Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-03-09
CITY & NEWS ITEMS.
MORNING, MAR. 9, 1853
PLAIN AND oRNANIENTAI PRUNING

tLAlN AND OhNAM ENTAIL PhlNIlNG.-
e. Plain and Ornamental Printing of every descrpie
dono Printing Establishment of the Leader Office
the latest mprJ and steam presses in the
best style short notice. and reasonable rates Par
tcular attention paidtO blank work Every description
OF Binding done, especially Blank Books Ledgers Journ
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BOARD OF EDUcATIoN.-As it is desirable that
all our readers and the public generally should
have every opportunity of knowing the opinion of
the Board of Education upon the High School dis
eipline affair about which so much has been said
and written, we give below the complete report
which was presented to the Board and adopted by
them at their meeting on Monday night We re-
gret that trivial matter this has been, should
have gained such publicity and attracted SC much
attention. And we regret this, not especially for
the sake of the teacher particularly interested but
for the sake of the schools in general, and for the
credit of our city. We believe that it would have
been a wiser course to have suffered the temporary
nroad upon the usual quiet and order of the school
TO pass of-not unheeded, but privately. Still
when it had been discussed through the papers
and upon the street, it became the Board to thor
oughly examine the matter that the truth might be
known. This the members of the Board have done
and the examination has resulted in the following
Report which was crowded out of our yesterday
mornings issue:
The Board of Education, having fully examined
the charges preferred by G. W. Girty, Esq, against
Mr.. pgersoIl, of the Central High School, of hay.
ing, In an unmanly, cCwardly and wilfll manner,
whipped, beaten and abused his son Alfred without
any just cause or provocatiOn, adopt the following
as expressive Of their views upon the sane:
They have, in consequence of the unusual prom
nence, by publications and otherwise, given to
this matter, examined it with publicity and form
atty not usually given to such complaints
And, in this connection, they would deprecate
such an excitement Of public sentiment previous
TO the investigation of the matter by the authority
constituted by the public for that purpose, has
been produced in this case by newspaper arti-
cles and street reports They do not consider the
charges. as preferred by Mr.. Grty, to be sustain
ed by the testimony advanced. The weight of
evidence on both sides satisfies the Board that
there was at the outset on the part Of young
Girty, certain conduct and actions which bore the
appearance of, and might be understood to be, an
intentional attempt on his part to insult, and bring
contempt on his teacher Some of the pupils tes-
tify that it appeared TO, and was understood by
| them. The Board is satisfied that it was so con-
/ strued by Mr.. Ingersou Such is the character of
insulting and cOntemptuous manner and looks
they derive SO much of their character from sur
| rounding and antecedent circumstances-thl it is
difficult ifnot impossible, to define them by par
ticular descriptions and definitions A prudent and
reas enable teacher, at the time and place, and un-
der the circumstances in which they occur, is the
| best judge Of their character. The testimony still
nrther discloses that young Girty, Immediately af
/ ter the commencement Of the interference of the
teacher, used improper language and defiant and
| resisting manner towards him, and that the main
/ acts complained of occurred after such language
and manner, which acts in the opinion OF the Board
| resulted in consequence thereof And, while the
4 I'D hnraf a4a cor
sions in schools of the grade and character of the
High School, and, by their general regulations have
sought TO clothe the teachers, with such power as
to make them rarely if ever necessary; they never
theless regard it as fundamental principle without
which our schools cannot be sustained; that the au-
/ thority of the teacher should and must be main.
] tanned and Hheu teacher has publicly committed
himself to q course of action in the discipline of
pupil at the outset reasonable. in which the abso
| lutte question of authority becomes involved, al
though that course subsequently, in some particu-
lars might not be in accordance with our judgment
| of what we would in like circumstances have
adopted, the general good of the school, and the
permanent control Of the teacher, so depend upon
the successful maintenance of the teachers require
/ ment or course in the given case, that we cannot
condemn the teacher, though in the enforcement of
/ his requirements, unpleasant and unusual conse.
quences follow, from the resistance of the scholar,
or his refusal TO comply with the requirements In
that case, those unpleasant and Unusual consequen
ces must be charged 10 the conduct or the scholar
While the Board do not sustain the charges pre-
/ ferred against Mr.. IngersOll, they new reason
for the observance by teachers of the sautary rule
1 giving them power of summary suspension in ex-
i treme cases, which the Board have adopted, and
they hereby express their conviction, that it viii
in all ordinary cases be found complete and pref
cradle mode of discipline, (Mr Dennis here offered
the following amendment after the word discipline,
and which failed for the want of a second, would,
had it been observed by the teacher, have avoided
the unpleasant consequences which followed in this
particular ease,) but the Board would not have the
authority of the teacher so weakened by arbitrary
rule as to prevent in case of open and determined
| insubordinaton. any exercise of reasonable dis
cretion, as to the kind of discipline required. No
/ rules can meet all cases, and the exercise of
sound discretion must be left with the teacher or
salutary and efficient government is impossible.