Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-10-06
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CRUELTY TO CHILDREN.
a Case of Heartless Beating In the PubIi
Scholastic be Investigated By the Board
POssibikitu of Its GoinQ Before the Cou1

a Case Of He0Tttess Beating In the Public
Sch0Ols--To be Investigated by the Board
Possibility of It's Going Before the Court.
A case of brutal punishment was develop
ed in the Minneapolis public schools yester-
day, which, if the reports are borne out by
the facts, demands the severest reprobation
on the part of public opinion, and prompt
action on the part of the school board.
The circumstances as developed before
the board yesterday we're about as follows:
It seems that the boys at the Mad
ison school have been in the habit of throw
ing stones in the vicinity of the school
house to an extent which constituted the
practice nuisance, and Miss s. A. Pills
bury, the principal, warned the BOYS that
the practice must cease or punishment
would follow. Three or four days ago Tom.
Rosser, son of the General, a lad about ten
or dozen years old, somewhere in the
vicinity of his own home threw stone in
the direction of one of his companions,
and the fact, without explanation, was
reported to Miss Pillsbury. She called the
offender to the front, and after hearing his
explanation took the boy to the basement,
and employing the janitor Ia grown man) to
hold him, administered most unmerciful
beating. The punishment was so savage
that yesterday, after lapse of three or four
days, the boy bore upon his person the
marks of his punishment in the shape of
black and blue spots from the knees to
the crotch.
The mother of the boy waited on Miss
Pillsbury for an explanation, but receiving
no satisfaction, visited Supt. Tousley, and
received but few grains of comfort there.
She then sent for her husband, who came
down from Sank Rapids, and yesterday laid
the matter before the board. This body
took no action on the matter, but ad-
journed until Monday forenoon, at which
time thorough investigation of the
matter will take place, Miss Pilsbury having
been summoned to appear and defend herself
from the charge of uncalled for cruelty in
enforcing the rules of the school.
The GLOBE has no disposition, pending
the investigation, to PREJUDICE the case, but
IS OF the opinion that no amount of boyish
transgresslon can in any wise justify
brutality in a school teacher. It is
the mischief of boyhood which develops in
to the useful energy of maturer years, and it
is not suppression but direction which con-
stltutes the duty and the whole duty of the
pedagogue in these days of progress and re-
ANAAAA' AAASo oAAAs0 40 q CdoO VI OIUCdl pu4lSU-
ment is evidenced by the fact that TIE boy
still carries the marks, after so long time
has elapsed. A little wholesome
discipline of the teachers by the board
would seem to be necessary. Miss Pillsbury
should be taught that the merciless beating
of school children is relic of barbarism,
and that the practice should be laid away be-
side the rack, the thumbscrew and the pub
lie whipping post, as outgrown. If she still
lives in that unfortunate era in the history
of the human race, she should be pensioned
off and placed upon the retired list as hav-
ing outgrown her usefulness. The human race
is so constituted, that brutality begets
brutally, and if she is employed to teach the
rising generation, she should place the most
emphasis upon the lessons of mercy, and
charity, and good will, instead of those of
cruelty. Her intentions were doubtless
good, but she is entirely unfit to have the
control of boys if she has not long ere this
discovered that the tendency toward cruelty
is not sufficiently developed in the average
boy without that tendency being encouraged
by brutality toward themselves.
The GLOBE learns that unless the action OF
Board is satisfactory the matter will prob
ably be brought before the courts on com.
plant for assault and battery.