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holyfamilypenguin4,5593
The paddle seems to be very much the preferred implement in USA schools. When did it first come into widespread use? I am particularly interested in early mentions of the school paddle in dated factual or fictional literature, and in official documents.Have other cultures used the paddle in schools?
This pertains slavery and some of it might be repetitive but hard to determine given the length of KK’s most informative thread. KK pardon me if I do for it’s not due to lack of attention but am overwhelmed.
Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Henry Bibb, an American Slave, Written by Himself by Henry Bibb 1849, has been a helpful resource for illustrations.
http://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/bibb/menu.html
Here is a completely different shaped paddle.
An enlargement of above link.
FYI on Slave Auction that I think may have been posted already but just in case?
The paddle is made of a piece of hickory timber, about one inch thick, three inches in width, and about eighteen inches in length. The part is applied to the flesh is bored full of quarter-inch auger holes, and every time this is applied to the flesh of the victim, the blood gushes through the holes of the paddle or a blister makes its appearance. The persons who are thus flogged are always stripped naked and their hands tied together. They are then bent over double, their knees are forced between their elbows, and a stick is put through between the elbows and the bend of the legs in order to hold the victim in that position, while the paddle is applied to those parts of the body which would not be so likely to be seen by those who wanted to buy slaves.
The lash is on the right and the paddle is on the left on page three in the above link and found in the second as well in the above link.
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KKxyz3,59957
Power and the Praise Poem: Southern African Voices in History by LeRoy Vail, Landeg White (1991).Excerpt:
Charles Speller, an Englishman who worked for the company very briefly in Luabo [Mozambique] in 1923, gave a graphic account of how that power was exercised:
The youthful labour clerk (Portuguese) was resident magistrate and inflicted with the assistance of a band of cut-throat retainers – ” Raposo’s men” – what seemed to me a terrible punishment with an instrument called a “Palmaterio.” This thing was the shape and size of a ping-pong bat but much thicker and was perforated with holes like a colander. The hand of the victim was seized and many blows were struck on the palm; then the other palm and then the buttocks. On one occasion I saw the instrument handed over to a second retained to carry on. The result of this treatment is to leave the victim in agony which must endure for a considerable time and renders him completely collapsed. The action of the instrument is that when a blow is struck the skin is drawn up into the many holes and a certain amount of force appears necessary to pull or twist the thing away from the flesh. ref.21
The palmaterio seems an unlikely precursor for the school paddle.
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holyfamilypenguin4,5593
Surely, America Way, you are not suggesting the “news” about fires during paddling might not be entirely true? Remember, this was before the advent of safety matches. I can remember as a boy having fun with wax matches and can well imagine boys 50 years earlier showing a similar interest. Boys of this type – match lovers, and girls too of course, would have been the very sort who got paddled at school.
Follow up on explosive spankings.
This five cent toy bomb spanking story goes way back to 1890. Eddie Mullane 5-year-old terrorists.
The paddle seems to be very much the preferred implement in USA schools. When did it first come into widespread use? I am particularly interested in early mentions of the school paddle in dated factual or fictional literature, and in official documents.Have other cultures used the paddle in schools?
1908 first posted story.
The paddle was a pine affair of the kind inspected and approved by the Juvenile Court officers.
This 1932 story was posted by KK but I’m not sure with this comical bold face line about mandated soft pine paddles. No harm done if it was posted before.
The new Board must have some effeminate members. – Cappers Weekly.
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KKxyz3,59957
The paddle seems to be very much the preferred implement in USA schools. When did it first come into widespread use? I am particularly interested in early mentions of the school paddle in dated factual or fictional literature, and in official documents.Have other cultures used the paddle in schools?
It seems the school paddle was well known and did not need explaining in Oregon in 1908.
Morning Oregonian (Portland, OR) 1861-1937, February 14, 1908, Image 12, col. 1.
Source (courtesy of American Way): http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83 … -1/seq-12/
STUDENT’S FATHER ACCUSES TEACHER
A. E. Matthews Has Principal Hughson Arrested, Charging Brutality.
SAYS HIS BOY WAS INJURED
Lad is in Hospital – Teacher says Boy Was Mildly Paddled and Received Hurt in Some Other Manner.
B. K Hughson, principal of the Portsmouth school, was arrested yesterday afternoon on a warrant issued from the West Side Justice Court, charging him with assault and battery on Arthur Matthews, 15-year-old son of A. K. Matthews, a timber speculator. Mr. Hughson is accused by the boy’s father of brutality in punishing the boy for infraction of school discipline.
It is a story with two sides. The school authorities, including Superintendent Rigler, have declined to pay any attention to Matthews’ complaint. After an investigation, Mr. Rigler dismissed the subject abruptly and declined to do anything, believing Mr. Hughson blameless. District Attorney Manning, however, determined that an official investigation was warranted in view of the fact that the Matthews boy is now in the hospital.
As to the cause of the boy’s presence in St. Vincent’s Hospital with a discolored and lacerated knee, the boy’s father and Mr. Hughson offer widely differing versions. Matthews says the principal threw Arthur against a desk, causing the injury to the knee. Hughson says the boy has been troubled with the knee for several months and on at least two occasions has been excused from school because of the knee. His statement in this respect is substantiated by other teachers.
That the boy received a paddling is not denied. ‘With nine other boys, he was taken to the principal’s office and spanked. The paddle was a pine affair of the kind inspected and approved by the Juvenile Court officers. “And I can assure you that I did not paddle him anywhere in the vicinity of the knee,” Mr. Hughson said yesterday, in discussing the matter.
Says Charge Is Unwarranted.
He regards the charge against him as unwarranted and ridiculous and says if Matthews brings the matter into court be will be compelled to show that the father bears a reputation for irresponsibility in the neighborhood where he lives and that he is given to beating his children unmercifully.
“It is very distressing to me that this charge has been brought,” said Mr. Hughson. “It is the first reflection upon my work in the 16 years of my career as a principal. I do not consider the source of the complaint as a responsible one and am prepared to show that Mr. Matthews is the last man that should make a complaint of this kind. I do not say this in a malicious or revengeful spirit, but merely to emphasize my statement that I am wrongfully accused.
“Arthur Matthews played truant, along with a crowd of other boys. Among them was a little fellow who is related to my wife. He was one of the first I punished. It was absolutely necessary to do something to maintain school discipline. The boys were not hurt. I merely paddled them, and the process was intended to be humiliating rather than painful. At least one mother has thanked me for paddling her boy, who was among the lot, saying it made a better youngster of him. “Arthur was paddled no more severely than the others. As to his being thrown against a desk, that is untrue. I was not rough with him. The fact that he is now in the hospital is no fault of mine. I have any number of witnesses to substantiate me when I say that there has been something the matter with the boy’s knee for several months. His mother had him out of school for several days lately because of his knee.”
Father Blames Teacher.
Matthews blames the principal openly for the boy’s condition. He says the incident occurred about 10 days ago, but that it did not come to his attention until a few days ago, as his wife with held the facts from him and he has been out of the city. He says the boy’s leg was swollen and lacerated from contact with a desk. He criticises Superintendent Rigler for paying no attention to demands for a formal investigation of the affair.
Aside from the criminal prosecution, Matthews announces his intention of suing the principal for $10,000 damages. He has put that matter in the hands of W. W. Banks, a lawyer, and the papers are now being drafted. He has also hired Mr. Banks in the capacity of special prosecutor.
Mr. Hughson was arrested by Constable Lou Wagner and immediately released. He promised to appear for arraignment before Judge Reid on Saturday morning and secured the services of Attorney Dan J. Malarkey to look after his interests in the case.
The paddle seems to be very much the preferred implement in USA schools. When did it first come into widespread use? I am particularly interested in early mentions of the school paddle in dated factual or fictional literature, and in official documents.Have other cultures used the paddle in schools?
Editorial comment (Very unsympathetic to the paddled boy and his parents)
Morning Oregonian. February 15, 1908, page 8, col. 2
http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83 … d-1/seq-8/
The trial, part 1
The Sunday Oregonian. March 01, 1908, page 24, col. 3
http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83 … -1/seq-24/
Trail verdict
Morning Oregonian. March 11, 1908, page 9, col. 1
http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83 … d-1/seq-9/
The paddle seems to be very much the preferred implement in USA schools. When did it first come into widespread use? I am particularly interested in early mentions of the school paddle in dated factual or fictional literature, and in official documents.Have other cultures used the paddle in schools?
More evidence that the school paddle was well established in Oregon more than 100 years ago.
The Sunday Oregonian. September 20, 1903, page 16, col. 3.
http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83 … -1/seq-16/
HOW TO CURB YOUR ANGER
SUPERINTENDENT RIGLER TELLS TEACHERS A PLAN.
He Arouses Laughter by Recommending; Antidote for Passion Caused by Youthful Torments.
Heretofore the hapless youngster who has aroused the wrath of his teacher has usually met summary retribution in the substantial form of a severe paddling. Such treatment was the sure consequence of hurling wads of paper at some studious schoolmate or passing notes to some comely miss who chanced to sit in the immediate vicinity. But the day of the paddling is past. According to City Superintendent of Schools Rigler, the schoolmarm should not lose her temper, or if the annoyance should be extreme, she should at least control her anger. In an address before nearly 300 teachers, mostly women, yesterday afternoon, Mr. Rigler gave a verbal recipe for controlling the temper. If the teachers follow his instructions, the mischievous youngster when caught in his misdeeds will see his teacher extend her arms at full length, open her hands with fingers extended, open her mouth slightly and lift her eyebrows. Such an angelic picture could not fail to bring an overwhelming feeling of remorse upon the most hardened youth that ever tormented a teacher.
Anger is like a full hot horse who, being allowed his way. Self-mettle tires him.
That is Shakespeare’s version. Mr. Rigler says anger should be checked in its incipiency and not allowed to tire itself out. He declared that to allow anger to manifest itself is not only unbecoming, but is very injurious to the health. Constant fits of passion, he said, will serve to seriously impair the physical being and should be avoided for physiological reasons, if no other.
“I want to urge upon the teachers assembled here the necessity of controlling their tempers,” said Mr. Rigler. “Any emotion may be controlled or banished. All the emotions, while they may be said to originate with ideas, manifest themselves in physical exertions.
“Now to offset a fit of anger,” he continued, “It is necessary to do something that will lessen the force of the wave of emotion. A very effective way is to spread your hands out, open the mouth slightly and raise the eyebrows.”
This statement called forth a burst of laughter which did’ not subside for several minutes. Mr. Rigler did not join in the merriment. He waved for silence and explained that the matter was no jest, but a serious problem of no small importance. “To assume that pose is not at all ridiculous,” he explained. “It merely offsets the natural tendency, which is to clench the hands, grit the teeth and compress the eyebrows and any emotion may be controlled by inhibiting the motor movements that accompany it and which are usually styled emotional expression.”
Several other phases of school work were touched upon. Dealing with home study, Mr. Rigler said that very great caution should be used in the kind of lessons that are assigned for home preparation. He said composition and. mathematical problems should be prepared in the schoolroom, for the reason that, should they be taken home, the pupil is more than likely to secure outside assistance, which does not tend to promote independence and resourcefulness.
The announcement was made that it will not be possible to open the Highland School for another week, owing to an unexpected setback in the work of fitting up the rooms. An inspection yesterday revealed the fact that the building is not yet fit for occupancy and will not be for at least a week. Accordingly, the students of that district will have a week’s reprieve, although the teachers will have to do extra work, to which they will be assigned tomorrow at 1 P. M. at the superintendent’s office.
The paddle seems to be very much the preferred implement in USA schools. When did it first come into widespread use? I am particularly interested in early mentions of the school paddle in dated factual or fictional literature, and in official documents.Have other cultures used the paddle in schools?
Another early mention:
Public Ledger. (Memphis, Tenn.), 11 Nov. 1882, page 2, col. 5.
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/ … d-1/seq-2/
[. . .]
Suddenly, Talleyrand, in one of his most telling points of a joke, stopped and clapped his hands behind him on that part of the human body which, in my boyhood, was considered the channel to knowledge by the old paddling and feruling school teachers. In an instant more be sprang into the air with the yell of a royal Bengal tiger.
[. . .]
The paddle seems to be very much the preferred implement in USA schools. When did it first come into widespread use? I am particularly interested in early mentions of the school paddle in dated factual or fictional literature, and in official documents.Have other cultures used the paddle in schools?
The following are the earliest mentions of the school paddle I have found. They have been previously noted in the postings above and are repeated here for convenience. The come from a period when compulsory education was beginning.
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The Worthington Advance (Minnesota) February 19, 1880
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/ … d-1/seq-5/
Danger in Proverbs
The proverb, “Never put off till tomorrow what may be done to-day,” has gotten me into indescribable trouble. It was about the first thing my school teacher told me, and when I took my vacation on Friday, instead of putting it off till Saturday I was arranged in an uncomfortable position over that school master’s knee and paddled in a manner that I thought should have been put off till next day.
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Public Ledger. (Memphis, Tenn.), 11 Nov. 1882, page 2, col. 5.
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/ … d-1/seq-2/
[. . .]
Suddenly, Talleyrand, in one of his most telling points of a joke, stopped and clapped his hands behind him on that part of the human body which, in my boyhood, was considered the channel to knowledge by the old paddling and feruling school teachers. In an instant more be sprang into the air with the yell of a royal Bengal tiger.
[. . .]
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Belmont Chronicle (Ohio) March 05, 1885
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/ … d-1/seq-3/
It is said that a single room of the Bellaire schools raised 4.5 pounds of coffee, by taking three grains only from each pupil. Now, we do not wish to be doubting, but our devil being of an inquisitive and mathematical turn of mind, has figured on this matter, with the following result: Weighing an ounce of coffee, he finds there are 214 grains, which would be 3,424 grains to the pound, and 15,408 grains in 4.5 pounds. Three grains to the pupil would make this a school of 5,136 pupils. We pity the school ma’am who has to paddle this flock.
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The Herald, Carroll, Iowa, January 11, 1887
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qB … 41,4376026
Brutal Treatment
They must have a brutal teacher in one of the schools at Council Bluffs, and a Board of Education, which, if not in favor of the brutal treatment, is at least willing to tolerate it in school government. Not long ago, according to a Register correspondent, a child, a frail boy of 11 years, was whipped for his failure to commit to memory a small composition. The Instrument used was a hickory club or “paddle“, three feet long, one-half inch thick and one and one-half inches wide, and the punishment was administered by bending the boy over a desk. The bruises on the tender flesh of the little child from the blows of the heavy club were of a severe nature, and a few hours afterwards were as large as goose eggs. Physicians testified to having examined the child at periods ranging from three to nine days after the injuries were inflicted and found the parts swollen and inflamed, and after a period of nineteen days the discolorations were still visible. The school board sustained the teacher in the use of the club. The case is considered to be one of such serious nature, that it will most certainly reach Superintendent Sabin in the course of events.
It is a debatable question, whether or not corporal punishment should be abolished in school government. Experienced and successful teachers are divided on this point and repeated efforts to do away with the rod have been defeated by the Legislature. The sense of the majority seems to be, that properly used, the rod is not a baneful [= harmful] auxiliary to the proper control of our public schools. The sentiment, however, which sustains such brutal and inhuman treatment as that alleged to have been administered by the Council Bluffs teacher is fully a century behind the times. It is such instances as this, in which the right to use the rod on the children of others is grossly and brutally abused, that makes a public demand to brand corporal punishment with the seal of legislative disapproval.
The paddle seems to be very much the preferred implement in USA schools. When did it first come into widespread use? I am particularly interested in early mentions of the school paddle in dated factual or fictional literature, and in official documents.Have other cultures used the paddle in schools?
Management and methods for rural and village teachers
by Thomas E. Sanders.
Nashville, Tenn., The C. J. Bell Company, 1905.
[. . .]
Let your effort be to discipline with the least possible punishment, but when occasion demands and nothing else will do, punish, even to severity. Avoid indignities, such as slapping or boxing the ears, pulling the nose or the hair, or striking the head. If corporal punishment must be inflicted, use a switch, a strap, or a small paddle. Administer it slowly, calmly, quietly, but effectively. When the punishment is over, do not dismiss the pupil until you have talked over quietly and dispassionately the offense and the reason for the punishment.
[. . .]
Just how big is “small”? I guess it is small relative to the paddles of the time. The paddles may have been utility devices for mixing or stirring rather than for punishment.