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?

KK, as fellow ferreter I know you will like this ode to the shingle and barrel stave in 1906 when the electric spanking machine may have been actually used and not threatened in Peoria IL. While you’re not a fan of my off topic postings about girls, I hope this more than compensates. The Beaver.

The Union times. (Union, S.C.) December 14, 1906.

CLICK

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 Union Times (Union, SC) 14 December 1906.

Evolution of Spanking

Victor A Hermann in Judge

Judge was a weekly satirical magazine published in the United States from 1881 to 1947.

Little seems to be available on the Internet concerning Victor A Hermann, 1870-1943

Note the progression of implements – hand, shingle, barrel stave, electric paddle, all pre-1906. Note also the 50 rather than 60 Hz spanking rate. Mains power in the USA is 60 Hz.

[Thanks, AW]

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?

Victor A Hermann was quite prolific.

Inland Printer/American Lithographer, Volume 35. April to September 1905.

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The American Press Humorists’ Book. 1907.

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I like this one.The Minneapolis journal. March 08, 1906

You Know That Havana Cigars Should Not Be Made In Colorado.

“But, madam—”It is no use trying to convince me that those cigars were not made in Colorado. Why, isn’t there the stamp on the box? Why don’t you try to sell me some that were packed up in Connecticut, and then claim that they are imported from Porto Rico. Oh, it takes you men to try and gold-brick a woman when she enters a cigar store.

CLICK

CLICK

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?

How big is it? How thick?

What ages is it suitable for, going by current USA standards?

If there is a sufficient response I may post here what the jury decided.

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 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?

Hi Y’all,

To answer another Lurker’s question, this is what I wrote when first joining the site :-

What is the paddle like? Well we are a high school. Our two paddle types are a traditional ash paddle about 20 inch long blade plus handle. It’s about four inches wide and about 3/8 inch thick. The more modern alternative is some form of polycarbonate, ¼ inch thick and again about 20 inches by four. I don’t favor one over the other. I would normally use the poly paddle for a first or second offence and ash for the subsequent. There is no hard and fast rule, and I don’t even mind if the student expresses a preference. My own feeling is the poly paddle ‘stings’ more initially, but has less chance of bruising. I’ve no scientific evidence for that. It’s just instinct and practice. I should stress that bruising is NOT seen as a measure of abuse in Mississippi law nor is it grounds for dispensation of the shield provisions for public employees. Nonetheless we never aim to bruise. BTW at home I have a polycarbonate paddle for the family although my kids hardly ever need that kind of reminder but that I suppose shows my innate preference. 

HERE

To be a little more exact, the 3/8 inch is an estimate. Our rubric says not more than ½ inch thick. It’s somewhere between 3/8 and ½ in thickness. Polycarbonate which gains sting from its flexible nature is sufficient at ¼ inch. The lengths quoted are the blade lengths, the handle adds another 4 inches or so. The polycarbonate has a a foam rubber grip, and the ash is plain wood.

We also have, though it is in the general office so I would have too specifically get it, a hickory paddle. This is a sort of Jocari bat shape, again perhaps 18-20 inches in its maximum dimension, extending at the widest point of its ellipse to perhaps 5 inches or so. It is ½ inch thick. It has a longer handle than the normal paddle types with perhaps a length of 6 inches . The handle is turned and has a rubber grip. It was used by the old Principal and is now a ‘spare’

Now you, or rather KK asks

How big is it? How thick?

What ages is it suitable for, going by current USA standards?

Purely from a guesstimate I think a ten inch blade plus a handle say 4 inches,so not far out from AL, but I think 3/8 ins thick, as it looks quite sturdy but that could be the angle. I’d say use it in Middle School or Junior High if you prefer the term. I suspect it would be more effective to use to spank one cheek at a time. That’s because back then they’d probably want to create some ‘bulls eyes’.

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?

<div style=”width:100%;background-image:url(“/realm/A_L_123/A_L_trg.gif”);”> Hello debbie112,

My apologies for forgetting that you had indeed given details of the two paddles you commonly use.

We appear to agree about kk‘s paddle. What on earth has gone wrong? </div>

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?

I have superimposed a paddle of known proportions on the photo to better judge the size of the paddle in the photo.

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 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 dimensions of the paddle in the photo were not reported apart from its alleged thickness, an implausibly large value.

Using a secret process, I scaled and positioned a 3D digital paddle overlaying the photo. I imposed an arbitrary thickness. The width and length are measured values for the digital paddle. The actual paddle width might well be closer to 4.5 rather than 4.0 inches, depending on its thickness.

It was reported that the victim, aged (a) years, received (b) swots from a paddle (c) 8ths of an inch thick and was confined to bed for (d) days after. The missing values (a, b, c, d), not in the correct order, are: 7, 10, 12, 17.

The first answer with the lowest error-squared sum will be the winner.

The jury were unable to reach a decision as to whether the punishment had been too severe. The case did not go to retrial.