Rethinking school discipline for character, not just control.
This classic work treats discipline as a foundational factor in shaping boys and girls into principled, capable adults. It contrasts force-based methods with tact, consequences, and conscience, arguing that true schooling goes beyond textbooks to form character and life-long integrity.
The author surveys how discipline operates in the classroom, and why it matters for moral training as much as academic learning. It challenges the idea that order alone is enough, stressing that a good teacher guides behavior with love, fairness, and inner strength—not fear. The book also reflects on the dangers of corporal punishment and the lasting value of a discipline of conscience in education and society.
- Examination of four forms of discipline: force, tact, consequences, and conscience.
- Clear argument that character development is a central goal of schooling.
- Critique of corporal punishment and emphasis on humane, student-centered management.
- Practical insights on how classroom order and moral formation reinforce learning.
Ideal for readers of education history and administrators seeking a principled approach to discipline that supports both behavior and character development.