Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-02-26
Common Schools.
A Lesson for the I'hOughtful.

The Smith School in Boston, composed exclusively
of Colored Children, was taught for many years prev-
GUS to August last bya man who believed it mpos-
sbe to secure the obedience of his Scholars without
constant and vigorous use of the ferrule and other
kindred appliances. According to his faith were h S
works. he logged the children most thoroughly on the
slightest ovoCatlon-sOmetmes by blows on their
heads with his hand or fist, sometimes with errue,
and occasionally with the bastnado applied to their
backs or feet, according to his humor. We believe it
was never doubted that he made full proof of all the
lnstrumentalitles known to the Science of Flogging
for the purpose of keeping his School in ORDER Dll-
ring the latter portion of the period above alluded to
we have understood that he mingled his loggngs
wife prayers and much pous counsel. But in spite of
all these means of enforcing obedience the School
grew worse apace the children appeared to love
fighting better than study, and engaged in the
former quite often in the latter, and that too in
the School-room The Scholars complained of abuse
and the Parents besought the proper authority for
change of masters. An investigation took place, and
strange to say, the Teacher did not lack defenders
Christian men were not wanting who declared that
without hogging it would be impossible to govern any
School, least of all one composed of Coored Children.
Like the old woman who protested that to take away
her total depravity would be to destroy her religion
they commended that to put aside the fenue and the
bastinado would be sure to bring nothing but Chaos
The cruelties of the Master underwent whitewasI-
ing from the Committee of Investigation, and the
hearts of Parents and Children were ready to sink
with despair They persevered, however, till at length
the obnoxious Teacher was removed.
Then came up the question who should take this
School, confessedy the worst in Boston. The place
was solicited by young man in whose heart was an
a-prevadng faith in the power of Kindness to control
the wayward and the disobedient So strong was his
conviction that Good was mightier than Evil that he
sought place in this School rather than any other
because it universally regarded as the worst in
the City, and he wished the experiment of governing
Children by the power of Love to be tried under cir
cumstances which would serve to make the result as
impressive possible. 1t was in August last that
MIR. .4mCrOSe Wellington, the young man to whom we
allude entered the School its teacher. Not one of
has scholars has he struck bo,O from that day to The
present. By those gentle means only which are in
strict conformity to his grand idea of Moral Influence
in distinction from Physical Force, has he sought to
control the actions of those under his charge And
what has been the result? In the first place his kind
ness won for him the warm affection and confidence
of his Scholars and when these had been secured the
great obstacle to the complete success of his exper
ment was removed. The fights and brawls which
were common under the old system grew less and less
frequent, the Children gradually acquired better
control of their passions till at length healthy senti-
ment in favor of good order and diligence in study
pervaded the School. The hardest boys were subdu-
ed to genteness by the forbearance of their Teacher
and won to the path of yrtuous emulation by his deep
interest in their welfare The change in the aspect
Of the School is said by those whohave witnessed it to
20 wonderful indeed.-M Y Tribune.