The Schoolyard War Over Scarlet Fever

Seattle's board of education and board of health collided yesterday morning in a mimic pitched battle over the closing of the Rainier and South schools. Acting on the health board's order, Health Officer Palmer and police officers went to enforce a quarantine for scarlet fever; Superintendent Barnard and Principal V. T. Gerard at the Rainier school, and Principal C. A. Taylor at the South school, resisted.

At the Rainier school, children gathered in crowds around the building. Principal Gerard was refused admission at the north door by Officer Corning, entered through the basement, and was met inside by Dr. Palmer. The health officer refused to let teachers outside come in for their belongings unless teachers already inside retired. Gerard telephoned Superintendent Barnard, then told teachers and pupils to enter by basement doors and windows if necessary. He was warned he would be arrested; children swarmed the doors, and the police and health officer tried to hold them with ordinary brass hooks.

The health department forces repelled the rush for a time, but the children got in through the east door and windows and filled the building. Officer Corning and Dr. Palmer chased from door to door and window to window. A boy threw a small rock that struck Dr. Palmer on the chest without doing damage. At one point a dozen girls locked themselves in an upstairs room and helped boys get out the fire hose; it was dropped from a north window and turned on Officer Corning, drenching the front of the building and grounds. Capt. Hogle arrived, drove the crowd off, and by noon the grounds were quiet.

At the South school, Principal Taylor had refused the health board's instructions and was arrested. Before leaving he had opened all the doors, and Officer Ellis could not stop the teachers and pupils from entering. While Taylor was at the police station, Ellis rang the bell and dismissed the school; everyone left in perfect order.

Principals Taylor and Gerard were released on personal recognizance to appear in municipal court. The board of education adopted a resolution protesting the health board's action as an unwarranted usurpation of power and ordering its attorneys to settle the dispute in court. The two schools were closed pending that decision. School Director King voted against the resolution, arguing that the health board was better able to decide and that the principals had no authority to resist officers of the law.