The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-11-28
Corporal Punishment in schools.

The nomination of a school committee in the
municipal caucus of the Republicans of Cam
bridge Monday evening, brought up the cues
tlon OF corporal punishment. Professor Acassiz
ald other distinguished gentlemen participated
IN the discussion. The following account of
the proceedings is condensed from the Boston
Advertisers report:
After the completion Of the munioinal nom-
nations, with the exception Of tbe school
committee, DIR. Morrill, offered the following
rctolution:
'ResotUed That it is the OF inion of this meet-
ing that corporal punishment Of girls should
pe apolshe9 III each and every public school
in this city"
DIR. Wyman advocated his resolution in n
speech OF considerable lengti, examining and
answering, the arguments Of the inyestigatino.
committee of the school board, in their report
sustaining the action Of the teachers ennaued in
the recent whipping ola school girl He obsery-
ed that until last April he was not aware tbat
a rule existed which authorized the infiiction
OF corporal punishment upon girls in the public
schoois III Cambridge. In Prussia such pun
isnment had been abolished tor a quarter of q
century, and in many of Our cities il had 80
long been unemployed that it was no longer "A
mooted question. The remarks Of DR.. Wyman
were heartily applautled.
His Honor Mayor Merrill opposed the reso-
luton. BE remarked that there never was
pubic maeter so grossly exaggerated and mis-
re resented as the whipping case in The All
ston school had been. Neither the Cambridre
newspapers nor the Boston newspapers had
correctly stated it. 1t was eeneratlv believed
that the girl was whipped foI Whispering
The fact was that she was whipped
for PERSISTENT, general insubordlnation. The
whipping might have been iniudicious. as he
believed il was; but il would not do to DISCHARGE
every officer for the commission of enc iniudi-
cious act
Mr.. Charles Foster, father of the yhJpped
girl, was the next speaker He charged tho
school committee with design to cover up the
action OF the teachers of the Allston school, BIZ
conducting the Investigation secretly.
Mr.. John Barber opposed the resolution, and
declared that tho censure bestowed upon tho
teachers and the school board were already
producing inSubortlination in the schools.
Professor Agassiz now took the platform,
amid great applause. He remarked that he
came forward with great reluctance. For
twenty years he had not taken part in publia
meeting; bat while matters so important were
under discussion, he could not reconcile il TO
his duty as an American citizen to sit STILL
tie would not at enrpt to argue this case for he
could only repeat what DIR. Wyman had so
beautifully uttered For forty wears he had
been Notwithstanding when he was four
teen years old-and he had never yet laid his
hand on child. IApplause] He believed
tnat when it became necessary to infict corpo-
raj punishment, it was an evidence that tho
teacher had lost his self-contro He paid q
high complinentto The teachers of Cambridge,
and remarked that many of them had too large
number OF pupils under their charge and tjie
number of teachers should therefore be
be increased He knew how much the public
schools had done for the freedom of the repub-
lie; but they were susceptible OF improvements
and he knew of no better place to begin that
improvement chan in Cambridge. The num-
Der OF studies in the pubic schools should be
SO increased as to fit the scholars for entrance
into the universities Thus might Cambridge
N T11ln tho inta1loafnol haa1 of
ty.
Professor WaShburnc declared his convic-
ton that the application of corporal punish
ment was prolific of evil. 1t could not be used
on young children without bunting their sensi-
bilities and lessoning their confidence in their
teachers and every one else; and no girl of
ten years old or upward could be whipped
without hardening or breaking her heart
Joshua Coffin, of Newburyport, immortalized
by Whittier, and a school teacher for forty
years. was rough in exterior and coarse in
manner, but he had heart as soft as girls,
and a clear head. The speaker remembered
him at teachers meeting where the subject
of corporal punishment was under discussion
Many of the teachers had advocated frequent
use OF it. Mr.. Coffin rose, and in about ten
words ended the debate and settled the ques-
ton. IF" said he, Il wanted to make boy
rascal, would treat him as if he was one
If wanted to make him manly, would trsat
him kindly and generously"
MIR. j. A. Thayer moved to amend the re-
solve, by striking out the words ''of girls" and
made brief speech in favor of his motiou.-
The motion was adopted with but one dissent
ing vote. Cries of "Put him out" "Send him
over to Master Roberts" were made when the
solitary "no" was given.
DIR. Wyman's resolution, as amended, was
then adopted by a nearly unanimous vote.
Z Mr. Zenas w. Bliss moved to nominate the
old school board.
Mr.. Thayer said the meeting had decided
against the rule and strap, and they should
now nominate board agreeing with them in
sentiment, aud let the opposition get up anoth-
er ticket il they desired to.
Mr. H. o. Houghton spoke Of the impoliey
of electing new board composed wholly of in
experienced men.
The vote OH the motion to nominate the old
board was taken by teliers, and the motion
was lost--l54 to 23S Great applause followed.
After considerable confusion, and several in
ehectual efforts to adjourn, it was voted, on
motion of Mr.. Merrill, that a committee of five
from each ward be appointed from the floor to
nominate board of school committee.
Several members of the committee, as hnaly
raised, declared themselves in favor OF the old
board and wished TO decline, but the meeting
refused consent
The committee retired vt II 1-2 O'clock, and
after half an hours consultation reported u
list which was adopted without opposition.
The hall was packed to its full capacity dur
ing the whole evening, and the meeting was
one of the most exciting ever held in CAM
bridge