The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-05-14

Diplornatis;."
Special c. le1eoI
NEW YORK. Ma, -.'.- o. The i,h''
desirable If puyila- a..vA .-~ -.aS2oS
enjoy and from wh.ca the masses are de-
barred in England +. that of being sub
jected 10 frequent ggings with blrches
and canes between the ages OF fourteen
and twenty Since Inc abolition OF cor
poral Punishment in ne army ana navy
this particular fou of discipline mas
gradually been eliminated from all edu-
cationai establishments frequented by
fbe middle classes, rs well as from those
of national and municipal and chart
t,bie character. Ludced the objection of
Hho masses ~ The Clastisement of their
bows at school has asserted itself so
strongly and With snch signal effect that
IL is dangerous for a teacher to venture
60 administer physical correction to a
pupil. Scarcely a week passes without
the newspapers containing the account
Of magistrates reprlnanding and even
fnine unfortunate schoolmasters VINO,
driven past patience by boyish insolence
b 0Dl RIGHTEOUSNESS, I4dNO i"lp~' " 49,
over the kDuckles or boxed his ears
The aristocracy and the upper classes,
however, refuse to take advantage OF
tbis leeal emancipation of their sons
from the tyranny OF the rod. Their attl-
~fude On the subject is mainly attribut-
nble to the conservative instincts which
ore incrained in every Englishman of
good birth, no matter whether wing or
Tory. and which render him averse to
any reforms or changes, especially when
they are Of u uon-political nature. 1t Is
due in n measure also to q desire on the
Dart of the lads Reconsideration are OF
course the principal parties concerned
to avoid being associated in any way
with the common herd of boys, even
when this association involves the ex-
emotion from logging. They regard
the latter as n riyilege belonging to
their caste woull be the first to rebel
against its abolition, and pride them
selves on the scars left by the birch
scars which constitute kind OF retro
spective evidence of their gentilhomme
1T Elton, Harrow, Rugby, Winches-
ter, and indeed at all Of the great
schools of the same rank, where young
England is taught little else but Latin
and Greek verses, boating, cricket and
other outdoor games at n cost OF 81 800 a
year, corporal punishment is still in full
force Some OF them use the birch, and
Others prefer the cane, and while in most
of the colleges tho culprit takes his pun
ishment kneeling, there are quite anum-
Der where the offender is "horsed" by
being mounted On the back of some big
boy. In that position the victim is more
helpless than in any other. AT Elton the
whipping block is one Of the famous in
stituhons OK tho place. 1t resembles the
kind Of block which we see portrayed il
old prints rs having been used in med
ieyal times for decapitating prisoners
and the number of famous men who
have kneIt before it is very great
The present prime minister, Lord
Salisbury, was birched while leaning
against it no less than seven different
times, the master who inflicted the cas-
tigation being still alive, hale and hearty
ut Oxford. ON one memorable occasion
the headmaster flogged the whole party
Of thirty Candidates for confirmation,
the paper with their names omit having
been mistaken by him for the punish
ment bill, which is sent up to him every
day. He would listen to no protests Oh
remons.rances, but went conscientiously
through the whole lot. Dukes and com.
moners, boys of fourteen and bearded
youths Of twenty, are all alike subjected
TO these blgchinSs, which, according to
schoolDoy ethics, involve no dishonor.
Indeed the. look back upon them much
in the same light that soldier does upon
his past campaigns, and, as stated above,
the decorations of the skin are regarded
in the light of glorious wounds The
boys aru Just as proud Of them as the
German University student is of the scars
on his face left by his adversary's duel
ing sword
! myself am unable to refrain from a
certain feeling of satisfaction when re.
call my score of sixteen floggings in the
space Of three years. This involved an
expenditure of ninety-six picked birches
CIV i4tNAi % NLOhh uplCOC, VI WHICH
werere,ig ously charged in the quarterly
school bls sent to my parents as EEK,
tras." Each punishment consisted OF
twelve strokes on the bare flesh, u new
birch beng used for every two blows,
received meeting, with one of the sixth
form boys holding me down with his
: right hand pressed on the back of my
neck. The birches were long, thin and
tough, having been kept in brine for
several months, and the punishment
they inflicted when welded by our head
mastcr.-a gigantic divine over six feet
high ard powerful in proportion-was
quite enough to make one vince, every
stroke licerating the skin and drawing
blood
On one occasion, however, received
a pa rularly severe castigation with
out ever feeling it. had been "sent
mp for having acted as ringleader of n
party Of boys who had carried off n num-
Der Of ducks from one of the COLLEGE
farms, A portion of the booty was con-