The New York herald., 1922-03-26
Education Heads Confer on
Ending Craze-Emblem
Sellers at City Hall.
KISSES ONE INDICTMENT
FlapdoOdle and Whangdoodle
Chapters Are Phases of
Slangful Epidemic.

The Board of Education will CON
slider the Society of Shifters tomorrow
and probably issue call upon all pub
lie school principals to adopt any
measures that may be necessary to
discourage the further growth of the
movement among the children. Al
though the Shifter craze shas been
upon the youth Of New York city but
two weeks it has taken in thousands
of gsters-from elementary school
pupils to students at Barnard and Co
lumbia
George ]. Ryan, acting Presiden. OF
the Board of Education, said yester-
day that he had intended comforting
with William l.. Ettinger. Superintend-
ent of Schools. and asking the latter
to seek more detailed information con-
cerning the menace. if there be any.
represented by this sponsorless organi-
zation. Failing to see DR.. Ettinger yes
terday, Mr.. Ryan declared that he
would see him Tomorrow
so far as l know" said Mr. Ryan.
this Shifter business is but fad that
will pass. Also I understand that 1t
was quite innocent and harmless in it's
inception and that the vast majority
Of boys and girls promoting it and
spreading it have nothing more serious
in mind than perpetrating some prac-
tiCai joke upon a friend.
Fad Hns Had Features.
However, / am informed that the fad
has been abused and that these abuses
hive developed into more or less serious
incidents. L shall see Dr. Ettinger on
Monday and ask his advice. If 1t Is
true that school children are bebing SUBJ
jected to indignities and that any Of the
boys or girls are making it unpleasant
for others we shall do everything we
can to eradicate the movement. Ger
tainly IL we find that being a Shifter
exposes any child to danger OF moral
contamination we shall take very vigor-
Gus action"
Four large department stores In this
city lined up in opposition to the Society
of Shifters yesterday. Moreover. II was
said in the Offices of the World Sunday
School Association and the New York
Sunday School Association that numer-
Gus teachers and superintendents In To-
cal Sunday schools intended warning
their charges against the possible Shifter
evil Even clergymen have declared
their desire to investigate the move
ment.
The Rev. DIR. Christian +. Reisner OF
Chelsea Baptist Church declared that he
hoped to make personal investigation.
The very fact that this organization
teaches children to graft makes II i'm
moral" said DR.. Rcisner.
The four department stores banning
the Shifter declared they had no desire
for publicity through such medium,
but that they had found 1t expedient to
post notices at the employees entrances
saying that no employee might take his
or her station wearing the insignia OF
the Society OF Shifters. whether 1t be
the metal clip or the more pretenuous
badge that yesterday was selling In al
most every section Of the city.
One OF the officials Of large depart
ment store said that many OF the young
women employees had voluntarily di-
vested themselves of the Shifter en-
blems because they had been subjected
to annoyance from mashers in and out
side the stores. In all cases the store
detectives were ordered to watch for
male vampires sauntering through the
aisIes looking for feminine recognition
of their numerous and prominently dis
played badges.
BaIIyhoos Invade Park Row.
No fewer than Ave ballyhoos were
Shifter buttons In Park Row
yesterday afternoon.
"Git yer Shifter buttons" they yelled,
ave cents and ten cents fer gold ones.
BE Shifter boys and be kissed by the
Shifter sisters"
A negro vender did thriving busi-
ness selling the buttons to the crowd
that was being harangued from City
Hall steps by veteran bonus spellblnders.
At all the subway kiosks the buttons
we're on sales. From various parts OF
the city came most remarkable stories
about the growing Shifterhood.
-Four perfect dappers. correct in every
detail from the sport shoes and camels
hair stockings to the blue or red flip
hats on bobbed hair. were sauntering
Continued on Page Ten.