Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-07-22
CAMDEN BOYS WIN
Fight ON PRINCIPAL
Education Commissioner Sets
Aside Penalty for Refusing
g Anti-Frat Pledge
PRIVILEGES ARE CURTAILED

The six members Of the Camden High
School who were barred from oil school
activities except class work because
they refused TO sign a pledge 10 abstain
from fraternity activities were ordered
reinstated today by John Enright. New
Jersey Commissioner Of Education.
In ordering the Camden Board of
Education to readmit the pupils Com
missioner Enright invoked the decision
OF a previous commissioner In sim
ilar case.
The pupils affected are Douglas W.
Crate. Victor Levinson. Walter Dan
ford, Charles Il. Nennel. Frank L.
Kennedy and John A. Crate. These
boys appealed their cases TO tho Edu-
cation Commissioner after the Board
Of Education Of Camden had sustained
the action Of IN" principal.
Commissioners En-irht followed n
precedent set in case from Atlantic
City. which declares that board of
pupil for refusing 10 promise that
somc time in the future he would not
commit an act prohibited by tho board.
Commissioners Ruling
The Commissioner held that the
principal Of the Camden High School
and the Camden Board Of Education
had no authority to inflct punishment
on the pupils for refusing to sign the
pledge mentioned.
''Such pledge" snid Commissioner
Enright. "in order TO bc legitimate and
effective should be voluntarily given
by tho pupil, and when n principal un-
dertakcs to prescribe or inhict pen
atty In the event Of such promise or
pledge not being made. then the prin-
cipal and tho Bonrd Of Education in
ratifying such action ovorstcp their au.
thority and their legal rights.
''Thc question Of whether or not
school fratcrnlties should exist" con
tinued the Commissioner. 'is not in
volved in this controversy. That is n
matter which rests entirely with the
school districts themselves. The onl!
question involved in this case is whether
there can legally he n punishment or
penalty attached to mere refusal to
subscribe 70 n pledge.
In touching upon the maintenance Of
order in schools. Commissioner En-
right said the requiring Of promises.
such as the pledges which the pupi's re-
fused to sign, was within tho power
of q principal. and tcrchrrs frequently
ask pupils not to do certain things that
are in contrnvention Of discipline. The
Commissioner. however. snid the uues-
tion was not whether tho principal
erred in requesting the pledge. but the
error lay in the attaching Of n punish
ment in case the promise was not mad
Exoneration for Three
"Tho decision only amounts to nm ev.
oneratlon for three of the boys said
DR.. Walter W. Crate. father of two o
the boys. today, las they have alread,
been graduated. To the other three /
means more. but even they lost thci
chances Of competing in the election
basketball captain and several mino
track team offices. 7 am surprised tina
the Commissioner did not say NOR
about the fraternity matter.
THE whole case was laid before him
As n matter of fact. there was no fra
ternity formed in the school at nll. Tn
boys, it is true. planned 10 form one
but in order 10 do this they wou'd hav
to secure a charter from the Philadpl
phia governing body. Before this wa
done they would have TO have the per
mission of the principal Of their schoo
and select member of the faculty VIII,
would consent to be member of tn
fraternity
''To settle this matter. they held :
meeting here and planned to visit III
principal tn following day and lay th
matter before her. Before they had
chance 20 do this they were called befor
her and the pledge presented to them
They refused TO sign because they ha,
not formed any fraternity"
The three boys who were graduate
in June are Douglas W. Crate, Waite
Danford and Victor Lcvinson. Crat
was president of the senior class. Dan
ford was president Of the Student Gov
ernment and Levinson was cheer lruder
OF the other three boys. Frank Ken
nedy was president of the Junior class
Charles Ncnnell was prominent in al
branches of athletics and John Crnt
played ON both football and basketball
teams. The three juniors had all beel
prominently mentioned for election {
athletic Offices that were voted on be
fore graduation.
The seniors. besides being deprive
of the honOr> they already held. wcr
kept out of the class play and preycnte
from participating in many other mino
activities.