The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-03-25
BABIES AND THE BOOKS.
<y ExOUisfIE EEFINIMENr or
PUNISHMENT TO LfTTLE ONES.
The s,ssem n Schooling Makes IL tasy for
the Child To Learn Its FIRST Lesson
In Hypocrisy and Lying

provision has been made therein FOR
children Of such tender years. Inc
school age was changed, but the system
vas not changed so as 10 adapt ~ 10 ihe
tender years of these little ones. Hence,
th,. babies md themselves cnNironcd by
i.ws. rules. and regulations adapted only
and originally TO the maturcr minds ana
bodies OF older scholars Think or a.
system applied TO children OF I've 10
eight years, that IN oXacuons ana o'aci-
pine Is sufficiently advanced and rigoi-
Gus as TO meet al requirements IN us
application 10 pupils OF from twelve 10
twenty years. Think Of no discrimination
being made between the comparative
man of twenty and the comparative baby
of i've. The parents, who, In their nome
system. made no concessions demanded
by the tender years OF their younger
children, would rightly be regarded as
brutal. And yet, parents. who would not
10 guilty of such cruelty at home, VIII
put their little children under the torture
vi tins system for long hours during each
Gay. 1900 ..
Unnatural, AMI. therefore, most cruel,
Il is 10 compel Il little child OF from hVc
10 seven 20 sit stIl.' keep leliecIy
Quiet" engage IN 10 diversion DUNG the
long. mOnOton0us hours. More, and worse
suli he must "study" the lesson Thco-
rctically he must study IT abaorDlhs.y'
continuously. That Is, he must keep the
weary little ewes fixed on tie tlrcsOme.
1ncanineicss page. In fact, this wee oar-
ling i'm tins, as IN all things else, must
measure up to the requirement cNacted OF
Older scholars. Under such prOVocdtlon
lie devil. I'm many cases, finds II easy
10 give his first lesson In hypocrisy ana
lying. The little fellow soon realizes that
the only way 10 set relief from the I'M
natural tension is 10 steal it when the
teacher Is not looking his way. Cautiously
he divcrts himself for a little Whilc. Suu-
denly the teachers voice speaking 10
some other child. startles him. Instantly
he scizps his book: his eyes are glued 10
its lesson page; one pudgy finger Is even
tracing the letters. Look at him. Sweet
little bvpocritc: dear little liar! In word
and act hc D. saying. Look al me
teacher. Others may take advantage OF
Nou. but see now good, how studiOus
am
SATAN WILL LAUGH
Some-including satan-wih lauSh AT
such "cutencss." Others Will see the nlt-
fable plight Of the child and denounce
The Outrage that violates his inidhlie
rights. and drives him TO practice the
deception. 10 act the lie. In applying our
public school system the city recognizes
The difference between infanillc chnohoou
and maturcr childhood In the city the
system is adjusted 10 the infants I'm the
country the infants are adjusted TO the
system The city bends special, natural
texible regulations around the Nttle
ones. The country bends the niue ones
around regulations, that can even stretch
n man of twenty-five TO his limits OF
department and study.
IL does not alter nor soften the facls
10 admit that some teachers make II
easier for the younger children. Inc
teacher has no right 10 do this. lie does
81 Oh his own responsibility, ana IN de-
fance of uniformity, law, or regulation
on the subject. And the majority oil
teachers make no discrimination, as the
system makes none. Indeed, most teach
crs regard the babies as forming the basis
in reckoning eXactiOns and administering
discipline. Not long ago teacher put
the cart before the horse in these words
Il shall be as strict with you older schol-
ars AS 1 shall be with the very youngest
and 1 shall punish you as surely II you
deserve IL, as i would If you were the
youngest" Cases Of inhuman, wicked
treatment are not rare. DO l mean beat
ing" the babies, switching them, inilict-
ing what is termed "corporeal' punish
ment? No. Worse than thatl Let me
illustrate. a weary wee one Is waiting
with ardent longing for recess. Hands
feet, tongue-indeed, the whole body Is
aching. suffering for exercise The
thought of recess helps him TO put the
baby brakes ~ his nervous restlossness.
WILL RECESS NEVER COME.
Poor little thing WiIl recess never come
At last IL is here-for some, for most
Alas. for our baby. Recess time brought
him-an hour Of Judgment. hades OF tor
ment. lie is kept i'm Why? Perhaps
hc missed" his lesson. or, he was
NOISY" OF. he laughed aloud. or, he
made some other child misbehave. And
now. after long, tiresome waiting al
ready, that made it seem an age before
recess time came, he is told that he must
"stay in Likes Dives, his torments are
increased 10y seeing the joys Of The freed
in the paradise beyond. Every laugh
every shout of his romping companions,
adds 10 his misery. Ii is an exquisite re-
hnement Of punishment, at once inhuman,
wlcked-diahOlcal
DON'T BLAME TEACHER.
DO | blame the teacher for this. or for
any OF the cruelties towards these little
ones? No. ! defend the teacher. ] blame
no one. / point out this defect In the sys-
tom. this Inconsistency that receives little
children without providing for them; this
scnseless. cruel custom that does them
more harm than good: that Is unjust TO
the teacher. damaging 10 the older schOl-
ars; and more than any other one thing,
A. barring progress Ia many ungraded
schools. L0Ok AT its other evils: First,
These babies help TO overcrowd the ale
ready crowded school This makes il i'm
possible for the teacher 10 do his or her
best work. The most the DISCOURAGED
teacher can hope TO do Is to rush the
many classes so as TO "hear' an the
lessons. while keeping semhlance of
order among the bOisterous crowd packed
and damned into the schoOl-rOOm. There
are schools that year after year arc prac-
tlcally al a standstill, because of con-
Ecstion from overgorging Life, pro-
Srcss. are impossible TO such schools. no
matter who may be the teacher. The
average is far beyond the point where the
law cmphaucaly says the trustees must"
employ an assistant teacher From lack
OF funds. or for other reasons. the trus-
tees refuse 10 obey this must" Of the
LAW. and Yet the handicapped teacher can
OF exclude enough pupils TO bring the
number down 10 the point whore be can
do justice TO the school-as wen as TO
himself
PARENTS FAULT.
Again, 81 the teacher Is strict with
these little ones. he VIII be adiudged I'M
kind by some OF the older pupils. BY
that much his influence Is impaired. And
his inlunce and success are sun further
undermined, often, by the parents Of these