Ouster Ousted

One hot day last week in Dayton, Tenn., in the same court room where John Thomas Scopes was tried six summers ago for teaching Evolution, one of his prosecutors was fighting to keep from being ousted: Walter White,/- superintendent of Rhea County Schools. Nervously Walter White snapped his red suspenders, jerked at his white wash tie--same kind he wore during the "Monkey Trial."

Whip-wielder for many a year in local politics, onetime State Representative and Senator, Superintendent White had held his office for twelve years. In 1926 he was Republican nominee for Governor, was beaten by the late Governor Austin Peay. He had been influential with the County Court and the School Board. But things changed. A special committee of the County Court had a look at school conditions, found that budgets had been exceeded, money spent wastefully and illegally. Charges were brought: "culpable misconduct, misbehavior in office, inefficiency." After a long day's trial last week he was ordered removed by a vote of 12 to three. Cried he: "A damnable factional conspiracy!" He filed a plea denying the court's right to try him, appealed the case. Circuit Court meets in December. Should it grant another appeal, he could muddle the case along until September 1932 when his term of office would die a natural death.

/- Not to be confused with Walter Francis White, Negro author, assistant secretary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

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