Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 March 1907 — DISOBEYED RULES, EXPELLED, [ARTICLE]

DISOBEYED RULES, EXPELLED,

Are Two Prominent Members of the High School Basket Ball Team. The Rensselaer-Whiting high school girls’ basket ball game here last Friday night resulted in a defeat for thfe latter by a score of 32 to 2, but the game_ itself has dwindled into insignificance by the prominence of other matters growing out of thq game that has resulted in the expelling of two members from the Rensselaer team and the reported disbanding by the Whiting school authorities of the entire team at that place. As near as the Democrat can ascertain the facts, it seems a reception, banquet and dance was given in the Armory after the game in honor of the visiting team. The Rensselaer teachers —or a part of them —were present at this function, and at something like midnight the dance was stopped and the hall closed, ostensibly at least, for the night. Two of the Rens selaer players, accompanied by two or three other school girls, it seems, had it arranged with the Whiting girls and a number of Rensselaer boys to return to the hall after the school faculty had gone home, and it is said went to the fraternity room which a few of the high school boys maintain in the Chicago Bargain Store block, and waited until the teachers were safely home. Then they returned to the armory and danced until — some say as late as three or four o’clock Saturday morning. When Principal Gray learned of this infraction of the rules of the team he was much put out regarding it and promptly expelled the two members who participated in it, and who, because of its being a first offense, The Democrat intended to refrain from publishing their names, but as they have already appeared in one Rensselaer paper and a Hammond paper, it is no secret. They are Ellen Casey and Belle Laßue. Tyo other girls who, while not regular players, had played occasionally, Madeline Phillips and Ora Yeoman, were also with the crowd, and have also been rendered ineligible from further playing with the team. There were several other girls and boys there, of course, who are as much to blame in the matter as those mentioned, and who seem perfectly willing to bear their share of it. The only reason these have been given more notoriety in thefnewspaper reports is because of their connection with the basket bal 1 team.;: One sad feature of the affair, as reported—but which we hope is not true —is the action of the crowd that returned to the hall in persisting in going on with the dance and the consequent noise and disturbance, in spite of the earnest and pitiful protests of relatives of Mrs. Corliss, who lay dying in the Warner rooms near the hall. It is said that they respectfully and kindly asked them to cease and go home, because the noise disturbed the sick woman who was hovering on the brink of the dark river of death hud who did die at an early hour Sunday morping. Their appeals were of no avail, however, and the dance went on.

Then, it is reported, one of the woman's friends went out in the hallway and turned the lights off in the dance hall. Some of the dancers came out and demanded to know why this was done, and the lady who had turned the lights off replied that she did it so they would please go home; that the sick woman could not stand the noise, and again she begged of them to desist. Instead of doing this, it is reported, the lights were again turned on and the music and noise was purposely raised to a higher key and was kept up perhaps longer than it otherwise would have been. The above, understand, is current report, and The Democrat does not vouch for the truth of the matter. Indeed, it is so heartless and worse than heathenish that we cannot believe it is true, even thopgh current report in Rensse laer. Later —Several of the parties who participated in the affair have told us since the above was in type that Mr. Gray himself danced until 12:45, when he went home, and that the report of the relatives of Mrs. Corliss requesting them to cease is incorrect. We know nothing of the matter personally except the rumor otherwise, and give this in justice to all concerned.