The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-12-29
SHALL WHIP BE USED Z
Evanston Educator Thinks It
Best Way to Punish.
THREATS NOT ENOUGH, BE CLAIMS

/
Bandit Evn In seheoIbeys-Presi-
dent Batter Of ceIuzbia University
Endorses the Rsa-ohicaws Prinei-
pal wants PubIio sy=Pathy For
Teachers.
Professor Henry L. Boltwood, princi-
pal OF the high school At Evanston, ILL.,,
says the whip Is a good thing for bad
boys. He thinks that be can trace the
bandit evil to the lack OF corporal pun
ishment in the public schools. He re-
CARDS 1t az maudlin sentimentality on
the part OF members Of school boards
to prohibit whipping in the public
schools and holds that such prohibit
ton il in part responsible for the de-
velopment OF bandits and hoodlums.
/ These statements he recently made In
an address before the cooperative class
of the First Congregational church Of
Evanston, says the Chicago Record
Herald.
II have nothing to retraet," said Pro
! fessor Boltwoed when told that his re-
marks had caused considerable crit
cism. "Of course do not believe in In
discriminate whipping in the public
schools, but in forbidding corporal pun
ishment members Of school boards are
/ asking Of teachers what is asked Of no
I government on earth = namely, that
they shall maintain discipline and rule
without power. You may try moral
suasi0n on hoodlum five days In the
week for forty weeks in the year, and
| he will still be a hoodlum at the end
of the year.
| "Some Of those who favor moral qua
sion win tell you that q threat to expel
a bad boy is all that is necessary, but
OF what power IL \ threat when the
very thing he most desires lie to be ex-
| peliedf Darn you, you dassent touch
met Ia what they tell their teachers
In E1y opinion. based on many years Of
observation, three things are necessary
Ii we would cure the bandit eyil among
schoolboys nrEt, the establishment OF
free kindergartenE; second. the rigid en-
/ forcement OF the truant laws; third, the
restoration, to principals at least, OF the
| power Of corporal punishment. AZ mat
ters now stand, weak sentimentality
protects bad boys and leads to crime"
Professor Boltwood seems to be cup
ported IN his moral attitude as TO whip
ping unruly pupils by the recent utter
snceA Of Or. Nicholas Murray Butler,
president OF Columbia university, New
York, who said in part:
II have never been principal, but l
have come into personal contact with
/ principals. ! mean this literally. There
is = tradition in school No in Pater-
son that they used TO have two meet
ings before school every morning. The
first was q prayer meeting. and the
/ second was moral meeting. The
/ moral meeting was for the purpose Of
thrashing those who were not attentive
at the prayer meeting. The moral meet
/ ing was much the longer Of the two.
4 understand that in New York We
are without that admirable exercise
! and that the modern child has to get
/ on az best he can on persuasion. l
hope that the large hearted and aenti-
| mental and soft hearted will give us q
chance to get back at the boy In the
only way in which the impression lasts
offer myself In evidence"
James G. Alling. principal Of the ia
cob Beidler school In Chicago, said he
hoped the schools would never return
to the use OF the rod because Of the
turn backward EpaEm in New York,
but at the same time he argues that the
teachers position IL not properly up
held by the press. He claims that the
teacher stands In lose PARENTS and
should have the same right to discipline
BIZ whipping that belongs to the par
emit why may parent whip a
childfo be asks. The teachers are regu-
lated by 30 many 'don'tE' both by their
employers and the press that it takes
the courage out Of many Of them. The
best teachers would not use the rod II
you gave 1t to them, but from the best
to the weakest they desire q stronger
public sympathy for the girls who
stand between a compulsory attend
ance and challenge not to touch
them"
The teachers themselves are divided
as to the wisdom Of permitting whip
ping. Many OF them would prefer a
law against IT as that would take the
responsibility OF decision from their
shoulders. AS matters now stand the
boys know that thrashing is forbidden,
and the wilder ones among the young
sters consider that they cannot be beat
en-. because. as Professor Boltwood
says, Darn you, you dassent touch
me"
Az a rule, however, teachers do not
use the whip even where the law per
mits 1t without warrant from the par
ent or-guardian Of the troublesome boy,
and they prefer to have this warrant IN
writing. so that II any trouble is made
for them they have the documentary
defense to shsw.
With respect to various transgres-
sions OF more serious character, or
vices rs some prefer to call them
many teachers and principals today
hold the view that serious punishment
is called for, though mostly forbidden
by law. These transgressions degrade
the boy. They lower his moral status
s..4s~114ad tbaw will