Evening star., 1928-04-22

the dull pupil
The boy who failed pcrsistently in
geography or arithmetic was subjected
to an ancient and orthodox corrective
process III the school woodshed or
cellar.
The classical instrument of corree--
don. I gather from autobiographies OF
various Presidents Of the United States,
poets, philosophers and notable native
born hlghwaymen. was brchen
switch.
Ny own school days came in a later
and less colorful time. when flosging
was rather disciplinary than purely
pedaSogic measure. The teacher gen
erally made use Of a horsewhip or 8
leather belt which he removed from his
own pants. But even in the little red
schoolhouSe" Of the New England hill
villages the practice was passing into
Cesuetude
Unfortunately for youth of plebian
ancestry with few gcntlemanly instincts
] went TO school a century or so too
late TO bear personal testimony TO the
thraShina Of girl. I never saw &
young lady switched-eXcept for few
sharp raps on the knuckles with a
hraSs-edged ruler.
In the days Of my great-great- great
grandmother. I understand. the prac-
tice was not uncommon. ! attended for
few months one Winter SchoolhouSe
made famous a few generations earlier
by a litcle girl named Mary Sawyer,
who was followed to her classes one
morning by pet lamb. Henry Ford
purchased the building as historical
relic last year. The popular version Of
the countryside was that the school
nlaSter--I have seen the good mans
.l@f., yNy-x.
by-laid Mary over his knee and
spanked her most effectively. I don't
know.
The eStimable DR.. Cotton Mather,
erstwhile a devort hanger of witches
on my native hes h but withal gentle
and kindly man. used TO protest against
the current practice Of flogging girls.
It was justified. he held. only in an
emergency TO save them from the
clutches of Satan.
When / went to school a good sound
beating led TO considerable social dis
tinction-particularly if the switch
drew blood. Boys upon whom the
honor had not been bestowed strove
conscientiously 10 merit it. One lad, !
remember, suffered under such an in
feriority complex because he had never
been hogged that one day he hit the
teacher on the head with stone. The
act was not malicious. but intended
merely as reminder to that dignitary
OF his obvious duty. The teacher made
proper amends for his previous cruel
negligence. The boy was able TO hold
up his head among his fellows once
more.
Nevertheless the switch, applied
strenuolsly enough, may have been a
valuable pedagogic institution. But II
didn't always work, because-and here
Is the crux of the whole matter of
psychological tests in the public schools
OF the District Of Columbia-children
are not all cut TO the same pattern No
two. Ii fact. are exactly alike.
Some boys. properly nogged- doubt
less would take new interest IN learn
ing and become eminent scholars. This
vas true particularly Of the less spirit
ed fellows-the cowarGly boys who
dreaded q switching more than loss OF
liberty.
But others would answer back, not
with refreshed ambition, but only with
E5Ilen hate and poorer work in the
classroom Among such on record, 1t
may be mentioned IN passing, were
cuIiards like Thomas Carlyle. Alfred
Tennyson, Charles Dickens and Ma
pOleon--aIi OF whom have left testi-
E18LF Ql lie k16GEQ dlVAocG IA dAAEo
hearts By the thraShingS they got from
their schoolmaSters.
But ndgging. except In the more re-
mote and barbarous rural districts Of
our land. has gone out Of practice these
20 years or more In the District Of
Of Columbia gather from old re-
ports Of the school board, II was on the
c 4ciine through the 70s and 60s About
the turn Of the century, II was done
away with altogether At least, class
room records of cases Of corporal pun
ixi1ment disappear from the reports
Bad boys we're dismissed instead Of
thrashed
The schools Of Washington then
stood On the Threshold Of more
humane pedogogic system, which since
then has developed with astonishing
rspidity and richness.
THE reform was based on the conten-
Il ton, received with much skepticism
for many years, that nogging didn't do
much good. either as a corrective
measure In matters Of department. or
as a spur 10 the mind. Many boys con-
tsnued. cairiouxly 10 be just as bad and
Just as dull after dozens OF thrashings
kindly old gentlemen with hanker-
ing for statistics gathered figures 70
prove this
The old theory had been simple and
logical A teacher vas presented with
three chunks Of raw mateTisl-three
boys He knew nothing about the
"cnensEtry Of souls" His task was the
manufacture from these three chunks
Of raw material Of three standard
articles--as IL he we're goldsmith with
q contract To make out Of three bits Of
gold three rings for the same finger Of
o single grand lady.
Il was hard 70 see how the human
mind differed essentially from a bar Of
gold. Both were 70 be gotten into de-
sired form available for commerce, by
hauTnef3ag In d distinct, specified way.
II a boy wouldn't learn. whip him until
he CID, ard continue the process until
he grew strong enough 10 whip the
teacher. That ended his school days.
II a1ri wouldn't learn, send her
home. A girls need Of education was
not very serious a. the best. Educated
women we're rather nuisance.
Even notable educators were not con-
ysgee6 a. first. that the Old system was
wrong. They threw their switches into
the fire with serious n1isgiYings Thus
vanished technique of education that
had been Ia effect since the days Of
Father Adam
THE succeeding system was in the
u process of evolution and required
for lLs administration. d staff of teach
srs~ ceScf3bec recently 10 the writer
By sn official " the National Education
Association, aS persons considerably
better educated ~ more involved pro-
fesslonal tecnlque tDsn was the average
physician, 70 yesFs ago"
The days u the girl who taught
school for q few years while On The
lockout for & desirable husband and Of
the BOY VINO oflclatsd beilino the desk
- earn money " continue bis college
aosITse. neither of them very seriously
concerned with the success u their
pedagoglc efforts, were gone forever.
sgsssx f.surs Daapfzf kaF{uetfaIe ~ fhe