The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1906-02-03
WHAT 10 THE REcoRDF

Schools:
misunderstanding to conf
nor report, you have, by official
action, authorized corporal punish
ment in the public school. 1t is
hoped that this report is false, as it
is almost inconceivable that body
of civilized men would deliberately
give legal sanction to brutality.
Can it be, as frequently limited,
that knowing your own children to
be safe from the lash, you are in
different to the tortures inflicted
upon other children? We are told
that no teacher, however cruel and
incorporate, has SO far forgotten
himself as to lay violent hands on
the child of a trustee; that the
sensitive minds and delicate bodies
of trustees children are held sa.
cred. This may be untruth or ex-
aggeration; yet, we verify believe
that there is not member Of the
board who would, for one moment,
countenance corporal punishment
if he knew that his own child stood
in serious danger of lash or club.
Mr.. J. M. Thompson, we under
stand, is a member of the board.
A short time ago, he had bright,
lovable. blue eyed boy, who was
the light of his eye and joy of his
life. Around that sweet child were
entwined the heart strings of the
father. In that little boy were CEN
tered his highest hopes and aspira-
tions, and cut to him flowed from
the laternal breast the hottest af-
fections. One afternoon, the child
came home from school in fever,
and scarce a day passed ere death
with icy finger had touched down
the eyelids of that sweet child. The
little heart stopped its throbbing,
the eyes glazed, the form grew
rigid, and ali that was lett was a
white and pitiful little corpse. In
that awful, sad and heart rending
moment. when the father realized
that his child was gone from earth
forever, what would have been his
emotions If it came to him that the
tender flesh of that child had been
lacerated and Its spirit broken by q
brutal teacher, and that it had beer
done under sanction and by author
ity of Mr.. J. NJ. Thompson. mem
Der of the school boardl
Judge Smith, we believe, is 9
member OF the board. He Is tn.
father of a beautiful, sensitive
child-a little girl of remarkable
spirit and intelligence. We won
der how Judge Smith would feel i
q messenger came breathless to hi
door some afternoon to apprise hin
that his child had been dragged vi
q fight of stairs, choked until sh
was purple, and that her tende
flesh was bruised and beaten by al
inhuman teacher. What would b
his emotions, if the record disclose
that as a member of the schoo
board he had encouraged such bru
talityl And Mr.. Steunenberg, NJ,
Cowden and other members of tn
board. you have children. 70
are all men above average INTEL
gence, and in your relations wit
other men-in your treatment {
dogs. horses and other brutes-yo
are no doubt tender and human,
and yet you authorize teachers {
whose temper, instincts or chara'
ter you know nothing. to fog an
club and degrade helpless children
Probably, though, we are misir
formed. We shall see. 1t is eal
nestly hoped that the houorabl
gentlemen of the board have not S
far forgotten thenselves-are nc
so lost to all humane and gent
impulses to in this day place
lash in the hands of public scho,
teachers, and encourage them
employ it in lacerating the flesh
little children. If they have, f
their own peace of mind and cree
it, they should hasten to corre'
that unhappy. uufeeling mistake.