West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1882-01-27
Corporal Punishment i'm the
school Room.
Editor A,,gus.

corporal BuhfshIlcnt i'm the
school Room.
Editor AT0us:
L see that the question OF abolishipg
corporal punishment in the school room
10 before the West Virginia Legislature.
Delegate Evans, of Berkeley County, has
introduced a bill TO abolish it, and pro-
poses, according 10 the Wheeling Regis
ter, to put every member on record when
1t comes up. 1t certainly is a question
upon which every member of the Legisla-
ture should be willing TO express himself.
Ii IS one of those important questions in
relation to school government which
should be dealt with fairly, honestly and
with due elaboration. Ii is no trifing af-
fair. 1t Is TIE question of the day In the
matter OF school discipline; and, If dis
posed OF according TO the views of the
Delegate from Berkeley, IL should be only
after q thorough investigation of its re-
suits for good or bad, and the adoption or
suggestion, in it's stead, of a remedy
which shall be efficient, thorough, com
plete and practicable. Relies Of bsi bar
Ism in their injurious for as should find NO
advocates in this enlightened age. Who
ever abu es a sacred trust placed in his
hand should be dealt with according 70
the Laws OF the land. And where tina,
tiast 70 the care Of little children, the
mora, mental and physical training of in
noceuce budding into man and woman
hood' aud is abused and ruthlessly treat.
ed, the guilty party should receive the
condemnation of society and the full pen
atty of the law.
"Cruel and unusual p~unishmepts sha,l
not he inflicted, )" is one of tho humane
principles of our Government. and our
laws are sufficiently broad to insure 10 ms
the protection OF that principle. This Is
true as regards the school room as we'll AS
elsewhere. If, however, the authority.
delegated to the teacher, whereby be is
empowed to correct unrulY pupils under
his change, can, by a fair, unbiased and
unparalleled statement s%ubstantiated hv
t1cts, be taken away and his usefulness
be increased. and the school system bene
htted, then no one, l dare say, will hail
the advent OF the reform with more genu-
ine satisfaction han the teachers them
selves.
But no such hot-headed assertions.
without a shodow of proof or show of
truth, as those which appeared In the Reg
lister Of the 18th inst. should be permitted
TO sway the minds Of those who are fran.
ing our laws from a rational and common
sense standpoint.
The Register says 1T is a privilege that
is being abused in many s,hools." Tina,
Is no argument against it. The hottest
preceptso of the Divine Master are alec be-
ing abused, trampled under foot and used
as a cloak to hide vice. Should the pre-
cepts be abolished, or the offender reform
edF Again the Register says "Children
ore whipped when their teachers are bad
tempered, and only then" Now what
does this amoun to? Simply that it
shows the ~inexcusable Ignorance. or will
tul perversion Of facts, on the part of the
writer OF the article. How many teach
ers OF our public schools, who have
taught for a period Of ten years ia West
Virginia, have never resorted to WHINING
in school? How many of these who
have resoited to 1t in extreme cases, must
we set down as men ard women of "bad.
ugly temperf?' How many Of them have
only done 50 in moments Of anger" and
because they knew they could exercise a
contemplate mixture Of cowardice and
terocity" on the child with safety?
There is 90 necessity of asking further.
The imputation is a SANDER against hun
dreds Of pure-minded, kiud-hearted and
noble teachers, both male and female, i'm
the State. No @ n mar or woman dc
lights to whip a child. No teacher who
would practice cruelty upon his or her
pupils should be allowed TO teach. But is
1t true that all who whip can be accused
OF professional brutality Is there no
such thing as moderate corrections Ii. il
just TO class those Who believe in moder-
ate correction, in rare and exceptional
cases, with the few who govern by brute
force1 The ground that the Reqieter
takes is utterly without foundation, and
neither experience nor observation indi
cate that the assertions are true. Aud
here / cay that three fourths of all the
teachers Of the common schools govern by
kiudoesa, and That 10 order 10 protect the
children under their cberge from falling
into vice, resort 60 corporal puuishmenut
only to be kind, and they are neither
'brutes' nor "idiots,' neither arc .hev fin.
capable Of governing anybody or any
thing
This grave charge made by the Register,
against teachers, and not against the law
as 10 stands (for there is no law saqctiob-
ing cruelty, should not be left unnoticed.
If the law is q bad one the teachers. that
is the great majority of them, have made
1t no worse. The teacher should not be
held up TO scorn and disgrace if there is A
defect ia the law. He has only done his
duty, and standing IN loco ptrcntis he has
done The right according To- law, both hu
man and divine. Let this question bo
held up IN its true light. While our law
makers consider tho txBcdieDcy of n
teacher exercising be "ferocity and COW.
ardice' by %"HOggiDg' u "cbild," De-, them
also take into consideration the proprietv
| of correcting ia o iudicious manner An