Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-02-18
Teaeners' QJoln,,,,,.
w. Il. PARKER. Editor.
Corporal Punishment.


There is great diversity Of opin
ion among teachers in regard to the
wise and judicious government O
our public schools.
With all Difference to the opinions
OF those teachers who advocate the
use Of the rod, conscience will moi
permltme to use it except in the most
extreme cases, and even in these
cases | have serious doubts about its
efficacy in restoring order-substan
tlal order.
| regard the rod as relic of bar
barlsm, and suggestive of the old
iron rule Of an age gone by.
My thoughts revert to the days OF
my childhood when the fierce peda
gogue strobe about the arena flour
ishing his birch ''gad," and his grim
looks NOR, BETTING the tyrant Nero
than a teacher in the United States
of America.
| Those stern old Romans were
generally of combatiye turn OF
mind, and loved to rule Just for the
sake OF ruling, to crafty a selfish
propensity more Satanic than Divine.
No teacher can govern q school in
this way without lowering his moral
tone and debdsing to some extent his
intellect.
No person can play the tyrant
without inluring both himself and
those he subjects to his unholy
sway. The despots ARE not all seat
ed upon thrones-occasion one
gets into the school room, but he
soon plays out, according tc the rule
as you measure to others it shall be
measured to you again.
The youthful soul may be moulded
into honor or dishonor according to
the skill and character of the moul-
der. If we could penetrate the dim
vista Of time as the Divine Ruler
can, and see the effect Of each cause,
we would be astonishcd, yea appall-
ed at the whitening, blighting, blast
ING effects of tyranny upon the hu-
man soul.
Tyranny is responsible for long
black catalogue of crime, the magni-
tude OF which may never be known till
the end of time. 1t has DESTROYED
the tairest cities Of earth, dcspoiled
millions Of their virtue, and left in It's
pathway the bittcrest anguish and
woe. 1t has changed large portions
of this beautiful green earth into
CORY battle fields, and to day in def
mce of the light and intelligence Of
this boosted nineteenth century, is
Strengthening by the hundred thou
sands, the brightest specimens of man
hood on the plains of Europe, just to
crafty the tiendish malice of a
brainless tyrant. France and Prus-
STA are both noted for the intclli-
gence Of their people, and cminently
so Prussia. These atrocities cannot
be charged to ignorance, unless we
raise the objection that royalty and
the masses have been educated in
error Children, through parents
and teachers, have been misgoyern-
ed and enormously educated, and
false notions of honor and principle
imbibcd, and the consequence is
strife, turmoil and war. The evils
OF erroneous education are manifest
to all nearly every day we live We
see educated rogues and accomplish
ed villains, who can rob a bank or
an express company as deity rs You
please, and why is this These crimes
cannot be charged to ignorance.
Their moral training was neglected
in youth, and in many eases the
youthful mind has been cmblttered
against mankind oy harsh usage in
school and at home. School and
home alike have been responsible
for many crimes.
The boy may be trained into q
villain to scourge society, abuse his
wife and children, or by judicious
early culture be given i moral i'm
pulse that will exert d controlling in
fuencc over his evil propcnsities,
that will render him good citizen,
an obliglng neighbor, and a kind and
atfectionate husband and father.
cannot believe that teachers as a
class, feel the weight Of moral re-
sponsibility resting upon them.
Most teachers feel this responsibility
so for as imparting knowledge is
/ rn narn1I I'm 10 nd ~ 4 fl,,,,-
think too many are remiss III their
duty. A teacher may by a single
act determine the veal or woe Of n
pupil. Every act whether good or
evil brings a reward of its own kind.
In view Of this, can we as teachers hc
too careful Of what kind Of influence
we exert in the school room? Is
there i teacher present who coyetS q
harvest of woe as the fruits of his
labor?
Violence begets violence and
kindness begcts kindness, the world
over \ teacher may administer
corporal punishment injudiciously to-
day, and the legitimate fruits Of that
punishment may be crime and i'm
prlsonment y few years hence. On
the other hand kind words and deeds
are always productive Of good and
never of evil, and here are suggested a
few ideas about government ut large.
Much Of our happiness may depend
upon the character of our govern
ment under which we live. 1t is
generally accepted as true by those
who are acknowledged to be authori-
ty IN question of political economy
and government, that the wisest and
soundcst government is that govern
ment which govern lcast--a govern
ment like our own, republican in
form and spirit,
That teacher is the best who
through mild persuasion and gentle
fosterage, educatcs his pupils to
gradually assume the responsibilities
OF self government, and by being
kind and atfcctionate to our pupils,
we win their hearts and thus prepare
the way for early sclf-goyernment,
which every child must ultimately
assume.
Said q person to me last winter in
speaking OF y female teacher, and
1. 4 y