The herald., 1896-12-03
another SCANDAL CLOSED
The Whittier Teachers AC-
quilted of the Charge
NO "BAHERY" TO WHIP A GIRL
Superintendent Coffin Defines
Essential in His Work
A QUESTION COMPLICATED
A QUESTION COMPLICATED
Some Curious Questions Of Law and
Morals Involved
Nsse Of the Teachers Believed 10 Corporal
Punishment
Save as an Alternative and So Con
quer" a Girl-Reformatory Meth
DDS a Special Branch Of Sci
entiflc Study.


entific Study.
Mrs. Wilson. late principal of the girls
department Of the Whittier reform
school, Miss German and Mrs. Hender-
son, subordinate teachers, were last
evening acquitted of the charge prefer
red against them of battery against
Grace Maroney.
So far as the ladder individually are
concerned little rec ION for objection
can be raised, but az IN Endorsement of
the method, or want II method, in vogue
at the school, the verdict leaves some
thing to be desired
An originally simple proposition was,
by the pertinacity and ingenuity of
counsel, transformed into sund1y ques-
tions of law as well as of fact. And
this new complexion cast upon the trial
the court, by a curious ruling, helped
very materially.
The whipping Of Grace Maroney by
the three defendants was not denied.
The board oc trustees last spring or
thereabouts parsed resolution abrogat-
ing the rule previously in vogue regard
ing corporal punishment in the girls
department. rhe board had, under the
statute. a right to make any rules they
saw hit in order to enforce discipline,
and under that specific clause of the
statute the resolution tabooing corpo-
raj punishment was drawn up and
passed.
Inasmuch US that resolution had not
been abrognted, it was in force at the
time the Vhipping Of Grace Maroney
took place.
But Justice Young intimated during
the afternoon that he would hold that
the resolution of the board Of trustees
forbidding corporal punishment haj
been abrogate and--in almost the same
breath he added-had remained q dead
letter.
The two terms used by the court are
by no IN cans synonymous. For the res
olution to reman a dead letter would
mean that it had not been abrogated
but was not enforced-that the board
of trustees winked at the infringement
of its own resolution. To abrogate it
would certainly mean that corporal pun
ishment was again sanctioned as mode
of correction by the board of trustees
Inasmuch as Mrs. Wilson had not re-
ceived any special authority upon her
applying to the board, but next day was
told by Superintendent Coffin to sup
press the disorder and "use her own dis
erection" in doing so, the court held she.
had been In that manner armed with
that special authority of the board
through the superintendent which the
board had denied to her in person.
But there again a nice question comes
in. When any special authority dele
gated by superior to subordinate
In any sphere of life, it matters not
where. Is 1t not necessarily implied that
such authority shall always be within
scribed by law?
Truth to tell, the three defendants
confessed that they were unaware that
any resolution against corporal punish
ment existed. But in such cases the
law presumes the knowledge of the con-
sequences of ones acts, and while such
excuse might stand good In mitigation
of the offense, 1t can hardly remove the
Offense itself.
The verdict returned indicates that
the jury, like the court, believed that
In some occult manner that resolution
OF the board was dead letter
But now that the trial is over there
are several things suggested by the evil
dence that are worthy of consideration
Assuming whipping to be necessary in
very exceptional cases ,and that the case
or the girl Grace was one, is it wise to
feebly spank" girl, as testified to by
the defendants and let her return to her
comrades with a laugh on her face? A
laugh got for Grace a. third spanking, but
II she had not been seen giggling what
moral end would have been subseryed
by the spanking?
Most of the girls sent to Whittier are
not possessed OF overmuch modesty, but
woman is very degraded indeed when
the last womanly instinct has departed.
Can 1t aid any in rebuilding a shattered
character, or help q mature and over
wise girl, In person or by example, to
regain her lost self-respect by exposing
her person and submitting her to hu-
initiation?
That Grace Maroney was over IS wears
OF age at the time of whipping as a
point Of law, has cut little figure in the
case, albeit it might be of Importance il
she were not the waif she is and insti-
tuted suit for damages
Rather curiously, Mrs. Wilson and
her companions stated that they did not
believe In corporal punishment "if girl
could be conquered in any other way"
First OF all the definition is incorrect,
FOR no boy or girl was and it is safe to
say never Will be conquered" by cor
poral punishment. They are subdued--
driven-by brute strength and force into
submission and fear, but the evil, what
ever 1t Is, still lies in the unruly brain to
manifest itself again whenever oppor-
tunity serves. The three teachers in
giving corporal punishment as the only
alternative remedy overlooked the wide
gamut of emotions in girls bosom
which may, and in certain schools and
reformatories are, played upon in cor
recting and disciplining the biased
minds of the corrupted youth of both
sexes.
To sum the matter up very briefly.
criminology Is a science, and long and
close study of reformatory methods are
part of the necessary equipment of any
teacher In reformatory school.
The three defendants in this case are.
apparently, we'll intentioned, earnest
women; but how far did they meet the
requirements Of their respective posi-
tlons?
ODDS AND ENDS,
But the trial Is over and that after fur
nishing considerable entertainment.
Yesterday again the court room was
crowded.
Mrs. J. Thompson was the first witness
put forward. and testified to having gone
to Whittier with Mrs. Threlkeld to take
the place vacated by Mrs. Sutherland.
ehs there saw Grace Maroney ana found