The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-10-23
DISCIPLINE OF THE SCHOOL
Continued.

Nor is severe punishment to be
regarded az the ''last resort" When
IL may be inflicted q! all, it is the fret
resort, and the true remedy. ALLOW
me to illustrates: a skilful physician
is called to prescribe for & patient sick
almost auto death. He sees. at q
glaace, that only one remedy will
curs, and that must be administered
promptly. Now the question is,
shall that powerful medicine be given
at once or as "the Last resort" after
every mild remedy has failed2 II the
doctor resorts to herb drinks and
tonics in the case supposed, he is q
quack. and ais patient will die VIXEN
the tender hearted simplstsn lie ex-
perimenting upoh him. But theil
"calomeL" is given and the patient re-
covers. So with punishment. It
may be mild or severe; each kind is
appropriate as remedy for specific
evils. But il the case Is one shat re-
quires gres. severity, that KIDD OF
punishment must ne inflicted
promptly and faithfully. "Spare the
rod and spoil shs Child" under such
circumstances. Much has been said
aud written upon corporal Punishment
and moral suasion, but their appro-
pirate use in school discipline is sell
dom understood, az it seems to me.
MORAL sUAsIoN NOT THE REMEDY FOB
REBELLION.
Moral suasiop is not the remedy for
bold and defiant violations of law, il
We mean by that tern the persuad.
iHg of the culprit to return to obed-
ence or the purchase of his allegiance
by promised reward. Rebellion
should be met by stunning, crushing
blows, such "a will vindicats snd re
Establish authority and deter others
from committing the same crime.
Mlldness il cruelty under such cir
cunstancss. All such osses demand
instant aud determined action. TIE
time for cancellation is after the rebels
are subjugated and the authority OF
the government is restored. But
moral influence and kindness should
attend every act OF severity; never
let the sun 60 down upon the wrath
of q chastissd pupil. See him alone,
bring 10 bear upon him every moral
power, treat him nov with kindness
and confidence, and thus restore him
to duty AID favor. Without the rod,
moral sussiou might have been
or, if successful, what wac
gained by persuasion was Lost to AL
thority. 1t fnust never be doubtful i
thss the master has supreme control
over his little kingdom. Ii his author
ity is trided with it must be restored
without delay, and any punishment
is judicious that is necessary to thlt
end. The systsm of government here
recommended does rot offer an angEy
word or blow for every offence, real or
fancieG. Ths best masters who have
adopted i. punish the least, And
when severe punishment becomes
necessary, the pupil is made to
believe that a sense Of duty, and not
passion nerves the arm to strike the
blow. He is made TO understand
that it is the masters duty to com
mand and the pupils duty TO obey.
Practically, the system of govern
ment hssed upon authority has alone
been successful; every system that
has abandoned the right or Io&t the
power to punish has proved failure.
In Furnishing for falsehood, pilfer- |
ing. profanity, and the like, it should
be borne In mind that, while "the
rod and reproof give WISDOM" yet
the moral treatment in such odenses
is dL'cdys appropriate. either with or
without severity, as the case may be.
II the knowledge of an offence is con-
fined to the offender and the teacher,
it should be treated privately for the
COED of the individual. Bot public
crime must meet public punishment,
that all similar cases may be reached
end the school benefited. Let the
folly, wieksdnsss, ana consequent
ces of the crime be fully exposed and
brought home to the conscience. And
in the settlement Of the question
never fail co leave the way open for
repentance and restitution. One ex.
ample, to illustrates:
ILLUSTRATION.
A gold dollar had disappeared FROM
the teachers table while ahe stepped
to neighboring room. Two school
girls, who were ths only persons pre-
sent, had disappeared. It was Saturday,
and in the evening the ladies were az
sembled in the public parlor for
family worship. The principal, who
was conducting the exercises, COM
menced describing the effects and
consequences OF having by accid ens,
deposited q golden dollar upon the
human lungs. Il would corrode and
poison, produce Inflammation disease, !
and death, lit could not be removed. |
BE then transferred the gold dellar |
from the lungs to the conscience, and
portrayed the consequent guilt, re-
morse, anguish, aAd moral death !
from auoh crime if not /
Of. He presumed the young |
lady would gladly restore the money |
and save herself from the disgrace |