CORPORAL PUNISHMENT

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1526, 7 August 1905, Page 3

CORPORAL PUNISHMENT

THE SUPPLEJACK-

(Free Jjanoe).

The Hawke’s Bay Education Board has resolved to dispense with discipline, and to hand over the -charge of its schools to the children. In other words, it has prohibited corporal. The youngsters, of Hew Zealand have been coddled pretty considerably in the past, but in the future at least one Education Board intends to spare the rod and spoil the ,child.

Thera isn’t a. man in public life .at the present time who hasn’t tales to tell of his youthful naughtiness and ,of the way his schoolmasier used to supplejack him. If be is honest he admits that the way to bis heart was oftener through his feelings than by any other way, and he will also admit that the spankings he got were richly deserved. ■'

The New Zealand youngster is not more Jbf an angel than the youngster of any other country, and if he knows that it Is , illegal. for the

teacher to cane him, the moral influence exerted by the teacher will fade 'utterly. As the Hawke’s Bay branch of the Teachers’ Xnstitote remark, itß Board is pandering to a "weak and maudlin sentimentalism only too oommon in the community." There never was a boy or girl yet who did not need a good, sound drubbing now and then, and the girl school- teacher who in the future has to preserve order among 50 or 60 young rebels who know they have the " whiphand ” will want to get married more quickly than before to escape the humiliation to bo thrust upon her.

The few eases in whioh New Zealand teachers have been charged with overcaning children do not indicate that the power of punishment has been abased. New Zealand ohildren are caned less than most other children. - Not bebause they are more amenable to discipline, nor because they are more angelic, bat beoaase the New Zealand parent won’t believe that, his Johnny or his Janie oonld possibly be naughty. The reasonable flogging of one bad boy has a most valuable effect on a whole school.

The loss by a teacher of his or her Belfrfspect and physical “hold” on the scholars is disastraaa. and can never properly be regained. The mere presence of a supplejack suspended in vieWjOf a class has a chastening effeot that should never be killed' by paling sentimentaUsm. Teachers don’t want to thrash youngsters, bat if youngsters kaow teachers dare not thrash them," then good-bye to authority. Tbs Hawke’s Bay Education Board incites to mutiny by its flabby hnmanitarianism, and unless the Hawke’s Bay youngsters are of a distinct breed from the other .New Zealand youngsters, /- their teachers have a particularly hard row to hoe in the future. We would recommend the Hawke’s Bay Board to take a hand at running a school by. Jove alone.. Also, it m'ght paste this old text in its hat : “He loveth whom he chaetaneth,”