In Welton, the superintendent of schools, J. Q. Jefferson, followed the
example of his predecessors and made elaborate arrangements for a team
of contestants to go up to Enfield in May to try for the district honors
in oratory, music and debate.
A few days before the 10th of May, the day set for the contest, a
conflict of which only the fewest rumors had been heard came to a head.
Mr. Jefferson was interviewed at a noon intermission by Harold Waterman:
[Sidenote: Students Strike]
“Mr. Jefferson, the members of the Delphian society have decided not to
participate in this contest. We have found that the Archimedeans have
concocted a plan by which all the best students of next year’s entering
class will be yoked up to join their society and we cannot agree to it.”
“But this has no immediate connection with the contest. Why not go on
with the contest and settle this matter on the outside?”
“I know; that plan has been discussed and some were willing to proceed,
but last night our society held a special meeting; the contestants
agreed to stand by the society and when the vote was taken the majority
decided not to go on with the contest.”
This was a fatal state of affairs, for as usual the Delphians were
furnishing two-thirds of the fifteen contestants.
The Delphians had broken no rules in their stand, since the contest
matter was a voluntary affair. But the Archimedeans were in the wrong.
Two years before an agreement had been made that no schemes for society
membership rushes were to be permitted until the last week of September
in each year. For two years this plan held, but now it failed.
Mr. Jefferson at once conferred with the Archimedeans. A part of the
interview ran as follows: “Mr. Jefferson, the Delphians have managed to
get in all the strong fellows in school. The plan has nearly ruined our
society. We are simply doing what we have to do. No, the society will
not change on this matter,” said the president, Kathleen Morris. A short
meeting of the Archimedeans was called at the superintendent’s request.
It resulted in no change of policy. Next Mr. Jefferson announced that
the Archimedeans would be forbidden to give any more programs or to hold
any meetings in the school building until they formally rescinded their
action and changed their stand.
The Delphians stood by their declaration and remained out of the
contest. The Archimedean contestants could only enter in oratory as the
debate team was weakened by the Delphian strike.
Much bitter feeling grew in a few weeks’ time. The matter stood in this
fashion until the end of the year. Mr. Jefferson was not reëlected at
the end of his first year.