Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-06-19

time the fact Of their being within nv reach had
good enecti but soon the loud talking and whis-
pering Were resumed, and I called two Of the
noisy boys to my desk and requested each of
them to take one of the blocks between his teeth,
which they did without the least hesitation: but
mas did not prop thsir mouths opSn ~
w. Wnen asked II they could remain quiet were
Tue gags" removed, they assented and were
dismissed to their seats leaving the horrid things
on my desk. have since punished the same two
boys in like manner, and besides them, seven
DINERS, whom could name IL II were at all i'm
portant and worse than all, " il is still kept up -
III understand Mr.. Hyde's communication he
does not assert that the punishment was restrict
ed TO any two children, but signifies that the first
ofence grew out Of the fact that two of the chill
dren had been punished for talking by the ap-
plication of the " little pieces of clean pine
wood" and that exaggerated accounts thereof
having been taken to the parents of those thus
outraged, as well as of some who had only been
threatened with the terrible gag they had been
removed from the school. In one instance a girl
ieft on wednesday and returned the following
r nday. positively not at the solicitation of any
teacher, nor with any word of assurance that the
gag should be no more inflicted, for that promise
will not be given by those teachers who have
used II, unless at the instance of the Board Of
Guardians who are freemen and gentlemen, and
the only proper persons to interfere in the matter
rms return case occurred in the Senior Female
school, and though had reported to the teachers
my success in thus securing silence, ! was not
aware that they Were using the horrible monsters
or that we were the subjects of a "town talkr
On the dav in which the cards of merit were
awarded, all the schools. the principals assist
ant teachers, two of the guardians, and a emile
man interested in the progress of the schools
were assembled and then the principal of the
female department expressed wish that those
gentlemen would signify their approval or dsap-
prevail of the new mode of punishment. a little
girl being called forward TO show the manner i'm
which 1t had been inflicted they unanimously
pronounced IL harmless, but left 1t to the schools
to determine which they would prefer that or
" the strap one or the other being indispensa-
bic, at times In order to enforce observance Of the
rules. The female and the Junior male pupils
decided in favor of the ''gag'i with all its hor-
rors; the senior male members preferred the
strap. One reason why their principal did not
act In favor of the gag law, is, surmise that he
Is possessed of sufficient experience as teacher of
public school, to know when to keep out of a
g hornets nest" as presume he has been stung
by some busy body's vile SANDERS and is doubt,
less glad to have escaped the present; though he
really approves the new invention, and on one
occasion told me that he intended to use it, He
could give other reasons why it is not carried
into his school, could ], but that is not my
purpose.
Any unprejudiced person, with an ounce of
common sense, who will become acquainted with
and believe the truth, must admit that there is no
harm in ii whatever: and though no one con-
nected with the schools denies that such mode
of punishment is resOrted to, yet il is vile cal
umny to assert that there was either cruelty or
inhumanity practised in the use of it.
A. JEWELL. Assistant Teacher
in Georgetown School.
Georgetown, June II, 1857.