Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-04-16
school Government and Corr
u pOrcal Punishment.

s"tO uPSn WIS iu pSssoua hS"e' s''se = 49,
q delicacy in discussing it
rejoice that the people of Prescott
are awakening on this subjest, and | am
satisfied that they will not rest until the
old, barbarous system of flagellation is
done away in this, socalled, christian
community. The only reason in my
mind, that it has prevailed so long, is
the same that induced the Dutchmao to
carry stone in one end of his bag to
mill, unless it be that mankind are by
nature disposed to govern, and govern
ment in their minds has consisted in the
application Of physical pain and they
cling to it as to some ancient family relic,
without. rejecting whether it is either
valuable or necessary. 81 r'
In Prescott, the moment a word is
limited against corporeal punishment as
necessary means Of school discipline, the
so called betterpart Of community are in
arms, and upon you at once, as disor-
ganizer, attacking the good order. the
long established, wholesome and necessa
ry rules of society, and setter up of
strange doctrines and they, in all other
respects good citizens, cling to this relic
of the barbarian age, with all the tenaci-
ty of desperate attorney. Teachers do
not appear willing to admit that there is
better way and they shut out al eff
forts at improvement and seek to retain
the right, and not improve the practice.
The truth, in my mind is, that ali
schools can be governed without the use
of the rod but every teacher cannot do
it, nor can every teacher govern the same
school. The oldest aud ablest teachers
tell us that they can, and have governed
schools for many years without the CAD.
In my judgment, those who are SO strong
ly in favor of corporal punishment, as
means of school discipline, think more of
retaining the right, than of doing their
duty.
The truth is, we do mot begin right !;
we do not reflect that like produces
ike'-that the in infiction of punish
ment often continues the necessity. We
begin at the wrong end to remedy the
evil We do not keep in mind the truth,
that the mind and will of children can
be moulded aud made to conform to al
moat any state of things by proper train
| ing. Reason tells us that we should cul-
tivate the good, the mild passions, and
not the bad for one or the other may
be made to prevail by cultivation. through
life. A child of mild temperament, of
good disposition, if he is continually
leased, and his angry and malicious pas
sions brought into action aud cultivated,
may be made hyeua, and there will be
a continual necessity for the inflction Of
corporal pain, to keep down or check
the growth of the fruits which We have
been cultivating. But it is said that
teachers do not have the first opportuni-
| ty for the training of children. This is
true. Children are generally, and often
unfortunately, with their parents until
bad passions and desires are matured by
example and cultivation. Then, if our
educationists, those who preach and have
the moulding of society, would turn their
attention and efforts to the correction
of the evil in these incipient, at home,
among the people of all classes, instead
of insisting upon the use Of the rod, be-
cause Solomon, as they say, did, they
would be beginning at the right end !;
would correct the evil they are trying to
whip out of children, after they have
been whipped in, and would in time
bring about lasting service to mankind,
| children 10 particular.
believe there are more little petty, ir-
ritating infections of corporal punish
ment in schools generally than many are
aware of. Whether it comes from the
fact that lazy teachers, uneultivated them
selves, find it less labor TO bit child
rap for some trifiing infraction of, per-
haps, arbitrary rules, than to adopt any
means to convince TIE child of the inn
propristy of the act, l will let others
more wise than myself determine. Al
though good degree of mechanical Or
der is generally maintained, especially
when visitors are present, still it is evil
don't that most of it may be attributed to
the fear of the rod, and in nine cases in
ten, teachers are regarded by their pu-
pills as coutemptible petty tyrants, pulled
up with the idea of being clothed with a
little "brief authority" destitute of the
feelings of humanity, and wholly unac-
quaintsd with the true principles of gev-