Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1884-07-11
An old pedagogue says in the Detroit

subject of corporeal punlsnment III
schools. One esteemed gentleman
writes: you seem to know very little
about the power Of kindness with boys.
A bad boy is only made worse by
whipping, while % few kind words
spoken at the right time may change
his whole life.
That's ali right. There is no gen.
eral rule for the treatment OF boys. A
teacher must be close observer OF hui
man nature. Itwould be very bad pol
icy to whip some boys. while there are
others that are Just spelling for good,
sound thrashing,
Taught school once where l had
for assistant teacher young lady
whose rule was of the mildest possible
description. One day she came to the
main room and said that John Dicks
persistently refused to do anything that
he was told.
said, "Miss Smith, think if you
were to use little kindness with John
you would get along better with him"
II try to be as kind to the pupils as l
can. l have never whipped John, ale
though he is,nearly always misbehav-
ing"
The idea OF her whipping him was
rather funny, for he was bigger than
she was. He vas great lubber of
fellow, without the slightest spark of
pride CT manliness about him. He was
quite content to stay in the junior de-
partment-there were only two depart
ments in that sc,ool-and never would
advance beyond the very rudiments OF
education- So this whale among min
nows was the terror of the gentle wom-
an who taught the A B C's. 1t is true
my predecessor had given John slight
| whipping, and John went home and
!! brought his mother, who, when she
was not doing the washing for the
neighborhood, employed herself crlti-
cising the educational affairs of the dis
trict. The impetuous woman of portly
size had dragged the unfortunate
school teacher before mentioned from
his desk to the door by his collar, and
he only saved himself from eviction by
bracing his feet against the door jamb.
When the collar gave way he fell back
ward into the aisle, amidst the laugher
of the pupils, and thus prone on the
floor the good woman left him.
| 1 always think these little episodes,
although amusing to the pupils, have q
demoralizing effect on the teachers au-
thority. Anyhow this man never whip
ped'again, and John pursued his edu-
. cational way unmolested.
Leave the door between the rooms
open," 1 said to Miss Smith. 81 will
keep one eye ON Master Dicks and try
the effect of little kindness on him. y"
Shortly after saw John nearly raise
the scalp from the head of the urchin
in front of him.
John Dicks pullin' hair" shouted
the unfortunate youngster.
| walked through to where John sat,
and to his astonishment grasped him
l by the top of his head and raised him
. to his feet with surprisingly little diff
Guilty when you consider his size.
John" said l you see that sort OF
: thing hurts
]. "I'll tell my mother" blubbered
John.
"All right. I'll give you something
|. else to tell, too.''
And so l gave John the most reliable
r whipping it had ever been his fortune
" to receive.
''I'll bring my MOTHER he sobbed
"Do," said, and went back to my
{ desk.
e John put on his cap and fled. Icalcu
:, lated that he would take at his presen
i rate of speed, about ten minutes to ge
!. home, and as Mrs. Dicks never WASTED
any time ON personal adornment, TWEEN
= ty minutes would see them both back
u SO fifteen minutes after Johns depart
e ure, when the school lulled down to it!
It usual status, went to the doors anl
g bolted them. Sure enough three min
n utes later l saw Mrs. Dicks coming VI
the road with nothing on her head ex
cept uncombed hair, while she had no
i even taken the trouble to roll down he
y sleeves over her great red arms. Johl
was trotting along in her wake. Sh,
didn't rap, but evidently intended t.
walk right in. Finding the door lock
ed she pounded on it with her fist, thel
" went to the door of the Junior room
! and finally tried to kick it open. Luck
:, lily the door was strong. She mex
e picked up club and made a circuit o
81 the school-house. l thought she wa
n going to smash in window, but re
Ie tiecting that if she did wouldn't nee,
IN to pay for it. gave myself no uneasi
q ness on that score.
y She finally dropped the club ant
IS left.
"a Next day she was washing some
S, where, and John rather sheepishly too
or his place alone.
le John" said l, "you left the schoo
n without permission yesterday. can
:. allow that, you know" So l gave hir
~ thrashing, compared to which tn
~ former had been mere pastime
4e John gave up thoughts of home, an
sunk his head on his arms on the desk
evidently thinking that there was N
royal road to learning. When scnoc
E. was dismissed that night asked Dick
Us to stay in. When we were alone in tn
s. school-room 1 said:
n. 'John, what did thrash you for yes
in terday?"
"For pulling Willie's hair"
- Correct. What did / thrash you fo
Vi to-dayP"
y, "For leaving school,
ne "Well, partly. The most interestin
at portion was for the little skirmish 70
I'd and your mother had around the schoo
in house. Now, although l rather lik
-, that myself, yet it distracts the after
=. ~ ton of the pupils from their studio:
IN and so hope it won't occur agair
to The whippings have given you ar
IL merely samples. They are nothing t
IS. the stock l keep constantly on hanc
he If there is any more kicking at til
he doors and marching around the schoo
~ house, FL take it out ON you. You ma
nc do just as you like about it, but if WEI
n. in your shoes / would try to learn tbs
ed sweet song they sing Friday afternoo