4f >3 St' € ★ ★ BUY TB SEALS TB CIiristni3s Shells Are on© way of showing your real Christmas spirit. Plan to purchase yours at the first opportunity. ★ ★ MAIL EARLY It isn’t too early to start your Christmas maning. Postal author ities say early mailing means as sured arrival. SCHOOL BOARD BACKS STAFF Leonard Convicted For Assaulting Student; Files Notice Of Appeal Irie Leonard, principal and head football and baseball coach at the high school here, was convicted in Moore Recorder’s Court Mon day on charges of assaulting one of the students and fined $1 and court costs. He filed immediate notice of ap peal to Superior Court and was released under $100 boi^d. Leonard, who is in his sixth year as principal of the school, had been charged in a warrant sworn out by Mr. and Mrs. Ray McDonald of Southern Pines of assaulting their son, William, No vember 13. He entered a plea of not guilty to the charges. The trial was attended by a large number of parents and stu dents who filled the courtroom to about one-half capacity. Judge Rowe, in passing sen tence, said he regretted the case had been remanded to his court and that it should have been handled in the school. “But since it is here, it must be handled like any other,” he added. The ase centered around an in cident that took place in a room adjoining Leonard’s office after school hours November 13. He had, testimony indicated, sum moned a number of boys to the room to lecture them about calling a member of the faculty. Miss Sal ly Coles, by her first name. Young McDonald was the last to enter the room. He testified he had been sent there by Miss Coles but said he did not know why. When he entered the room, he said, he asked another of the boys there: “What am I doing here?” > He testified that Mr. Leonard, who was at the front of the room, said: “What did you say?” When he answered, using the same words, he said that Mr. Leonard came to the chair in which he was sitting “in some thing more than a walk” and grabbed him by the throat and said: ‘Til tell you why you’re here.” The six other boys who were in the room at the time gave sub stantially the same testimony. All said that, in their opinions, Leonard had been “pretty upset (Continued on Page S) STATEMENT OF SCHOOL BOARD "In recent days a greet deal of attention and public inter- osl has been focused on the nwffer of discipline in the Southern Pines High SchooL For several months the Su perintendent and the Board of Education have considered reviewing and restudying all policies and the recent inci dent emphasizes the advisa bility- of such a study with pa^cular emphasis on disci pline This will be imdertaken immediately. We are confi dent that we may count on the complete cooperation of the pupils, teachers, and pa rents. ^ "In regard to the present situation, the Board has al ways expected teathers to maintain good order and dis cipline and the Board re iterates its statement that fhe Superintendent and School Board have always supported all teachers in matters pertaining to good discipline while not condon ing any practice which is not in the best interest of the duld and the schooL "The Superintendent and Board stand squarely behind its present staff and respect fully request that all persons in the community cooperate . to the fullest extent with the school and school afficials on the question of discipline and all matters pertaining to the successful operation of fhe schools. "Further, the Board wishes to point out that there has been no change in the state laws requiring teachers to maintain good order and