A memorial has been presented to the London School Board
from their head and assistant teachers, praying the Board to grant the power of corporal punishment to the assistant as well as the head teachers. It is asserted that at present the head teacher has to decide the justice of a case which has not happened under his own eyes, and that the authority of the assistant. teacher is gravely compromised by having to appeal to the head teacher on the question of a slight correction of the cor- poral kind. On the other hand, it is of all things most essen- tial that the power of inflicting corporal punishment should be severely held in check. It might easily grow into very dangerous proportions, and if abused, tend to alienate the parents altogether from the schools. It is not at all a bad principle to put the assistant. teachers on their mettle to avoid this kind of punishment when it is avoidable. We feel quite satisfied that if the responsibility of inflicting this kind of punishment were ever lightly regarded, our school system and the favour of our schools with the people would suffer seriously in consequence. We trust that the prayer of the memorial will be rejected.
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