Evening star., 1925-06-14
FRAT ARGUMENTS
SETFOR TOMORROW
High School Societies Are
Hit and Defended as Testi-
mony Is Concluded.

Justice Bailey of the District Su-
preme Court will hear arguments OF
counsel tomorrow afternoon in the
contest between the Board of Educa-
| tion and the high school pupils be-
| longing to secret organizations mot
approved by the board. Hearing Of
| testimony in the case was concluded
at noon yesterday.
The court intimated that he would
| like argument on the question of the
right of the three complaining pupils,
who seek a mandamus to be restored
| to honors in athletic and other school
activities. to maintain the proceed
ings In the light Of the fact that they
had signed pledge cards ''on their
honor" disclaiming affiliation with
secret societies. =
Arguments should also be addressed
to the power of the board to pass
the regulation and as TO its rea-
sonableness, he declared. Counsel for
each side will be given As minutes to
present his views.
Backed by Principal.
The testimony closed with the evi
dence of Frank G. Daniel, principal
of Technical High School. who testi.
fed on behalf of the boys. He has
been in thD school system for many
years, he stated. and during all that
time there have been secret organi-
cations at Technical. He observed
the conduct of the boys and girls of
his school and never saw any disre.
spect toward authority. nor any bad
effect in department or scholarship
among the frat members al his school.
There was nothing indicating. he
said, the hampering Of discipline,
lowering of morale or retarding educa-
ton or accomplishment of the pupils
as claimed by the Board of Education
in its answer to the suit. He thought
there were about 100 frat members in
a school of l ,430 pupils.
Attorney John E. Laskey offered to
prove by a number of the pupils from
Western High School that frat mem
bership did not change the demeanor
of their associates, but on objection
by Assistant Corporation Counsel
Wilkes the court declined to receive
the evidence, and the counsel for the
boys said he had no further testi-
mony.
On behalf of the board Mr.. Wilkes
presented three teachers from East
ern High School. Miss May Gardiner.
Miss Constance H. johnson and Miss
/ Mabel Hawes, all of whom declared
that frat affiliation was unwholesome
and tended to retard the advancement
Of pupils.
Long Opposition Shown.
Counsel for the board also offered
testimony to show that II has been the
policy of the board as far back as
1900 to oppose pupils joining school
societies.
At the opening of the hearing this
morning, Mr.. Wilkes handed to the
court the law governing the high
school cadets. The court last Thurs.
lay had asked 10 see the legisla ton
when counsel for the boys charged
hat deprivation Of honors in the
school battalions was a denial of a
part of the school curriculum.
The law is in the shape OF a rider
to the appropriation bill of March 2.
| 1907 and reads: Hereafter every
| male pupil in attendance at the high
schools shall be admitted TO and shall
serve in the High School Cadets un-
| less excused from such service by the
| principal. on certificate Of one of the
medical inspectors of schools that he
| is physically disqualified for such serv-
ice. or on the written request of his
| parent or guardian