Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1845-04-15
70. V.-No. 42.

As TO WHIPPING CHILDaEx--The fol
lowing passage from the London Spectator
forms part OF the remarks Of the editor up
on the trial of n schoolmaster for Excessive
correction. The whole disquisition take:
an enlightened view of the subject of pun
| lshment--a view which, we rejoice to think
is daily advancing in the public mind OF ou
country Cincin lati Atlas. .e.s
"We suspect not only that all corpora
punishment is very clumsey method at.
tempting to make up for past neglect on the
part Of the teacher, but that all
relributive punishment is bad. Its moral
meaning is not wholesome one; it estab-
fishes hostile relation between the teach
er and the ,augh int; justi6es violence, because
making use oft in one shape, confesses that
revenge may be sanctioned by its end -
and opens the door 10 a host of equivocal
constructions, besides the broad fac, that il
operates by dnt of exasperating, instead OF
controlling the passions, and some of the
poorest passions TOO. Perhaps the proper
distinction lies in the bearing Of correction,
not on a past act that cannot be recalled,
not on future acts that come witan the scope
OF choice; do not tell the mespasser that
you lntict hurt upon him for what cannot be
amended, but consrain him to abstain from
future evil. That constran may be imper-
alive without being violent; and if applied
betmes, itmust obviaie all question OF great
er force. The saying of Solomon, "lle
. that spareth the rod halelh the child" has
mise1 the superficial thinkers as much as
anything. If We take it literally, we do the
royal philosopher gross injustice, because
we suppose him TO be incapable of enter.
! taining all intellectual idea in itself higher
than form of expression, current at his
time.
In the maxim, "rod' stands for the prop
er discipline Of the child, we have oulgrown
the rod; but if we indoeutly or axly neg
lect and delay due regimen according to
that method which we have substituted for
the rod, ave hate the child" Let the
child iiom the earliest days, be compelled
to behave rightly, and that habit which is
stronger than nature will snperside all harsh
er CONSTANTS. The first error in any di.
rection is usually the effect of lnexperence
OF youthful ignorance; the second is
the effect ofsuceess; but an adverse expe-
rlence encountered from the first soon bends
the will TO the proper rule; for nothing 50
mortliies volition as uniform irustra.ion.-
Vigilance, perseverance, and that mild judg'
ment which makes the consiraint rather felt
than ostentallously or provokingly exhibited
are needed for this method of disci pine
that is 10 say, it needs the parental quail
ties. But every teacher is in loro PARENTS.
1t is true that the schoolmaster has TO deal
with confirmed bad habits, sprung up before
his influence came into play; his task is hard
er than that of the parent, who exercises
torethoughi, but the object is the same, and
to attain equal success the means should be
similar. ........
In this matter society might do much by
setting an example. The criminals of the
country are invelerale bad pupils, usually
most i'll taught; for the 'readng aud wr-
ting" of nominal statistics means nothing at
all. The system of discipline for maurer
tlespassers should be revised; the sanction
OF school t1ogging should be taken out oflhe
statute book; allsIocraic schools should
drop lazy and rude modes of keeping order,
and take the trouble TO he more efficient and
JudlcI"us; methods of enforcing discipline
should form primary part of The inquiries
and Instructions Of 'sta,e' model schools, or
schools pa'ronized by the state; and then
charity schoolmasters mi ght be held accoun-
able for undue seventies.