“SPARE THE ROD AND SPOL THE CHILD.”

Western Star, Issue 1547, 25 March 1891, Page 1 (Supplement)

“SPARE THE ROD AND SPOL THE CHILD.”

At the Lyttelton Police Court, o Wednesday, three boys (ages rangin' from eight to twelve years) who at tended the State school in the borougl were charged with writing obscene words on the footpaths outside tin several churche.s in the town, the picceedings having been brought by the police because there had been frequent complaints about similar acts. In connection with this case, Mr E. Just, head-master of the school, was charged with flogging one of the culprits, a boy named Wakolin, aged 12 years, Wakolin’s father (according to the Press’s report) told the Bench that his boy had been subjected to an unmerciful flogging; had be (the father) so beaten him he would have been brought before the Court charged with unmerciful treatment. He contended that he was responsible for the child’s conduct from the time he left home to <roing to school 5 that while ne was in school he was under the master s care, and that the master had nothing to do with him after school, and he hoped that every parent in Lyttelton would see that the same was carried out. The head-master, in his evidence, said that on the day in question he called the bov Wakelin out from bis class, wh<n he'stoutly denied having written any - , thing. He then took him into a class j room with two other boys, and when j there he admitted bis guilt. All the boys in the school had been spoken to about the evil of doing such things. Mr Beetham, R.M., in giving judgment, said that there was very little doubt in his mind that Wakelin had written the disgusting words complained of, and the master was perfectly justified in inflicting the punish - ment. ’ There was no evidence whatever that the boy had not written the objectionable words, he had broken the discipline of the school, as it was proved from the head-master’s evidence that be bad given special orders against any writing to be done at all. The case against the head-master would be dismissed, with costs. With regard to the first charge, the little boy Lester had admitted bis guilt like a man, and be did not think that a youngster of eight years knew what he was writing but the others were guilty. Wakelin had been punished by the bead-master already. The other boy Morris was telling a lie ; he was quite as guilty as the other two, and was ordered to received six strokes with a birch, to be inflicted by the police. Mr Beetham farther remarked that parents and those having charge of children should be very thankful that they have a master in the town who took an interest in them, and did his utmost to bring them up properly.