The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-02-25
Furnishing PUPILS.
INTERVIEW ON THE SUBJECT OF
CORPORAL PUNISHMENT.
A Broeklyn Principal Talks Freely %
the Methods Of whipptng-Bodfiy Pun
ishnens Has saiutary Enect on some
wayward Children.

A recent circumstance has called nm thr
sore subject OF corporal punishment in che
public schools Being DESTROYS Of learuinn
whether such punishment existed. ard Il
} 20 to what extent, called on the principal
Of school No. 8. sir. Benjamin Y. Couklin.
&C bis residence Il Is distinctly due that
person TO state that be not only did no,
seek TO evade the questions which were put
to him. but that be sought, on the COZ
trary, to give whatever information he
could concerning such punishment he
evidently realized that public schools were
public property and a. such liable at any
time to be called 20 account The follow
ing questions were asked and answered in
the interview:
rs it true that corporal punishment il
inflicted in the public schocls1" at Is. )"
was the reply Of the principal
rs snch punishment exceptional, or Is
II inflicted in all the schoolss" 1T Is in
aicted in all the schools"
as it inflicted in No. 3, Of which. air, ron
are the principally" 1T is" be frankly adj
mitted
as such punishment Of daily occur
rence," Hardly. do just as little OF it
~ can"
what does this punishment consist ins"
I'm the use Of the rattan"
as a child ever punished about the
heade" Never"
"Isachild's ear ever kneaded or knuckled-
thumbeds" Never"
I Are boys ever triced up by the thumbs
and whippedl" Never"
! HAS child ever been punished in your
school. No. 3. 70 the injury OF the childi"
/ Not TO my knowledge"
HAS such n complaint ever been made
| to you" II cannot recall it."
/ is child ever forced 10 submit 70 pun
I ishment?" Occasionally"
is there still in use now, a. formerly.
any such instrument a. the whipping
STOOL in which children were strapped and
whipped. rs at the Walworth street school.
where such instrument OF torture was
used up 70 within three OF four years agoi"
"Not that know OF, . said the headmaster.
FRANK OPINIONS
"In case u child does resist and refuse to
submit TO corporal correction. even at your
hands, what course. Mr.. Conklin. do you
then pursueS" II punish them"
What are children punished forf" Dis
orderly conduct"
"For anything elsef" NO"
Ever punished tor being late or repeat
edly late, or missing their lessons or re-
peatedly missing theml" / asked 'No"
was the answer
do parents ever request you 70 punish
their childrenY Sometimes"
do they ever forbid you to punish
themi" They do"
Are children punished by you privately
or in the presence of witnesses" -Pri-
vately."
Are girls ever obliged to take corporal
CORRECTION" Never TO my knowledge"
Are the same set Of children punished
over and over again" They are"
Does not that fact argue againss the
practical effects Of such punishmentr II
think not" said the principal
do boys laugh at IL or lay IL 70 hesrtf
Docs 1t harden them into greater obdurscy
or breed better behavior in themr Il
think the effect IS salutary
Have you ever heard Of q principal IN
the public schools of Brooklyn whose meth
Cd OF punishment is to tell boys to pick mp
pin and then slash them skin tight a.
they bend overf" II have not"
What would you think OF such . de-
graded and degrading form Of correctional
deceitt Would you NOT despise the chest
that practiced itp Il woQlS, most certain
~" replied the principal.
ETHICS or THRAsBTgo.
'Is not fear In your Judgment an ignobls
motive To foster IN q child n q principle q
action, and can any good and lasting bet
terness ever be produced by such methodist
Fear is ignoble," said Mr.. Conklin, and
80 Is bad behavior. There are some people
who live in the skin and can only DO APP
pealed TO through the senses
And you think y0a are the person aa-
thorizcd TO do itP II do"
Suppose these same children were grown
up men and still behaving Just ~ badly,
would you strike themf" Certainly not. %
"Pray, why notp "Because they ara old
enough 20 take care Of themselves" And
might thrash you beside. Mr.. Conklinf"
i added "Ent, a. a matter Of fact, they
are still behaving badly, with only this ex-
caption. that they are, by all odds. behAv-
ing worse than they did When children by
- much as age breeds accountability. You
dare not strike those same boys a. men.
But you do dare TO strike them ~ little.
soft boned baby boys. because they are
helpless and ia your power and cannot
strike back. IL not that the only real de-
fense" Il don't think So" replied the
principal
do you justify or condemn such pan
II condemn 10 utterly"
Now, Mr.. Conkiin. let me pre- you a.
the principal OF this school a little more
closely. What, distinctly. u the puBishsng
power conferred upon you A. principal ~
this SCHOOL," 1T IL Discretionary with my
self"
do ron derive your right TO punish
children eorporaliy from any iaw. And II %
what iawy" There IL no law, ! think.
THAI provides for such punish1ssnt 5g
school principal" said the principal
What, then. DO you derive IL FROM
UsanceF "Yes. simply from allowances"
'.Suppoee 4 civil action was brought
against you FOR assault by the Darsuis o<
guardians % ebiid, what valid defense
could you interpossf" The courts have
more than once sustained rsasooAbis pun
izhrnent, where IL wAs clearly shown 70 -
necessaTy."
-Suppo@s . child with heart diseAae.
head trouble, hAliscinAtion or . hundred
kindred Disorders dropped dad tainted
feI. Ia hts OF went iaso oonTulaorss under
TIE rattan. what DO yo1 think the parents
Of such child ooaIid hold Yoa forf' Il have
DO, considered that qBsstsosfT
~WOald you send yOaT own child 20
sckool of aay Kind WHERE corporal paDisa-
u1ent wzs inflicted by clAss teachers who
lrs IN some instaooes admittedly both ia
competent ard iFrezD0lss.6lsf" i sozld
nCG"
Are not the Eaoez successful teachers
Invariably tbo~e vso govern their eiaznes
y personally attaching their sckoiAss 70
hem tarouzh kiBd aod eOuF-eozs trsss,
- sluvar4zffr saf9 fhs oFzor4ras
That schooi j. bs~t governed thAE - isAea