New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-07
AN INTERESTING MEETING.

Teachers Association OF New Orieans'
There are about 400 teachers in the pub
lie schools of this city, majority being
ladies. Recently many OF the leading
members determined to band themselves
together in an association for mutual bene-
fit, and the society at present numbers
nearly 800. At the regular monthly meet
ing held yesterday, Mr.. B. Wayne pre-.
siding, the subject for discussion was cor
poral punishment of scholars. At the
previous meeting three wranglers were
appointed to produce essays On the ques-
ton.
Before the essays were called for Mr.. P.
Graham read paper on the co-education
of the eexes. He assumed the ground that
in schools where male and female children
we're taught together and allowed to mingle,
the morals of the more sensitive would be
tainted, one reason being that in public
echools rich and poor, good and bad, retined
and coarse, are free to attend, therefore he
was opposed to the mixing of sexes. He
mentioned the fact that all great civilized
nations had laws to prevent mixing of
sexes in schools, and also contended that
the penalty for mixed schools would be at
the expense of morals.
The subject OF punishment was called and
Miss G.. l. Lambourne read the following as
her opinion:
have been called on by our respected
chairman to write concerning school pun
ishments. Not wishing to be disobliging. l
have complied with his request, while fully
conscious Of my inability to do justice to
as see before me. l am willing to con.
tribute my mite to the fund of general
knowledge, though can not speak of new
modes Of punishment, for teachers, both
ancient and modern, have used successfully
| all the methods that could ever be thought
| of while teaching the young idea how to
| shoot. The ladies here assembled will be
| too courteous to criticlse severely my poor
| composition, for they can each tremOle, as
| did, when called upon, not knowing whose
! turn will come next. The ladies are greatly
| in the majority in this assembly, like the
| violets and roses generally are in q well
cultivated garden. Outnumbering the few
lofty trees, to which l will compare our
| gentlemen teachers. And as the flowers
can not always remain hidden, so the ladies
| will also have to appear and exhibit their
l
| these social meetings. The gentlemen are
| too noble and high minded, am sure, to
| ridicule the few remarks l shall make,
and will feel kindly toward me, so as
to encourage other ladies, who can do
so much better than can-one instance
being our noted poetess, Mary Walsingham,
| from whom we hope to hear soon. But to
proceed l shall contine myself only to the
| departments below the principals, for in
/ ~ oil ho
| orally studious and ambitious, because their
age renders them sensible. Having a.
| ways been very lenient myself toward my
pupils, am in favor of light punishments,
] especially with girls. If pupils come tardy,
| give them few tables to write while stand
| ing. If ta1kative during school hours, two
or three paragraphs to copy at recess will
silence them. If pupil drops slate or a
book, let that scholar stand for few mo-
ments and hold up the article which was
dropped. Standing pupil in the hall for a
| few moments, as the ranks pass out at re-
| cess, where the teachers and pupils may all
see the offender, often has very beneficial
| effect, especially if sisters, cousins or play
! mates pass the child go punished. | have
noticed that such punishment inflicted once
| has worked like charm on some sensitive
natures, while others would never be
| affected by that trial, or, in fact, by any
thing less than whipping. A former
superintendent once remarked to me that
| when teaching boys he sometimes chose the
most unruly one for a monitor. The plan
| is good one, and have found it succeeds
| admirably, but not in every case. Place
confidence in boy or girl, and the pupil
will often make decided change for the
| better. As for placing a Ounce cap on a
child's head, would never think OF using
| such an article, for imagine it is more de-
| grading or disgraceful than any other pun
| ishment. Sending child to the foot of the
class for a grave otfense is good way to
cause change for the better.
| The majority of teachers agree that boys
must have a whipping sometimes, but girls
are generally SO gentle. Exceptin extreme
strap on the soft little hands of my girls.
When the busy feet have ceased to trip
over my schoolroom floor and the delicate
| fingers have been folded in death las has
| occIrredl, how happy | felt that | had
| never ussd the ruler on those same small
hands. How charming is the simple ballad
| that tell, Us of ''the crippledsstoOl," which
| was, Of course, the traditionary three legged
| stool or seat Of disgrace for those who gave
poor lessons, or whose behavior was far
| from exemplary. But have great faith in
| simple rewards. To encourage the pupils
| have at the end of each month given a re-
| ward card for conduct, to the best pupils
| and to those who have shown marked i'm
provement in conduct. Some pupils who
| left long ago have sent me word that they
still preserved the cards l gave them, and
then l think how sweet it is to be remem-
bered by those whom no longer meet. To
few / gave cards at first as encourage
ment, and some of those pupils are
now the best in my charge. 1t is
| real pleasure to see the smiles
light up the countenances of those whose
names are called for the cards of merit,
who feel that they have been good during
the month, or who have grown better; to
see the bright eyes sparkle and to heal the
exclamations of delight as the cards are
handed to the deserving ones. Then some
pupils come afterward and tell me of the
nice little presents the home folks bestOw
because the teacher found them good. MY
best scholar receives two dollars from her
father for her money bank each time she
has card of merit Fearing to weary you,
l must conclude. If you wish to hear more
about light punishment, ask our principal,
Miss Armstrong, who has sent forth to pro-
motion some excellent teachers, namely,
Miss Simmons and Miss Kendall And
now, thanking you for your kind attention,
shall retire, leaving the field open to Mr..
Bourge, who will give US something bril-
liant, know.
Mr.. C. Hunt, principal of the Elmira
School, followed, and read the following
essay:
Mr.. President, ladies and gentlemen
That the subject of school punishments is
one of considerable delicacy and difficulty
will be conceded. That there are those who
advocate the infliction thereof as essential
to the securing of good government there
can be no doubt, and that there are others
who sternly oppose the measure as being
not only unnecessary, but also as having a