The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-27
zHE QUESTION OF CORPORAL PUN
ISHMENT.
The Views OF = Wise and Moderate Re-
former OF Unruiy Youth.

The Views OF = Wise and Moderate Re-
former OF Unruiy Youth.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: This 10
one OF the subjects discussed periodically In
years past. and will doubtless be In years to
come. SO long as there are many mon OF
many minds" there will be many opinions OF
many kinds and mono moro pronounced than
those respecting corporal punishment.
What is corporal punishment Ordinarily NO
mean the punishment Of child with a rod OF
some kind. or strap. on the hand or some part
OF the body. In the days OF our forefathers q
birch rod or ruler was generally used. In more
recent days. a rattan or a strap. At the present
time It Is spanking with q shoe. or with pad
die. or using AN instrument OF torture" or
AN ugly correctional wsapon"-"something
that leaves heavy veal on the flesh that sul-
inmates In sores" 1t is anything that causes
bodily pain. or suffering OF any kind. Hence
the restriction OF food to bread and water; or
any position OF the body that soon becomes
painful: walking up and down stairs many
tines or being locked In q room. Any such
treatment Is corporal punishment.
Shall corporal punishment OF any kind be re-
sorted TO in correcting q childr I answer
yes" and no" There are undoubtedly in
stances, rare perhaps. whore good whipping
causing pain but no real injury. will benefit
wilful. tubborn child more than any amount
OF talking. or any other method OF treatment
Solomon had In mind such instances when he
wrote. He that spareth his rod hateth his
son." and 80 did the author OF the proverb.
Spare the rod and spoil the child" This 10
not matter Of opinion. but Of knowledge and
experience. as many parents and saved chill
dren can testify. These. however. are the OK
oeptional Gases. not the rule. and thoy are cases
requiring the most careful disorim ination.
hn n
Spelling Book In childhood will recall the pic
ture In the back part Of the book OF the boy
Fastening down from the apple tree to beg the
old mans pardon. The old man detected the
boy In the tree stealing his apples. and ex-
postulated with him In vain. He then threw
tufts Of grass at him. which only provoked rid
icule. But when he pslted with stones the boy
hastened down. and begged the old mans par
don. This is Bible doctrine. II kind word Q
and gentle means do not avail then severity.
Corporal punishment was abolished In the
public schools Of this city some years ago. A
while after. the assistant superintendents Of
schools while visiting one OF the reformatory
schools for examination. were unanimous in
the remark that 1t was a mistake: that boys.
instead Of being kept Ia school and brought to
terms. were turned out" and in due time
we're found In reformatories. The following
day the superinten dent put the question to the
inmates tseveral hundredl. How many Of you
were turned out OF the puplio sohoolsp" and q
surprising number OF hands were raised in
reply. Tho reason 10 plain Many troublesome.
hardened. vicious boys arc cowardly. Nothing
will restrain them but physical pain. Most Of
them will be restrained through the fear Of
punishment. not otherwise. Deprive the
principal OF this authority. and as last resort
the boy 10 compelled to leave the school.
Tho principal OF a school. or superintendent
OF a reform school. 10 in the position OF Judge.
personally dlsinterested and impartial. II
qualified for his position. he can safely be en-
trusted with authority to enforce obedience
the simple fact OF being endowed with such au-
thority being a sufficient restraint with tho
majority OF troublesome boys. To the ques-
ton. should teachers and subordinate officers
be authorized to administer corporal punish
ment. answer emphatically. NO" A prin-
cipal or superintendent will discriminate. Cor
poral punishment will be last resort. and will
seldom BIO repeated some other method being
resorted to IL necessary Subordinates are apt
to become exaggerated and consequently to act
hastily repeating the punishment again and
again without discrimination.
Some years ago. In Western reform school.
every offlcer carried a rattan and for every act
OF disobedience. serious or trif1ing. the rattan
was used. One OF the disciplinary officers who
believed the boys could be kept under control
in no other way. said. We cannot reform
these boys. We can only keep them sup
pressed. Like the puppet In the box. unlock
the lid and up it Jumps" Quite true. Such
methods are based on the principle that bad
conduct invariably merits corporal punish
ment. The principle 10 wrong and the result
bad. A boy refuses obedience point blank. and
challenges any ono to compel 1t. He Is reported
to the principal. who makes no allusion to his
conduct. but quietly and pleasantly questions
him about his home and his experiences. The
boy becomes interested. and the fear OF sum-
mary fogEinR is dispelled. The principal then
alludes to his conduct and points out his mis-
take. He confesses 1t. makes due apology to
his teacher. and gives no trouble thereafter.
Had he been punished the result would have
been altogether different All cases could not
be treated in like manner. for no two cases are
alike. But take the boys past history. put
yourself in his place. and you can decide upon
the wiseRt course to pursue.
The evils OF indiscriminate corporal punish
ment more than counterbalance the evils
arising from!the total abolition OF such punish
ment. and therefore OF the two evils, should
choose the latter.
But. in my Judgment. the wiser course would
be to delegate discretionary power to the chief
executive OF school or institution G.
New YORK. Aug. 20.