YOUNG OTAGO.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 23, 9 July 1869, Page 3

YOUNG OTAGO.

(To the JEditor of the Mount Ida Cheonicle.)

St. Batlians, 2nd July, 1869. " Hi, Pipeclay, I told father about D. beating me to-day, and showed him. where you hit me with the whip when we were playing horses, you know, and told him it . was old D. that did it. 1 ' " The d—l you did ; and what did the old buffer say, Quartz ?" t; Oh, like an old fool, he took it all in; and says that if ever D. lays hands on me again, he'll smack him. Isn't it a jolly lark ? 111, give him a lick of a stone next time he says a word to me." " Eight you are, Quartz ; and so will I. Let him practise on the kiddies. ~We are now all but into our teens, and ought to be men, you know. So we'll make it a caution to him, if he interferes with us again ; and if we can't manage it, tlie old bloke will put the fear of G-od in him."

There, Mr. Editor, is Young Ota^o f* T tor you. lam sure your editorial eyes will sparkle witli delight at the sight of him, and your editorial ears be - gratefully tickled with his conversation, exhibiting-, as it does, so many signs of filial love and reverence for the parent, as well as respect for the " lucky" teacher. I must tell you the above is a mild picture, drawn from fancy ; but I could give you one drawn from real life, which, for precocious wickedness and vicious slang, would cast the other altogether into the shade. Some very respectable parents here do pay a little attention to the sayings and doings of their children, both indoors and out, and therefore have got them pretty well in hand. Other parents —just as well conducted and respectable —there are here, wao seem to have very wrong notions about " training up a child,"- &c. —not deeming it necessary to look after the sayings or doings of such child, either in or out of doors ; and above all, resenting to the death any attempt of,, the \ schoolmaster to whip him when he deserves it. It is with the latter, very ; good, but very mistaken, persons I have to do. If it be true that " the child is father to the man," what a weighty responsibility rests on the shoulders of parents, and schoolmasters as well P | They must shape the sapling so that the tree may be an ornament, and not a nuisance in our path. In order to enable a tutor to perform his part of this nice duty, parents, in all countries, I believe, invest him with authority to freely, but, of course, judiciously, apply the birch, when he finds children to be unruly or disobedient. "Without this authority, it is impossible he could enforce discipline, and youngsters would soon learn to disregard his commands. So it has actually turned out in St. Bathans at the present time. We have ! a gentleman of education and ability | teaching school here, and because he I has had the hardihood to correct some fractious children, he is to be dismissed, sir—nothing less ; and we "hear of persons, who ouglit to know better, 3aying, in effect, something very like the following balderdash : —■' Now, look here, Mr. D. ; we have told you, time after time,- that you must not chastise our children. You must leave that duty to us (who never perform it). We have reason to believe that you are a donkey when you won't be guided by us. You may be a scholar ; we don't dispute it; neither do we deny but your affable manner and gentlemanly bearing would gain you a ready passport into any European society, or even in Dunedin. n these places a teacher may be allowed to mouldj in part, the morals of his pupils ; but here, you see, the thing is different (very). ISTo children in the world are equal to ours (true again) the smartest imps to be found—and beating: does them more harm than good (doubtful). So, Mr. D., as you are donkey enough not to fall in with our views, and their little ways, we must get some man who can and will. Gro ; you are dismissed." Unlucky D., I am sure, if you get your hand out of

this hornet's nest, you will be more docile in future. But let iae remonstrate with these good people. I'll take one of those venerable fathers aside, and talk familiarly for a moment. Listen to me, my dear friend. Let me persuade you to alter your ways —

views, I mean —regarding what ought to be the treatment doled out to children at school. I have a strong regard for yourself, and admire your young boys and girls very much. They are pictures of health and comeliness; and if you do. not spoil thetn by mistaken kindness, they may, in time, become an honor to the country. I won't, quarrel with you about your pardonable vanity in thinking that "your geese are all swans;" not at all; I only ask in return that you will not. let them swim in dirty water. If you do, it will soil their plumage, and in a very short time you —even you. mv very dear friend—may not be able to distinguish between them and the greyest of geese. Don't you see what I mean? Just fchi3 .- if you don't permit young Pipeclay to be corrected, you will repent. 'Tis I that say it, and I'm a prophet; and here is how it "will happen : In a few years hence you will be compelled to remonstrate | very strongly with Pipeclay about the too luxurious growth of those noxious weeds, which you now regard as harmless. He never knew what correction meant, so he resents ir. You wax warm—then, my friend, your eyes "will be opened. Instead of Pipeclay throwing himself on his knees to ask forgiveness—instead of words of humble apology, coming from the heart and tongue—his reply is more likely to come direct from the shoulder, disfiguring your venerable pate, and iously stretching your too confiding—too indulgent—carcase on the floor. In such a moment, it will be too late to repent that you "spared^the rod and spoiled the child." What say you, my friend, to the words of the prophet? He bids you not to come between the the schoolmaster and the discharge of his duty, when he finds it necessary i.v apply the birch. Take his advice kindly, and act on it, and you'll surely live tothank Shamrock. P.Si—Dear Mr. Editor, —I know your " own correspondent" will be? furnishing you with a comprehensivesketch of important proceedings, which I purposely avoided. If the above is likely to be interfering with your space, you can consign it to the waste basket. My only concern is for the welfare of Pipeclay, Quartz, and the rest of their class ; but having unburthened myself to your own private and sympathising ear, I am satisfied. S.