Spare the Rod??

Discipline in Early One-Room Schools: From Cruel to Creative
 
When working with “scholars” in a living history program, oftentimes some of  the most animated and specific questions from the students center around one topic—discipline. Students are intrigued by the relics of corporal punishment and they zero right in on the "hickory stick" and the paddles of various sizes we may display as artifacts. They are shocked at the public embarrassments they learn were inflicted on scholars in the early district schools of America, yet find some others laughable. 
 
The ability to maintain discipline was always viewed as the key to successful teaching and teachers were regularly evaluated by their ability to maintain control and administer corporal punishment as necessary. Early district school teachers were often feared or revered depending on their reputations as brutal or benevolent disciplinarians. Over time, reformers promoted a kinder and gentler approach to modifying classroom behavior, but some practices lingered into the 20th century.

​Here we offer an article by our CSAA friend Mike Day that is reprinted here from our former CSAA newsletter. The article is telling and still very useful as we research the practices of how old time country schools maintained order. Thanks again to Mike Day!

EARLY SCHOOL DISCIPLINE