PUNISHMENT IN SCHOOLS.
TO THE EDITOR. Sir,— -I am hot “ Aladdin,” nor have I bis wonderful pen, or I would,dip in the ink on' behalf of a number of senaitive little girls, and boys too, who attend our public school. Imagine a little girl who •it home takes delight in trying to please and learn, and to whom a word of caution or reproof is sufficient, and whom the
dread of corporal punishment would terrify. Her parents decide to send her to the public school, and after a few months she is advanced from a junior class under a mistress to a higher class under a master. Through a slight nervousness or indisposition she fails in her reading, and is ordered to stand forward and hold out her little hand for a repulsive old-fashioned punishment; and because she is not hardened to it, but shrinks from the pain, she is exposed to the jeering laugh of a whole school. Imagine the feelings of her parents when this incident is related by her elder brother, perhaps by this time hardened to it. We inflict corporal punishment on prisoners of the worst class only, and then only after special legislation—only after they have had a fair trial, and only after being proved wilfully guilty of "crime. And why should our children be subjected to corporal chastisement at the hands of a person employed to teach, upon the the slightest irritation. Why not debar junior teachers from having this power. Let it be vested in the Head Master only, and let all cases considered worthy of punishment be reserved until after school hour. Then, after the case being stated before the head master and the child having permission to explain, if he considers it is a case for chastisement let it be administered in a room before the teachers, and not before other children. Leaving i it to abler pens to take up the cause of our children, and to endeavour to bring up the standard of our schools so that there may be no necessity for select schools and select children. Tam, &c.,.
Reform,
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/PATM18830119.2.10
Bibliographic details
Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 986, 19 January 1883, Page 2
Word Count
352PUNISHMENT IN SCHOOLS. Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 986, 19 January 1883, Page 2
Using This Item
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in