File:TheFamilyDoctorMay18 1889page184.png

Summary edit

CORRESPONDENCE.

--:0:--

AUSTRIAN DISCIPLINE SCHOOLS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE FAMILY DOCTOR.

SIR,--I have long thought that what is called " Figure-Training" may be utilised in a direction little known in this country, though perfectly under-stood in France and Austria. Recent facts which have come to my. knowledge have confirmed this view, and shown me that the most potent of all known methods of dealing with the "bumptiousness" of modern youth is absolutely neglected here through ignorance of its practical value. At the same time, no doubt the virulence of the self-styled" Hygienic" party is still an obstacle so great as almost to preclude parents and guardians from assisting their other efforts for the good of their children by the utilisation of the corset.

The correspondence in your journal has conclusively shown that (under proper supervision, and in the hands of reasonable people) no harm of a physical nature results; whilst great moral improvement undoubtedly follows when a proper system of mental training is connected therewith. Of course it ii not contended that well-behaved children need, or would be benefited by any kind of special discipline, but the class that does need it is daily increasing, and ought to be considered as requiring as distinct a method of education from ordinary children as those who amongst the poorer classes are confined in what are called "reformatories." The benefits, however, of the latter institutions are restricted exclusively to the poor, whilst the children of the upper classes often stand quite as much in need of special supervision as any that are placed therein. Under these circum .. stances a few schools have been established in England for special discipline, but so little are they in harmony with the modern notion that parents are to give way to children on all points, that they dare not even publish their addresses, and up to the present time I am actually unacquainted with a single proprietor, although I know of some localities where schools exist, in which the corset-discipline is practised. 'Vhen we speak of discipline we must remenlber that tightness is a question of measurement and degree, and that what one understands by the term is different from that intended by another. But I believe the schools in question advocate and maintain the use of an actual amount of uncomfortable pressure as a means of restraint, and as an evidence of submission, as well as an excellent means of improving the carriage and promotinj;{ elegance of appearance. I t is quite natural that those who know nothing of the beneficial results thus produced, should regard this aIJ a mere "fad," or possibly as an anachronism, de .. serving of the severest condemnation.

At first sight it must appear unaccountable that moral good could be attained by eccentricity of costume or restriction of what are, in ordinary cases, justly regarded as wholesome activities. But on further inquiry I find that the method pursued has some advantages, not only for girls, but also for boys who have evinced an overbearing and intractable disposition. For it is found that the restriction abovementioned rend en it easier for ladies to take the government into their own hands without the assis .. tance of masters. and as they alone can carry out a system of domestic supervision in all its details, this gives the schools in question an advantage otherwise absolutely unattainable.

Of course the mere wearing of stays (however sedative, both from a mental and physical point of view) is only one element of the system pursued, but it is properly made the basis of all, as without it the other details would insensibly be got rid of, and the school revert to the ordinary type.

It would be too much to expect that the conven· tional pedagogue should look upon such a method of moral training without hatred and contempt. He despises that which he does not understand, and de .. claims about the primary necessity of making boys U manly." True, nlanliness is good if it can be corn· bined with other good qualities, but practically we often find that it is this premature notion of being c, manly" before the proper time, that is at the bottom of half the misconduct of children who are runninj;{ in the broad way that leadeth to destruction. When the notion is further encouraged by foolish mothers and selfish so-called" friends of the family," a condition of awful depravity is often established, where different circumstances would have produced opposite results. When the proper time comes, in the judgment of the boys' natural guardians, then a totally different physical method ought, in some cases, to be pursued, but not until obedience, respectfulness, and a habit of deferring to the judgment of older persons is fully established. In this way boys get the right kind of start in life, and are, in almost every respect, better situated as regards their own future, whilst the homes which their misconduct has dis~raced and degraded may become a~ain examples of punctuality, politeness, and orderly Christian behaviour.- I am, &c .•

MEDICUS PARENS.

London, 6th April, 1889.

from Medicus Parens.

Licensing edit

This is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain for the following reason: Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or fewer. You must also include a United States public domain tag to indicate why this work is in the public domain in the United States. Note that a few countries have copyright terms longer than 70 years: Mexico has 100 years, Jamaica has 95 years, Colombia has 80 years, and Guatemala and Samoa have 75 years. This image may not be in the public domain in these countries, which moreover do not implement the rule of the shorter term. Honduras has a general copyright term of 75 years, but it does implement the rule of the shorter term. Copyright may extend on works created by French who died for France in World War II (more information), Russians who served in the Eastern Front of World War II (known as the Great Patriotic War in Russia) and posthumously rehabilitated victims of Soviet repressions (more information). This file has been identified as being free of known restrictions under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights. https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/PDMCreative Commons Public Domain Mark 1.0falsefalse The official position taken by the Wikimedia Foundation is that "faithful reproductions of two-dimensional public domain works of art are public domain". This photographic reproduction is therefore also considered to be in the public domain in the United States. In other jurisdictions, re-use of this content may be restricted; see Reuse of PD-Art photographs for details. {{PD-Art}} template without license parameter: please specify why the underlying work is public domain in both the source country and the United States (Usage: {{PD-Art|1=|deathyear=''year of author's death''|country=''source country''}}, where parameter 1= can be PD-old-auto, PD-old-auto-expired, PD-old-auto-1996, PD-old-100 or similar. See Commons:Multi-license copyright tags for more information.)