NRS-16845 | Punishment Book [Heatherdale Public School]

Regulations under the Public Schools Act of 1866, adopted by the Council [of Education] 27 February 1867 regulated the punishment of children in schools by stipulating: “In the government of the pupils, all degrading and injurious punishments are to be avoided. The Teacher’s discipline must be mild but firm, his manner kindly, his demeanour cheerful and calculated to gain the confidence of his pupils, and his language marked by strict propriety. While he should overlook no offence, his aim should be to prevent the necessity for punishment by the improvement of the offender.”In relation to corporal punishment the regulations continue: “Corporal punishment should be inflicted in extreme cases only, and then as a last resource; and the teacher must keep a record of the time and place at which pupils were corporally chastised, the amount of such punishment and the nature of the offence.”Uniform stationery soon evolved to enable compliance with these regulations. These punishment books are registers of all cases in which corporal punishment was given to pupils. The information it details includes: the pupil’s name; age; nature of offence; amount of punishment (i.e. number of strokes); by whom sent; the date of the punishment; and by whom the punishment was inflicted.The voume was initialed by the Inspectors on their regular visits of inspection.

1866年《公立学校法》所衍生的条例，经教育委员会（Council of Education）于1867年2月27日审议通过，对学校内儿童的惩戒行为作出明确规制，其中载明："在管理学生的过程中，所有有辱人格且具有伤害性的惩戒方式均须避免。教师的管教工作需温和而坚定，态度友善，举止得体愉悦，旨在赢得学生的信任，其言语必须严守规范、不失分寸。即便教师对任何违纪行为均不容姑息，其核心目标仍应是通过感化违纪者，从根源上规避惩戒的必要。"针对体罚行为，该条例进一步补充规定："体罚仅得在极端情形下作为最终惩戒手段实施；教师须留存完整记录，载明受体罚学生的体罚时间、地点、惩戒强度及违纪性质。"为契合上述条例的合规要求，统一制式的惩戒记录簿应运而生。此类惩戒记录簿即为所有学生受体罚案件的登记台账，其记录的详细信息包括：学生姓名、年龄、违纪性质、惩戒强度（即体罚次数）、指派实施惩戒者、惩戒日期及施惩教师。该册簿会由督学在定期巡查时签署姓名首字母，以完成核验确认。