著者

寺崎 弘昭

出版者

東京大学

雑誌

東京大学大学院教育学研究科紀要 (ISSN:13421050)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.36, pp.19-40, 1996-12-20

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In this paper, the writer has attempted to reconsider a manslaughter case against a schoolmaster (Regina v.Hopley, 1860) by examining contemporary newspapers and educational journals. Through this research, he intends to clarify not only the incident itself but also public reactions and opinions for/against school corporal punishment. Regina v.Hopley had been regarded as an archtype of legal cases of school corporal punishment in commentaries on the laws of England, until school corporal punishment was abolished in 1987. But, curiously enough, the incident itself and contemporary reactions have never been brought to light even by D. P. Leinster-Mackay ( "Regina v Hopley : Some Historical Reflections on Corporal Punishment" Journal of Education Administration and History, vol. 9 , no.1 , 1977). Because of such absence of full investigative research, we often tended to consider Regina v. Hopley to have been only a trivial and minor matter for contemporary people. However, as the writer has provided a detailed picture on account of his investigation of local newspapers, the Hopley's incident was most sensational and caused a furor in England. Local newspapers enthusiastically reported the case in detail, and furthermore, submitted a profile of Hopley's career and their analyses of "The Eastbourne Tragedy". Now, we can list up The newspaper items the writer has referred to is as follows: 1 . The Lewes Times, Eastbourne Chronicle and Hailsham Observer. May 9 p. 1 & p.4 "Brutal Case of Manslaughter, by Beating" p.2 "A Schoolmaster Committed Manslaughter" May 16 p.1 "The Inquest on Mr. Hopley's Case. Mr. Hopley at the Inquest and before the Magistrates." May 23 p.1 "Mr.Thomas Hopley on the Wrongs which cry for Redress. Theory v. Practice" July 25 p.4 "Manslaughter Case, The Queen v. Hopley " 2 .The Sussex Advertiser, Surrey Gazette, and West Kent Courier. May 1 p.5 "Coroner's Inquest" May 8 p.4 "The Terrible Catastrophe at Eastbourne" p.7 "Committal of a Schoolmaster for Manslaughter, at Eastbourne" July 24 pp.3-5 "Trial of Mr. Hopley for Manslaughter" July 24 (Special Assize Edition) pp.2-3 "Trial of Mr.Hopley for Manslaughter" 3 . The Sussex Express, Surrey Standard, Herald of Kent Mail, and County Advertiser. April 28 pp.4-5 Article without captions begins: 'An inquest---'May 5 p.5 Article without captions begins: 'The greatest excitement---'May 5 p.6 "Alleged Death of a Pupil from Excessive Punishment at Eastbourne." July 24 pp.2-3 "The Eastbourne Tragedy. Trial of Thomas Hopley" July 28 p.6 "The Eastbourne Tragedy Concluded" 4 . The Brighton Observer, Fashionable Arrival List, and County Intelligencer. May 4 p.3 "A Brutal Affair" May 11 p.2 "The Eastbourne Tragedy" July 27 p.2 "The Eastbourne Tragedy" p.3 "Sussex Summer Assizes" 5 . Brighton Examiner, Fashionable Directory, Sussex County Journal, & Genaral Advertiser. May 8 p.3 "Charge of Manslaughter against a Schoolmaster" July 24 p.3 "The Eastbourne Manslaughter Case " July 31 p.2 "Corporal Punishment Furthermore, most of English and Scotch principal newspapers also reported the trial of Hopley (July 23, 1860) and made comments on the incident ; The Times, The Illustrated London News, Saturday Review, The Bristol Mercury, The Manchester Guardian, The Caledonian Mercury (Edingburgh), and so on. It is certain, as English legal textbooks state, that Regina v. Hopley permitted a "moderate and reasonable" corporal punishment. .But on the other hand, it is more certain that the "brutal affair" stimulated and gave an outlet to popular feelings averse to corporal punishment. For example, The Sussex Advertiser pointed out how "miserable desire" to establish an educational system "converted correction into cruel and brutally aggravated punishment", and The Brighton Observer demanded "the abolition of all corporal punishment in the schools of England" in order to prevent a recurrence of such tragedies.