Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1877-07-20
EDUCATIONAL.
Punishments.

punishment, lsQeeLn ~ iiu s@s'O
the term, as intend to use it, stlouio
be defined at the outset. submit
the, following definition: Punishment
Is pain inflicted upon the mind or body
Of an individual by the authority to
which he is subject, with view Ell
#ther to reform him for deter Others
from the commission Of ofenses, or
both. 3o@s- 5s3h -@a 1'''
It is deemed essential to the idea OF
punishment that the infictor have le-
climate authority over the subject OF
it-otherwise the act is an act OF usur-
patton. 1t is also essential that the.
inflictor should have legitimate OBJ
iect in view, such as the reformation
Of the individual or of the community
in which his example has exerted an
influence otherwise the act becomes
an abuse of power. infection for the
purpose of retaliation for an insult or
an injury is not punishment; it is re-
venge. Whenever, therefore, teach
err resorts to such inhiction to crafty
his temper, or to pay off, as it is ex-
pressed IN common language, the bad
conduct of pupil, without any re-
gard to his reformation or the proven
ton of similar offenses liz the school,
the pain he inhicts is not punishment;
it is cruelty. Very great Importance
is to be attached to the motive IN this
matter; because the same infection
upon the same individual and for the
same offense, may either be just and
proper punishment, or it may be the
most unjustifable and revengeful
abuse, according to the motive of the
Iinhictor. ....
The authority to inhict punishment
in general is either by the constitu-
ton of God, or of civil society. "The
punishment of the faults and ofenses
: of children by the parent" says DR..
Webster, "is by virtue Of the right of
government with which the parent is
invested by God himself" The right
~ e
to punish the offenses of children
while at school is by common law
vested in the teacher, as the repreSen-
tative of the parent for the time be-
ing. 1t is the declaration of this law
as interpreted from time immemorlal,
that the teacher is in place of parent
Some have alleged that fear and
, shame, the two principles addressed
, in punishment, are the lowest in ON
) nature, and have hence endeavOred to
: show that punishment is always cxpe,
, dent, if not indeed wrong. To this
= duSWeE tIidG uOln ICdI anu SHdHlo att
E incorporated in our nature by Goo
Himself; and hence infer they arc
for wise purpose. find, moreover
t that God Himself, in his word and il
Y His providence, does appeal to both
. these principles; and hence | infer
: that punishment in the abstract is moi
!; wrong, and after the higher motives
have been addressed, not altogethel
/ inexpedient. los zssa3 sTlTA2a
) Living in a community as we do
: where the right Of punishment in gen
eral ia assumed by cur government
. and the right of teachers to punish i,
= conceded by our laws, do not fee
: called upon to establishthe right 0
I argument. shall assume that thu
: teacher has the right to punish in}th'
sense in which have defined punish
ment, and shall therefore proceed II
consider the various kinds of punish
ments used in our schools, and to dis
0 tinguish those which are .justifiabl,
+ from those which are not; and ais,
e to consider some of the conditions ant