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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?
University Missourian. (Columbia, Mo.), 13 March 1911.
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/ … d-1/seq-2/
How “Arkansas” Quit Smoking The Bad Was Stronger Than His Will
And Roomers Collected a Bet
“Arkansas,” as he was called, was afflicted with two things, the smoke habit, and the idea that he had an extraordinarily strong will. That was why he made the bet.
“I’ll bet you fellows that I can quit smoking thirty days,” said he to his fellow roomers. “To show you that I mean what I say I am going to quit right now, and If you catch me smoking anything for thirty days I will give the crowd permission to paddle me.” They all shook hands with “Arkansas” on the proposition.
Everything went smoothly about two weeks. One morning two boys passed his room and saw smoke coming out of the keyhole. They got a chair and looked over the transom. “Arkansas” was almost hidden with smoke. Several other witnesses were called down from rooms above so there could be no possible doubt as to his guilt.
That evening there was a trial. It was managed according to law. “Arkansas” had counsel to defend him but the evidence was too strong and he was sentenced to receive ten licks with a paddle of specified size, with one additional lick for every cussword he uttered during the operation.
_________________________________
The paddle was apparently well established in universities at the time and possibly in schools in some states also.
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?
Barton County Democrat (Kansas) 29 September 1905, page 3.
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/ … d-1/seq-3/
HOW TEACHERS MAY WHIP
If The Kid Has No “Fleshy Parts”
He is An Immune.
“Any corporal punishment,” says
State Superintendent Dayhoff, “such
as the use of a rubber hose, a paddle,
a switch, is legal; also the slapping
with the open hand on the cheek or
any fleshy part of the body not over
any vital organ. No teacher has the
right to use any punishment that will
leave marks on the pupils for days.
Boxing the ears, pulling the ears,
twisting the nose, pulling the hair, or
the use of a ruler on the palm of the
hand is prohibited.”
The state superintendent deemed a
decision on this question necessary.
Some of the teachers of the state have
been extremely brutal in the past.
They would resort to almost any kind
of punishment to conquer a pupil.
While no permanent injury has ever
been reported, frequently teachers
have been arrested for assault and
battery.
“The forms of punishment that are
legal will do just as much to bring a
pupil to time as the severer punish-
ments,” said the superintendent.
“Then why go beyond the limit. I
believe the school board is justified in
discharging a teacher who administers
brutal punishment to a child. A pro-
vision covering that point should be
provided in the teachers contract.”
[Compulsory education began in 1874 in Kansas, a relatively early date.]
Readers are invited to make a list of “fleshy parts” and to indicate whether or not there are vital organs beneath.
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HH2012836
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 <strong>KK</strong>,
In the ongoing and illusive search or the true beginnings of the school paddle, may I suggest another possibility. As I’m sure you have seen in my recent post here, a barrel stave was used as a spanking paddle.
I know from my own country’s history, before formal SCP implements were adopted, the selection was quite an ad-hoc enemble of implements, none of which were officially made for this purpose for the one reason: they cost no money and the school had no money to spend on such things…
The “Cooper” (or barrel maker) had been around for centuries. If a barrel fell apart, it makes sense that nothing went to waste. Certainly it’s plausible that one of the staves could be repurposed for the noble cause of school correction. What thinkest thou?
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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?
Thanks, HH.
The word “stave” is mentioned about 50 times above, beginning 18 July 2011. Note in particular my posting of 12 January 2013. Barrels were once almost ubiquitous being used to transport a great range of liquid and non-liquid products. They were manufactured by the millions.
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HH2012836
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?
Quite right <strong>KK</strong>, I knew it was mentioned before, but not at the frequency you quote!
I did a rather poor job of expressing my thoughts above. The point is this: despite the fact that the image is staged, it is photographic evidence of the use of a barrel stave. But more importantly, why did the author choose this implement? IMHO, he must have been familiar with it’s use for this purpose in the past, to have chosen it. That being the case, it points to the fact that it was perhaps more commonly used than one might give it credit for.
You listed quite a few reasons why a barrel stave is a terribly bad idea, being to severe and dangerous – and I certainly agree with you. But we’re looking at this from a viewpoint of our life experiences and attitudes of post 1950 let’s say. I don’t think anyone pre-1900 gave it that much thought .. if it was good enough to deliver a “sound beating”, then by all means let’s use it!!!
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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?
The New York Times used to claim that it published everything fit to be published. It covered the paddling of prisoners at the Elmira Reformatory in 1894 but contains few mentions of the paddle being used at school in the early days that I have managed to find. The following 1922 mention does not included any explanation of paddling suggesting readers were likely to be familiar with the device. It might be that the paddle was not in the least controversial.
WIDOW WHIPS SCHOOL HEAD
Ohio Mother Lashes Principal Who Had Paddled Her Son.
The New York Times, May 17, 1922.
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio, May 16. – Armed with a heavy blacksnake whip, Mrs. Carrie Littrel, a widow, of this city marched to a local school building where she administered a flogging to the Principal, W. T. Thompson, because he had paddled her son, Howard, yesterday. The mother charged that Thompson had so cruelly treated the boy that he was now under the care of a physician.
School attaches secured the whip only after Mrs. Littrel had struck the Principal several blows. After an investigation school authorities said the matter was closed.
Thompson denied the mother’s charges and said he had administered a light paddling after the boy had been disobedient before other pupils.
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Oliver_Sydney92758
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?
In the movie “The Great Brain”(1978) a boy is vigorously paddled over his teacher’s knee. It is based on a series of children’s books by John Dennis Fitgerald. The books and the film are supposedly set in late 19th century Utah.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Brain
In Part 6 the rather creepy new teacher explains to the class that he will use the paddle on boys and the ferrule on girls. The paddling occurs at about 6:30.
See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjutfh0DNp8
The whole movie is at:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL … SQfwR-8n4q
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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?
Background to Paddling Scene of Great Brain.
Realistically would over the knee paddling in those days be common for children of that age group? His size certainly made him up to the task.
Film follow up. The paddle for boys and the ferule on the hand for girls. In my day it was the ferule for the girls and the stick for the boys. The female buttocks are sacred.
Reading the riot act.
Follow Up on The Great Brain.
More Adventures of the Great Brain. Mr Standish, the teacher is reformed.
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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?
The Great Brain is a series of children’s books by American author John Dennis Fitzgerald (1906-1988). Set in the fictitious small town of Adenville, Utah, between 1896 and 1898, the stories are loosely based on Fitzgerald’s childhood experiences.
Tom is paddled for refusing to tell tales / inform on / grass / rat on a classmate. He gets his revenge by framing the new tyrant teacher as a secret drinker.
This is further evidence of the school paddled being used in the early days of compulsory education in at least some places in the USA. Note however, Fitzgerald was subject to the paddle about two decades after the period in which his story is set. Knowing where the paddle was used may help understand why it was used.
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 Dublin Post, Georgia August 6, 1879
An Unbearable Outrage On last Saturday Dr. Hightower lay on his bed prostrated with inflammation of kidneys. He had had a severe congestive chill on Tuesday and another on Thursday, and was scarcely able to turn himself in bed. His wife and infant – less than two weeks old, lay beside him. His mother and aunt, Mrs. Snell, were with him. No one else was on the place except two servants. John Graham knowing this and thinking it would be a good time to indulge in a little cheap bravado for his gang to crow over went to the gate and fell to cursing and abusing Dr. H. and daring him out to fight. The doctor sent his servant Jim Hudson to tell him to leave; but he cursed and bullied the more. The doctor’s mother then went out and told him to go away but met with no more respectful treatment.
The bed stood in the middle of the room and the doctor could see Graham from where he lay. He asked for his gun and said he would shoot the scoundrel from where he lay. But his mother and aunt almost in spasms of fright got in the doorway and refused to allow him to shoot. He then sent Jim by a back way to tell his brother, Mr. T. M. Hightower (Coney) to come and beat him from his gate. When Graham saw Coney coming he made off toward his own house. Coney called to him to hold on. Graham then endeavored to take up a piece of fence rail, whereupon Colley rushed upon him with a board, knocked him down and paddled him well.
Not knowing the extent of the insults Graham had heaped upon his mother, aunt, and his brother and family, he only gave him it moderate beating. But when the blows that were falling on Graham were heard, Coney’s mother became more frightened than ever, and began to cry that Graham’s gang were killing him. The doctor’s anger and excitement now raised him superior to his physical suffering and he jumped up, got his pistol and ran out. His wife followed him into the yard and got the pistol from him, but not until they had both got their feet as wet in the tall, wet grass as water could make them – the most dangerous thing that they could possibly have done in their present condition.
Some of his friends may try to set up the plea that he was drunk. But it is well known that he was not drunk. He doubtless had taken some liquor; but his drunkenness was feigned. And even if he had been drunk, the crime is not to be palliated by that; for every one knows that this deviltry was in him before; every one knows that he associates with a crowd that breathes nothing but hatred to Dr. Hightower and everybody else who stands in the way of their schemes of lawlessness and plunder. For John Graham, be it remembered, is universally believed to have been one of the chiefs among that gory phalanx of 500 avengers.
__________________
This seems to be rather a partisan item of news. Presumably,many of the newspaper’s readers knew or knew of the warring neighbours. But did people really go about shooting or beating each other? Was paddling used to settle disputes? Was this the environment from which the school paddle arose?
