Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-03-31
Discipline In Scheeis.

not purpose TO discuss the details of
this case, although, if the published re-
ports are true, the young man merited
punishment. ItHmay be that the pun
ishment was too severe. On that point
opinions appear to differ. We have, in
general, no patience with pupils who
defy the rules. of school, and still less
with parents who uphold them in such
a course. Order is Heavens first
law" and it is the primary essential in
a successful school. Teachers who pre-
serve it, are simply doing their duty,
and if it becomes necessary in doing so,
for them to infiict reasonable punish
ment the community should uphold
them in ii. More than one boy has
been started upon career Of blight
and ruin by the misguided parents who
aided and abetted him in disregarding
and defying the wholesome and nee
essary discipline of his school life. We
recall two boys of more than 20 years
ago who were called up before school
and given a sound feruling. 1t was one
of the few they received out of many
that they richly deserved. One of the
boys was told by his father that night
that he got no more than he deserved; ;
that any hoy who behaved himself at
school need have no trouble with his
teachers, but, on the other hand. would
always be sure of their friendship and
esteem, and, Furthermore, that the next
feruling he received at school would be
duplicated when he arrived home. That
was the last feruling he ever got at
that school. The other boys father
took a different course. He waxed in
dignant that any man should dare lay
a vandal hand upon his young hopeful.
1t was well enough, Of course, to call
down other mems sons-when they de.
served it.. but his son, WOW! WOW! He
went to school with his boy the next
day and we still retain vivid remem-
brance of the asinine exhibition he
made of himself giving that teacher
"a piece of his mind" He went out
and aired his grievances; but he soon
found that this is "cold and cruel
world" The committee and most OF
his neighbors persisted, with an obsti
macy he could not understand, in sympa-
thizing with the teacher. And the
committee and the neighbors were
right. for if ever there was worthless,
do-nothing. Notwithstanding scapegoat
in a school that boy was one. He
didn't amount to anything then. and he
has never amounted to anything since.
Looking back through the years. at
insolence, and his Incidence, we are
lost in wonder and admiration at that
teachers patience.
Now, boy who is a disturbing ele
ment in a school, who will not conform
to it's just rules and regulations, has no
business to be in it. If his parents are
willing that he should grow up num-
skull, they have no right to expect, nor
has the teacher any right to permit,
him to interfere with the work of the
other pupils. The parents of those
pupils send them to school to do faith
full and honest work in their studies,
and they have a right to demand that
no Ounce, or group Of ounces, shall de-
prive the school of the orderly condi-
tions essential to such work. When IA
boy goes to school simply for "a good
time" he is apt to become an incubus
on the school in a very short time.
as soon every family in town
that has a son or daughter in that
school is fully informed as to the
of that young man, and
wonder why the teachers tolerate him,
and why he is permitted to go on in
terfering with the good work and dis
cipline of that school. At last, perhaps,
the patience of the teachers is ex-
hausted. and he gives that young man
the sound feruling he should have
given him long before, or, what is bet
ter still, expels him. The pupils who
have seen his misconduct all know
that he deserves it. Their parents re-
mark they are glad of 1t; it was time
that young upstart was made to wear a
smaller sized hat" when the narrowing
tale is told at home. What a cold and
cruel world for the father Of that
young man, who may very likely labor
under the delusion that he is the parent
of a paragon, to seek sympathy in!
How much better for him to say to
his boy, Young man, if you hadn't
deserved that feruling you wouldn't
have received it. If you get another
one in that school, you will hear from
me when you get home"
Teachers are not looking for trouble.
ThAv