Evening star., 1925-05-06
SCHOOL FRAT ISSUE
PUT UP TO BOARD
Legal Proceedings to Follow
Refusal of Demand Made
for Debarred Students.

Demands were made on the Board
of Education today by the parents of
five Washington high school BOYS to
restore their sons forthwith" to of
fees in school organizations which
they lost recently because of affiliation
in debarred secret societies. This ac-
ton, it is understood, was taken upon
the advice of John L. Laskey, former
United States district attorney and
counsel for the secret organizations,
which have united in a fight against
the school boards anti-fraternity rul-
ing.
Mr.. LaslIey indicated today that the
demands of the parents of the high
school students is merely a prelimi-
nary to the legal proceedings threat
ened by the fraternities. If the board
reinstates these boys, it is probable
that court action will be avoided.
Board Will Meet Today.
The school board meets this after
noon, and it is considered likely that
it may give some consideration to the
demands, although it definitely dis
posed of the fraternity question about
a month ago by vigorously reaffirming
its stand in opposition TO the secret
organizations.
Parents of the five boys based their
demands on the following grounds:
a. That said alleged rules as adopt
ed by your board We're in excess of
the powers conferred upon 1t by law.
80. That said alleged rules are an
abuse of the discretion vested in said
board and. therefore. void.
''3. That said alleged rules are ar
bitrary, capricious and discriminatory
and, therefore, void and invalid
Names of Boys Interested.
The boys who figure in the latest
development in the fraternity contro-
versy are Chester c. Ward of West
ern High School, a member of Gamma
Chapter of Sigma Delta Fraternity;
Robert Yellott. also student at
Western: Charles Russell DodSon and
Howard Richard Garrett. both McKin-
ley Technical High School students
and members of Beta Chapter of
Sigma Delta. and Wilton Brown Glib
son, Eastern High School student and
a member of Phi Alpha Epsilon. They
were selected because of their high
scholastic standing. as we'll as the i'm
portant positions they held in school
activities prior to the fraternity
expose.
The letters sent by the fathers of
the boys are all identical in text. eX
cept for variations made necessary
by the different school activities with
which the students were connected.
Sample Letter Quoted.
The letter of j. Moultrie Ward
father of Chester Ward, in part, fol
lows:
1--WE, the undersigned, Chester Ward
and John Moultrie Ward, his father
and next friend. the said Chester
Ward being a member in the Gamma
Chapter of the Sigma Delta Fraternity,
an organization of young men of pre-
paratory school age, having for it's
object the promotion of a high moral
standard of living, proper scholastic
standing, good fellowship and the bet.
terment of the individual and social
life of it's members, holding its meet
ings on Saturday nights only, in the
homes and under the supervision of
the parents of its members, hereby
request that you restore
forthwith the said Chester Ward as
president of the senior class of the
Western High School. to which office
he was duly elected by the vote of
the members of said class; as vice
president of the wv Club of said
Western High School. TO which Office
he was duly elected by the members
of said wv Club; as athletic editor
of the Yearbook and as literary
editor of the Breeze, student activi-
ties and representative honors which
he has heretofore held and enjoyed
as a student of high scholastic stand
ing of the senior class of said West
ern High School. from all of which
positions, activities and representa-
tive honors he was, under the opera
ton of your alleged rules respecting
fraternities and sororities, wrongfully
and illegally suspended"
1t was pointed out by Mr.. Laskey
that failure of the board to take
action on the demands will result in
legal proceedings. Two separate
writs probably will be filed, it was
said One will be in the name of
Chester Ward and the other in the
name of Robert Yellott. Ward will
graduate in June and Yellott is a
Junior. This will be done to protect
the fraternity's case in the event the
court proceedings are delayed until
after the graduation date.