New-York tribune., 1903-06-09
CORPORAL PUNISHMENT IN SCHOOLS.
Brooklyn Principal Declares His Opposition
to Its Restoration
TO The Editor Of The TRIBUNE.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: have not used corporal punishment in
school for many years ! believe the school has
been more easily managed and with better results
without such punishment II corporal punishment
had an effect upon the sufferer only. IL would not
be open TO so serious objection AS a matter of
lGct II the rod is used pupil in class Of
forty. It turns tends TO turn the whole class in
opposition to the school authority the line is
drawn, and the teacher is On side and the
class on the o<her; the whole class is hardened
and rendered less eptibe to milGer influences
The hirtytnine children OF the class have been
injured; the who physically suffered may have
been benefited he may have been injured also.
1t is assumed that usually corporal punishment
produces obedience. if not order; it is doubted
whether facts will justify this assumption. If the
assumption true. then those requiring
the rod had better be removed to rooms and a
building by themselves where the malign influence
OF brutality and evil passions shall not degrade
the mass Whatever mistakes principals n2ay
make. they are rot disposed suspend pupils
without good cause Once let ii be understood that
pup';s persistently in disorder and disobedence
will be subjected to seyerer treatment, and only
the lowest and worst will need removal from the
large schools. At present The school authorities
Concede The need for schools of detention and re-
form An increase in such schools will give all
the room required Judcious and experienced men
not mere politiciE ns-shculd be placed in charge.
Within the last few months. judging from my
own experience ard from reports that well
/
the wors.: in school conduct. In th- case of my
own school this change has not come from the
abolition Of corporal punishment for that was
abolished many years ago. The baser sort of toy
knows no limit to is nsoence. One Toy of fifteen
said TO his teacher when she trying 20 keep
him IL order Hit met evidently desiring 10 get
/ a case against his teacher for violation or law
! When spoken TO by the principal the boy laughed
in his face, defied him and Immediately sUs-
/ pended; he is now beginning new career in an
ot "a U,ht wa
boy deliberately walked cut or the buicing when
he chose, and amused himself 10y mal king and de
| snsne5ndeS \ Third Ho1 we've years OLD sitting
within three or four feet o. his teacher with nc
barrier between them opened his knife ana 10 Unreal a.
''thoughtess remark of a child, that should not
| be regarded These and similar cases are eyi
dently sporadic: they are spuutng ge! sers, ris
/ ing tdes. The suspension of such pupils, followed
! by their expulsion. would produce profound effect
BOYS directly and Indirectly, demoraZe thousands
1 and if necessary. their chances for education musi
/ be sacrificed. But this necessary; they car
! easily be placed under restraint. and other eoEs
need not be degraded by their turbulence or then
| ] have suspended more boys during the Iest 1--WE
months than during the previous I'VE years. 1et
1 Tnent I conceeie that whateTel is rot order mus
/ be in a public school. without order. time anc
/ money and all thrown away 1t seems TO have
been most industriousy circulated through the cltl
/ that there is to be 40 more corporal punlsLniel en-
stunned that there Is to be 10 more orde
/ IN those schools. Children within hearing OF t4ei
teachers say They don't dare to touGn us us, ~ w
a few expulsions have occurred and that the boyt
Immediate children have learned that they ar
not 10 be whipped in school: let them now earI
! that they conduct themselves in school VIII
reasonable propriety without being whipped
In the mean time. the Board of Education Educ .Li, IN
tendent the local board AMI the public press shou'
and defend the teachers from The fR RT2e3e
Brooklyn. June g. 1893.