The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-02-12


whacking with a rildd,e, with the
lads consent--onlY to get arrested
for assault and battery, on AFFIDAVIT
Of the child's mother.
This was tne problem facing
Municipal Judge Clifton r. Cameron
today. Judge Cameron took his de-
cision under advisement until Satur-
day after waving aside attempts OF
the prosecution to interpose legal
formalities and hearing full evidence
on the case.
Praise for Principal
The principal is Homer G. Knight.
253S North Delaware street, prin-
cipaI of School "a, Wade and Boyd
streets. Witnesses told of his two
years Of capable work as head of
School SIS before we went to School
"a this year, and as teacher at the
truant school for nine years.
He is good diSciplinarian, but not
a severe one, a teacher who MAIN
tainS order because he must for the
good of the children under his care,
all agreed.
Tho boy is Jesse Canter. IL, of
230T Reformer avenue. He is a
bright boy, exceptionally so, his
teachers said.
They never had trouble with him
In the classroom, but in the hall
ways he would push and shove and
be boisterous.
Often Out Of School 90
Of the ninety-three days last
semester he was absent thirty-three
Since Jan. 2S he has only been in
school five days. Notes from his
mother said lack of shoes and ILL
ness, bad colds. kept him away.
And the mother, Mrs. Ida Canter,
who filed the affidavit charging
Knight with assault and battery,
charging that KnigfG raised welts
on her sons legs when he whipped
him last Thursday.
You're all right, madam. God
bless the mothers" said Judge Cam
eron as she finished her story.
She is the mother of six children.
Her husband works for a florist.
So far this year she has not had to
ask clothes from the school fund to
send JeSse's sister Edna to school.
No Shoes Provided
But four times she has asked
school officials to provide shoes for
Jesse 50 he might go TO school. And
the school board ignored her re-
quests, she said. Lack of shoes was
the reason Jesse has been missing
school, she said.
Once a truant officer came, found
Jesse at home wearing a pair OF
mems shoes much too big for him
and forced the boy to go to school
In the mems shoes.
Recently Jesse had to go to school
one day wearing overalls, because
she was cleaning his one suit. His
schoolmates twitted him, poked tun
at him. That, she was sure. was
one of the reasons for some of the
recent tights of her son.
But Jesse had been called into the
principals office ten times since
fall for fighting. Knight tod the
judge.
Warned Not, to Fight
The eighth, three weeks ago, he
gave Jesse five or six whacks on the
hand with a ruler. Mrs. CanteI
came to him then. He showed heI
there we're no marks on the boys
hand.A
Then came the ninth time and
Jesse again promised to stop fight
ing.
Last Thursday the principal called
the boy in for the tenth time
p Jesse and several 8-year-old boyS
had been involved in a snow fight.
Before it ended Bert Stephens
one of the younger boys. had beer
Knocked down in a fist fight. One
of the school traffic officers hao
taken the Stephens boy home anc
had been punched in the mouth
by Jesse.
Asked for Whipping
''I wanted to make man out o.
the boy" said Knight. Jesse Ii
not vicious boy, but the other two
BOYS were only 8. Jesse's worst
trouble was he always picked or
younger boys and littls girls.
Jesse told me, j guess 1 deserve
a whipping I sent HIM for the
custodian, and in the presence OF
the custodian gave him a whipping
with paddle which was in the
school once when I came theresv
Il directed the blows where they
would do TO damage. I gave hin