Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1843-06-07

~ seems Oy lne Albany papers, tina
there has been convention OF tie DEBUT,
superintendents Of the New York com
mon schools. at Albany, and one of hi
subjects discussed by this important bod,
was that of corporal punishment. Mr.
DWIGHT the editor of the Common Sc hoo
Journal, Mr.. Randall, who seems 10 be
deputy. but who is not confined to an,
particular county, Col. Stone, and severa
other experienced gentlemen took part ii
the discussion. Mr. r ,ndall did not be
heve corporal punishment was ever Gees
sarY. A Mr.. Storkes thou oht that if m,
pupils were fully employed, it was neve,
needed. Col. Stone thought il was some
times necessary, especially in The city Of
New York. Mr.. Dwight thought il
ought 10 be rarely administered, and un-
der strict Limitation, and quoted Or. Girls.
com. the good quaker. as having so far de
parted from The non-combalant ground a:
10 have said that If any man could govern
without fogglog, he should like 10 learn
the secret. Mr.. Wright said lhata teach.
er who announced that corporal punish.
menl would in no case be inflicted, was
turned out Of schools by his pupils. We
knows remarkable case where the effect
was jus. the V.her way. The result oil
the discussion was he adoption of fol-
lowing resolutions:
RssOlcsd, Thai order is indispensable
to the utility and efficiency oil schools. and
must in all cases be enforced.
ResOloed, That physical force and cor
POrat puAishmeAt ought never TO be APP
pealed to Satit higher appeals haze been
tried an cain.
Resolrsd, That, ia the opinion Of tn is
committee, the necessity Of physical coe, :
rios vlL decline "a enact properties as
Ae inteLieciual aud moral nature of child
rem IS property dscsLoPed, aud that hu-
name teachers will 6ud in this conSidera-
lion a strong incentive TO renewed zeal ia
the discharge Of their duties.
We commend these resolutions TO the
school committees of Boston. for if they
are founded 10 reason and truth, and the
decline OF corporal punishment is the cri
lerion by which we must Judge OF the
moral and Intellectual developemepi oftht
minds of our children, the moral and in
teIlectual development has hardly beguo
II seems strange TO US that in this agt
ct improvement when. moral suasIon u
the great panacea OF vice and error, wher
emulation is too dangerous a motive 10 b
allowed in ciacation, when the Boston
schools are held u2 as models not only C
other towns and States, bat to the world
the fogging OF boys and girls is of con.
slant occurrence. and, "the higher ap
2eals," so far from being tried IN vain, are
seldom tried at ALL IL is bad genough &c
f5g boys bat tbs shocking to fog girls
even when they have by vice or misman
agrmenl become, as II were, unsexed. A
is bad enough 10 fog boys privately, anc
after due advice and examination, but i'll
shocking TO fog them before muItludes
reckIessIv and without any concern fo
their improvement; ills bad enough Il
fog them in the ordinary soay, but wha
are we 10 think oil teacher, who seize'
two boys by the hair OF their heads anC
knocks their heads together and yet thi,
has been done in one Of the city schools
al least
Our private opinion is, that where |
teacher is man OF mild temper, patient
Of genllemanly manners. temperate. AM
weIl-inlormed, there is no need Of corpo
raj punishment A dignifed teacher
who always sets good example. and VIII
makes his pupils feel that he loves them
and only seeks their improvement, cal
rarely need 10 punish at all, and can east
" touch a chord that will move even tn
worst child. II he will make the endeavoT