Evening journal., 1895-12-16
A WORD TO TEACHERS.
Many Complaints Made BY
Parents of School Children.
AGAINST UNJUST PUNISHMENT
A Father objects TO Some Of the Methods
New in Use in the Public schsoIs-Ths
System OF Punishment By DetsntisR
Ovsrworksd-Csn the Board OF Educa-
tion ExpoI Children at VIII.

81 noticed an editorial In the EVENING
JOURNAL Of Saturday. In which the pro-
posed action OF the Board OF Education
relative TO the suspending or exoelling OF
public school children who fail to pass
two promotions is commented upon
and heartily sgree with the
ideas therein expressed" said
man to an EVENING JOURNAL re-
porter. There is considerable complaint
among parents Of children who attend
our public schools The Board Of
Public Education Is composed of rspu-
table business men. whose names are n
guarantee Of their high standing In social
and public life, but that they sometimes
fail TO appreciate the fact that they are
the servants OF the public and not
dictstors seems to be true.
"NOw / have children attending the
schools. and there are some things /
certainly do object TO- / dc not want to
pose as kicker, but simply desire to fls
my objection, believing that shall be
upheld by very many-ia fact by all who
have given the subject any attention
I'm the FIRST place. understand that
a custom has been, or Is 10 be, inaugu
rated under which pupils who fail to
oass two examinations for promotion
will be expelled; or, II you choose, sus
pended indefinitely. bslievs this was
suggested by DR.. Crumbaugh, and so
announced IN the High School and,
possibly, In others The object 10 TO
eliminate from the different classes or
schools those children who, from lack OF
energy or inclination or who are
unusually stupid, and caun0t or do not
pass the required percentage Now
do not believe that this Is within the
province of the Boara Of Public Educa
tion, the visiting committees or the
teachers. The trend OF public opinion is
in the direction OF compulsory education,
and IL strikes me that this Is not sloag
that line.
Another thing that impresses me as
amenable to improvement is the system
Of punishment By detention after school
am not opposed to this kind OF punish
msnt. but / do obiscs TO children bsiog
punished for the most absurd reasons
few instances will make my objections
plainer. At No "a rule exists that
any boy who gets to school before the
doeTs ars open is subject to punishment.
For instance my boy left home the other
morning earlier than common, and
suppose as Il was pretty chilly, made
bstter time than usual BE arrived a.
the school at 1885, or ten minutes before
The doors were opened He and several
others were kept In after school for
this Hsd he bsen a few minutes late
the same fate would have overtaken him
In the latter case there is some Justice
ia the former / can see none. The reason
given is. / believe, that the boys make a
noise aud may disturb the inmates Of the
hospital opposite Again, n q child Is
detained at home on account Of sickness
or for any reasonable cause, ne matter II
explained by the parent BY note, he or
she is required to stay after school on
Friday afternoon as long as the teacher
sees 6t
"a boy brimful Of fun and running
over with mischief takes advantage Of
the teachers back beiug turned aud plays
some antio which causes the others to
laugh All hands are punished by dsten
tion after school Another boy surrepti-
tiously exhibiting knife or some obi cot
Of interest to bis seAtmate carelsssly
drops IT, but rseov RS II without being
detected and all hands stay In because
one boy made q noise A little tot,
spending her FIRST year at school, fails TO
keep her hands behind her; or an older
one stumbes over an unusually hard ex
ample. or drops on & big word and the
sane fate overtskes her Soma Of the .
punishmeDts may be necessary, but
school Is not made very pleasant or learn
ing very attractive when every effort
seems TO be exerted by the teachers to
make school life 3 vehicle for punish
ment
Many members Of the present Beard
Of Public Education we're pupils under
Hiss Laura Osgood, than whom there
was no greater dlsciplinarian. Before
her death she expressed her regret that
she had been so strict and severe with
ths children under her charge. and ex
pressed her belief that q more lsnlsnt
policy brought about bet ter results
"Still another complaint. and l sm
done. Thls concerns No. , school par
ticulsrly, and perhaps others There
/ the custom prevails Of making tho boys
I on the uppsr hoors descend by means Of
I the ERE escape. tbs reason Assigrod bsiRR
that they make so much noise when they
use the etsirwsys TAe hfe escapes
were put there for use In case Of Ere, not
as a means Of ingress or ssrssS for the
boys
Il conoede that a drill, say once q
month or a week, II you choose. is all
right, but to turn a mob of boys loose "a
hustle them down an iron stairway
covered with ice IN Winter. or slippery
with rain IN Fall or Spring, is not
practice. and might result 10 serious
accident. IL WAS the custom TO obligS
che girls to use the same avenue, but tk'
custom OF losfers to ooDgragsts on tbs
opposite corner and watch them descend
resulted in breaking this up
"But cannot this be remsdled by goiuf
| to the teachers or to the members Of ths
board and telling them2' asked tbs
reporter.
Il think not know OF instances
whefe parents hsVe gons TO the teachers
and IN place OF securing chance to makl
oonp aints the tsRchsrs have simply said
We think we know our business The
members Of the board In turn think they
know theirs. and do not propose to hav'
aDyons criticize their tcs Il iE a sSri
Of / am Sir Oracle, and when l ops nJ
mouth let no dog bark feeiing that thsl
seem to hold 10 wards the ordinary people
II you doubt 1t, try II once There srl
lots Of other things Whish could b
rsmsdled and perhaps some Otksr parents
can suggest them
In New Quarters.
| Mitchail a. Thomas whose factory Ol