REMINISCENCES OF SCHOOLING

Jurij Lovrenc Mrak: Memories of school sanctions

BITS AND PIECES FROM PAST SCHOOL TIMES

(Tatjana Hojan)
School sanctions and rewards in Slovenian teachers' periodicals

 Instructions to contributors
List of authors

 Stane Okoliš
School sanctions at the introduction of the compulsory primary school in Slovenia

Abstract
Felbinger's reform of the primary school enabled the enlightened absolutist powers to set up a centrally managed school system. The reform started at the level of teachers, especially their education. Similarly, the then school rules dealt with school sanctions by giving teachers instructions on how to work with young students and describing the characteristics of their development. The Method Book (Methodenbuch, 1775), an amendment to the fundamental reform plan (General School Ordinance, 1774) and a comprehensive manual for teachers' daily work, gives extensive instructions concerning for what a teacher could and could not punish at school, which kind of punishment was allowed, when punishment could be enforced etc. The main educational guideline at school is encompassed by the principle "The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom".

Tatjana Hojan

How did teachers' periodicals report on school penalties

Abstract
The paper describes the ways Slovenian teachers' journals (Šolski prijatelj, Slovenski učitelj, Učiteljski tovariš, Drobtinice, Popotnik) reported on school penalties. The majority advocated corporal punishment at schools as the most effective means of education before 1870. In the 'Slovenski učitelj' journal (1872-1877), the author who most frequently wrote about punishment at school was its editor, Ivan Lapajne. He and other contributors rejected corporal punishment and accepted it as the last resort, i.e. to be considered only where all other punishment measures had proved unsuccessful.
Almost all authors who wrote for the 'Popotnik' journal (1880-1949) agreed that good teachers do not need to use punishment methods. After 1910, they even encouraged students to participate in the drafting of disciplinary rules and to thereby also take part in the system of punishment.

Branko Šuštar

Trouble with the rod at school. The 'Slovenski učitelj' paper on school punishments and rewards at the beginning of the 20th century

Abstract
Catholic-oriented teachers presented their views and the activities of the Slomšek Association of Teachers in the periodical 'Slovenski učitelj' (1899-1944). The journal focused on punishments and rewards especially in 1909, during WWI, in the 1930s and in the 1939-1940 period. We cannot simplify the attitude of Catholic teachers to school punishment to say this was their preferred disciplinary measure. On the contrary, the paper typically wrote about the criticism of the use of corporal punishment at school, the caution of teachers in using punishment, rejection of kneeling during religion classes, and the support for teachers who show affection for children arising from Christ's learning. But the paper was also somewhat reserved about rewards. It showed a good understanding of the reality of the use of corporal punishment at school (it was already prohibited in 1870) which, despite being used as a last resort, reflected the teacher’s lack of success.

Marjetka Balkovec Debevec

How school penalties were presented at a training course during WWII

Abstract
The Slovenian School Museum keeps valuable materials about school courses during the Second World War, including documentation about teachers' training on liberated territories. The materials about the second teachers' training course in the village of Dobliče in the Bela krajina region includes, among others, 31 papers entitled "The Effect of Punishment at School", to which the present article pays special attention. The article analyses and summarises the papers written about punishment at school in 1944. This was a breakthrough period when foundations were laid for the post-war development of training and education. Upon reviewing all these contributions, we can conclude that in the decade prior to WWII both corporal punishment as well as different forms of abusive punishment were often used. However, prospective teachers wanted fairness in their future work and hoped they would be able to achieve the best results with a friendly approach.

France Strmčnik

France Strmčnik
How school punishment was understood and evaluated in history

Abstract
The outline of the history of punishment proves how difficult it was to free children from cruel punishments and how these disburdening attempts were cyclical in nature: ups were followed by downs, and the downs by ups again. Several clues indicate that today’s development cycle is turning downwards again.

Monika Govekar - Okoliš
Statutorily prescribed sanctions at Slovenian secondary schools in the period 1849–1914

Abstract
The paper analyses regulations concerning disciplinary measures applying to grammar schools ("gimnazija") between 1849 and 1914 in Slovenia. It specifically examines the formally prescribed penalties in grammar schools and their meaning. At that time the legislator clearly attached greater importance to educating students by disciplining them directly, as formal discipline and control in schools and outside schools strengthened in the years following the disciplinary regulations. The paper also describes the requirements and proposals of some experts of the time (e.g. Tumlirz, Strouhal, Foerster, Ozvald) in order to change the system of education and penalties in grammar schools. These demands came to the fore at the turn of the 19th century and sparked off secondary school reform in what was then Austria after 1908.

Iris Ucman
Punishment in the contemporary primary school

Abstract
Disciplinary measures and sanctions are part of the everyday practice of primary schools. They demand lots of time and energy from teachers. Teachers should most of all try to influence the moral and social maturity of students, their consciousness and rational acceptance of the rules that apply both at school and in society at large. They should not be satisfied with changing students' behaviour through punishment methods because this does not guarantee that they really understand the rules and will not misbehave again in the future. Teachers should also refrain from using only one kind of punishment and turning it into the best formula for all other types of events and students. Punishment in primary schools has changed and taken on a more humane and less repressive approach to students.

Ludvik Mihelič
Educational measures at the contemporary secondary school

Abstract
The contribution highlights contemporary issues of educational measures (sanctions) at secondary school. Its framework is the school legislation adopted in 1996. This so-called "school law package" was the basis for the secondary legislation passed the next year, The Regulation on School Order at Grammar Schools, Vocational Schools, Secondary Technical Schools and Secondary Professional Schools (adopted 1997, amended 1998). The article presents the regulation in force today and evaluates it in light of the contemporary school practice. It underlines its positive aspects, warns of its shortcomings and deficiencies and mentions some possible changes. It then goes on to present the internal House Rules of the Secondary School of Economics in Ljubljana.
The writer wanted an objective insight into violations of rules at school today and how sanctions are imposed on students. He therefore carried out a short survey among his colleagues and students of the 4th year of the Secondary School of Economics. The answers are briefly presented and analysed in the article.

Jana Kalin
The teacher – between the heteronomous and autonomous morals of the student

Abstract
The moral development of an individual should proceed from heteronomous to autonomous morals. An adult, mature person is among others characterised by a system of internalised ethical principles and values which govern their activities and behaviour. The ethics of a person's behaviour are determined by their autonomy, relations with other people and willpower. The role of the teacher and educator is to create proper conditions in which young people are able to build up their own personality and moral maturity in harmony with their individual characteristics and development levels. Methods fit for building one's moral character are based on discussion, analysis, exchange of arguments and opinions, students' activities, the connection of theory and daily practice, sharing experiences and discussion, as well understanding different situations and people. In all of this, the most important thing is to respect the young person, their personality, experience, views and values.

Robi Kroflič
The educational value of punishment

Abstract
I view the issues of punishment, discipline and limitation of children from the perspective of the child's experience. My opinion is that if we want to create an independent, critical, responsible and ethically sensitive person we cannot avoid these unpleasant educational measures nor can we automatically deny their educational effects. All educational and theoretical questions, including the question of punishment, must be based on the achievements of modern ethical theories and development psychology. In addition, the unconditional respect of human and children’s rights is today undisputable. When we think of the limits of acceptable educational behaviour, the logic of the rule of law is most important. When we think about how to find the best educational solutions within the limits of legally acceptable behaviour, the combination of educational theory, educational ethics and development psychology should remain paramount.

Jurij Lovrenc Mrak
Memories of school sanctions

Abstract
The article recalls certain memories of former school sanctions. The author draws a distinction between corporal punishment and psychological violence at school (e.g. harassment and verbal punishment). The sources include the author's own experiences and stories he heard from other people regarding the period as early as before WWI.