Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-03-15
CORPORAL PUNISHMENT.

Ed. Misunderstanding the article
in regard to corporal punishment in
one of your recent issues. 1 think
it time that some one should show
up the opposite side of the subject.
Owing all my success in life to the
common schools of Vermont, / am
sorry to have any measure favored
which must work them harm.
l should like to see some of those
people who have such fine theories
in regard to school government,
placed at the head of school, where
the same turbulent spirit prevailed as
actuated the Cincinnati mob, where
school furniture would be demolished,
ink bottles, states, and knives thrown
intermingled with the most horrible
sounds that could be made. i am
afraid some of their pet theories
would crumble before order reigned.
The laws of our country sanction
the use of shot and shell, with the
assistance of the standing army to
quell such disturbances, and yet
these would be philant hropists would
not allow young lady so much as
rattan to quell, single-handed, a
similar one, and yet if she doesn't
do it her situation is lost, and her
reputation also.
The sympathy of the press, and
the public at large with every child
who has suffered the slightest bodily
pain for the most fragrant offence
makes school discipline much more
trying than it need be, for every
child understands, as soon as he is
old enough to enter school, that pub
lie opinion is against his being pun
ished, whatever his offence and
why we should be expected to gov
ern with no penalties attached to the
breaking of laws, 1 do not under
stand, when 1t takes prisons, jails,
and houses of correction to govern
men and women, and we have exact
| ly the same vices to deal with among
children. In my limited sphere l
have known of cases of murder,
house-breaking, lewdness, theft and
the most aggravating cases of as
sault, among children under fourteen
years of age. Jesse Pomeroy was
only of an innocent school-bOy age.
Perhaps it will be thought l am cit
ing extreme cases which the law
would take out of our hands to pun
ish, but all of the above mentioned
ones, excepting the cases of murder,
had to be dealt with by teachers, for
the perpetrators of the crime were of
/ SuCu d IeHueI aye.
In dealing with such natures as
these, or others as aggravating, if
not as vicious, l have known the
names of some of the kindest ano
gentlest men and women banded
about the country as perfect mon
sters of cruelty, for rapping child's
hands, or putting bit of pepper Oh
the tongue, or some other light pun
ishment.
The author Of that article suggest
ed that teachers send to parents i
) corporal punishment is to be admin
istered. This is commonly practicet
where help can be obtained in tina
| way, and here let me suggest tina
you retain your teachers long enough
for them to ascertain what parent
are capable of giving them help il
that direction, but in most cases tn
e children who are troublesome a
:. school are among those who are no
q disciplined at home, and parent VIII
i. was unwise enough to take a chill
4 from school because he was pun
n ished, would be quite as likely t
o keep him at home if he were ser
s there for correction, for most parent
e think it is the teacher that needs th
ir flashing instead of the child.
IL Now, for instance. here are tw
+ large cities side by side, one believe