TEACHING SELFDISCIPLINE

Press, Volume C, Issue 29458, 9 March 1961, Page 13

TEACHING SELFDISCIPLINE

No Corporal Punishment

In New Zealand there was a great need for education authorities to pay special attention to the principles whereby children may develop qualities of self-disci-pline. and for some systematic attempt to replace existing beliefs about corporal nunishment with healthier concepts, according to submissions made to the Commission on Education yesterday by four members of the Christchurch Child Health Clinic. The four members. Dr. Jean Seabrook. Dr. P. S. Cook. Miss R. Goodland and Mr A. B. Allen, were acting as nrivate members of the clinic and not as representatives. It was submitted that it was of great importance that steps should be taken to educate public opinion to the stage where corporal punishment was prohibited in all schools.

As well there were other fields of education where remedial changes could be introduced. In the school curriculum a course for marriage and parenthood could be introduced. This would not mean what was termed “sex education.” but training for future parents so that they would have some understanding of what was required of them as parents. In the field of teacher training it was submitted that recruits with personality gifts suitable to influencing growing children should be preferred. There was a need for training in a course in normal child development and psychology with special attention to the processes and mechanisms whereby healthy personality development of the children was encouraged.