An unpleasant chapter in the history of South High School ended smoothly when a senior named Henry Leon Mosher, “one of the most refined and manly looking boys in the class,” answered a challenge to do the proper thing. This account is from the Minneapolis Tribune.

COLOR LINE IS
DRAWN BY CLASS

SOUTH HIGH GRADUATES OBJECT
TO COLORED GIRL.

Seat Next to Negress Refused by Timothy Flynn.

HENRY MOSHER PREVENTS A
“STRIKE” BY OFFERING TO
OCCUPY DISPUTED SEAT.

As the graduates of the South Side high school marched to the platform in the Swedish tabernacle Tuesday evening, but few in the great throng in that auditorium realized that the class had been shaken, just previously, by a most bitter controversy over the color question, which at one time threatened to divide the class and cast a disgraceful blemish upon the commencement program.

One colored girl in the class, Lina Norine Smith, who in her graduation gown appeared very sweet and dignified, was the innocent cause of the trouble. Timothy George Flynn started the disturbance. He refused absolutely to sit beside Miss Smith on the platform, when a rehearsal of the program was held. His teacher was amazed. Never before had she heard a whisper of any distinction in the class on the matter of color.

Dr. C.M. Jordan, superintendent of schools, was notified and he directed that the boy sit in the designated place or not appear upon the platform. When this order was received by the boys of the class, an entirely unexpected complexion was placed on the affair, by their unanimous refusal to appear on the platform without the Flynn boy.

STRIKE CAUSES TROUBLE.

This “strike” on the part of the boys created consternation. Teachers and principal of the school were agitated over the disgraceful affair; the fair name of the school as well as the success of the commencement were hanging in the balance, when a member of the school board called the boys of the class into a private session and made them realize the enormity of their offense. He bitterly denounced their action and the result was that Henry Leon Mosher, one of the most refined and manly looking boys in the class, stepped out and offered to sit beside Miss Smith.

His action saved the situation and the commencement program was given without a ripple on the surface to indicate that any disturbance had threatened disaster.

South High School, 24th and Cedar Avenue, Minneapolis, in 1911. The structure, built in 1892, was torn down in 1970, replaced by a new building at 31st and 19th Avenue S. (Photo courtesy of mnhs.org)

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 30th, 2006 at 10:55 pm and is filed under Main, Society. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.