The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-20
} Des Moines HIGH Schools are All In
der Investigation as Result OF
Stories Of One Joy
Ride.
ELEVEN ARE DISMISSED
I North High Students Seem to Have
Been Particularly to Blame in
Trip Out of Town to Foot
ball Game.

DES MOlNES, Ia, Oct. ~ MANY
high school boys have the use OF auto
mobiles. 1t would be better for the
boys and safer for the girls if these
cars were taken to park and
burned
This statement was made by City
Superintendent of Schools Thornburs
In discussing the startling immoral
conditions among students that have
recently been brought to light.
Guns of investigators, probing
charges of immortality in the public
schools OF Des Moines, were trained
on East and West high schools Thurs
day.
Close on the heels of the disclo'
sures made Wednesday regarding Inn
moral conditions at North high which
resulted in eleven students being
dropped from that institution, came
announcement today from Supt. z. G.
Thorburg that the Investigation was
not yet at an end.
Two students at East high and two
Mt West high are implicated and will
probably be asked to sever their con-
necIion with the schools.
Nor Is the North high situation
cleared up as yet.
1.-THE charges viii be investigated
AT all three high Schools" Superinten.
dent Thornburg said Thursday.
Parents Are to Blame
srThe whole situation can be traced
to neglect of parents" the superin.
'trndenI went on. Fathers and
mothers don't know where their chill
Ivnp fhoy
70 with. or what they do in the even.
unchaperoned.
"Many high. school boys have their
automobiles. 1t would be better for
the boys and girls If the cars we're all
taken to a park and burned.
$50 far there has been no urouDie
in convincing parents that the chill
dren guilty should drop out OF school.
The cases are so serious that we could
/. and would IL necessary. file charges
with the board of education and even
with the grand jury. That will prob
ably not be necessary.
Parents Are Shocked.
"The parents are always terribly
shocked when told of the difficulties
their sons and daughters have gotten
into the superintendent pointed out.
They should be THAR children's
friends and know what they are doing
and how they spend their time. Then
such situations as the North high
nutomobfle parties would not arise.
Both rich and poor students alike
have been hit by the investigation.
Some of the children dropped at North
high have come from families well
known In tho city Others are from
boog homes
Glr4s Syust Kids"
Tho, names of some of the stu.
oeufs dropped would surprise you,
Thornburg said. Wealth is no guar
sntee that q student has a,really good
koue."
The investigation Of Immoral con.
tuct ON the part OF North high pupils
virtually closed with the withdrawal
kf four girls and seven boys from the
pchool, Principal A w. Merrill said
Thursday.
Il do not claim that I have made
10 mistakes" said Principal Merrill
hut made a special effort to get at
he root of the trouble and am led
b believe I have done 3d."
Principal Merrill also denies that
he gtrls In question wore Hardened
women rs he had been quoted as
baytng.
They are not hardened women -
Re said. "They are just kids, but their
ignorance rs appalling."