The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1857-02-05
0ur puhIic Schools.

L
We have been favored with the following ,
resolutions adopted by the Board of Public
School Trustees, at a regular meeting, with a
request to publish them. The Trustees have
been induced to establish these rules for their
teachers in order that limited modicum Of
punishment, of the mildest possible form to
secure obedience and good government, might
be adopted and enforced, without injury to
the person Of the pupil or the sensibilities of
the parent. We learn from the Trustees that
these rules are adopted as an experiment,
with the hope that their operation will lead to
the entire abolition Of personal chastisement
in the schools. We think the better course
would have been to have made the reform en-
tire at once. and rely wholly upon the moral
sentiments Of the pupils which, where they
are at all cultivated at home, are sufficient to
enable the teacher to keep children under re-
straint at school. If corporal punishment be
permitted-which we do not approve-to be
effectual with those who need it, it must he
left to the discretion of the teacher; and to
prevent its abuse, the teacher must be held
strictly responsible, and dismissed at once for
any unnecessary cruelty. Any Intervention
of authority between the pupil and teacher,
vicious, and they alone are those who are to
be controlled by the fear Of castigation. Teach
ers must occupy the position Of parents while
exercising their authority, and must be cloth
ed with the power and discretion of parents,
and must be qualified in heart and mind to
fulfill the duties of parents to all under their
charge. We think corporal punishment had
better be abolished at once, and other means
of correction adopted, reserving expulsion FOL
the incorrigible.
The schools are in highly fourishing con-
dition, fulfilling all and more than the highest
hopes of their founders. TO the teachers and
managers, the public are indebted for rapid
intellectual and moral advancement Of tht
rising generation, that will soon be visible il
all the relations of life among Us:
At a regular meeting of the School Trus
tees of Evansville, the following rules wer
r unanimously adopted, and each prlncipa
teacher ordered to be furnished with a copy:
LIST. That no teacher in the Public Schoo
will be permitted to strike or punish any pup
} on the head, face or hands; and any tcache
Q violating this rule will he subject to dismissal
$ Amy scholar refusing to be punished other
wise, shall be forthwith expelled by tn
teacher, and the parent or guardian notified Q
: the cause Of expulsion.
g I'd. That the principal teachers Of all tn
O schools shall appoint monitors to report tn
: department Of scholars, in going out and re
turning from recess; also, monitors to repor
: the department of scholars during recess, an
II any scholar guilty OF improper conduct O
g treatment of other scholars, or using vulgar O
= profane language, shall be reported to tn
y teacher and by him or her corrected, and tn
scholars name and offence shall be read at TIL
q next public examination.
l. III. @. WHEELER,
al VIM. HUGHES,
p. HORNBROOK,
Trustees.
n Volksh nleaSe conv resolut;ons