The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-03-21

quated school laws; and in the
place by the lack of chance
to impart knowledge to those to
who may desire to come for in
struction. Often as l 60 down the
street and see the number of bows
and girls of school age who are
wandering about at will, l think
of the condition of affairs in Israel,
when there was neither king nor
judge. Every man did that
which was right in his own sight"
To think of a state like MARYLAND,
with county like Garrett, with
no compulsory school law! In
other words, we are a Twentieth
Century State with a Fifteenth
Century school law.
again, when you think of our
boosted wealth, and remember that
we have the record-breaking
school term of seven and "a half
it makes our educational
pride drops to zero. With such a
short term, is it any wonder that
so few men and women make
teaching their life work? As long
as this condition of affairs exists,
teaching will only be made a STEP
ping stone to something better.
There is no incentive in preparing
for profession at which one NAV
work only seven and a half months
out of twelve. Who can blame a
teacher for not staying with job
like this?
Let US be fair with these teach
ers and they will give us good ser
vice.
JOHN A. MBCLELLAND
THE BAD BOY, THEN AND NOW.
The following article is clipped
from the Baltimore Sun" and is
published here with the purpose
of giving the teachers and parents
of Garrett County a view of the
way in which corporal punishment
of pupils is being considered by
modern educators in the metropo-
lis of our State. 1t is as follows.
THE new education has work
ed a great change in the methods
of dealing with children. Form.
erly the bold, bad boy who pos
sessed sufficient criminal instinct
to whisper when the teacher turn
ed her back was sent out to the
principal and ten big, green, tough
switches were worn to fragile
over his coat tails. Following
this the boy contrived to create dis
order by the most ingenious meth
DDS, such as scattering match
heads over the floor, putting red
pepper in lunches, attaching pins
to the bottom of chairs and doing
other playful things. When
caught he was beaten again, and
perhaps his parents were instruct
ed to give him another sound
thrashing when he wendell hisway
cheerfully home in the evening
hoping surcease Of sorrow.
Nowadays the boy is ruled by
kindness. He is assured that he
is not a vagabond deserving of raw
hides and hickory, but a fine
young fellow with the making of a
fine man. If he happens to speak
to his desk mate he is not pictured
as criminal, but he is allowed to
speak now and then if he feels like
1t. The teacher keeps order by
interesting the pupils in their
work rather than by threatening
them with thrashing when the
letting-out hour rolls around.
"The boy who is really incorri-
gible is placed in the truant
school. On rural schools they are
sent home to be corrected by their
parents; and are kept there until il
is felt sure that he will behave in
the SCHOOL, Ten chances to one
he will turn out all right when he
is convinced that those who have
authority over him are not trying to
prosecute, but are trying in every
way possible to help and encour.
age him. Kindness is the key.