The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-10-03
EXPELLED GIRL. SUES COLLEGE
 FOR $5O,O00
Court Cannot Reinstate
 Her; "No Jurisdiction, " Is Judges Decision.

Philadelphia, Oct. 3.-Suit for S50.- 300 damages is being pressed against Bry Mawr College trustees and Dr. NJ Carey Thomas former president, by Marjorie Barker, of Michigan City, Indiana, who was expelled from the college April 2 1921. after she had been accused of petty thefts in the dormitories.
 Miss Barker, who is 20 years old, sought vindication at the hands of the college authorities lmm ed1ately after her suspension and claims she given no opportunity to clear herself of the charges brought against her. She then brought action in the Montgom- cry County Courts at Norristown, authorities to reinstate her, but the Court ruled it had mo Jurisdiction" over a privately endowed institution such as Bryn Mawr and was forced to recognize the right of the college to drop a student any time, without ex- pIanatiCn.
 Hint Damage Grounds.
 In the opinion rendered by Judges Swartz and Miller there was a strOngs intimation that while the Court could not force reinstatement of Miss Bar ker she had grounds for a damage suit against the college.
 The damage suit has been filed by Senator Pepper, of Pennsylvania, Miss Barker's lawyer who. it is reported has undertaken the case without charging any fee. because of his de- sire to see justice done.
 Miss Barker is socially prominent in the Middle West, where her family occupies an assured position. She will some day inherit a large fortune through the connection of her family with the Haskell-Barker Car Com pany interests.
 She was popular at Bryn Mawr where she was in the Sophomore class at the time of her expulsion. In her suit for reinstatement a petitfon signed hV 00 SCh9O1nD a from Mitch igan County, attesting her honorab ble character, was presented to the Court. When she attempted to seek vindica- tfon from the college authorities the girls in her dormitory, from whom she was charged with stealing, vouched for her. but all to no avail
 According to Miss. Barker's story, she had packed her trunk for her re- turn home over the Easter holidays in 1921 when she was summoned be- fore the dean, who peremptorily told college after the holidays. On 1n- quirirg why she has told several smaA articles from other girls rooms had been found in her possession. Miss Barker immediately asked a trial to prove her innocence and was Informed that such was not the pro cedure at Bryn Mawr where the au- thorfties reserve the right to dismiss a public scandal Dr. M. Carey Thomas. president of the college, said it was customary to- simply in form undesirable students not to turn when they left college for a hol- iday and that several such cases had been handled quietly in that manner in previous years.
 Would Lift Sur.
 But Miss Barker required reinstate- ment and especially that the stain against her name be removed Ac- cording to members of her family it was her plan to return to Bryn Mawr and finish her course there if her at enpt at reinstatement had succeeded. As they have not she is virtually barred from any college in the couu- try becauase of the stigma against her name and the unwillingness of Bryn Mawr to transfer her credits elsewhere.
 In a statement issued shortly after the opening of the suit for reinstate- ment, Miss EIilda Smith, dean of Bryn Mawr, said that Miss Barker's Schol- astic work was rather below stand ard and that it was doubtful if she could have made a sufficient good av- craze in the June examinations to pass. The dean is also alleged to, have written a letter to Dr. Thomas in which she said the expulsion of Miss Barker might not make so very much difference to the latter's family, as she understood the girls father and mother were living apart.
 Since the filing of the suit against the college Dr. M. Carey Thomas has left Bryn Mawr for a 14-nlcnths' tour abroad. She retired as active head of the college in June owing to the State retirement law and became president emeritus