a solemn session OF the
Topeka board of education Monday
night-caused by the presence OF three
fathers of high school students Ihey
were there to plead with the Doard 20
permit their sons to continue IN ScnooL
The boys had been found guilty OF al
fiIating with the Kappa Alpha Fl ira
ternity. James Brier made a plea Iof
his son, James Brier, jr., ana the onlS
time there was break IN the So4SIh-
nifty of the occasion was When MI
Brier in reply to a question as TO the
extent of his sons participation ui
frat affairs, said, He never peIongeu
to it but once"
1t is understood that resigning from
fraternities is Z ~egular thing with
some high school students
w; o. RigRy' Po hif son Fred red who
he said had severed his connections
with the fraternity
Charles Blakely told the rne1lpers
of the board that his son victor was
guilty "Of course, 1 would IKE 20
have him continue in school,, Mr..
Blakely said, but l Will not ask you
to set aside school discipline. Wheth-
er nv son goes to school or not IS q
small matter compared with whether
discipline is maintained.
The Recommendations.
Having stated their positions, the
parents withdrew. When a report was
called from the teachers committee
the following was a part of the recon-
mendatiOns:
THAT James Briar, Victor Blakely
and Fred Rigby, students IN the hlgn
school who have been affiliated with
and participated in the meetings of the
Kappa Alpha Pi fraternity, be extend
ed the opportunity to Withdraw from
school, and in the event that they 90
not. that they be hereby expelled from
In the discussion that followed and
in the subsequent voting W. E Atchl-
son stood out for len1ency- he 1lrst
proposed that Fred Rigby's name be
dropped from the report Later he
made the same motion concerning Vic
tor Blakely.
Before a final vote was taken +. w.
Griggs suggested that possibly the
three who were caught might be let
out of trouble should they inform upon
others. II know this is frequently
done in dealing with criminals said
Yes, but these boys are not Grim
inals," replied AtchisOn.
While this phase of the situation
was being discussed L. NJ. Penwel got
on his feet
Boys Are Under Oath.
These boys have taken an oath.
They will not tell upon the others ana
1 admire them for it, and even if they
would tell, 1 for one would not be N
favor of putting this board in the po-
sition of asking them to violate an
oath. We would be asking them to do
something which 1 know 1 would not
do, and which 1 do not believe any
member of this board would do"
And even if these boys did tell on
the others, they could not come back |
to school," interjected Mrs. c. j. !
Evans. "'It would not be worth while |
for them to try it, on account of the |
reception they would receive from the |,
other students
When the meeting adjourned, Pen |
we'll remarked to the other members !
of the board, 81 never went home from Z
a meeting of this board with heavier /
heart than l do tonight. I have had |
to vote against the wishes of some of I
my best friends.
I'VE all feel the same way" came |
in a chorus from the other members.