American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-06-11
COMMUNICATED

CoRPoREAL PUNISHMENT. - UeSsrs. Editors
The Telegraph of the 9th contains an article in
which the writer advocates the negative of the
question, Ought corporeal punishment to be
entirely abolished in schools? ?" have no par
ticular desire to enter into a controversy with
your correspondent &C. )" but he has come into
the arena with so much confidence in the
strength of his position, and thrown the gaunt-
let SO directly at those who differ from him, that
silence on their part might be construed into
an acquiescence with his views. Having been
present at the discussion of the question, and
having heard the arguments adduced, both pro
| and con, / think am quite correct when | say
| that the words introduced so emphatically by
&C. " into his communication were not used by
the other side as arguments. | refer to the
terms "benevolence and humanity" Il do not
understand what the &c" stands for and
cannot say but that IL might represent some
statement designed as an argument.) The affr-
native on that question took decided stand,
and brought forward arguments to sustain them
in their positions. They started with the prop
osition, that "corporeal punishment in schools
is unnecessary and inexpedient:" 1st, because
there is nothing more directly calculated to bru-
talize the feelings of the child than this I'd,
because the nfiiction of corporeal punishment
upon his pupils detracts from the true diqnttU
of the teacher; Sd, because it is in opposition
to the spiru Of The age" 4th, because it often
fails to produce the end in view 9th, because
another and better alternative may be resort
ed to-
These, and such as these, were the grounds
on which the affirmative of the question was
advocated. Let us consider, briefly, the first
of these premises. Does hogging brutalze the
feelings of the child? The pupil never seats
himself, after he has been punished, without me-
that his excited feelings can invent This be-
lieve TO be the case universally for il Is human
nature; and my conviction is founded on the
experience and observation of twenty years
spent in the school-room, either in the capa-
city of pupil or teacher, Every person knows
the effect of repeated action The adage, that
"use becomes q second nature" is truer in
none of its applications than it is in this case.
The child, by frequent castigaton, becomes nc
customed to harbor feelings of resentment, and
this feature of his disposition is more and more
fully developed, until he is far more ready to
entertain feelings of hate for real or a sup
posed injury than he is to cherish those of
kindness and gratitude for q service or n bene-
fit Thus the warmer and more genial attributes
Of the human heart are merged into q cold mis-
anthropy, and those nobler qualities that might
otherwise have embellished the character of the
individual are completely suppressed.
The above hastily drawn sketch may perhaps
give your readers some idea Of the basis upon
which the affirmative argued their side of this
interesting question. In conclusion win only
add that / am teacher, and have conducted
my school of thirty-six boys, for FIVE months,
without having struck a boy; and know of
other schools in which the rod is not used.
The practical application of theory is the
best argument in its favor. IL. Il. w.
We have received a communication from &C."
which shall appear tomorrow.