Wilmington daily commercial. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1866-1877, 1874-10-13

ton to every one present and ask them il the
loveliest and sweetest household was not
where the rod was unknown. He would carry
you TO households where the rod was used every
day, and there the child was more afraid Of the
parent than the rod. The child lives through
the mdness, gentleness; and kindness Of paren-
tai restraint. Iu our public schools there are
nearly one hundred teachers into whose hands
the rod ia put. (Some Of the members here said
only the principals whip, and these numbered
only seyenteen.) Put the rod into the hands Of
only few Of that humber and it might be better,
but in the hands OF 30 many, there must be great
deal OF unnecessary whipping done. Amongst such
large number, some must, according to the
general makeup Of society, be ill-natured and
not fit to govern children. Some people would
rather fight than be pleasant, and this might be
the case of some teachers amongst the large
number employed. He would never forgive nor
forget teacher in this town who used to beat
and whip him beyond all control of his passions.
You had better tear up the system by the roocs
than that an innocent child should be whipped
We have history and experience both against cor
poral punishment. DR.. Grimshaw and Mr.. Speak
man both old teachers are against IT,
New England except in Boston, had generally
abolished it, and New York had abolished. Any
teacher can govern school better by kindness
than by the lash. It cannot be conquered by
whipping. There are modes OF punishment
more eficacious than whipping.
Mr.. Pierce approved the retention OF corporal
who he said had not gone beyond proper bounds
He believed no teacher in the employ of the
Board would whip undeservedly.
Mr.. Vernon understood there were boys in
school that the teachers were afraid TO whip. IL
teacher can get along with those boys. without
whipping them, why can she not get along with
smaller boys without whipping them
Mr. Moore gave a sad statement OF boy in
No. 15 school who had made terrible threat
against his teacher, il she attempted to correct
III N In n
indscreet manner in which the cases Of alleged
severity were exaggerated, and the efficiency of
discipline thus lowered.
Mr. Hebley presumed that this question was
sprung upon the Board on account OF the whip
ping case Of two weeks ago, which was not half
as bad as reported. There were from 5000 to
1000 scholars in our public schools and out of
that number there had only been about three
cases Of severe whipping, in long period. This
certainly was q very fair showing in favor OF the
teachers. CA pretty sharp coloquy occurred
here between DR.. Grimshaw and Mr.. Zebley for
which the Doctor afterwards apologized.)
Mr.; Higgins thought the greatest kindnessc on
sisted in the greatest irmness. child's will
the will of the teacher. We are
talking in those days about
compulsory education to bring all children, even
the bad, into the schools, while the resolution
before us, il passed, wonld drive those who
most need training out.
Mr.. Frock also opposed the passage of the
resolution, in few well trained remarks, after
which the Yeas and Nays being called, the res
olntion was defeated by the following vote
Yeas-Messrs, Baird, Bird. Ferris, Grimshaw,
Heisler, Johnson, McIntire, Speakman, Vernon
and Woolley-10.
Nays-Messrs, Curry, Frock, Hassan Higgins,
II. M. Jenkins, Isaac j. Jenkins, Lynch, James
O. Morrow, W. j. Morrow, Moore, Palmer, Pierce,
Roberts, Zebley and Shortlidge,-15.
subsequently, on motion of II. M. Jenkins, a
rule was unanimously adopted requiring the
principal of each school to report monthly all
cases of corporal punishment, with its extent,
and the cause.