Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-02-26
EDUCATIONAL.
From the Illinois Teacher
Corporal Punishment.

At recent meeting of the Chicago Board of
Education, resolution was introduced recon-
mending that no girls shall be subjected to
corporal punishment" that " corporal punish
ment shall not be inflicted upon boys under ten
wears Of age 'and that, in all cases, sit shall be
inflicted by the Principal of the school" The
resolution was referred to the Committee on
Rules and Regulations, who rendered the follow
ing report
The subject of corporal punishment has long
occupied the attention OF educators and philan-
thropists 1t is indeed an ugly necessity,
and we admire the warm-hearted, manly feel
ing that shrinks from its execution and perpetra-
ton Yet it stands not alone as one of the evils
of an imperfect state Of society. Our jails,
prisons. penitentiaries, bridewells, and capital
punishment, lead us to sigh for the early coming
Of that dav when such restraints shall be no
longer needed. If the maintenance of authori-
ty IN our schools be a necessity, in some way this
necessity must be met Our rules only provide
for corporal punishment a last resort, never
to be allowed until the catalogue Of milder meas
ures shall have been all exhausted, and when ex-
hausted, where is theremedy? The cases are not
infrequent where parents who confess themselves
wholly unable to prevent viciousness and truancy
in their own children mplOre our teachers To exer
else more than . kind, firm and judicous'' treat
ment toward those whoare a sad rebuke to theirOwn
culpability in their carly training, and urge
those vigorous remedial measures, the absence Of
which led TO the old-time scriptural caution Of
" spare the rod and spoil the child" The re-
suit of parental inability at home, combined
with the abolition of corporal punishment at
school. would drive many bright intelligence
INTO an idle, vicious and yagrant life, which, un-
der proper restraint, would be an ornament to
society and many whose early steps could be
directed rightly by pure-mnded, loving and
conscientious teacher, without such restraint
would be let-to yield to the seductive influences Of
wicked associates, to find themselves, alas too
late, following in the paths of her whose steps
lead down to hell Indeed, the resort to this
method Of maintaining authority is becoming
more and more infrequent, and its abuse ex-
ceedingly rare ; and We believe with the School
Committee Of the City Of Cambridge, that q" If
the persistent agitation Of the subject could be
dispensed with, which We now defend upon ST.
milar grounds police regulation incident to
the impci ecjious Of society. it would gradually
diminish and finally disappear before the on
ward march ofthat true philanthropy and moral
principle which works by love- Your COM
uittee also believe that regulating distinction
between the sexes would be a measure neither
correct in morals nor called for by any physiolo-
eical requirements Injurious corporal punish
ment should uerer be inflicted. while the ex-
euntiou of girls and the punishment Of boys
.or precisely the same petty offences would tend
&. confuse the minds Of children in regard TO
moral distinctions. and would create a noeiless
addition 60 the already difficult task Of the pri-
mary teacher. These distincti Ms are not recog-
uilel In our schools the pupils mincle togeth-
er In the slme rooms, and the same classes
Human nature does not differ now materially
from It's development on that eyentful morning
when the fruit Of that forbidden tree, whose
mortal taste brought death into the world and
al o1r woe nor will il. doubtless. till that
other eyentfil dav proclsim, that time shall
Do. ma more -. and In. iis,irline held over the
.-. -t.,,1l fs ms as r,.rart =, restrain a.
.I,,. ,.o- tbs o,be-
y.r- committee t.ia,s further that the ever-
.-. - ,,eelsj i.-r,iire .5o,,II De-. airuini-tsr,l