Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-03-07
CORPORAL PUNISHMENT.
An Interesting Letter ON This I'm
p0rtant subject by u Hampshire
County Teacher.
To he Editor Of The Register.

1t appears from an examination OF
the papers, that the subject of corporal
punishment i'm school is exciting con-
siderable attention in the West Virginia
Legislature, and is being discussed by
the ablest men of our st tate.
Being a teacher l would like to
have a few words to say on this subject.
Some may perhaps think that the
teachers should have nothing to say on
it, because he may be more or less inter
ested. But it seems to me that every
true teacher ought to be interested in
anything that appertains TO the
welfare both moral and
intellectual of the children who are
to become the future citizens of o
State.
Some people think that the teacher
uses the rod simply to show his author
ity, or Us expressed by some of the
West Virginia SOlonS for the purpose
of gratifying the most depraved passions
Ofhuman nature.
The object of this letter is to clear Of
teachers of this unjust charge brought
against them by those abOlitionists OF
corporal punishment, and also to offer a
few thoughts and suggestions on the
subject. Now we must positively assert
that this charge on our teachers Is
wholly unfOunded in fact.
| am acquainted with many of the
teachers in the county where L teach
and have heard quite u number
express themselves Oh this subject,
by saving that they would prefer
taking the fiogging themselves rather
them fog the scholar, if it would have
the same effect in controlling the law
less and refractory. But such Is I'M
fortunately not the case.
The universal sentiment among the
teachers is to make the rod the last re-
sort, but when nothing else will do they
use it..
Look at the number who attend
school in the State, and how compare
lively few of them are whipped,
Why there is twice the amount OF
whipping done in the family, that there
is inthe school according, to the number
of children in both. And if it is
/ necessary in the family l dOnOt see how
il can be abolished in the school, for IL
father cannot manage fire or SIR boys
and girls at homie ~withOutthe use OF the
! rod, how can Il teacher be expected to
manage a school of thirty or forty pupils
without it?
| cannot see why it cannot be
| abolished in the family rs easily If not
more so than in the school, but they tell
US that schOOl-teaches do not know
| how to whip other peoples childreni
| that the father or the mother OF the
| child is the proper one to whip it. Now
| will make this assertion; that If you
will take the number whipped by he
parents, and compare them with the
number whipped in school, you
will find that the number
seriously whipped in the school VIII
not compare with those seriously
whipped in the family.
There was q man in our county
indicted at the last court for unmercitul-
ly whipIir g achild.
Now why not take this case and two
or three more like it and try to abolish
it in the family. .
OurState SOlOns have, | believe, out OF
all the cases of corporal punishment
they could find from Dan to BeerShe0a
cited two or three children who had the
blood cut out of them by tyrants, and
then according to their lnductlve
method of reasoning have made al! the
cases subscri be to these two or three,
or i'm other words made these eXcep-
tional cases the common measure OF
all.
Ii is not only irrelevant but also
illogical to Use the exception To a rule IN
order to prove the abSurdity of 1t.
Why not abolish eating bee luse som ;
persons eat to much, or abolish han :
ing because innocent people are son.
times hung.
In early life in the family and school
room do we receive u impressions ana
according to these will we be guided IN
later life.
If we are taught the Importance OF
subjecting ourselves to those whom II Is
our duty to respect and obey, We VIII
be more likely to become lawabldlnS
citizens, than if we are taught that the
teacher and Our parents have no right
To mflict corporal punishment upon lis
for our misconduct ard d~isobedienca.
Take away from the schoOlrOom the
fear of punishment and you will at once
instill into the mind OF the chuu an
characterization to lawful authority,
and thus you lay the foundation for vice
and lawleSsneSs with those whom you
aim to improve.
But the Solons who wish to abolish
corporal punishment in school tell us
that it is a relic of barbarism, and some
of these abolitiOnistS are in favor OF
substituting confinement instead OF the
rod. Now Is not confinement
as old as the whipping
post" If one is a relic Of barbariSm so is
the other.
Kthe little Negotiations which lawless
scholars receive in school can be COM
pared to the racks and thumbScrews of
| S,,-,.l Tnn,,tstftNn anrfainlV II uDnln
not be hyperbolouS to compare their
substitute to the dismal dungeons and
castles of those days.
The very men who have placed these
legislators in the position of trust which
they now hold, and to whom they owe
more than any One else except their
parents, are by them denounced as
grants,
Yes, and no doubt some of these men
owe q debt TO this very despised rod for
the honorable position in which they
stand, for some of them said they hsd
been whipped at school, and probably
with good effect.
But they grow so pathetical when
they speak of the pristine innOcency of
those urchens who attend the schools,
and how cruel it is for the teacher to
scourge them, and what a pity it is the
teacher cannot learn to rule by kind
ness, instead of brute force.
And another of them says he whips
in order to supply a lack of patience.
Now it is very easy to stand afar off
and make nice speeches about the inn
patience and inability of the teacher,
but perhapsi it would not do just quite so
we'll if these men had to walk into the
schOolrooms and take charge of the
public schools. They would then have
: room to exercise their broad views and
great patience.
As class / think it can be safely as
s serted OF Them that the teachers have
: more patience and love for children than
y other class Of people. It's known
1aRfthat thNan wkA H.. .lsIl-o-HeL