The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-09-16
corporal punishmeu. in Schools.

/
i schools, 1t Is mattar Of interest to know
what action Is being taken by intelligen
school authorities elsewhere. The sub.
committee Of the Boston school board
which has been investigating the subjec
OF corporal punishment in the pubic
schools, has prepared q long report, III
which ground is taken infayor Of the i'm:
mediate and final abolishmentH Of such
punishment as a means Of discipline Ii
The public schools Of the city. Nobody
asserts or believes nowadays, the commit
tee remarks, that, corporal punishment Il
a desirable method OF stimulating the
brain. It's only advocated as means to
be used in the last resort, for the correc-
ton Of gross heedlessness or willlul disc.
bedience to authority Numerous expe-
dients are suggested which may be used
to prevent idleness and listlessness In the
school room, and, teachers are advised
that II Is their duty TO devise means oil this
sort. The, committee says: i .-ss
1.-THE moro stupid and indifferent the teacher,
resty 70 me toa brought ,ntS reqaisi
committee. therefore, arc Of tho unanimous opin.
ION that there 10 no one thing by which our
teachers can DO. better stimulated to good works
than by refusing permission TO use the ROD and
otherm eans Of Corporal Ipunishment, which the
yeriest dolt of pedagogue, or even monkey
could employ, and compelling tho teachers TO
enlarge their ideas on this subject Of discipline
In their schools, and not torego all tho resources
OF their intellects and affections to control ana
guide their pupils for that never-failng resource
or stupidity, indolence and Belf-conceit, the
wotd and The blow, and tho blow Arst.'
The committee argues that children
like adults, should not be summarily pun.
Iished for the ofenses they commit. Ten
chances to one the teacher is in q passion
when he infIicts punishment upon the Of
Tending pupil; in which case the commit
tee thinks 1t Is much as II the punishment
Tor street disorders were inflicted by in
.furiated policemen on the spot. II Is ar
gued that something OF the same Judicial
spirit with which oiienses against the law
ARD punished insthesco ashouldbensed
in the management OF schools. The pen.
atty Is to be carefully adjusted TO the
nature Of the otfense committed, and ad-
ministered with Goodness and candor
With such methods, 1t Is asserted, ninety
nine cases of miscpn, lnct out %! every 100
can be.successiully dealtwith. And then
comes tho hundredth case, in which kind
ness and fairness and Justice are all nm
awaiting, and scholar persists In dis
obedient and violent conduct 10 school, 4
In such case the committee points
out, that the proper way for the teacher
| Ia 10 call In the school committee 10. deal
with the pupil and warn his parents oil his
doings, Under no circumstances should
| the teacher be subjected TO the degrada-
ton Of whipping q pupil Thslast resort
for unruly scholars Ia the station-house.
| In the opinion Of the. committee VT Is
the better mode to train American citizens
lby teaching them, even ilchildhood, that
| obedience 10 Just and impartial authority.
| Is part Of their daily lie; That while 1t ID
not TO be enforced by, personal abuse nor
in anger, there 10 q power which sur
rounds us all old and young, like the at
mosphere which We breathe, which oan
never be successfully resisted or opposed
! that this power Is the result Of the embod'
led wisdom OF the best men Of allages
and Is the code Of laws under which we
live" There 10 another method, how-
ever, which the committe thinks may be
used TO advantage in large towns and cit
lies, viz the establishment OF one, or more
special schools, which truants and incor-
rigible pupils shall be compelled to attend
The committee enlarges on the degrad
ing influence OF the use Of the rod upor
the teachers themselves. That such al
influence Is likely to be exerted whereth.
rod Is freely used Is undeniable. NJ
doubt the majority Of our teachers woult
gladly be relieved oithc disagreeabl.
duty Of Furnishing refractory scholars
The custom Of in1ictipg severe corpora
I punishment, which often involves Q pitch
ed battle between the teacher and the pu
Dill, necessarily hsrdens and brutalizes tn
mind Of the former, as well as hurting III
body Of the latter.