The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-28
Corporal Punishment.


State School Commissioner Glenn is the
author of a strong and interesting article
on corporal punishment" published in
the Atlanta Journal. 1t is an article which
parents, as well as teachers, can read with
profit. Mr., Glenn does not believe in the
proverb. Spare the rod and spoil the
child" He believes in only such punish
ment as is educational and, happily, that
is the belief that is generally accepted. 1t
has not been so very long since the rod
was practically banished from the school
room and the home. BY only a few COM
paratively 1t is still regarded as ne
cessty in the training of children. In the
beginning of this century few school teach
ers thought a school could be properly
conducted without a liberal use Of the
switch, and in homes corporal punishment
was much more common than 1t is now.
Even middle-aged men and women of the
present day have a lively recollection of
the rod, the ounces block, the strap and
other forms of school room punishment,
which tended to make children sullen and
resentful rather than cheerful and ODE
dent.
A child that cannot be controlled by love
and kindness Is a very bad child, indeed,
and it is seldom that such a child can be
made better by punishment which pro-
duces physical suffering. Nearly all chill
dren are extremely sensitive to kindness,
and readily respond to efforts made for
their welfare and happiness. Too many
parents and teachers spoil children by
teasing and INDUCING them unreasonably,
and these resort to harsh means to make
them cheerful and obedient. They have
no intelligent plan for training children
They are sometimes severe and unreason-
able, and at other times kind and indul-
gent in their treatment of them.
1t is a mistake, says Mr.. Glenn, ito
drive a child when it is possible to lead
him The first work of every teacher in
undertaking to control a body of children
is to understand perfectly every one of
those children individually. To do this
wisely and intelligently the parent of the
child must be visited. Their confidence,
their sympathy, must be enlisted. The
teacher must install herself as the CO.
of the child. The confidence. the respect,
the affection of every child must be won
The teacher in every case must establish
his authority upon these three things as
a foundation. On this foundation, which
is the foundation Of love, any man or wo-
man can build. On no other foundation
can any lasting life work be built. No
man or woman has any business in the
school room with children who does not
love children"
And yet how few parents and teachers
there are comparatively who study the
dispositions of children and endeavor to
find out what kind of treatment would be
productive of the best results! How much
more happiness there would be in homes
and how much more cheerfulness and
progress there would be in school rooms
II parents and teachers sought earnestly
and lovingly to understand the character
istics Of children under their care and
endeavored to control them in accordance
with such knowledge!
However, there is satisfaction In the
fact that the rod is not so potent in en-
forcing obedience as it once was, and also
that parents and teachers are realizing
more and more that better results can be
obtained in the training of children by
gaining their confidence and affection than
by harsh words and blows