, 1873-08-17
Children Oan Be Managed Success
fully Without tho Use
Of the Rod,
Interesting Facts and Figures Bearing
on the Subject.


SOURCES:
At tho beginning Of tho school-yoar that Las
lust oloaod tho Superintendent won't boforo tho
Chicago Toachors' Institute, comprising moro
than GOO teachcre, and told them ho wished
them to SEQ what conld DO dono during the year
without corporal punishment Most OF The
toaclore took hold OF tho mattor roady, Tor it
was Optional with thcm MI to carry on tho dis
clplino Of thosr olasses with or without tts
use, thsro being no rule forbldding 1t.
A fow expressed regrot al tho step,and predicted
failure. At this first moetiug many toachers anx-
iously inquired what they should do with lazy
and dieobedlont pupils. Tho Superintendent ro-
piled by simply telling thom what they must not
do. They muss not keep pupils after school.
houra; must not doprivo them Of their recoss;
must not mako them Tho subjects Of ridiculo be-
fore their matoa; must not use any mcans TINT
will tond to irritate OF annoy tho children. Tic
teachers generally wondered what they could do
with disordor1y pupils. But thoy were simply
informed that tho old ways wero to bo abandon
cd. and It was loft with the tohchorH themselves
to find methods Of preserving good order With
out tho uso Of my OF tho old-time punish
mcuts. Tho toachcra went to work tp-
On The now platform, with $4,000
Children on their hands, and Will, nothing i'll tho
shape of n weapon Of dofonse o1cops tho simple
power of writing note, Of suspension and send-
Ing MI ungoyerilab1e child to tlle Superintendent.
Dnt this power Homo of tho toaoherH began to
uup worry freely. Those teachers, especially,
who bohoyol in tho Il relic Of barbnrisn,," and
Ind no confidence In tho succoas Of tho export
tnent, sent thor refractory pupils to tho Supor-
iutonlent for tho Blightest otronso. Ono school,
which suspended only yingle pupil tho yonr
boforo, suspended forty-Hovon during tho anti.
corporal punishment ycar.; anothor Increased
auto ftNv1 n f7tt+f fnnF1
IN some schools, however, thoro was an actual
docreaso OF suspensions aB compared with the
preceding year. Tho total number Of aua-
ronaions for the cntiro year was Gil, against 2l7
Tor tho preceding yoar, when suspension WINS
e,,l,p]omout ted will corporal punishment.
Al tho commencement OF tile year nothing
was snil to tho pupils about the now policy but
it soon dawuod upon thom tint corporal punish
ps began to test tho suspension rulo pretty
rcnorally, nB ia apparent from tho BuBpouAionn.
in September, tho first mouth Of tho yoar, there
wore 90; October eo NoyembeT VI ,I9s psc9m Sn
whilo in May aud June, tho lust months OF tho
wear. tile monthly suspensions fell to 35, mud,
finally, 10 20,-a smaller number shan for tho
antecodent years, whom corporal punishment was
In yorue, Tho blttlo was fought aud won dur
Ing tic winter mouths by tho tcaohors, tho Su-
perintendont, and the patrons of tho school,
combined.
The mode of working has bcen about Us fol-
ward md disobediont, tho parents or guardians
7ycro sent for by tho teacher. II they did not
ro1no, tho child was suspended; il tl,oy did, tho
plenBeB Of tho pupil wero rehearaod in the
prcseuco Of tho child, ind tho alternative an
nouuced of reform or susponaiop., ,Frcquently,
at such interviews, tho pnrontH would say, Why
don't you punish my ohlid, aud settle the mattor
in school, md not bothcr me with tho caso 7"
The invariahlo answer was, "That Is not our
yo1lr Children" Usually, aftor snch interviews,
fhoro was visible reform on tho part Of tho pupil
But, if no reform followed, the child WAS sus-
pended, and was not restored by the
with tho parents; and then, in bad cases, was
only restored on trial, tho teachor to report hie
conduct to headquarters after tho expiration oi
r. wook. In this way mort OF those who wore
restored became good md orderly pupils. On
tlis subioot the Superintendent ut tho lust meet.
luz Of the Board Of Education reported:
S1y attention las been called to tho character Of
o0enses against good orasr - tho sclool-roam aud
si'eo Il eonnuod hoshssness xhout u IL ncsse t
oSas sos3 e. s ap the rups vii % sssss
will Of tho teacher; about SO per cent aro tho resul
seusiincnt. Not fsr from IS per cent Of thoa
suspended, tho majority Of whom esmo unde
thu lust head DO not seok restoration 70 school OF h
by tic process Of suvronson, and remain orrliuar
obodient Tho remaining PER cont arc soon, Of ne
~,
lion. II tho teacher gives such tho time ncclod 70
Who havo right to her ca1o aud lnstrncton. ri
iuuans uBod in their discipline cnnnot ho oven tndi
rsc.!y hensen1 to 9 ohes pps,: Furlss than his
rather than hop to tho claas. They are very ofte
quite Irregular in attendance. aud do not pasa alo,l
nu education, and they should not 10 turned upon til
Ereea 50 long there IS hope Of making them better
and the school authorities should not fail to uso over
Iur0u9 in tlctF to RETURN them. IN TINT Il,
ucans used do not conflict with tho good of others
TO meet theBe caHes, tho Superintendent pre-
poses the establishment Of central ungradc
school, which shall be in tho nature OF roforr
school, to which all tho hard casoa shall 10 sent
The Superintendent, in Lis forthcoming re
port, will discuss several important questions
regard to the matter involving tho efficiency q
undsr tho now rule. Ho will show Tint III
scloolB, judged by tho promotions, exhibit IN &C
va.lcomont during tho past year considerabl
moro rapid than for any ,preacodiug year. II
ciled inereaan In tho promotions from grade t
grade. Tho suBpcnHionB, with corporal puuial
mont, have beon ono each day for every IL, ,0U
pupils;. the suspensions tor tho past .yoar we,
ono each day for oyory $500 pupils. Tho nyo
oyety $4,000 pupils.
Tho Superintendent rniBos t]loso questions /
his Forthcoming report, and proceeds to answt
tllom Ia detail:
J. lave NOT tehClrtg rEsoftea to Btbst1tlltaa Il
corporal punishment that hnyp been worse III the
tendency than the nao Ut tho rod
,. Nxs not tho spirit Of nsuborl1nat1on largely Ii
creased?
.. Have notteachcrs been aubtectod to aoe very tn
hulet Spirits whcl they havo been compelled to bea
AuH, III bearing, to loso heir control Ut pupils?
4. Have you not oil tho WHOLE gonu backward
tho matter OF quiet order aud prompt aud chcorf
obu.lienco?
Question No. I is answered omphatIcal]y in tt
negative. There aso fowor substitutes tbau wle
corporal punishment waa allowed. Teacher
lavo discarded oil tricks, mud have planted thou
EelyeB IN higher ground.
III answering tie second question, tho supo
inton0ent has classified tito oiIo1iaes for wllic
HuspenRion was applied aH corrosive last yen
us ioll0wg
/: All cases OF continued thoughtfcsHness ~itho
~!llfut tntcnt.
2. Al casts Of persistent, willfnl disoheaienco.
.. CaaDd Ut El0pnt md paastuItta coltlllnt, Huch
IN older roraons would subject tho orcnder to Grim
nal prosecution before thu EoErts
I. Cnsos Of SECOND or third anspensons.
i,}p 11u uuitf ffor II.