The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-11-19
Corporal Punishment.

II : curious 10 note the increased SEN
siriveueSs or parents. and the public as
well. with respect 10 corpOrcIl punish
mont in the schools. We ID not pre-
tend to account for it except on the
theory that school teacher is ROW re-
carried as = public servant, whereas, IN
IN. old days he was monarch OF all he
surveyed. and. whenever lie chose, cut
ouiis figure In the annals 0i neishbOr-
bo1sIs aud communities
Men q middle age can have no IRON
lie iu remembering the days when they
were hauled up 10 the teachers desk he
fore the whole school. and logged Tor
tle slightest infracJiou II school disci-
mine. Ii the biz boys didn't like it they
could leave. bat those who retired with
their books were. in a majority or IN
stances. carried back "a school by 4
stern parent and compelled 70 submit -
The punishment which they had hoped
20 evala. The small boys had ~ stand
r.. They rubbed their bruises. whimpcr-
"a 4 little. AMI. 81 they were really
healthy and vigorous boys. were ready
in a few hours Tor another dose OF the
FchOSlulaSter'S medicine.
II Is true. indeed that the oil school
system. which WIS the best and most
demncratf, that Win ever BE- seen again.
developcd 9 few tyrants among the
eehoOln.asters. brit these were soon
found cut AMI speedily got rid of. Those
who had char, cT the education Of the
Youth 81 the country We're responsible
nor only 10 ihe community or nci-hbor-
hood in which they pursued their call
inc. but 10 1le parents; AMI such re
strsinfs rs this dual responsibility su=-
rests were powerful enough 10 keep the
srbn,Irnasfprs alive to their duties.
I'm, the cII-time school teacher has
diSanpearpI. aud with him the admira-
BILE system ont Of which graduated the
south's greatest and most successful
men in al denartments az life. In place
~ that system We have adopted the
New England scheme. with an its ma
ehinerv. sud the parent now has an in
s-iuctiva ferliu. Thar when his child IS
puni>he,i. ia has suffered injury ut the
hands ~ an agent III the state. lie has
probably never met this agent 81 the
state socially " iH 2 business way. and
he Is Inclined To resent tlc punishment
Of his son by q person who IS not only
an utter stranger. but n public servant
who has presumed on the power that
his position gives him.
We suppa>. this must be the feeling
On which public sentiment Is based.
There is much 10 be said on both sides.
we are sure that tle discipline that has
the roll behind Il is healthful and not
hurtfui tn the average bog. ON the
other hand. = must be admitted that
school teachers are not what they used
90 be- we have reason to know thaJ
come Of the ablcs5 aGd most accomplish
ed % our t,acher~-men vino sincerely
love their proresS-ol-Sec. and feel. and
iuwIrdIy resent the essentially narrow
lines To which they are confined by our
present system. But they cannot help
themselves. IL they are Ia pursue
calling which th5y love. and Tor which
they are fitted. they must submit 10 be-
come a part ~ tEe machinery Of the
system. They must he content 10 wipe
our their own Individuality and 70 ait
in Winning sut the Individuality Of the
pupils committed to their CHARGE. In
other words. they must conform and
comnal their methods 90 instruction 10
conform 10 an iueNprs1le system which
makes I'd provision Tor tine individuality
OF the young minds that are placed in
their charge.
We have 10 present intention Of dis
cussin. the defects 81 the public school
system. some Cf which are inherent IN
the system itself AMI in>aparable from
state control. Under the old system,
which produced 80 many beneficial re-
suits, education was as free 10 those
who Were unable 20 pay FOR il as il IS
now. but provision 10 that end was made
by the county and not by the state. The
schools were supported by people who
were able 10 pay ana the county educat-
ed those who were unable "a pIy tuition.
Judging by resUIts-by the Ouicome-the
Old system was TAR superior 10 the pres
ent one. especially in the important mat
ter OF fostering and shaping tie individ-
uaIity of each pupil. and in the nature
OF the relations between parents and
teacher. We think our present public
school system wOv,5 bear improvement
in the directions wh-:h We have ind!cat-
too empirical.
To return to the matter In hand, we
ar n the opinion that parents are too
se.sstive in regard to the results or
scs4.,i discipline. The birch. well laid
or. and within the bounds Of justice, is
I'm the nature Of an education itself. and
4 wholesome administration OF this sort
has been the turning point in many 4
boys career. Brutality is Objectionable
In any form, and tyranny is not to be
Tolerated even in n school teacher. but
the Moral restraints that surround a
teacher are not likely 10 permit him 10
err III the direction OF brutality. 4 boy
VINO Knows he viii be SoundIy whipped
II ne persists in ignoring the discipline
OF the school IS not likely to invite a
repetition of just punishment. unless, in