A FAILURE.

Kumara Times, Issue 1019, 7 January 1880, Page 2

A FAILURE.

The New York Times gives the following account of the attempt of a mild school teacher, who objected to fl°gging> to subdue the spirit of a particularly bad boy by means of an appeal to his better nature :—One morning, after Master George Tarbox had perpetrated some particularly heinous crime, Mr Piminy proceeded to put in practice a plan of punishment of which he had once read in a.. Boston newspaper. That veracious sheet had told the story of a good teacher who never flogged his boys, but who on one occasion had presented a very large whip to a very bad boy, and told him that, as punishment he would flog his own dear teacher, whereupon the boy burst into tears, and was afterwards rather better than the average missionary. Determined to follow this beautiful precedent, Mv Piminy called Master George ana placing, in his hands a bundle of vigorous rods, told him that he had acted so wickedly that some one must be flogged, and that he should therefore require him to select a good rod and to j flog the kind teacher who loved him so dearly. Thus saying, Mr Piminy turned his back, and waited for Master Tarbox to burst into tears and promise amendment. Master Tarbox, however, was not that kind of boy. For once in his life he obeyed his teacher. He picked out the largest rod, called upon his comrades to seize the others and share in the fun, and then proceeded to flog that good teacher with a vigour and judgment far beyond his years. A dozen other boys, with wild hilarity, came to his. assistance. They not only flogged Mr Piminy until he would have gladly changed places with a New England carpet during a general housecleaning, but they finished by emptying the inkstand upon his person, and thrusting him ignomiuiously out of the school-house. Not one boy in the entire school barst into tears or made the slightest promise of good behaviour; and when Mr Piminy picked himself up and went home, across lots, to write his resignaiion, he lamented bitterly that he was not a professional pugilist about to have a quiet iuterview with the man who wrote the mendacious story which had lured him to his rutu.

For remainder of news see last page.