The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-14


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stay eSfis,n gNsr-e-, 'h'nk, ecrrosn
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p,~s,,,~s, J,"s,1, ~ tho sc,me, ccIlesr
wto, h~fnfe he wss ir'fiptsd 9Th The csvr
~ sevrfai h,ntifeti yu'ina sofwsu w~ pfln.
elrsi ~ buys @brgl, so,.r. o,,' .'yths.
~ s'nysssk1lly dapteo~tc- any .tetyfh "
~Sn'is,h osn,usy lay y i~,,er than h-
hoy N thirty years seo, I've derlsfcs
IA fst hseh ~ isss wh~n vac pflncsps
II ~" fhlfie~n.h s'f-p' pd,l'c srh.cl srd
the ssm" building, sslJ tho Dy~,of, "
often hept,~n~d that '~srb"rs N 'he latter
institution going ~ as,d ffrf,, tho buildina
~rtc s'on"d Once, my~rif so' tho setne
i!es,men' They were not Foreigners that
tb,sw tho s,ones, either
For that matter, N u not the f?rsign-
born child NOR tho child born here ~ foreign
paf~nts, ~ acme J~opl~ ienofantly imagine.
that IL the most unr'ilyi On W" contrary.
shncs' any teacher VII agree .has ths ,,''
schools than tho-e who come from Russia
and from southeastern Europe,
but even were II not 10, Z New York
chlldrsn were even moro unr,lly than sofn~
critics make Their. out 70 be. would nevrr
approve ~ corporal punishment,
Il was perhaps the Arst New York pfin-
cipai 10 stop using the strap. Fully ono
year before the school board vetoed cor.
porai punishment In tho public schools 4
had ceascd TO whip my boys:
In not taking my teachers and pupils into
my confidence from the start. ] said moth
ing to any one for nearly hve months.
Gradually, however. II began to be Wills
pered from one class room 70 another, that
had stopped whipping the =. hoy. and n..n soon =,
take advantage Of the fact.
Then acted promptly, called meet
ing Of the teachers and sought their help
and cooperation, which they willingly
/ assembled the whole school and explained
that wanted to save the children from
the degradation Of whipping and place
them on their honor that they would not
make me regret the attempt. They re-
From that day in every class th.re was
. distinct gain In scholarship. discipline,
attendance During tho next year I was
not obliged TO dismiss single scholar.
placed on their honor, lying ceased. for
II corporal punishment serves no other
end Il certainly puts premium upon false
what led to the adjustment Of corporal
punishment? Well, rule was passed by
the school board requiring. principals to
report the number OF whtppings every
mediately the total number dropped one
half.
.This set principals and school board to
thinking: II they can 60 down one half
Why can they not bs dr9ppes sl saE,t ss
lieve the practice viii ever be resumed.
in my Judgment nine-tenths Of the
wMppings administered In the old days
were due to an effort to support weak
teachers. Astrong teacher. man or woman
will never have recourse to the rod.
II found that out in the Thirteenth street
school, and as a means to an end whom l
first started to put In practice my no.
whppng thso tb.n dismissed nss tS three Teax
Il discovered, too, that the candidates
for the most whippinss. were boys Who
had been beaten regularly at home and
were actually ,brutaazed before ever they
came to school" 49,
Just by way Of getting . sidehght on the
subject from q non-professional quarter,
dear old Scotch lady who has brought up .
large family OF children to be a blessing to
the community, was appealed to, and this
was her answer:
Il am quite certain that the small boy
IL getting to be more unruly every year
rich and poor alike-and honestly be-
lieve that taking the rod out Of the schools
is in part answerable for 1t.
why, at one time, In even the most
high priced schools Of the old country
tutors and masters never dreamed Of get
ting along without corporal punishment.
And what q splendid showing most OF them
made with their graduatesl
Il know every ono Of my children was
whipped soundly every now and then.
both at home and at school, and they were
the better for it.
Il believe In taking the text about spar
ing the rod and spelling the child literally,
and am convinced that II there is any
child on earth that would be the better
for liberal application Of the rod occa-
sionally it Is the New York boy.