Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1922-05-20

MORGANVILLE. May 20-Amd
cheering an applause that almost
rocked the walls of the public school
here, Alvin w. White. principal of
the institution was acquitted last
night by the Marlboro Township
Board of Education of charges that
had been brought by nine residents
of the town. Persons were present
from miles around coming to the
school which is located along the
Matawan- Freehold concrete road. in
automobiles of all sorts and descrip-
tions. Mr.. White was represented
by Andrew Stokes of Freehold. and
the petitioners by former United
States District Attorney for New
Jersey Elmer Fl. Geran OF Matawan.
When the trial opened ALI chill
dren under twelve years old were
excused from the school room. The
four most important witnesses
against Mr.. White were Margaret
Boile, Lillian Radecliff, Bessie Lam
bertson and Mary Baker. These
girls ranged in age from thirteen to
fifteen years. Margaret Boile was
the first witness called. She testi-
fed that that during the latter part
of January one morning at recess
time, FIVE girls were in the back of
the room and a'girl by the name of
Raymond Devitto was showing
them a pair of garters that Mary
Baker had given her for Christmas
when Mr.. White walked to where
they were sitting and asked them II
they were having leg show. Miss
Boile testified that White f'"I
said: Lift up your dresses and lets
see who has the prettiest knees"
| With this remark, according to Miss
Boile some of the girls left the
room.
| She then testified that two of the
| girls remained in the room and
| White folded-his arms and standing
over Lillian Radcliff fell over into
| her seat knocking her from the
seat to the floor. She further tes-
titled that White continually pulled
| tie she wore on a MILDLY blouse
ana when she asked him to stop he
asked her why she said it.
Miss Boile also testified that she
lad seen and heard Mr.. White ask
Bessie Lambertson to let him fee,
the muscle in her arm. 1t was al
legged, however, that he did not
stop there. She also testified that
Mr.. White on one occasion said that
/ IL COHllHuc " Wtdi odtAi ShOi
and low dresses that pretty soon
both ends would meet.
On cross examination Mr.. Stokes
brought out that although this had
| happened in January nothing was
done about it until April. at which
| time. she was expelled from school
| by Mr.. White. Before excusing her
MIR. Stokes asked: WAS you trying
| to get something on Mr.. White
because you were dismissed from
| school?" The question was unan-
swered.
Miss Radcliff followed Miss Boile
| but was not sure about the time the
affair took place, being of the opin-
| ION that 1t was in February about
Valentines day. She brought out
| the fact that Mr.. White had told
| the girls not to roll down their
habit of doing.
Bessie Lambertson testified the
same as Miss Boile and Miss Rad
! cliff as far as the leg episode went
| and also told about Mr.. White feel
| ing the upper part of her arm for
| her muscle.
On cross examination Mr.. Stokes
,roIsht out that Mr.. White told the
girl not to roll down her stockin IS
and had talked to her priv
ately about it. informing her that
if she continued to wear them rolled
down he would tell her mother.
Mary Baker told of the knee affair
and also of a meeting held at the
hcme of Mrs. Becker, the lady with
| whom the Bo;le gi,i lives. concern
ing the testimony to be given in the
c9se.
Miss Laura Kuhn, a teacher. who
is now teaching at Cliffwood but
taught in Morganville during 1914
1921 told of the freedom allowed be-
tween the girls and boys by Mr..
White. of love scenes about the
school halls and about one Of the
boys bringing to her a book ent.t-
led. MANS Mission on Earth"
which he had taken from one of the
girls desks. She told the boy to
take the book to Mr.. White which
he did. and that Mr.. White inform
ed him that he had no right to taks
it from the girl. Miss Kuhn ad-
mitted on cross examination that