The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1912-02-02
IS THE SYSTEM INDICATED?

IS THE SYSTEM INDICATED?
The Tribune has never taken very
kindly to the idea of coporal punish
ment in the public schools, or else
where for that matter. Teachers,
trustees and those who have had
more or less experience in and with
the schools have insisted that it was
necessary in order to maintain pro-
per discipline. Thinking that per-
haps we were in error in our first
judgment, and that time would prove
us in error, we have quietly watched
the system without comment. From
time to time reports have come to us
of the infection of punishment in the
maintenance of discipline, and we
were in hopes that it was being main
tanned. If it be not the idea falls
of its own weight. The teachers had
convinced us that public schools were
different from anything else on earth
Physical torture is frowned down in
reform schools; prohibited in peni-
tentiaries; and rarely resorted to in
quarters set aside for the training of
animals, even though they are wild
and vicious. The child is something
worse than the dog but little better
than the hyena.
The other day while passing the
high school building we beheld dis
cipline in all it's glory. From our
point of view it looked as though
pupil and a teacher were having
fight to finish without gloves. The
teacher being the larger and stronger
got the Better of the bout, He slap
ped and cuffed the child; pounded his
head against the wall and finally tore
the coat from the back of the little
fellow. Upon inquiry we learned that
two or three other boys had been
making noise-a loud noise-in the
hall and ante room. The little fell
low came out of his class room and
made inquiry about a pair of rubbers.
This particular teacher arrived in
time to hear the inquiry, and as the
boy was small, Immediately bounced
upon him. That we would say is
discipline maintained. The system is
surely indicated
There is not so much objection to a
little punishment administered at
times, although there is very little
excuse for it, as there is to the time
and manner of administering the pun
ishment There is not one child in
ten thousand who is whipped at
school or at home, when the teacher
or parent is not angry. Punishment
is resorted to in order to relieve the
feelings of the teacher or parent ra-
Their than for the purpose of correct
ing the habits of the child. We have
seen teachers nurse their wrath for
hours that the child might be sure of
getting what was coming to him. If
the punishment cannot be administer
ed at once, when anger is at fever
heat, the parent rarely Furnishes. 1t
is nearly the same with teachers, ex-
cept that years of endeavor enables
them to harbor ill-feeling longer
than any other class of people Even
they cannot hold on "a hours.
We do not know what the trouble
is. We suspect that it is the class
OF people who are teaching that is
responsible for corporal punishment
in the schools. They cannot control
themselves, let alone control 80 or
40 children. With or without corpo-
raj punishment discipline is not main |
tanned. Young men engage in the |
calling with no thought of making it |
life profession. They teach for a
few years until something better turns
up. Young ladies enter the school
room at l9 or 20 years of age with |
the idea of quitting as soon as they
can marry themselves off. Some of
them teach for years, but as none
ever lose the hope of marrying, they |
do not settle down to teaching. The
young men, or at least those who
could really amount to something,
get into something else. The others |
remain teachers all their lives simply
because they are good for nothing
else, and of very little good for that.