"The event of January, 1890, alluded to the involvement of two female students, Helen Ryder and Mary Howe, who were seen walking on a Sunday afternoon in Bridgewater with two young men, in clear violation of rules against fraternizing with members of the opposite sex," wrote Dr. Turner.
     "In his report about their conduct, Albert G. Boyden claimed that when this behavior had been brought to his attention, he had called the two women to his office and obtained a promise to refrain from such activity in the future.

     "However, a member of the graduating class informed one of the female assistants that many students were offended by what Howe and Ryder had done and felt they should not be granted a

diploma. Mr. Boyden questioned both male and female

students and concluded that a majority of the graduating class felt the same way. Mr. Boyden also discovered in the course of his investigation that the two women often went to the Cotton Gin Factory where only men were employed," continued Dr. Turner.

    "After interviewing Howe and Ryder and laying the matter before the entire faculty, Mr. Boyden decided to withhold their diplomas. When they asked if they could have a certificate of scholarship – a teacher was still not required to be a graduate of a college or normal school to be employed – the principal refused.

     "He then convened a meeting on January 21, and the faculty unanimously backed his decision," Dr. Turner said.

       "Twenty years earlier, the unanimous action of the principal and faculty would have ended the matter, but as noted, the absolute authority of the principal was under challenge. Mr. Boyden received letters in support of both women, calling on him to reconsider or revoke his decision.
     "Mary Howe’s mother was an invalid, so her guardian F.W. Brigham wrote, 'Will you kindly inform me concerning her offenses and can she by any apology or conduct atone for them, and be reinstated?' Mr. Boyden responded in what Brigham characterized as “your very courteous reply,” but the guardian was not satisfied with the response. He asked the principal to consider that the charges might be a result of gossip, which he said occurred often in a community of women when some women take a personal dislike to one of their members. He had personally questioned his ward who said she had never gone into any offices or shops unless accompanied by companions.

    "He also reminded Boyden that since they had both been students, they knew what the student caste system was like: 'Could the ill will of a few classmates have driven us out, probably we should never have graduated from anywhere'

    "The Reverend S. McBurney, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Provincetown, wrote on Helen Ryder’s behalf, 'So far as we have been able to learn the offenses charged to the young lady were not of a serious nature, and did not impeach her

moral character.'  He added that young people sometimes did foolish things, 'Still I cannot forget that students do many things unwittingly, and that these inadvertencies of youth, should hardly be made impediments to a useful and active life.'

     "One of the young men involved, F.C. Gammons, also requested that Mr. Boyden respond in writing to the series of charges made against him to indicate if they were true or false, since the principal had publicly used Gammons’ name in speaking of the affair," continued Dr. Turner.

    "The incident had been mentioned in the Boston newspapers, specifically the Boston Examiner Record, and if Mr. Boyden did not consider Gammons guilty of the charges, he desired a written certificate to that effect.

     "This request for the principal to commit his views to paper hints that Gammons may have been contemplating some legal action for slander. Ryder also wrote to Helen Bowler, an art

instructor at the school.

     "Miss Bowler had apparently stated that Ryder’s friends did not wish an investigation. Ryder challenged this claim, writing that she welcomed an investigation, but felt it was the faculty who did not want one, as they had rushed to judgment without ascertaining all of the facts.

     "Also, she had not wanted to pursue the dispute in the newspapers but had to defend her honor when the administration leaked a one-sided story to the press.

      "Miss Ryder also indicated that if she had been sent home simply for breaking the rules, then her friends would not have responded the way they did, but character assassination was intolerable. Ironically, because of the publicity, she had already obtained two job offers," Dr. Turner reported.

    "Ultimately, Brigham and McBurney requested a hearing before the board and retained Mr. Morse as counsel. It was at this same board meeting that Mr. Boyden was granted his leave of absence.

     "Marcus Whitney, the Westfield visitor who was a lawyer and who had clashed with Bridgewater and its principal over which school should have a new academic building (and who perhaps didn’t mind seeing Boyden squirm a bit), wrote a lengthy letter to Secretary Dickinson:
    "In this hearing the Board of Education will have the matter somewhat as judges, in as really a judicial spirit as possible.

Mr. Boyden is somewhat in the position of a defendant, and that he if anyone ought to be represented by counsel & that the Visitors of the school having approved his course should defend their actions as wise & proper. The Board will hear the case, if at all, on appeal, & should sit as judges holding their minds free and

unbiased … The Board is not defending Mr. Boyden, but deciding whether Mr. Boyden’s action was wise and justifiable & if not, what the Board will do about it. I take for granted the Board will grant a hearing, I’ll attend the hearing if I can, & will look up the law if there is any for my own satisfaction & the benefit of the Board.

    "The board first referred the matter to the visitors to hold a hearing if they deemed it wise, but on March 20, the visitors returned the issue to the full board, which voted to uphold the faculty decision. Although the board already had policies

in place concerning student removal, they voted on May 1 to give the principals power to remove students temporarily for misconduct, but with the responsibility to report every case immediately to the visitors for a permanent determination.

     "While Mr. Boyden endured some criticism, he also had his supporters.

     "The Bridgewater Independent newspaper applauded the visitors’ action: 'The visitors have made a careful report to the board. The board has accepted the report and sustained

the principal of the school.'

     "Miss Ellen Hyde also wrote to her colleague, 'I cannot refrain from expressing my sympathy with you in the persecution you are enduring,' " concluded Dr. Turner.