Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-11-21

schools and school DiscfplIne.

|
cause humanity to shudder, that any of its
kind could possess hearts SO akin to that
which animated that arch prosecutor OF
little ones, Herod. And what makes it
more appallingis, that these teachers who
have beaten children under their charge
until they died in consequence, or have ter
rifed them, with threats of dark rooms,
into fits, death, or lunacy being the result,
are for the most part 1coDpen, Gods fair
ministers sent to teach man lesson OF gen
tleness, and to guide childhood in pleasant
ness and peace, upward to God.
Our present school system crowds mass
es of children Unfortunately together in
such numbers that no chance is left for
teacher to study the individual character
or disposition of those under her charge.
The consequence is, the weak and tImld
are treated to the same regimen as the
strong and bold; and no matter how will
ing the child may be, it's very timidity In
capaciate it from strife with those more
hardy, it is treated with the same rightly
of discipline as the most obstinate. Such
an amount of lessons must be learned and
recited, and the weary little head bends
over its task with fevered pulse and
throbbing heart, sitting back its tears and
vainly trying to grasp what, with little en-
couragement, its quick wit would compre-
bend at once.
Teachers have too frequently the mistak-
en- idea that it will not answer-that it will
create jealousies and miS-rule, &C., DC, to
make difference in the treatment of their
little pupils. tits not so. They must make
a difference, inasmuch as God himself has
stamped the difference on each human bud
he sends into the world.
Some hardy plants can stand the rude
discipline of our schools, as they are too
generally conducted; but the sensitive
shrinking ones, the younglingS of the flock,
wither and droop, and instead of expand
ing into life and vigor of mind and body,
as they should under instruction, waste
gradually away into premature decay.
This may not always be perceptble to
parents or guardians, but it is none the les
so, however slow the process; and to moth
ers of bright, delicate children, with brains
too large and active for the strength of the
body, we would say keep your little ones
out of the crowded school room, and teach
them at home.
Unfortunately for our rising generation,
| the good old custom of mothers inStructlng
their sons and daughters in the elements OF
| their school education has vanished with
too many other good things Mothers
| have no time in these days to devote to
| Al IL; ba n HrpUc
and other fashionable demands, have entire
ly superseded the mothers more holy pre-
negative.
The cry which says educate" is just
one, and should be heard. The system
practiced in our public schools, however, is
in many respects perniciouS one, more
| calculated to crush out the physical health
and mental ability Of its pupils, than to
benefit either. The hours of mental study
are too many, and too little interrupted by
hours of relaxation. Too little attention
is paid to physical culture; the sitting on
hard forms, in an upright posture, so large
part of the day, with SO little care and
time given to strengthening gymnastic exer-
else, is enough of itself to break the con-
stitution of any child, and sow the seeds of
incurable disease, where should be only
vigor and radiant health.
Then, too, the rooms of our schools are
too crowded, and, with the best ventilation
they can have, too badly ventilated for the
demand of the hundreds of growing beings
that are compelled to breathe over and
over again each others stale exhalationS,
until weakness and disease ensue.
These are among the evils of our present
school system But not to enlarge upon
them, or to repeat that every mother who
is able, or who values the future veal of her
child should have it educated under her
own eye, we copy the letter of Mr.. Harri-
son, of Troy, concerning his little daughter
who now lies i'll of her recent fright at
school.
This letter is fair statement, and must
appeal to every mothers heart that is not
deadened by fashions servitude +.
To the Editor Of the Troy Daily Times:
SIR-The case of my little girl Clary Harri
son, who now lies in a critical situation, on
bed of sickness, having been made public
Qhrough no agency of mine) by the city press,
deem 1t my duty to state the true facts OF
the case.
And to begin-I will state that some months
since, a teacher in the Eighth Ward School
attempted to punish Clara for alleged whisper
| ing, by making her sit with the boys-saying
| to the child that she must stay with them aud
go out of the school with them, and otherwise
censuring her so as to produce great fright
Clara came home weeping bitterly, had fits
during the night, and was sick for some two
weeks. then called on the Principal Of the
School, informing her of the circumstances,
and explaining that the child's temperament
was Of that sensitive nature that could not
bear severity; that in future, | desired that
word should be sent me when Clara failed to
comply with the rules Of the school, or to get
her lessons properly, and would see that all
was made right. | received the assurance
that my request would be cheerfully complied
with.
As has been stated in the Times, my little
girl came home from school on Wednesday
evening week, after five O'clock happening
20 be home at the time-and | was at once
SHOCKED with her pale and languid appear
snce. She trembled, and was hardly able to
speak. This was about an hour after the dis
nssal Of school. We pacifed her after time,
so as TO converse with the child. In answer
to inquiries, she said the teacher Miss GilberO
had shut her up for not getting her geography
lesson, and threatened to keep her locked up
all night She asked me if would not help
her TO get the lesson, for if she did not have
it perfect in the morning, Miss Gilbert said she
would lock her up all day. promised to as
sist her, and requested her TO take her SUPPER
She refused, we soon aseert4iued that she was
very IL aud in an hour or so the child commenced
bleeding severely at her mouth and nose: her mind
wandered and she has dwelt almost entirely upon