Jasper County Democrat, Volume 16, Number 82, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 January 1914 — NOT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. [ARTICLE]

NOT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

Boys Who “Stacked” Books at School Building Recently Have Confessed. Supt. Dean of the city schools and Mr. Sharp, principal of the high school, have prepared the following statement to the public regarding the recent depredation at the high school building. The names of tJhe young men who were connected with the affair have not been made public, but The Democrat is informed that there were four boys in the affair, three of whom are attending college at different points, and one is still in Rensselaer. Owing to the prominence of th© boys, it is presumed, the faculty and school board have decided to let the matter drop without informing the public, as to who the culprits are. Following is the statement given out:

"Two weeks ago when the books in the high school building weie found stacked the school authorities made the ruling that all athletics were suspended until the identity of the offenders was made known The high school bbys were loud in their assertions that the offenders were outsiders. They were told that it was up to them to establish this fact and in the interest of athletics they showed a commendable spirit by doing a little detective work and soon had the desired information. There** was no tattling done or encouraged but influence exerted by the boys soon brought about a confession. "The school board. backed by public sentiment, was decidedly in favor of legal prosecutions for breaking into a public building, but being informed by Principal Sharp that immunity had been promised in return for full confession, the board agreed to suspend action with the understanding that a similar occurrence in the future would probably result in a reconsideration and prosecution of the case just disposed of. “While it is to be regretted that the incident happened still it is a pleasure to know’ that the ones implicated wfere not students in high school but outsiders. This shows that the high schools boys as a body appreciate the efforts of the school officials to make this local system the best in the state. Public sentiment has been with the school authorities throughout and indicates that book stacking and kindred depredations are no longer in vogue in Rensselaer.”