The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-21
4 prrrxcr OF THE TEACHERS.

To THE EDITOR THE hERALD:-
An article in yesterdays issue OF your paper on q
subject Of corporal punishment In the schools OF
YORK certainly does the teachers injustice by
tone and differences, and as certainly 10 calculated
mako false impression tho minds Of hitherto ur
prejudced persons In the FIRST place the proportion
teachers who in favor OF the rcintroduction Of
the rod far from being overstaJed by its champions
at nine-tenths is, positively affirm, moderated
have a very extended acquaintance among tho teach.
this CITY, and OF all OF them know but who
il favor Of the now before the Board Of
Education that one is no longer personally Interested
in the matter AS lar my knowledge goes Il s safe
to say not per teachers think tho pres.
cnt plan Is better than the old one.
In the place teachers not in favor OF any
such outrageous and hghhanded proceedings char
acterized Dotheboys Hail. and is injustice to
them respectable men and women to suppose that
they arc. What they wish Is support In discipline,
something Of which they almost entirely destitute
Can the writer Of that article offer efficient substi-
tute for the rodY II he let him do SO, and the
teachers will hail him who has been able TO do
what nobody else has succeeded in doing; but until no
has endeavored for months to teach class Of fty
boys, made up from every grade Of society," and
ply with the present requirements, he should not In
form public that all teachers who dosre corporal
punishment do deserve to hold their positions. In
my acquaintance have many friends who have the
Ice
indeed, who considered by both superintendent
and principals unexcclled IN this particular-apd
they, without exception, strongly In favor its
return TO the schools. the that the pres.
OF the rod In school does OF tho work
Of its absence 70 do what would inevitably prccpate
punishment under It's sway scarcely one will dare
attempt any act Of tho sort when sure OF Its applioa.
ton.
Again, the proportion of boys who are properly
governaoe only by this means not at all as small
the OF the editorial would imply; 1t Is onor.
mously largc-in schools Of tho CITY fully one.
halt And SO far indeed, getting along without II
10 concerned Why the teachers do got along with
out L. Tor In many instances they the cases to
the parents, who apt to DO far more severe than
even calm, disinterested principal would be IN
the inference In regard TO the assumed present en-
Gent condition OF The schools witnopt corporal pun
ishment compared with their supposed inefficency
with u, Is great mistake The schools not under
nearly such good discipline now as they ten
years ago. nm teacher and through my acquatnt-
ances hearing constantly OF cases occurring all
over the city the like OF which would not have been
onv IN s 0 VINO
high as disciplnarian had boy tell her he
would knock her down; he turned out Of school.
II might have cost her weeks pay II she had but
seized him by the collar and elected him from the
room. Another teacher, who had had NO trouble Ia
speak OF in his class for month or more was recently
aston nded by having boy tell him he lied. Tho boy
Was sent the class below 10 lose months OF his
life because The disciplinary measures Of schools
are so miseraby inefficient could forced
TO keep good order where he Another boy In tue
ourtn grade Natly and impudcntly obey his
tho thing again. and passed thence TO the
sixth grade, where ne yet thereby losing year.
Another young hopeful, after making excellent
reputation In his class persuaded friend to forge
In his fathers name excusing him from attend.
ance. He sent to the class below; II he had not
been twenty notes would have been forged within .
week.
Now then. what measure have the opponents Of the
rod TO offer In its placer They say 1.-THE moral in.
fuence oil the teacheru How mennial that sounds
" outsidersi How ENORMOUSLY farclcal TO teachers
How entirely convincing 10 the profession that these
sentimental theorists attempted to take charge
OF class Tor even day or two Tho efficacy OF .
remedy frequently depends on the manner OF It's adj
will be felt all its efficiency only At the taper end Of
whip The mere presence OF the rod will prevent
nineenths OF the disorder that exists without IL Tho
little that II will have 10 be used In most schools will
be all that necessary 10 preclude many times AZ
much disorder II correctA The moral effect OF z
possible whipping will be infinitely greater than thai
OF any other means OF discipline yet suggested.
SECOND ASSISTANT
NEW YoRx, May 10, 1877