HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1981-04-01, Page 7SENTI
'"' + :''town, . !sem is73
JocE[ YN sumo Lin4lIgher
SHARON x.. Del ,. Edi;
ANTHONY N, JOHNSTTONE • Advertising and
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PAT LIVtNGs'1'ON. OfEee Manager
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JOAN HELM f Composition
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Education Minister Bette ;Stephenson is attempting to
have- the strap banned in all Ontario schools. She: is
seeking the support of school trustees in a statements
which outlines legal, moral and psychological evidence to
support her view that the strap should not be used to
discipline children.
The Bruce County Board of Education has already
voted to `'keep the strap in . its schools. Trustees .4.
considered Stephenson's ;statement and decided the
wording was too broad. Bruce trustees, including
Lucknow's representative, Dr. Alma Conn -Armstrong,
feelthat permitting only that discipline which would be
used by a ::kind and judicious parent to be too broad a
guideline. Dr, Conn -Armstrong says in her opinion that
the strap Aloes act as a deterrent for some students and
. she feels that the long walk down the hall ' to the
principal's officefor a strapping acts as .a deterrent as
well as the strapping. She feels that the guideline used
by Bette Stephenson in her statement would tend M.
erode jteachers authority.
The Huron County, Board of Education has decided to
-seek the opinion of the parents and public 'in Huron
County. They are invitingparents to state their opinions
on the strap in schools to their trustees. The board'hopes.'
to learn the opinion of many` Huron parents before, they
decide whether the strap will banned its Huron schools.
This' newspaper would encourage all readers to tell
. local trustees' how they feel about the use of the trap in
our schools. Huron residents will have input in the
Huronboard's decision if they make their opinion kn n
to Huron trustee Marian Zinn.
Bruce readers. should not hesitate to tell their trustee, •
Dr. Conn -Armstrong, how they felt about the use of the
strap. The Bruce County board has already voted against
banning the strap but anyone . who agrees or disagrees
with this move should feel free to make their opinion
known to the board. If the board has, made a decision
which does not reflect the opinion of the majority of the
parents who have children attending, the schools in Bruce
County, the trustees should be told.
We urge readers to contact their trustee with their
oi)
inion and invite a discussion of the topic in our letters
to the editor column.
• In our opinion, the strap should be banned in all
•schools. No one% especially a child, will change or.
improve his conduct because he has suffered physical
pain or humiliation. Rather, corporal punishment encour-
ages violent, negative and antagonistic reactions in
children. The threat of violence does not induce self
discipline and respect for reasonable authority, Respect
is something which !seamed through trust, kindness and'
fair but firm discipline, Strapping will only lead to fear,
humiliation and resentment.
Teachers are professionals who have been trained to
deal with children, With the 'resources available to our
schools today, including expert counselling and the
knowledge of child psychology and children's behaviour
there is no reason for any teacher to resort to physical
punishment,
While discipline may be a problem in some schools, or
in same classes, the "get tough" approach will only
foster the kind of behaviour teachers and parents wish to
discourage. A better approach would be to look into the
cause of such behaviour` and determine how theroblem
can be dealt with in• a positive manner. Two suggestions
are smaller, more personal classes and a look at hew
school can be made more interesting, Children want to
be challenged and;stem lated in their school.
Strict but fair discipline is not out of place in • our
schools but physical force should not be used to enforce
it. Children should be enjoyed not brutalized.
State your opinion
Write a letter to the editor
�ding for oew tenants
(by Cath Wooden)
By Don Campbell A
The long journey up the St. Lawrence was a time of
both happiness and fear for the newly weds, Neil.
MacCrimmon and his bonnie young wife Flora, As the
schooner Kingston Lass sailed in the shadow of the
kei hts of Abraham, they wondered if the long arm of
the Taw had reached the port of Quebec before them, and
it had
Lying at anchor was Her Majesty's naval frigate,
"Pursuit", Signal flags gaily fluttering from hermasts
and the sub reflecting from the polished brass upon her
ungs and deck equipment. The ominous name of the ship
caused the . Reverend Duncan MacLeod to whisper a
• silent prayer and even the usual cheerful face of Captain
Jamiesonlooked grave as he prepared to drop anchor.
Flora hung onto the arm of her husband in fear and
apprehension when' they looked at the' warship. She
recalled the minister's words spoken before they . had.-
made
ammade their escape from Halifax. "Revenge is mine,
sayeth the Lord'.
They did not wait long in tormented suspense.. There
were whistles of salute from the frigate, and a boat
propelled by adisciplined oarsmen made its waytowards
the . Kingston Lass, In the stern of the boat sat -a naval
officer, respendent in a uniform of blue: and gold.
A ladder was thrown over the side of the schooner and
the navel officer came aboard, followed by a seaman
carrying something which looked . very familiar to Neil.
MacCrimmon. It was an object wrapped in .a piece of
sacking, Captain Jamieson left the wheeldeck and moved
• over to the • ship's side to greet them.
•The naval officer saluted the skipper of the Kingston
Lass.- ' . • •
"1 aftttaptain Bedford, Commanding officer of Her
Majesty's ship Pursuit. Do l take it Sir, that am
addressing the master r this s iship?"
addressing
touched his cap n 'a mark of respect.
"Your servant, Sir. I ant the captain, tan Jamieson.
How can 1 be of service to my Queen?"
Captain Bedford stood erect, as if he were about to
issue an order. He took a piece of, parchment from his'
coat and waved it in his hand.
"In the name of Her Majesty you will bring before me
one Neil MacCrimmon and a woman called Flora Fraser,
I have it in command from the Halifax authorities and
specifically the magistrate, Sir Charles Munroe, to read
the following proclamation before those witnesses. here
present."
The immigrants and ship's crew gathered around the
naval officer. The word proclamation they knew well.
They knew . too, ,that men who read such documents
usually foretold grief and suffering. Some had seen their
homes burned in the Highlands after such a reading.
Indeed, proclamations were not . new tothese exiled
people. Neil MacCrimmon stood. at the front of the little
crowd, and Flora grasped his arm with a shakinghand.
Captain Jamieson felt he had, to say* something to
break the tension,
"This man and this woman," he said pointing to Neil
and Flora, "are not as described in your document. They
are man and wife, having been married recently on board'
this very ship."
The naval officer's face momentarily showed surprise
and then the flicker of a smile crossed his face. He waved
the paper in a nonchalant gesture. -
"The woman has not changes. her identity by changing
her name. If you will allow rare Sir, I shall read the
proclamation.'
He cleared his throat and began reading in an
authoritarian tone,
"Whereas one William Morgan, proprietor of a
Halifax tavern known as the Southern. Cross, was found
after being grieviously molested upon his premises, I, Sir
Charles Munroe,'have undertaken the investigation of
the circumstances and find that one Neil MacCrinrmon
did indeed inflict such injuries upon the said William
Morgan. It is my finding however, that the assailant, Neil
MacCrimmon, acted in defence of the woman, Flora
Fraser to protect her honour. The circumstances of the
affair are such that 1 'have warned -the said William
Morgan that if he proceeds to charge Neil MacCrirnmon
then I, with the power invested in me, shall in turn
charge the said 'Willem Morgan with attempted rape..
Since William Morgan . has dropped all proceedings
against Neil MacCrimmon and Plora Fraser, the case is
closed and I direct that they shall be allowed to so in
peace without further let or hindrance. I have given
instructions that the property of. Neil l�IacCrinrnton held
in evidence, namely one instrument called the bagpipes,
shall be returned to his person. It :is my sincere wish that.
he shall continue to playhis music in honour of our
Highland blood andto the glory of his illustrious
ancestors. God save the Queen!"
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