Page:The Life and Works of Christopher Dock.djvu/134

122 noticed that the talkers take advantage of being forgotten, those noted by the monitor must come forward and sit on the punishment bench, one by one. They are given their choice between wearing the yoke or a rap on the hand. Most of them extend their hand for the rod.

This is the information asked for regarding the way I keep the children quiet, but it is by no means my intention to force this method upon any one else. Each must arrange his affairs in the best way that he can. But if my management written here by request and not from choice, should be in any way objected to, because it differs from that of Germany and other places, I will say in defense, that conditions here are different. Among the free inhabitants of Pennsylvania schools are differently constituted from those in Germany. For a schoolmaster there is definitely installed by the government, and the common man cannot readily remove him, hence he is in no great danger if he is too hard with children. Although I freely confess, even if I were thus installed by high authorities, I should still feel that the power to be hard with children was given me for their good. Now experience teaches that a timid child is harmed rather than benefited by harsh words or much application of the rod, and to improve it, other means must be employed. Likewise a stupid child is only harmed. A child that is treated to too much flogging at home is not benefited by it at school, but it is made still worse. If such children are to be helped, it must happen through other means.