The New York herald., 1877-10-04
THH PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

DIscussIo$ ON THE USE OF CORPORAL PUNISH
MESr AID TIE RESULTS OF ovEncnowpIko
AND PoR VENTILATION.
At statsS meeting OF Board OF Education yes
torday alter the consideration OF the reports OF
the Committees Bylaws Elections and Quaiincations
relative 10 corporal punishment takcn up. A
committee hid appointed PRIOR 10 1873 70 inves-
tgate the natter and their instance tho bylaws OF
tho department on the subject abolishing corporal
puns hmeniwcrc adopted. In the annual report OF
tho CITY SUPERINTENDENT for 1873 recommendation
was made Il rcnvcst tho principals with tho right TO
inlct, undc- proper regulations and restrictions,
corporal punishment upon those pupils who showed
themselves samenablc to no otnor influence The Com-
mittec on hachers In the same year reported IN ac-
cordsncc WITH those facts. No action was takcn on
the maltcrlt tho time The question again came up
during tna present year and the Committee on BY
Laws was divided ON the subject The majority re-
ported thS and discipline In the schools had
reached Joint OF excellence under the operation Of
tho presc1t bylaw iorbidd,ng corpora punisnmcn t
without pccdent tho history Of our public schools
Hence ttpy concluded that The present bylaw
should notbo changed. Tho minority ol the commit
tee rcpot,d Of restoring corporal punishment
on tt O consent oil parents extreme cases, such
puhishmeIt TO be inflicted lieu oil suspension or ex
puslon. This minority report was signed by Two OF
The members OF tho committee with The PRESIDENT,
who was ia cx-onicio member.
Commissioner stephen, A. Walker, or tho minority,
thought legislation looking to cxpusions and suspen-
sions In place OF corporal punishment was illegal.
rhe presett bylaw provided that tad deemed ncor-
rgblc should DO put upon tho streets and madc va.
grant
publc sentiment had not demanded the restoration Of
The rod AID the condition OF the schools IN point oi
discipline, would not warrant IT,
COMMISSIONS Traud moved that the subject bc
made u special order for tho next meeting and the
BOARD pass 10 the consideration oi other matters.
~ nil W the being y 10 o. Ar
Traud then moved to adjourn, with tho same result
The vote on these m9.ons Mas a. Tra.s
ycrmilyc, Walker, Wood; nays, ,Commlssionsrs BAKER,
Bcardsiec. Cohen, Gouldng, Watson, West, Wetmore,
Wilkins. Commissioners Jellife, Hazeltne, heiy,
Place and Wheeler were absent
Aitcr those votes Mr. wcst OF tho majority Of
the Committee on Bylaws continued the debate on
corporal punishment bringing ior"afd nearly 'he
same arguments nj Mr.. Watson.
Commissioner Wilkins moved that the debate be
postponcd until tho othcr business Of the meet
ing mad been ncuded. This motion prevailed, aud
The routine OF the Board was proccedcd WITH
lust AS one OF tho committees reports had bccn read
apu when the was about 10 be taken, Messrs.
Watson and West were found 10 be absent MI Dowd
immediately proposed 20 adjourn, ana 'ne mo'on was
carried by 4 vote OF lO 10
LECTURE BEFORE The MEDIco-LEGAL SOCIETY.
The Medico-Lcgai Society held a meeting last night
at the hall Of the New YORK academy o. c1 Meac,ne
ON Legislation 10 promote the sanitary interests OF
the pubic schools Of this CITY The report stated that
the main Object OF tho society was 10 ameiioratc
tho condition OF children, aud thereby promote
the interests and health OF the entire community
The report alluded TO tho inadequate accommodations
in the public schools for the large number OF pupils
VINO seek ADMISSION, 200 children having been re-
fused admission from one ward alone. while TINS
state OF affairs continues 10 exist "supcrhuous de-
partments such as the Normal College and Nautical
School are abundantly supplied with funds ana all
other necessary accommodations, which involve
annually n large expenditure that should
be devoted to the moro pressing need oil Wi
mary schools and in Improving present school,
houses or IN building now ones The sanitary cond
lion of tho schools likewise consldercd and was
that in the Coege OF the City OF New York, as
the result OF bad ventilation and ''cramming," ~
per cent OF the scholars near sighted In tho
Normal College, 26 per cent l1o4 far sighted, while
e. 20 per cent werc u NAL condition. Dividing the
scholars into three great classes-American, German
ana lrish-ot the IRISH IL 2s per cent were found TO
be near sighted American, ~ 80, and German ~ 20
From this arguoI that the impaired VISION OF the
for the position oil toachers ana tho young
men vino graduate from the New York College must
necessarily tend 10 impair their iuture usefulness u u
does not eventually involve total loss oil sight Tho
society condemns ovcfcrowded and inadcquately ven-
tiated class rooms and complains that but little can
be expected i.om the action OF the Board OF
with regard to the sanitary interests of
the schools. The report claims that the medical pro.
lesson ought be represented in the Board OF Educa
ton. The physical wants oil 100000 children, " Is
claimed require the oi trained sanitarian IN
the Central Board Of Educntion who would aid matc
rally In the enforcement OF sanitary laws. The Mayor
is invoked TO recognize the claim OF the medical pro-
fess ion representation In The Board ol Education