Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-03-24
For the Chronicle.
C0P0REAL PUNISHMENT IN
SCHOOL.

Nsssrs Editors:-As there has been
50 much said of late upon this subject,
and more especially by our friend ]. D.
Kennedy, cf Pennington, who SAYS,
schools cannot be well governed without
the use of the Rod. Now as | have
been an old school teacher for years and l.
never yet was obliged to use the rod TO
govern the most stubborn heart, therefore
do believe, in all candor, there is way to-
get along without if. If it did not con-
flict with my practice and belief so much
and give wrong impression 10 the world;
| should not have said one word through
the press at this time. believe | speak
the sentiments of school teachers gener-
ally throughout this county, when
say it is of no use. Moral suasion can
govern. 1t has in this, and | believe it
can in Trumbull County. | remember
well of teaching school once in 1857,
on the Farmington line where the "Rod
Teachers" had tried it successfully for
three winters, and had failed, and | had
no trouble in keeping then a good school.
These are the schools seek for, and viii
govern and have gsOd order, or none. Go
to every school have taught in Geauga,,
Lake, Ashtabula or Trumbull County, if
you please and youwill find the esame result,
with the greatest satisfaction given, and
a good school. Teachers fail of UNDER
standing human nature. This well under
stood, and upon my word you can mould
the mind TO your control, as the potter
does the clay. Times have changed, and
so h1ve the opinions of men. Go back if
you please TO heather times, and then
the rod was used. The "5lus laacs' of
Old Conn.,, were founded upon the rod
principle; this was my native State. Bus
where are they now? gone! gone! % be
used no more.
And 20 it is with the "Old Mosaic
Law" Christ, the greatest teacher on
earth, would do away with the Rod, and
Capital punishment, and he established
Moral .Suasion. He says, "Ye have heard
that it hath been said, 'An eye for an eye.
and tooth for tooih,' but i say unto
you, That ye resist not evil" Such doc
trines, as life for life, or blow for blow,
by the use of the rod or gallows, are evil,
and that continually. Again, "Let your
communications be Yea, Yea; Nay, Nay;
for whatsoever is more than these, COM
eth Of evil" Here you have in nut
shell, the Young America handed down
by Christ himself, for US 10 initiate. If
we use the rod we commit an evil, be-
cause it is more than Yea, Yea; and Nay
Nay. Again, we once was taught to OBJ
serve the Moon in planting all seeds, bus
now nature and experience tell US plant
in the soil. well recollect the same was
observed in killing hogs, and neighbors
would go miles 10 borrow an os cart. TO
hang the hogs upon the tongue, when
dressed, to make the pork spend well !
Now these, with many others Of the
like, are whimsical and foolish IDEAS
Let every man and woman abandon them
and come upon the platform Of improve
ment and reform, use moral suasiou and
be wiser and better in future. You
can govern children if you commence
right Get their good viii, ,,and then lhera
is no trouble. Make human nature your
study, aud not depend upon the rod. it :
viii be better by far, in obtaining your
object. You can swim without the aid of
a plank or board, but new beginners viii
use them for fear of what may happen,
and so il is with the teachers. they for
fear of what may happen viii use the
rod. Yours truly, E. L. GIBBS.
OswELL, Feb. 20th, 1858.