The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1907-07-19
REASON IN ALL THINGS.

There were undoubtedly several peo'
nile who went to the school district
meeting Tuesday evening with the IN
tor+iop Of making reasonable inquiries
as 70 school affairs, particularly in re-
gard to the question of discipline IN
the high school. That they remained
silent is very probably due to the tlraue
AGAINST school affairs in general ana
attempted villifcation of the prudential
committee and principal by Dr. Ere
mont Hamilton. This regretable and
wholly indefensibe action on the part
If the doctor discounted in advance
arv attempt at reasonable criticism
that might have been made and tended
RI becloud rather than clear the issues
that a number hoped might be raised
That Dr. Hamilton feels deeply mag
nant over the treatment his son re-
ceived at the hands of the prudential
committee there is no doubt, but he is
in the wrong in thinking that people IN
general look upon the young man with
aversion and distrust, that he is IN
nermanent disgrace, as result of the
ts-unintentionally exaggerated
il NAV be-which led up to his eX-
pulson. People as a rule are IN
clined to be charitable toward the way
wardness of youth and are careful
where they place the seal of lasting
dishonor. Without intending to con-
done in the slightest the actions of
Young Hamilton and his associates in
the episodes which caused the recent
school trouble we venture the opinion
that neither he nor any of his com
panions in mischief has sowed such
crop of wild oats that the seeds can
not be eradicated before they germl-
nate. Their actions were foolish, very
foolish to say the least, and bordered
closely on vandalism, but no one of
the boys has been so stigmatized that
his chance for making success in life
is any the less.
As to the justice of the punishment
melted out there may be a difference
of opinion, and there is no doubt room
for argument on the question of wheth-
er or not the prudential committee has
a right to debar a pupil forever from
the school privileges. 1t may be, too,
in the particular cases under consld-
Grafton that the actions Of the princl-
nal of the school would bear discus
sion. But if these matters are to be
brought up at all the course OF the
discussion should lie along the lines
of safety and sanity. Had DR.. Hamil-
ton adopted a rational course Tuesday
evening the matter of discipline IN the
high school, at once an important and
extremely difficult problem, might have
undergone sober and healthy agita-
ton and those present would have gone
away with a much better understanding
not only of the cases in point but OF
the general attitude of the committee
and principal. Instead he created an
impression that he was unfolding his
son in defiance of school authority-a
position not only unreasonable but dis
astrous to the supremacy of school
discipline without which no educational
institution can accomplish that for
which it is intended.
Most of us are all too unfamiliar
with the problems that come up every
day in the conduct of our schools and
all too unwilling to take an active in
terest in these matters. 1t is a safe
plan, therefore, when difficulties arise,
to place reliance upon the wisdom OF
those to whom we have delegated au-
thority, and, if we have cause to doubt
this wisdom, to express our doubts in
careful, circumspect manner without
passion, spite or malice.