Hearsay Behind Lurid View of School Morals

From The Indianapolis Times, Thursday, January 20, 1921: Lurid pictures of revolting moral conditions in Indianapolis high schools were painted by Rev. Thomas Grafton, pastor of Third Christian Church, yesterday at a meeting of the Oliver P. Morton School Mothers’ Club and P.T.A. “I am told a patrolman, whose beat is in the neighborhood of Shortridge High School, has been supplying liquor to students…Sexual immorality is a serious problem in our high schools, and modern dancing, such as was recently banned at Shortridge, only leads to the things of which I complain,” he asserted. While Rev. Grafton had no first-hand information of these terrible conditions, he believed what he had heard from others was truthful and suggested, as a remedy, Bible study and religious instruction in the public schools be made compulsory upon the pupil if the parents so elected.

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“Hearsay Behind Lurid View of School Morals,” The Indianapolis Times, 20 January 1921, p. 1:2

Woman Heads School Board

From The Indianapolis Star, Wednesday, January 12, 1921: Mrs. Julia Belle Tutewiler has the distinction of being the first woman to serve as president of the Indianapolis board of school commissioners. She was elected by the commissioners at last night’s meeting of the board, receiving three votes to one vote each for two other candidates. A former grade-school teacher in the city schools, Mrs. Tutewiler has been a member of the board for seven years. She was elected a school commissioner in 1913 following a strenuous campaign, and succeeded Mary Nicholson who was the first women to have been elected to the city’s board of school commissioners. Believing in maintaining continuity on the board, Mrs. Tutewiler was the only incumbent school commissioner to stand for re-election in 1917, and for the past year has served as the board’s vice president.

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“Woman Heads School Board,”,” The Indianapolis Star, 12 January 1921, p. 1:7

Plan to Sell 40 City Fire Horses

From The Indianapolis Times, Tuesday, January 4, 1921: Motorization has rendered the ninety-eight fine horses in the fire department useless. Once the pride at the various fire stations, the horses stand idle and disconsolate in their stalls, having been replaced by motor fire-fighting monsters. With the delivery of ten motor pumpers from the Stutz Fire Engine Co, the public safety board will take immediate steps to dispose of the horses. Appraisers have been appointed to fix not only the value of the horses, but also of all the wagons and trucks made unnecessary by the motor equipment. Five of the best animals will be turned over to the mounted police to replace old horses, and the park board will receive ten other horses. Some of the horses will be shipped to eastern buyers where a better price can be obtained.

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“Plan to Sell 40 City Fire Horses,” The Indianapolis Times, 4 January 1921, p. 2:1