The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-12-01
Friday Morning, Dec. l, 1865.
School Discipline.

1t is q singular fact that scarcely one of the
admirers of self-government has thought d
applying it in schools In recent number Of
the Atlantic Monthly a very interesting ac-
count was given of Won Fellenberg's expert
ment at Hofwyl. An account of a somewhat
similar experiment in one of our city schools
may not be out of place. 2 oos
One morning, during recitation, the boys
of a certain school were asked: @What is the
government of this country we are speaking
of2' "a monarchy" sWhat is the govern.
ment of our own country?" IA republic. y
'sWhat is the government of our schoOlw "a
republic" mo" "What is it then, sir r?n "a
limited monarchy" ''Why we are not your
subjects, sir ?'' sYes you are," replied the
teacher, "your parents have delegated to me
certain powers, and you must obey my orders
as long as they see fit to leave you here
"Well, sir, but we don't like to be any ones
subjects; we prefer to be republicans" "Do
you think yourselves capable of self-goyern-
ment T @Yes sir" "Well, said the teacher,
III have no objection to trying you; but we
must go by degrees. / will try you at first
for one hour.n s'What, sir, won't you mark
us at all Tor anything we do?" mo; always
provided that you do not disturb the business
ofthe school, for that must go on" VERY well,
sir"
1t was tried for an hour, then for two hours,
then for day, then for week. At the end
of the week the boys were told, writes the
teacher, sthat was much gratified with their
power of self-government, and proposed as a
reward that we should go on Tuesday after
noon to the HarperS book-printing establish
ment; but, alasl ON Monday they received
two warnings, and were told that third dis
turbance would cause the downfall OF their re-
public. The warning was not needed; third
came-crash went the republic, and the old
monarchy was restored upon its ruins. - The
contrast was disagreeable. The free republi-
can of moment ago. who had been "a law un-
to himself,' was subject fcabin'd, cribbed,
confined his incomings and his outgoings not
ed, and all shortcomings carefully marked.
"One bright, opened-faced youngster soon
came up, however, and said: 1T isn't fair to
expect so much of us ON Monday, because it
comes right after Saturday and Sunday, and
it takes us some time to get into the school
ways again. Then you are not to be consid-
cred as capable Of selfgovernment unless you
can resist the influences of Monday as well as
all the other daysT yes, SIR We tried
again.. They succeeded in governing them
selves for the rest of the week and the Mon
day following. We went to the Harpers' es-
tablishment and enjoyed it. Then, however,
graver questions arose. s-
"If the boys were to govern themselves ac-
blICly tllSy nuSb ucCluc dUOut ctCiy ycJ
the lessons must be learned and recited, order
must be kept and the school work must go on.
To satisfy these different ideas it was agreed
that the teacher should be just as absolute as
before; that the boys should be marked for
conduct and lessons as before; prompt obedi-
ence should be required, and no discussions
allowed during school time; but at recess or
after school, any boy might appeal from any
one of the teachers decisions to jury Of
three boys, one chosen by himself, one by the
teacher and third by these two; and from
the decision of the jury there should be no ap-
peal The teacher writes: +, 81. =. a,s5...
"Ths seemed hazardous experiment, and
II was so Their virtue was not strong enough
at first to resist the temptation. The trouble
some boys appealed to have their conduct
marks cancelled, and the lazy boys to have
their recitation marks increased. Their COM
rades ON the juries obeyed their fellow-feeling
rather than their sense of Justice L protest
ed against many the decisions as outrageous
ly unjust, and warned them that continued in
justice would necessarily cause the downfall of
their republic. s.
81 submitted, however, to all the decisions
of the juries, waiting patiently for the tide to
turn and it did SO. I had previously prepar-
ed their minds for this state of things by con-
versations, the drift of which they had not
perceived. Their own consciences whispered
to them of their own injustice to one who
submitted while he protested, and the indus
trious boys began to see that the lazy fellows
were getting just as high marks as they were,
without the trouble of working for them. All
these causes combined to turn the tide My
patient submission to unjust decisions was
rewarded. i,.i.
"When the culprits grumbled at the jury
men who decided against them, could say to
fhayn with ,1,,afioY, (Protact If ohaOoa Iut
you must submit as did, '-.f -isi u faH3
sour experiment succeeded, and for seven
years our school has been thus governed.-
There is an appeal from every teacher to the
principal, and an appeal from him to three
jurymen, or judges, as they are more common
ly called" fSF8 .eTy
at has proved an admirable method of
training boys judgments, and in all cases
where Partially is charged, it has proved a
specific, for, when a boy is condemned by his
comrades also, all such charges fall to the
ground. Some very dron scenes have occur
red at these trials, and some curious develop
ments of character have been made.
"On one occasion six boys were on trial for
having detained another boy by force in the
play room. Our play room is large enough to
play base ball in, and several boys We're play
ing after school. Four o'clock came, and one
of the boys said he had orders to so home at
that time. His side had just been caught out
and the other side declared that he must stay,
and let them have their innings He resis-
ted, and they insisted, but finally let him CO.
Next morning my housekeeper told me that
there had been disturbance in the play-room; !;
that some Of the boys had been keeping anoth-
er thore against his will, and that he had
been crying good deal. She did not know
his name, but pointed him out to me. ask
ed him II he had any complaint to make
against any one? He said no, and. of course,
I did not press the matter. After prayers /
asked those who had forcibly detained Will
am ITO step forward. Six of them i'm
mediately did SO. l gave all parties notice to
appear before me at two O'clock The case
was regularly tried, and my decision was that
the six young gentlemen IN question were in
the wrong, and must be excluded from the
play-room for one week. ~ nga
aThey were dissatisfied and appealed. One
of the judges chosen was chunky, 'spunky'
fellow. Gardiner S., one of the best bows
in school. / happened to be standing behind
the Judges, as they took their seats opposite
the criminals, and was quite amused at hear
ing Gardiner say, laughingly, to brother
judge: Harry, do you think we can slick"
those fellows over there it we decide against
tdem?' They did decide against them, and
confirmed in all respects the decision of the
flower court" ea s. M ts2 iir
The correspondent from whose letter we
have taken this account, writes: "The
results ofour system, now tried for seven years
have been nothing but good, and / can cor
daily recommend this method of school gov
ernment to all who care to try it, cautioning
them at the same time very careful handing is
to ensure ccess,"-[Evening Post.
,r,,o Garden of Acclimatization, Paris, has