The morning call., 1893-03-23

man Gu ting wood, takes last looA at ne
tl0ggIng directions of the laws, brings the
strap down heavy and hits-the air. The
small boy has withdrawn his hand.
The next stroke is somewhat Ike the first,
except that the principal holds the boy 5
md and succeeds in making him think
that be has been smlten. The next
stroke is repetition of the second. only on
the other hand. and fourth results IN the
small boys collapse and the principal S
getting bruised knuckle from the strap.
This ends the punishment, and, amid the
applause OF the spectators, the boy wipes
MS eyes On his coat sleeve and leaves the
room.
But the strap is to be superseded by other
implements of castigation under the work
lngs G of the boards new rule.
Inc parents ire to decide how the punish
ment is 10 be inflicted.
And so this is the question of the board
for the parents to decide, How shall we
punish your childW
They ask the question with some show of
feeling and sentiment. though, as a matter
OF TACT, 1t is not likely that they are more
deeply concerned than waiter is in asking
a similar question regarding an eaters
plans and specifications for his tenderloIn
steak.
And the answers, as given to CALL men
wednesday, are various and diverse.
on, touch 'em up lightly" said one par
ent just give 'em strap once in while
oSluSs tuo DdCh. OuJ GO IL geuIly.
Take switch to them" said another
parent. "but don't hit their faces. just tap
them lightly across the shoulders"
Dress 'em down with a ruler" said
fark-street man. "and don't be gentle about
1t at all If my children do anything wrong
show 'em that they've got to behave"
II am in favor Of the switch judiciously
applied to the brOadest part of the anatomy"
said lawyer
Take a club to 'em," declared Park
street butcher. Make 'em act decent or
kill EN-
Mrs. Duncan of 1719 Sherman street said
I've got boy attending the same school
as the Wilson boy, and | know there are
times when he needs good thrashing, and
Mr.. de Brlsh has our authority 10 give it to
him."
What do yOu think of the strap system
OF punishment ?'' she was next asked.
10 tell you the truth, | think it would be
much better if the teachers would just take
child across their knees aud give it good
old-lash hioned spanking That would surely
do no injury, and If properly done the child
would not forget it in a hurry, either"
The next person seen was Mrs. MOckel,
who is the mother of a numerous family,
and therefore should be a competent Judge
OF the merits of the style OF corporeal pun
lshment she advocates.
When asked whether she preferred to
have her children strapped on the hand or
hands" Mrs. Mockel promptly replied:
Taken across the knee and spanked, by
all means. That's the old way, and [ have
found it very efficient" And the obedience
OF the little ones clustered about her was
good evidence of the truth of the statement.
II don't want my children whipped at
all, said one Alameda father TO The CALL
man, who asked him how he wanted them
whipped
And l won't have them whipped, either,
If L can help it, and l think l can, the bonn
6astic wisdom Of the local school board and
trustees to the contrary notwithstanding.
Education in the Eastern States has gone
beyond the period Of whipping several years
since. 1t is high time that the rod should
be banished from the California curriculum
by State law.
when they burned witches in MasSachu-
setts they hOgged children in school. Tie