LACK OF CONTROL

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 79, Issue 7146, 16 December 1949, Page 8

LACK OF CONTROL

DISCIPLINE OF CHILDREN “PAMPERING NO GOOD TO ANYONE” “Now that very neatly qjbprhnipyschooi leavers pass through postprimary schools of one kind or another, I think we must shoulder our part of the blame for any slackening in standards of discipline that may be abroad in the country,” Dr A. L. M. Perry told the audience at the Waftnate High School’s prize-giving ceremony. Four years ago he had said that the war was blamed; hut the return of the proper proportion of men teachers' in the schools “and the weight of father’s slipper in the home again” should he having a quicker effect. The school’s contact with the child was limited to about five hours in 24 and 190 days in 365; “but if we were bucked to the hilt in matters of discipline by all parents our efforts would have a very much greater proportionate effect,” he s;iid. Dr Perry added that he had been shocked in the increase in requests this year that children should be thrashed at school “because parents could not make them do what they wished.” In some cases he was as surprised as the “apparent delinquents”; whose conduct at school was beyond reproach. A rector, had many thankless duties; but that of “public flogger or chastiser” was not one of them. This admission by parents that they could not control their children was very disturbing. To spy that the present young generation had its own way was an easy way out for parents and inexcusable. It meant that the next generation of adults would be undisciplined, too. “Parents must realise that indulgence and weakness on their part in the early years can lead only to wilfulness, selfishness, disobedience, and perhaps delinquency a little later on,” Dr Perry said. “A well-considered threat, followed by the appropriate action, is very much kinder and more instructive to the child than screaming abuse and threats, followed a few minutes later by sending the child out to buy an ice-cream for himself. “A child learns by cause and effect and, quite logically, becomes defiant and scornful of your authority if he finds your threats are merely empty words. Pampering is no good to anyone and the schoolmaster who pampers and wheedles his pupils is doing them a disservice, which they will sum up for its real worth when they become more mature and know what it means to put up with the knocks and buffeting of the adult world. “Strict, fair discipline has never hurt anyone yet; but softness has. And it leads to damage in the community, especially in such a self-con-tained one as this,” Dr Perry ' concluded.