Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-04-15
HUMPHREYS WILL
remain HEAD OF
TRAINING SCHOOL
Resignation Is Not Accept
ed by the State Board OF
characterization Causes
Surprise.

Although the resignation of ]. I.
Humphries as superintendent of the
Idaho Industrial Training school was
quietly placed in the hands of DR.. e. o.
Sisson. commissioner of education a
month ago, a fact that was admitted
after exclusive publication of the
announcement he had resigned by the
Capital News, the state board of edu-
cation. by unanimous vote, refused to
accept It last night and superintendent
HUMPHREYS will continue to remain
head of the institution which for many
years has been under fire of the
charges of inhuman and cruel treat
ment of inmates. Just why the resig-
nation was presented to the com-lis-
sioner Of education at the time it has
never been explained. 1t Is known that
publication of the fact 1t was rendered
caused discussion among some mem
bers Of the board of education, al
though there was never any particu-
lar secret about 1t. So far as the
charges are concerned they have re-
peatedly involved the institution and
there was nothing particularly start
ling about them. Why the resigna-
tion was not accepted after 1t had
been presented will cause not little
comment over the state.
Forced to Confirm Resignation.
Peeved because it was scooped on
the resignation story, the morning or
gan OF the secretary Of state two days
after 1t was printed by the Capita
News, sought to secure denial by
wire from DIR. Sisson, commissioner Of
education, but failed to do SO. 1t was
admitted the resignation had been pre-.
scented to him. A week later upon the
return of the commissioner the morn
ing paper again admitted the resigna
ton was In his hands. Since then, by
innuendo and otherwise, 1t has sough
to connect the governor with attempts
TO force a resignation from the super
intendent of the industrial school b.
publication of stories intimating h
proposed change of policy" on thu
board of education. In view Of tn
fact this was impossible with but tw'
appointees on the board the insinua
ton falls flat. Ramsey S. Walker, on
OF the most prominent men in northern
Idaho, who since taking UP his dutie
on the board has made distinct i'm
preston upon other members becaus
of his business ability, was one Of tn
appointees. He succeeded Herman
Rossi, whose term OF office expired
The other appointee was T. A. Walters
a prominent lawyer of Caldwell, VIII
was appointed to succeed David
Evans of Malad whose term of offic
also expired.
Iniects Politics Into Board.
In seeking to make politics out c
the HUMPHREYS incident the secretar
of states organ appears this mornin
with an apparently inspired" articl
again casting innuendo at the governo
and inferring that he proposed to "clea
out the institution" meaning the In
dustrial training school. That the gov
ernor as O member OF the board of e.
aminers made certain discoveries {
the institution, including the beatin
of children, IL a well known fac
Other members of that board are sal
to have made the same discoveries.
Periodically Center Of Attraction.
"a short time ago." says the secrt
tary of states organ, ~the governor
newspaper announced with some sho
of authority that HUMPHREYS would r,
breath it admits that what the Cap
tai News said was correct, which.
course. was the truth. All of Il
charges that have ever been mao
against the inhuman treatment in Il
school are classed by the secretary
states organ as trivial with "nothiI
to condemn" and TAT least three
the governors partisans were seekii
Humphries' place." but none of the
Is named.
Having drawn the board OF educ
ton into politics by its persistent a
tacks the secretary OF states org;
continues them In Its article today.
II seems that the resignation
Superintendent HUMPHREYS was fiji
taken up by the executive commit
of the school, composed OF Z. A. We
ters and DR.. Sisson. They recor
mended that the resignation be
clined and the board accepted the re
pmmendation by unanimous action.
The fact that the Idaho Industr
Training school is periodically the ce
ter of public attention in this sta
because of the reports emanating Il
lowing Investigations with regard
cruel treatment, has caused a gre
deal of comment over the state. 1t
said that the refusal of the board
education to permit the present supt
intendent to resign when he wished
which has oceasioned no lit
surprise. will only add to this col
ment.