KNOCKING BOYS’ HEADS TOGETHER.

Evening Star, Issue 3654, 7 November 1874, Page 2

KNOCKING BOYS’ HEADS TOGETHER.

Beference was mads Id our telegrams yes* fcerday to the d ath of a sou ot Mr W. Grant a a. ttler at Waikiwi, under peculiar circum*. stances. The deceased was a pupil attend* in* the district school at Waikiwi, and on the 16th October he complained when he oama homo of a pain in his head. He said that Air Macdonald, the tea -her, had taken nim and another boy named MHI wrick and knocked their heads together, for misbeha* viour at school that day. He continued to ‘oniplaiu of his head, and on Saturday, the ~4th, Dr Cotterell attended him, and Drs ! : rigor and M'Clure were subsequently called 'm. but without avail, the bo> dying at 1 am. yesterday, after haying been nearly three weeks. J the ‘Southland Times’ of yesterday the following letter appears “ One o£ the teachers of the Grammar School has a most improper habit of bumping the children’s heads together as punishment. One of my children has been treated in this way several times, 1 know that boys especially are very annoying, and deserve thrashing. they would cane or strap them, about the back or legs I would not care, because they must be made to be obedieut and civil. But t his knocking of heads together is very dangerous • and as far as I am concerned if posaibihty offers. I shall appeal to the KesMent Magistrate’s Court. There is another cruel practice in vogue too—to me, at least—of the junior teachers, that of bitting the children under the chins, causing them to bice i heir tongues. 1 approve of punishment, but I object to cruelty.”