The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-06-21
TEACHERS DEPARTMENT.
A. s. SCHEETZ, EDITOR.
School Discipline.

School Economy, lays down the fol-
lowing principle as one Of the most im-
portant which should cOnt:rl school
discipline: "Punishments should be
: connected to offenses Us effects to
causes" This is Natures principle. Let
any individual violate her town law and
punishment will inevitably follow as
natured consequence. Place your hand
in the fire or againSta hot stove and 1t
will be burnt, expose yourself to inclc-
ment weather, eat unwholsomo food,
ortoo much. and sickness will be the
result. In morals the s:ule principle
holds true. The drunkard, the thief,
the gambler, all carry in their own per-
sons unmistakable evidence as to the
correctness of this law. The prodigal
wastes his substance and must live on
husks; the sluggard refuses to work and
in harvest he has nothing, the liar loses
the confidence OF his fellowlnen, While
the slanderer is Stunned and desplsed
: by all. But we need not multiply
Instances to prove the correctness of the
principle. 1t is universally adnittcd.
Now the question arises, Can this prin-
{ ciple be successfully applied in school
management: Wcanswer in the aftir-
native, qualifying our statement with
the remark that while the Divine sys-
tenn OF government is perfect, all human
efforts ut imitation must necessarily
bear evidences Of the inperfectlons of
our natures. While then we can never
hope to attain to that perfect uniformity
discernible in the discipline of Nature,
and while, like all human efforts, our
methods OF school legislation will be
found imperfect and full OF flaws, yet it
must be admitted that the more nearly
we follow Nature in our system Of dis
cipline the more effective it will be,
besides being less subject to inconsistent
cies and want Of u.itormity.
Bearing in mind the principle quoted
above let us notice some Of the many
instances in which it can be applied by
the teacher. II two pupils seated
together are disposed tospend too much
time in talk or play, thus abusing a
privilege, the most natural thing for
the teacher to do will te to say to them,
''You waste too much time when you
sit together III talking and playing,
: besides you disturb the school and set q
bad example. / must, therefore sepa-
rate you" Acting upon this, the
pupils wil,see that their separation is
!, the direct effect of their own conduct
and net the result Of Il mere whim of
the teacher. ia pupil is disposed to
be quarrclSome on the play ground and
Interfere with the sports of his school
mates, or Il he indulges in language oP
conduct such as might have ~ AZ fnjuri-
Gus effect upon the epscholars, the
most natural and elective punishment
will be to deprive him of the society of
hlssschoolmates by making him pass
his hours of recreation alone. If pupil
breaks window lights or otherwise
damages school property, he should
be made to repair the damage or
pay for the injury done. Ii a scholar
through idleness fails to have his les
son prepared at the regular time for the
recitation be should be compelled. to
prepare it afterwards and recite alone
Pupils who are unnecessarily tardy in
coming to school in the morning should
make up the time lost by remaining in
school after the rest are dismissed. One
who throws dirt upon the floor should
clean it up. And so we might 60 on
almost ad ieJinit,tna citing instances in
Illustration Of the principle, but those
already given will suffice.
Among the advantages of such a
discipline over the methods ofiniicting
punishments arbitrarily, too often fol-
lowed by teachers, the following may
be mentioned: The pupil is made to
: feel that the punishment is direct re-
= suit Of his misconduct and this will
awaken desire on his part to avoid
committing similar errors in future.
The teachers personality is in a great
measure removed from his administra-
ton of school affairs, leaving him free
to pronounce the offenders sentence
without any manifestation Of anger or
feelings Of resentment. Thepupil can
not fail to recognize the pictures CT the
punishment, and the effect upon the
offender will not only be much more
salutary, but the teacher can admins
ter such system with more satisfac-
ton to himself, than if he practiced the
common method of governing by ar
bitrarily threatening, scolding and
whipping. But above all this, the
great aim and end Of school discipline
should not be merely to secure good
order and attention to studies while
pupils are at school, but so to train,
: direct and influence their lives that
after having gone out from theimmedi-
ate restraints of school and home the
results of their early training will follow
them all through their after careers
and have potent influence in shaping
their destinies.
Such s. system Of training as we are
advocating is well calculated to make
good citizens and good men. Having
become accustomed from early youth
to trace the results of their acts, and
knowing by observation and experience
the inevitable consequences Of wrong
doing, they will be ready to render full
obedience to law, civil and divine, see
ing that all good laws are designed not