A BOY KILLED BY ILL-TREATMENT.

Inangahua Times, Volume IV, Issue 38, 6 July 1877, Page 2

A BOY KILLED BY ILL-TREAT-MENT.

The death of the little school-boy James West has placed before the public an illustration of what may happen to a child in Victoria daring its compulsory attendance at a common school. As fur* ther investigation of the case is promised by the coroner, it is not desirable at present to do more than just glance at the matter with a view to point to certain reforms in the management of our State schools, which cannot be introduced too soon. Stripped of all sensationalism the circumstances surrounding the- sad end of young West appear to be these. A boy of about eight years of age, while sitting on the schoolyard steps after having been dismissed at the dinner hour, was assaulted by a bigger ' boy, who took his cap, and kicked it about the play-ground. This treatment, to whioh the small boy probably demurred, was followed up by violent blows and ijUusage, where at the victim took to flight, and was pursued and again beaten till he found refuge in some hotel. The lad reached home ex* hausted and unable to speak, and was

WMlfat»W<io\i wa^i healihr^a^r^nif at the P#time%of';his aftouding the; ?sobc>ol, ' nnd Eg^bMßM to hare made -repeated endeavours fllHrto fat an enquiry instiLutca byrihe.^aslei's S^wspeofitto Ufe outnzetThejohef-aM fe^kere^bmmutiicUed ir.ifa, buo^avetiUy^ &ffito&WM' r hi induced io t-xmblot'iemr W^ieeivesSbdut a more sclioolbdy'diSLUL-b- - hoy n actively concerned in W^StWpeowavdly attack i-orual^ed' uudiSi I%' ''covW-ed. I" the meantime,' it may be h^. f "Veil'' "to icoosi^er'-'wliellier it is ndt I " portion of the duty of /lie Educatiou Department to see that the masters apd teachers of common, schools do their n'tnlosfc toiepicsi the p" raclices'of btlitying aid violence whieli Ihe smaller children^ ' hav<j not, un frequently t^ ciidu;^. It is true that there h a very judicioti 1 * eastern, of disnais»iM<j the very young children -"at' anetirlier hour than the elder oue«, aud I -' this diminishes their liability to ill-iisage. f But any one with an oppo. 1 imityof sceiDpt , much of ouv largo common scliools, must have noficed how certain of. the, blv boys hibi.ually tyrannise overdo nU s roujjhly ill-treat the smiillor ones. Peiiaps.a more watchful superVisiou- of the playgrounds ami preciocts of the ■school' buildings would go fai* to remedy the d;sorder", la ill e pedagogic mi ad there is a prevailing disnositiou to consider" book Itndtvlcdg? as tho-aH-essenliai'oletuonfr'-iii children's -etlucatiob, and i Ii at* ' gentle manners, , ond generous conduct arc 0' 'small,? consequence ia tlio programme. But there are pareuts who, wbeu tbeir sniaU boys ) return JVoia school after having,, beeu rolled in lhe ihnd oi* variously ill-used for t-ie spoi-fc of sf-irie fcigget; owes— tlie 0 nre- >Jiauy wok pareiiU-^-are iucliued to d'Hei' from the pedago»ic:v-iew.—^.tolbouv 10 Argus.