The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-05
COLLEGE is SUED
Girl Who Was Expelled Asks
$4,000 Damages.
Senator Pepper Takes Case of
Marjorie Barker.

Philadelphia, Oct. Suit for $780,
900 damages is being pressed against
Bryn Mawr college trustees and DR..
NJ. Carey Thomas, former president,
by Marjory Barker of Michigan City.
Ind, who was expelled from the col
lege April 2, 1921, after she had been
accused of petty thefts in the dormi-
tories.
Miss Barker, who IS 20 years old.
sought vindieatien at the hands of the
college authorities Immediately after
her suspension and CsaimS she was
given no opportunity to ciear herself
of the charges brought against ner'
She then brought action in the Mont
gomery county courts at NofristoWn,
Pa, to compel Bryn Mawr authorities
to reinstate her. but the court ruled 1t
had mo jurisdiction" over privately
endowed institution such as Bryn
Mawr and was forced TO recognize the
right of the college to drop a student
at any time. without explanation.
In the opinion rendered by Judges
Swartz and Miller there was a strong
intimation that while the court could
rot force reinstatement or Miss Bar
ker she had grounds for damage
suit against the college.
The damage suit has been filed by
Senator Pepper of Pennsylvania, MISS
Barker's lawyer, who, it is reported
on SOOO III lSsdi SlTClCS LSlS'
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 wnere her family
occupies an assured position. She will
some day inherit large fortune thru
the connection of her ramily with the
HaskeH-Barker Car company inter-
ests.
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 petition.
signed by 100 schoolmates from Mich
igan City, attesting her honorable
character, was presented to the court
When she attempted to seek vindica-
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
her she would not need to return to
college after the holidays. On inquir-
ing why she was told several small
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 procedure at
Bryn Mawr, where the authorities re-
serve the right to dismiss anyone they
see fit, without arousing a public scan
dial. DIR. NJ. Carey Thomas, president
of the college. said it was customary
to simply inform undesirable students
not to return when they left college
for a holiday and that several such
cases had been handled quietly in that
manner in previous years
But Miss Barker desired reinstate-
mo nd nil1 w hat hn fQ in
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
tempts at reinstatement had succeeded.
As they have not she is virtually
barred from any college in the coun-
| try because of the stigma against her
name and the unwillingness of Bryn
Mawr authorities to transfer her
credits elsewhere.
In a statement issued shortly after
the opening of the suit for reinstate-
ment, Miss Hilda Smith, dean of Bryn
MaW.r. said that Miss Bankers schol-
at the time of her expulsion and
that it was doubtful if she could have
made a, sufficiently good average in
1.-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 differ
ence to the latter's family, as she
understood the girls father and moth
er were living apart.
Since the filing of the suit against
| the college DIR. NJ. Carey Thomas has
left Bryn Mawr for a fourteen
months tour abroad. She retired as
active head of the college in June
| owing to the state retirement law and
became president emeritus"