School Discipline.

Pahiatua Star and Eketahuna Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 367, 28 January 1890, Page 2

School Discipline.

It has become quite fashionable in New Zealand (or parents to drag schoolmasters before a Resident Magistrate because their children have been severely punished at school; but. as a

rule, upon enquiry, it generally transpires that tbe parents thetnsalve* are entirely to blame, inasmuch as they encourage their oluldren to resist the authority of the master. A case of this nature come before Mr Whitefoord at the Kangtora B.M. Court last week, when an irate parent brought an action against Mr J. A. Sloane, master of tbe Fernside public school, for having improperly assaulted aud beaten a girl named Mary Lot-rimer, aged 12, on the 20th December last. It appears, from the girl's statement, that a number of tlie children were practising a hymn, to be sung at an entertainment, and were repeating the words of the hymn after the master ; she. however, could not remember tbe words, and did not sing them. Mr Sloane thereupon gave her a number of sums to work, and uot being able to do them all, he thrashed her witli a fur stick about an inch round. She then tried to run out of the school, but tbe master caught her and struck her again. The master's account was very different. He said that tlie girl not only did not attempt to sing, but kept turning round, thus attracting the attention of the other scholars. He warned her three times, and as she still continued unruly and disobedient, he gave her ten sums to do in reduction, winch she had been able to do for fourteen months. She distinctly refused to do them, and he gave her the stick. He then helped her with them, and leaving her for a few moments found that she was making for the door. lie caught her aud brought her back, giving ber two or three more cuts to helpher aloug. Tbe Chairman of the School Committee deposed to the girl having been badly marked when she was brought to him by her mother, but whether tlie punishment she had received was excessive or uot, lie thought depended on the behaviour she had been guilty of. The school had been in a very disorganised state when Mr Sloane took charge of it, but he had effected a marked change for the better. One of the boys, who gave evidence in favor of the girl Lorrimer, admitted that if he had spoken to the master in the way she had done lie would have expected a good thrashing ; while the mother of the girl owned to having told her daughter to leave the school if she was beaten. The Resident Magistrate, in giving judgment, said that as tbe punishment had been admitted, it was for the Dench to decide on the evidence whether it had been excessive. The evidence had shown that the school had at one time been in a very disorganised state, and the Inspector’s reports proved that Mr Sloane had effected a great improvement. It was highly important that nothing should be allowed to transpire that would affect the discipline of the school. The girl it appeared did not commit only one offence but a series of them, and if her conduct had been allowed to go without proper correction the discipline of the school would undoubtedly have been impaired. It was nonsense to suppose that a child of her intelligence was unable to learn the words of tlie hymn as the others were doing. The master evidently maintained his temper throughout the affair, and lie (Mr Wlntefoord) could hardly imagine more grossly insubordinate conduct on the part of a scholar. No doubt tha foolish advice given her by her mother led to her had behaviour. The Bench felt that they should uphold the Master's authority if it was not wrongly used. They did not think the punishment was excessive and the information would be dismissed with costs against the complainant.