National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-01-14
CORPORAL PUNISHMENT.

CORPORAL PUNISHMENT
WHAT THE BOARD OF SCHOOL TRUs
TEES THINK ABOUT IT.
DECISION THAT 1T SHALL NOT BE ABoL
ISHED-MoNTHLY REPORT OF sUPERIN
PENDENT wILSON-GOOD SHOWING FOT
BOTH PUPILS AND TEACHERs-TRANsAe
TON OF GENERAL AND IMPORTANT
BUSINESS.
Last night the board of school trustees Of tn
ity held . meeting at Franklin school building
which was largely attended. Mr.. Richards, pres
dent of the board, occupied the chair. The jour
,al of the preceding meeting having been read
he monthly reports Of teachers were handed II
and fled.
An application for position OF teacher by Mis-
len Ssh'' SMITH, u -' -
reques. was received from the Potomac Nat
uralist Society for room in the Franklin build
Ag In which 10 place specimens for exhibition
Che communication was referred to . sub-commit
Tee from the First district. -.-.-
ihe First district, recommending the following
transfers from the acting to the permanent list
snsa m hay,e G. Mses
Fannie @. Snyder, and Annie n. Dutton. The
transfer was ordered. -.-#
Mr.. French, from the Second district, recon-
armed a. permanent teachers: Maggie E Forbes,
Mary K. 0'Brien, and Lizzie A. Scott. The 70.
NJ. Alice, from the Fourth district, recon-
nended the transfer Of the following acting teach
ne to the permanent list, and Il was 30 ordered:
H;ngsis A PrnRhreys' Martha Barnes and Cath
MI woodward, from the Third district, recon.
sended Emma L Bond, Carrie z. Rclss, Susie E
p0rt and lxAo DIAL ~r>A t1x~r~
Armed as permanent teachers.
MI. Ohsmtlin, from committee on text book,
,fered resolution adopting Franklin's Third
md Fourth Readers fer use in the public scho0lA
After remarks by several Of the trustees, Su-
,erintendent Wilson stated that these readers
Sd been 6y many Of ths best
Mr.. o'Driscoli objected to the adoption Of these
,ands Of the several trustees Of this board for e1
animation, and the resolution was laid over till
The superintendent submitted the following re-
sort Of schools for December: -. o..
THE MONTHLY REPORT. . a.s RI
Number Of pupils on the rolls the last day OF
he month, 1876; decrease for the month, g.
Whole nsmber of pupils enrolled during the
month, s,074; average number of pupils enrolled
turing the month, 1876; average number Of pupils
n daily attendance during the month, Il ass.
eeons 49, Th9d sen Fe sae tIei
First district, IL; Second, g.; Third, etotal,
q Tis s. F saS fEss SiT 81
average number Of pupils in each school in the
First district co. Second So s. Third So Fourth,
.nee n the First district, 81; Second, Ss.i Third,
rs; Fourth, 9Ae-ayerage percentage, el2. Num-
Der of cases Of hardness in the First district 81;
lrease for the month, 4s Number Of. cases Of
presence at roll call, Isl 400. Percentage Of tar
illness, ola Number Of cases Of corporal pun
J. Decrease for the month, l. Number Of pupils
dismissed in the First districts Second 2 Third
.; Fourth, Total, 20 Number Of pupils sus
\; Fourth, ttotal. 81. Number of INDECENT
pupils furnished with books in the First Dis
Visits Of trustees n the Frst District
Second, Sas; Third, l56; Fourth, 159-total, TO.
Number of visits of superintendent, 29l.
IN the proposed striking out Of the rule requiring
accounts to be presented to the board Of trustees
The report was adopted and the present system
y presenting and considering accounts against
The same committee presented q lengthy re-
port on the change proposed by Trustee Wilson,
PROHIBITING CORPORAL PUNISHMENT.
The report stated that the committee cannot
Dot sometimes necessary, and that the proper i'd
of it may not result in the best in
,erest of the pupil punished. That punishment is
ieachers when it might be avoided the COMMITTEES
Toes not attempt to gainsay, but it cannot admit
hat it should be absolutely and entirely pro-
Aibited.
A comparison was drawn between the early |
srrors in the practice Of law and of medicine, as
seing alike unsatisfactory with those of the in
ihese that the most brilliant and reliable In all
;hese professions in after years are attained. So
ong as it is necessary to employ novitiates in |
q the schools, We must expect and permit skill,
Iuccess and efficiency to be earned through the |
light Of experience at the sacrifice Of much that
3 desirable, and which our judgment condemns.
The effect Of prohibition of corporal punishment |
N the vicious and fncorrigible pupils would be |
The committee
hould be inflicted only in cases where every other
mode of redress fails; in some cases
hat the prohibition Of Corporal punishment prOp
'rly administered should not be admitted or
The report was signed by President Richards,
Trustees Champlin, Roesser and Dulin.
Mr.. Wilson made an able speech in defence Of /
lis proposed change, showing conclusively, BY
administered by young and inexperienced teach /
RS. He urged that whipping in the schools is be-
lind the spirit of the age, and We must soon out
many of our larger cities. In Philadelphia they
nly allow it in the primary schools where, Of all
thers, it should be forbidden. To show that It is
he result of inexpeffence almost entirely, Mr..
Wilson stated that in ISL there were I'm this city
90 cases Of corporal punishment, in 1871 14S, and
n 1873 152, performed by teachers Of only one
.erience there were 2s7, 50 and 30 cases during
he same three years. In 1871 IS 6-lO per cent. Of
he whipping done in our schools was by teachers
less than four years experience who had not
ct become wise enough and good enough to
KNOW HOW TO TEACH.
In ISL one teacher whipped sixty times; in
BIZ the same teacher whipped only three times,
md in 1873 only five times In the same years |
mother teacher whipped thirty -three thirty, and
sx-nINF Aaa cft rnfh has,
whipped thirty mine times in 1871, none in 1872,
nd three times in 1873 Another whipped four
cen times, none, and four times in the same
ears. During all these years there were thirty
wo teachers who never whipped at all.
In the eight Grammar schools there were but
wo cases Of corporal punishment in ISL, and both
" one teacher. In 1872 there were no cases of
enlistment in these schools. and in 1873 there
Fere only two cases, (both boys,) and these were
administered by the same teacher who whipped
he two in 1871.
There were no cases of whipping in the Female
schools. Il
In the intermediate schools, in ISL, there were
hirty-eight cases of corporal puniehment-all in
line schools In 1877 there were seventeen cases,
nd in 1873 none.
ST, and in 1872 DID cases Of boys and in the same
ears ~ and q cases of girls.
The speech of Mr.. Wilson was we'll received by
be board, and his carefully prepared compare
ttention.
The board, without further discussion, adopted
MI. Reiss, from the committee on teachers, re-
orted that on the Sd instant the committee e3-
mined twenty-five applicants for teachers posi-
Ions. The following were the successful candi-
ates: Ellen +. Reed and Margaret A. Humphrey
Or Intermediates; Mrs. Maria L Walker, Misses
lachel ]. Day, Mary McArdle, and Annie NJ. A. Il
lark for Secondary; Misses Annie l. Sargent
nd H. M. Tunnel. The report was adopted and
he teachers were confirmed.
The committee on accounts reported back sun-
~ bills; which were approved. /,
Mr.. Hart Informed the board of the amount Of
honey to the credit Of the several school sppso-
riatlon yet undrawn.
The committee on music recommended that
cave of absence be granted Prof. Daniels to visit
boston to familiariEe himself with the method
dopted there for teaching music. The Leave was
ranted. Z 81. ..0r-rs 1,
Mr.. Harris, from the committee On annual 70 T.
ort, reported that the committee had not yet Il
Net Further tire was granted. F-'.-.. II
Mr.. Wilson ofered o resolution thst q spscisl
ommittee be appointed 10 take into ceuGfdSra-
lon the feasibility of making the oral exam.nA-
lon take the character Of commenoements. - Id
A -