The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1870-03-17
Punishment In School.

We have. been requested by friend to
publish the following extract from the
New York Weekly Tribune of Feb. o.
We do so, but must premise by saying
that while we subscribe to what is said
relative to striking children on the head,
we must protest against the spirit IN
which the article was written.
We do not believe that teachers as
class, are brutes, or that conspiracy ex.
lists among them to slaughter, MAIN, or
maltreat idiotic or other children. We
fear that our friend, in common WITH
many Others is possessed of the idea that
the teacher is public enemy. 1t seems
strange to US that in view of the imporz
lance of the teachers profession, he
should receive so little public support
and sympathy, and so much contnmely
and opposition.
Good order, is an essential feature OF
good school and this may be, and So
far as our knowledge extends, where It
exists, always IS obtained, in spite of
home opposition, with less than one-tentb
the amount of punishment, to which the
whole body of children comprising the
school, are subject, at home in the same
number of hours.
We think it high time for shoe-makers,
backsmiths, farmers, mechanics &c, to
make home application OF their PCT
theories Of governing children and when
they have succeeded in making their 0eOn
boys and girls, civil, quiet, studious, re-
sDectful and obedieDt, and this without
Furnishing. then they may have Gerry slight
grounds for claiming that teacher can
apply with success, the same theory to
school composed Of from thirty to Z fifty
other peoples children, who are under his
control but q fraction ola day, and but
five days ina week fETsFF@ E
We have never met really successful
teacher of long experience, who has not
found corporal punishment to be some
times necessary. But let US not be mis-
understood. Wesare not defending l5frl
tality, or unreasonable punishment. We
have observed that our most successful
teachers and those who maintain the best
orderin school do the. least amount of
furnishing. The followingis the extract
to which we have referred: tka
HOMICIDE IN School. THAT which we
have, with painful confidence, long an
ticipated, has come at last. In November
1869, in the Skinner School, in Chicago,
the teacher had a difficulty with a lad
named Willie Atkins This boy &C had
previously been affected with difficulty
in the head, and was therefore, entitled
to the patience and consideration OF the
teacher, who nevertheless undertook to
fog him. A struggle ensued, in the
course of which the boys head was struck
violently against a steam-pipe. Since
that time he has remained unconscious
and absolutely dumb, until, on the 2Sth
of last month, death came mercifully to
relieve him from present and future mis-
erv. This Is a plain case Of homicide
justifable, may be, by the maxim of Sol
ONION we may call it boy-slaughter III
the sixth or sixteenth degree, but it is
akilEng after all possible excavations
This question then arises How often
in the discipline ola school, will it BE-
necessary to kill a boy "a question Of
decided interest to parents, to guardians,
and to the public at large. How many
such murders viii Committees allow an
nualy To each school? In teaching Thu
Young idea how to shoot, how often will
it be necessary to finally extinguish tn,
Young idea, consigning it to cold obstruc
tica, and abandoning all chance of any
further shooting" altogether rsea
1t is a little strange that the head OF
a child, being that part for the caltiva
ton and development of which school
are said tn be established and MAINTAIN
ed. should be the very corporal locality
against which teachers appear to enter
tam peculiar spite-thnmping it, drum
ming on it, cutting it, aud treating 1T as
if the skUll were of cast iron riveted like
a steam-boiler, and not of bons still inba
PUPPY state. Upon this tender organ th'
passionate teacher advances with clenc
ed fist, with open palm, with the oak
feruie He declares war against the
naedulia 05longata /, he vents his spice
upon the cere5runo;. he smites ferociodAy
the csrebcILupa, just as if he were hired by
society to manufacture the largestnlmb
Of idiots in the smallest possible tim
H has so often declared the cranial cav
ty of his victim to be empty, and the
cranial walls to be disgracefully thick
tn be plays his tattoo and TeTeiueupe
the dome of thought as if it were Oh.
bottom of u tn kettle. Nothing is NOR
handy than the head. A boy cannot pr
it INTO his pocket, as he puts, his fist