The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1889-12-01
TO Whip OR NOT TO Whip
That is the Question---At
Least Among the Public
School Teachers.
OF COURSE THEY DON Y, THEY SAY
But Would They if They COald9---
The Law that Makes Moral
Suasion Compulsory.


of No. II School, on Bergen square, ha;
drawn attention afresh to the question OF
discipline in tho public schools and ha;
occasioned much criticism of the law
that ties the teachers'h when it be
comes necessary to- resort to extreme
measures to maintain discipline
There is law prohibiting corpora
punishment in schools, and there is nc
other way OF Furnishing a refractory
pupil without at the same time punish
ing the teacher, but there is a tradition
among the school children that the Law
is being constantly violated and that the
little ones who most richly deserve it are
in danger of castigatioD, law or no law.
HISTORY OF THE LAW
Principal Edward Kelly, OF School No
4, who was a member of the Examining
Board for the county from 1868 to 1888
very kindly gave me a brief historical
sketch of the origin of the present law
forbidding corporal punishment in the
public schools. He could not exactly re-
call the date of It's origin, but it was
somewhere about 1867 when the act ere.
ating the present school law was enacted
1t was brought about mainly through the
influence of ex-Superintendent Apgar, of
the Public Schools of New Jersey, who
was then Superintendent. One of the
provisions was TO the effect that corporal
punishment should be prohibited in this
State. A proyiso was inserted giving
cities having Board of Education the
power, if said Board saw fit to do so, to
pass special rule allowing corporal pun
ishment. That proviso was taken advan-
tage of here in Jersey City. 1t was
abolished, however, when the State Con-
stitution was amended
1t has not been fully observed here
Practically it is dead letter. But little
attention was paid to the matter here in
Jersey City till about six years ago, when
Benjamin Van Reipen, then a mem Der of
the Board of Education, introduced a re-
solution to the effect that the public
schools of Jersey City lconform strictly
with the State law concerning corporal
punishment.
Mr. Kelly said corporal punishment had
not been resorted to in School No 4 since
the adoption of that resolution.
The school principals, when interviewed
by the hustling reporters of. HE JERSEY
CITY NEWS, to man denied that they
indulge in any rattan exercises nova
days; and the feeling among them in
favor OF the prohibitory law is more gen
eral than one would expect to find it.
President Voorhees,, of the Board OF
Education, reflects their views in gen
eral way.
II do not believe in corporal punish
ment in the public schools he said. Il
believe that the discipline in our scho lis
is excellent, and that no harsh measures
are needed. Some principals and teach
ers would be too handy with the rod I'M
less they had strong restraining in
huence."
MR.. PoLAND's VIEW.
Superintendent Poland, of the public
schools OF Jersey City, said:--
II suspect that SO long as human nature
is in children, such as it is, the necessity
for some form of corporal punishment
will be found by parents a necessity in
order TO obtain obedience
Now, il parents, with SO many means
of obtaining obedience from their chill
dren, find it necessary to resort,~to cor
poral punishment, it seems to follow that
teachers, OF at least principals of the
schools, .ought.to be authorized to employ
some force other transmission. Corporal
punishment is not forbidden in Massa-
chuSetts and it is inaintainedtby eofhmo n
law in several States. The law forbid
ding it is not practically observed in this
State. Instead of absolute prohibition, I
would have corporal punishment, but
subject to rigorous restrictions.
THEY'RE TOO BIG.
High School Principal Sweeney said he
never whipped a'child. He never found
it necessary to resort to corporal punish
ment. He didn't believe in it. aft q
pupil, :" said he, fears a whipping, doubt
less the tendency is to make him slightly
more careful in some things; but, ON the
other hand. he hasn't the same respect
for his teacher. Every boy, no matter
how bad he may be, has an element of
good IN him. 1t seems to me there is
some way of reaching it without fogging
him.
Principal Joseph II. Evans. of School
No: q, expressed his opinion on the SUBJ
feet in these words
I'm fully equipped, well graded
school, in which all the seats are occu-
pied" said Principal Joseph H. Evans, of
School No. q, discipline can be kept
without resorting to corporal punishment.
Under these circumstances there are so
many ways of reaching his pride
There are undoubtedly some cases
where a good switching will do more
good than anything else. The State of
Pennsylvania passed a law prohibiting
corporal punishment, but was obliged to
rescind it after q two years experiment."
DISCIPLINE JUST AS GOOD.
PERSONALLY | have no choice in the
matter" said Principal Edward Kelly, of
School No. 4. 1.-The discipline of my
school is as good now as when | admins
tered corporal punishment The princi-
pal has the power to suspend an unruly
pupil; the Board of Education has the
power to eXpel
Now, there may be an occasional case
where itwould be betuerif the principal
had the power, according to law, to deal
with the boy as he sees fit, rather than
turn him upon the street to become a
loafer.
II doubt very much, however, even if
the law allowed me, ii | should use cor
poral punishment as means of maintain
ing discipline. SHOULD resort to it only
in extreme cases.
RETAINED FOR FIVE YEARS.
J. w Wakeman, Principal of Public
School No. 6, and one of the oldest teach
ers in the city, said, in response to my en-
qulries:--"1 believeina complete obedience
to the law. For five years prior to the
passage of the statute relative to cor
poral punishment | had refrained from
whipping think corporal punishment
should be the last resort of the teacher,
but at the same time | am satisfied that
in extreme cases such punishment would
be better for the boys future than eX-
pulslon from school to the streets, where
ne would soon go to the bad
Il think in such cases, little of the
rod would be lasting good to the boy
Every school has its ultra unrnly boys
VINO try the patience of the teacher, and
often set his dicipline at defiance ] think
Ioc such, corporal punishment, admins
tered ludiciously, and not with passion,
should be permitted We are hampered
III our method of furnishing the derelict
pupil in keeping him after school hours,
by rule of the Board, prohibiting Us
from keeping them after half-past three
o'clock. The boys are aware of the rule,
and they care but little for that sort of
N ofrrys