New Britain herald., 1919-06-17
TALKS FREE LOVE,
 GETS NO DIPLOMA
New York High School Boy Is
 Too Progressive

New York, June 17.-Because he persisted in teaching to girl pupils in MOTHS High school the tenets of free lcVe one of the graduates of that school, later transferred to De Witt C4lhton, a boys school, because Of his Tree love advocacy will not receive his o1ploma at the commencement exer- 46es thls week, 1t was learned yeSter- Gay. Another graduate of the ga me school will be denied his diploma also because of his refusal to take the oath Of loyalty to America.
 Sensational events may attach them selves to the commencement exercises because of threats made by parents of thetwo boys and by their friends who say they will be present and will make trouble'' if the diplomas are denied the two discredited youths.
 Regarding the free love disciple, Dr. John L. Tildsley, assistant superin- tendent of public schools, who will pre- side at the two commencement exer- cises, said yesterday:
 Some time ago Elmer E. Bogart, principal of the Morris High school, called me up and asked if the board of education was within it's rights and power in refusing to graduate 8 pupil
 
 love. I told him we certainly were and called his attention to the article which requires good moral character . of the graduates of the high schools. MT. Bogart then went on to say that he had a pupil in his school, which is for both boys and girls, who was teaching free love to the girl pupils and who said that he did not believe Ill maria Te at all
 Girls Inform Teacher. , Some of the girls informed their teacher and in that way the matter got to the ears of the principal in- 'vesti gated the case and found out that the boy, who is only seventeen years old, was really a preacher of free love. I in1n ediate1y had him transferred to the De Witt Clinton High school for boys only. and there, I am informed, he is still sprea ding his doctrines among the boys. His name will prob ably be made public at the exercises. Asked why it was that such pupils were not suspended, pr. Tildsley re- piled that the board of education mas no authority to turn such boys loose, theory being that it is better that at tern pts be made to convert them to re- spectablity than to expel them. Ke- RaEQlnS the SGCOllu CdSc, ID SeSi>A'
 "The case of the second boy is quite different. On his test paper he stat ed bluntly that he did not believe that the problems of America can be solved peaceably and that he advocated revolution. Of course. we are working on him and trying to show him hls error. but we have not had much suc- cess, and the board of education must refuse diplomas to both boys II they persist in their attitude"
 Refuses Loyalty Oath.
 The advocate of free love, It was also learned, in addition to refusing to change his views on marriage, had also joined his fellow radical in re- fusal to take the loyalty oath. This pledge requires the student to affirm hlg loyalty at all times to the state or New York and to the United States
 Dr Tildsley was asked what would he the attitude Of the board Of educa- ton in the event the parents or the two boys went to the courts and ln- voked legal aid in their endeavorS to obtain the diplomas. He replied that such action would in no way change t17e 1erermination Of the board.
 The board of education is prepared For anything that may happen at these two high schools on that day, he said And what happens may be very interesting, too.