Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1901-10-25
BOYS SHOULD BE BEATEN.
English Opinion That the Birch Shouts
Not Be Spared


Choate, is popular with the smallboys
in these days, says the London Ex-
press. Little Jimmy and tiny Tommy
are ready to throw their hats in the
air aud utter as many cheers as sbe
American Representative would care to-
listen TO, Mr.. Cboate's name betag
the text of their enthusiasm. Nd
Choate, dealing out prizes at the Uni-
versity College school, also distribute
ing the opinion that corporal punish
ment is all wrong, and that the birch
and the cane should be broken into
smithereens, and the smithereens
thrown into the great elsewhere.
AT this particular school the pu-
pills are never beaten. The spectacle
of master working himself up into
rage, and, stick in hand, chasing a
wretched boy, does Eot occur in the
Gowerstreet learning, although
the sight is not obsolete as to the
whole Of England's schools.
The method at the University Col
lege school is one. of moral sua-
sion. The youth who refuses to learn
or who behaves in disorderly man
ner is sent in awful state to the room
Of the headmaster or Of his assistant
and there lectured for his sbortcolo-
ings. They have, or had, system of
an appearing book" This is SEMI
for and brought in in the most sol.
emn state. In the presence Of the
whole class the name of the culpriS
and an account Of his misdec53 are
entered Later he is arrair1 II
grim trial.
Many boys would prefer to be
seized and whacked and have it over.
but it is found, so the school author
tiles allege, that moral suasiou is more
effective in reforming them. Mr..
Choate comes from a country where
in theory the person of the ihdivid-
ual is regarded as so sacred that the
small boy is not trounced with birch.
Many people who have had dealings
with the American small boy attrib-
ute his bad manners, his FRESHNESS"
and his offensiveness, to this very
fact.
Experts in the matter tell us that
it is impossible to develop boy With
out certain allowance of cane. old
maids and old bachelors believe that
"a boy can be governed by Standing
him in corner or depriving him Of his
bread and jam. This statement the
aforesaid experts greet with an IN
credulous gufaw 1t is hardly likely
that Mr. Choate was ever confronted
with the irritating situation Of
small boy making grimace at him
and diving under the table If ne
had been so confronted he would have
found it more easy to rout him out
Of his hiding place with a vigorously
used broomstick than to extract him
with the honeyed words which he
uses so well in diplomacy.
Papas who know what they are talk
ing about say that the moral suasion
plan is success with little girls.
These should never be slapped. They
are more sensitive and refined by ma
ture than the hobbledehoy young
male, and they respond more readily
to appeals to their intellect For the
present it is likely that the British
parent will not dispose Of the penny
cane or Of the lath This implement
used by builders in the construction
of ceilings is cheaper than Dr.. 20,
and is a very effective article
A boy of 10. tradition say can
not be managed by a woman all.
This is because the woman employs
the arguments Of diplomacy hike Mr..
Choate. A man has no difficulty in
persuading the very small boy do
as he directs. That is because the
man reaches for cane. The golden
days of which Mr.. Choate talks when
the lion will lie down by the lamb,
when small boys will not need cor
poral punishment, and when The rob
ms will nest again, are very pretty
days indeed, but experts assure us they
are not yet here.