New Iberia enterprise. (New Iberia, La.) 1885-1902, 1899-01-28
From La. School Review.
CODE OF HONOR IN SCHOOLS.

CODE OF HONOR IN SCHOOLS.
The following brief essay, writ
ten by William W. Kent, drew th'
first prize at the Teachers Insti
tnte recently held in West Chester
Pa. 1t is in answer to the question
''To what extent should innOcen
pupils be held responsible for dis
Order.'
This question admits Of two di
visions: the one involving the ease
of an innocent boy informing or
another, without having been
questioned by the teacher, becom-
ing what is commonly known as q
tell tale; the other involving the
ease of a boys informing when he
is personally questioned, or when
the school as a body is questioned
concerning the author of some
mischief.
AS | understand the require
ments, we are to deal with the
second division.
The facts are that if any mischief
is perpetrated in school, the teacher
is generally unable to detect with
certainty the boy who committed
the act. This fact is due to Il GER
tain code Of honor existing among
the scholars al idea that to inform
on a cOmrade or mate is mean,
and deserving of all the sneers and
scoffs that are afterwards heaped
upon them if they violate this code
of honor.
The prevailing habit in schools
to shield the criminal encourages
boys to commit some mischief,
while if they were exposed they
would feel ashamed of their con-
duet, thus leading good boys into
evil ways, creating in school disor-
der and mischief.
This habit, if carried into the
social world, leads to the cOunte-
nancing of social evils. If carried
into the political world, it leads to
the silencing Of those people who
expose to, our sight crime and, Cor
r15gtion in politics, { carried into
the field OF morals at large, it leads
directly to winking at crime.
If this code of honor were to ac-
tuate us in other matters as it does
in school affairs, the robber would
be encouraged in his work, the
would not be detected.
In short, the prevalence Of such a
code of honor would cause a mon
strous increase of crime and the
punishment of none.
Our criminal courts tolerate no
such sentiment. The man who
witnesses crime may be summoned
to court and compelled by law to
testify. The immortality of such a
sentiment in our schools or in the
community is obvious.
Hence it should be uprooted and
by a better one. How
may this be done? By writing es-
says on the subject, by agitating
the subject in your neighborhood
and arousing the peoples thoughts
on this question, and creating, if
possible, out Of school, a public
sentiment in your favor, and, most
important of all, by holding the
whole school responsible for any
that is done. This respon-
sibility will encourage the innocent
to search out and bring to justice
the guilty.
And then it is very important
that the teacher, by short talks or
otherwise, should uphold the in
former and justify him in his
course, and thus arm him against
the abuse that will naturally follow
from the detected criminal and his
associates.
AS well as teaching your pupils
geography and history, teach them
to venerate truth and hate false
hood, to commend innocence and
expose crime.
The question may arise, sis it
practicable to hold the innocent re-
sponsible for the misconduct of
others until the offender is detected
and brought TO justices" DR..
Hays, in answer to such question,
says that he practiced it in his
school with great success. 1t strikes
at the very root of college rows and
hazing.
We have endeavored to prove
that the present existing public
sentiment in regard to this matter
is productive of disorder and mis-
chief in schools, and If carried
ier would produce moral cor
ruption, and that for these reasons
the public sentiment should be
changed. If this be true, what is
4 4 l.