Omaha daily bee., 1883-03-26
The WHIPPING CASE.
Prof. Larned Denies the Allega.
lions.
All Punishment Done by Writ.
ten Contract with the
Pupils.

Prof. Larned called at the BEE office
Saturday to make q statement in
regard to the published report Of
Wholesale whipping at the Central
school.
Prof. Larned Is not the new mar
from Davenport as was erroneously
stated but Is the old man from Crete.
He has been In Omaha for two years
or more and is the one who trained
the graduating class last year with such
marked success. He is filling the
position of principal pending the ar.
rival OF the new man.
Mr.. Larned states that the regula-
ton In regard to snow. balling was ne.
cessitated ome time ago by the occur
renee Of several accidents. One little
girl in North Omaha had an eye de.
stroyed by being struck with q snow
ball In which o stone had been lodged.
Another In the same locality had one
of the bones of her forearm broken In
the same manner, aud only q few days
ago little lnez Haskell received q
blow which might have put her eye
out. Every day that the sport was
INDUCED In them were accidents, and
Mr.. Lsrned put more bloody heads
under the hydrant to wash them off
than he could number. On this
account the game was prohibited
everywhere except In the southeast
corne of the school grounds.
The professor states that he does
not believe In physical punishment to
discipline scholars, but on the con-
trary uses moral suasion as q general
thing and finds 1t very effective. He
doesnot think he has whipped four boy
this year until the morning in ques.
ton, when he admits having 'give 1t"
to five or six but not so hard as 1t
would appear In printers Ink, and not
for falling to get into line In time but
for some wilful violation or order.
One curious method adopted in the
school Is that of entering into written
contracts with the boys that In case
they are sent to "the office" so many
times they are to be punished In q
stated manner and this Is pronounced
very effective. 1t Is doubtful, how.
ever, If this sort of contract would
stand fire II a case was brought In
court al the signers could plead the
baby act. At all events II any whip.
ping ID to be done at all 1t should be
done at home by parents ard not In
the public schools.
MORE SMOKE.
To the Editor Of Tns BEE:
I noticed In Fridays BEE an item
concerning the treatment our children
are subjected to In the public schools.
1t Ia q lamentable fact that some of
our teachers seem lacking In tender.
ness, or else they have taught rchool
so long that they have become nerv.
ous and irritable, and are wholly unfit
to take charge Of sixty or seventy
children; and again, there are those
among the teachers whose health Is SO
poor that they are really not
able to endure the fatigue Incl.
dent to a day In the school
room. New while such teachers are
allowed In our schools We are bound
to have more or less trouble. Regard.
Ing Prof. Lsrned's alleged conduct we
have seen samples of such from other
wards. One that lately came to no.
tioe was of the principal striking one
little boy on the hand with a heavy
cane, thereby causing him great pair
and the probable loss of q finger. Such
actions or the part of teachers W.
consider wholly unwarrantable.
Hoping that the board will see to II
that teachers fit to teach are put In oul
schools, We WAIT.