Evening star., 1925-06-11
FRAT CASE HEARING
|S0PENED IN COURT
Capt. ]. M. Ward, Father of
Student, Says He Signed
''PIedge" Under Protest.

Hearing of the contest between the
Board of Education and the members
of the high schools affiliated with fra
ternal organizations was commenced
today before Justice Bailey of the Dis
trict Supreme Court. Chester c.
Ward. Ribert E. L. Yellott and Charles
r. Babson. students who were de-
prived Of honors in athletic and other
school activities because of frat"
membership. are suing for a writ Of
mandamus to compel the board to re.
store them to- the positions from
which they were deposed.
The three applicants told their
stories to the court and Capt. John NJ.
Ward, u. s. A., father of Chester
Ward. testified that his son joined the
Gamma Chapter of the Sigma Delta
fraternity with his full permission and
approval. The chapter frequently met
at his home on his invitation, Capt.
Ward said. The witness declared he
had frequently protested the signing
of pledge" cards, as he considered In
quiry by the school authorities into
hours as 'impertinent and none of the
business Of the Board Of Education"
Board Member Testif1es.
Capt. Julius I. Peyser. membor of
the Board Of Education. who, with
Ernest Greenwood, vice president Of
the board. voted against the frater-
mites order of the board, testified for
the boys. He characterized the regu-
lation depriving frat" members OF
school honors as "un-American," and
pledge" cards for his son, who at
tends Central High School. Capt.
Peyser was not cross-examined by Mr..
Wilkes.
Chester Ward was the first witness
offered by Attorneys John E. Laskey
and Richard C.. Thompson, represent
ing the petitioners. He was cross
examined by Assistant Corporation
Counsel Wilkes. Corporation Counsel
Stephens was present at the hearing,
which was attended by several mem.
bers of the board, by Supt. Ballou and
a number of the school principals. The
courtroom was crowded by members
of the "frats" and sororities and by
parents interested in the case.
Superintendent Under Orders.
At the beginning Of the hearing Jus.
tice Bailey inquired of Mr.. Laskey
concerning the powers OF the school
superintendent to inflict punishment
or penalty, and was informed that he
Is merely an employe of the board and
subject to it's order, and has no power
otherwise. When Mr.. Laskey objected
later to the introduction of pledge"
cards signed by young Ward the court
remarked, in admitting them into evi.
dence, that they might play an impor-
tant part in the question Of issuing a
mandamus against the school board.
Young Ward told the court he is II
years old and was president of the
class of 1925 Of Western High School
until few months ago, when Dr.
Newton, the principal. advised him
that he was ineligible to hold that po-
sition because of his membership in
the Sigma Delta He was also deposed
from the vice presidency of the "W"
Club. which aided in policing the
school, and also from his position of
athletic editor of the Yearbook and
of literary editor f'the Breeze. Since
his demotion, the witness said, he had
been designated by DR.. Newton as a
substitute teacher of English at West
ern High School.
Had Good Record.
Mr.. Laskey introduced the record
scholastic standing and his deport-
ment while at school to be excellent.
and also a certificate from the school
showing him entitled to wear the wv"
for good school citizenship and for his
prowess in foot ball.
On cross-examination Mr.. Wilkes
had the witness identify his signature
and that of his father to two pledge"
cards which contained a disclaimer Of
connection with any frat" organi.
zation. The cards contained the
words under protest" between the
signature Of the boy and the father.
Mr.. Wilkes attempted to get the wit.
ness to repeat the oath taken by
members of the fraternity. but Ward
said he had never taken the oath and
could not repeat the words.
He denied that the frat" rules re-
quired him to promote, the welfare of
members in preference to other
friends. and said he never knew of
the passing Of any regulation in con-
flict with the orders of the Board of
Education. Ward admitted the sign
ing of pledges had been discussed on
two occasions in meetings. but only
unofficially.
He denied that he attempted to
conceal his affiliation with Sigma
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