Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-09-12


AS our school board has been for some time
moving in the direction Of the abolition Of cor
poral punishment in our schools il is q matter
OF interest to know what action Is being taken
By intelligent school authorities elsewhere.
The sub committee OF the Boston school board,
which has been investigating the subject of
corporal punishment in the public schools, has
prepared q long report, In which ground Is
taken in favor Of the immediate and final abol-
ishment of such punishment a. q means Of dis
cipline in the public schools Of the city. No
body asserts or believes, nowadays, the com.
mittee remarks, that corporal punishment Is
desirable method of stimulating the brain. 1t
Is only advocated as a means to be used in the
last resort for the correction OF gross needless
ness or willful disobedience to authority. Nu-
merous expedients are suggested which may be
used to prevent idleness and listlessness in the
school room, and teachers are advised that 1t is
their duty to devise means Of this sort. The
committee says:
"The more stupid and Indifferent the teacher,
the more readily is the rod brought into requi-
sition, IL its use Is permitted in our schools.
Your committee, therefore, are Of the unani-
nous opinion that there Is no one thing by
good works than by refusing permission to use
the rod and other means OF corporal punish
ment, which the veriest dolt Of q pedagogus, or
the teachers to enlarge their ideas on this sub
ject Of discipline in their schools and not forego
all the resources of their intellects and affec-
tons to control and guide their pupils for that
neyer-failing resource of stupidity, Incidence
and self-ccnceit, "the word and the blow, and
the blow first"
The committee argues that children, like
adults, should not be summarily punished for
the otfenses they commit. Ten chances TO one
the teacher is in passion when he infiicts pun
ishment upon the offending pupil; in which
case, the committee thinks 1t Is much as If the
punishment for street disorders were inflicted
by Infatuated policemen on the spot. 1t Is
argued that something of the same judicial
spirit with which offenses against the law are
punished in the courts should be used in the
management Of the schools. The penalty Is to
be carefully adjusted to the nature Of the
offense committed, and administered with cool
ness and candor. With such methods, 1t Is
asserted, ninety nine cases of misconduct out of
every 100 can be successfully dealt with. And
then comes the hundredth case, in which kind
ness andfairness and justice are all unavailing,
and a scholar persists in disobedient and violent
conduct in school.
In such case the committee points out, that
the proper way for the teacher Is to call in the
school committee to deal with the pupil and
warn his parents of his doings. Under no cir
cumstances should the teacher be subjected to
the degradation Of whipping pupil. The last
resort for unruly scholars Is the station-house.
In the opinion of the committee 'sit is the better
mode to train American citizens by teaching
them, even in childhood, that obedience to Just
and impartial authority is part of their daily
lfe that while it is not to be enforced by person.
al abuse nor in anger, there is a power which
surrounds us all, old and young, like the atmos-
phere which we breathe, which can never be
successfully resisted or opposed; that this power
d the result of the embodied wisdom OF the best
men of all ages, and is the code of laws under
which We live" There is another method, how
ever, which the committee thinks may be used
to advantage in large towns and cities, viz: the
establishment Of one or more special schools,
which truants and incorrigible pupils shall be
compelled to attend.
The committee enlarges on the degrading
influence of the use of the rod upon the teachers
themselves. That such an influence is likely to
be exerted where the rod Is freely used is I'M
deniable. No doubt the majority of our teach
ers would gladly be relieved of the disagreeaole
duty Of Furnishing refractory scholars. The Gus.
tom Of inficting severe corporal punishment,
which often involves pitched battle between
the teacher and the pupil, necessarily hardens
and brutalizes the mind Of the former, as well
as hurting the body Of the latter.