The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-06-14
TEACHERS DEPARTMENT..
A. S. sCuEETZ, EDITOR.
Hasn't the Rod Had its Day:

In our opinion it has, except pre-
scribed as punishment by an officer
of the law, and after the criminal has
had fair trial by jury. Somebody
asks, Chow about insubordinate boys??'
If they cannot be governed without the
rod they have no business at school.
Let them be committed to reforma-
tory, or restrained by parents at home.
The time has come-fully come-when
the stick should be put into museum,
along side the thumb-screw, the gag
and the stocks.
Beating teachers seldom are able to
avoid worse punishment than they give
their pupils. An instance Of this Is re-
corded in Jersey City. Avery bad boy
received severe whipping. No doubt
he deserved all he got and more, but 1t
was, in our opinion, not the duty of the
teacher to take the execution of the
penalty of violated law in his own
hands without authority from an otfi-
Ger of the law. A gteat deal has been
written about the teacher being in loco
PARENTS. Nobody can be put in place
of the parent when severe punishment
is to be inflicted. Ifa child has vlo-
lated any code Of the unwritten COM
mon law, the proper Judge to fix the
penalty is the parent. No one can take
his place except an acting officer or
Judge. The teacher is not judicial
officer, neither is he an executing offi-
Ger in cases of offence against either the
written or unwritten law Of the country.
If the offence is trivial the rod is far
severer than the cause. We speak from
an experience of many years when we
advise teachers to let the rod rest in
peace. It has had its day.-Practical
Teacher.
No doubt the idea is fast gaining
ground that thd school-room is no place
for the inficrion of punishment, and
that the teacher is not the proper per-
son to administer it.
Yes, the ways and methods Of past
generations are fast passing away. That
which was tolerated twenty years ago
would not be entertained for moment
now. We are progressing rapidly, and
it is to be hoped that this progression is
for the better. We should think seri-
ously, however, before we condemn
Internationally punishment in the
school-room.
There is no doubt in our mind that
there are times in the history of every
teacher in the common school when
the judicious use Of the rod is not only
necessary, but extremely beneficial 1t
accomplishes that which everything
else would fail to do.
Take away from the teacher the right
OF inflicting punishment and you Grip
pie him, unfit him for his position. In
the School-room the teacher should nave
considerable power, especially if that
power is exercised with discretion.
If children were convinced of the
fact that for wilful disobedience they
are to be sent away from school, or pun
ished by their parents, then the teacher
would not be often forced to do that
which gives him much pain.
1t would be silly, however, for child
to be expelled, in every instance, for
misconduct, or be punished by his pa
rents.
We all know that children are not
always punished at home for bad be-
havior at school, consequently in order
that the guilty may not escape let the
teacher be the one to use the rod of cor
rection.
We should bear in mind, however, that
severe punishment should be rarely in
dicted. but when it is necessary, let it
be done regardless of consequences.
K.