The earliest mention of the school paddle in the USA 74

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File … jack_1.jpg

In NZ, “bush bashing” involves walking, crawling and climbing through untracked forest. There are special words to say when doing this, words that cannot be given on this “family friendly” forum. Supplejack can make grown men cry.

Not school CP

Title: The Little Thief, 1915, Oil on canvas
Joseph Christian Leyendecker (American, 1874–1951)

The role of artwork and fiction  in revealing and preserving or corrupting history

THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER

BY MARK TWAIN
(Samuel Langhorne Clemens)

Excerpt from chapter 6.

Thomas Sawyer!”

Tom knew that when his name was pronounced in full, it meant trouble.

“Sir!”

“Come up here. Now, sir, why are you late again, as usual?”

Tom was about to take refuge in a lie, when he saw two long tails of yellow hair hanging down a back that he recognized by the electric sympathy of love; and by that form was the only vacant place on the girls’ side of the school-house. He instantly said:

“I stopped to talk with Huckleberry Finn!”

The master’s pulse stood still, and he stared helplessly. The buzz of study ceased. The pupils wondered if this foolhardy boy had lost his mind. The master said:
“You—you did what?”

“Stopped to talk with Huckleberry Finn.”

There was no mistaking the words.

“Thomas Sawyer, this is the most astounding confession I have ever listened to. No mere ferule will answer for this offence. Take off your jacket.”
1876. Tom is struck on the back and shoulders and probably other parts including neck head and arms if he moves about too much. This is the earliest illustration and one approved by Mark Twain who based the novel on his own life.

Tom Sawyer

My attempts to present the three images above in chronological order failed. The oldest (1876) and likely most historically accurate is at the bottom and the newest (1973) at the top.

The middle image by Norman Rockwell is from the 1935 edition of Tom Sawyer. Unfortunately given the power of the painting, the geometry shown is implausible. The business end of the switch, which is held in the hand at the end of the arm, must be far from the intended target.

In the 1973 adaption of the story, Tom bends unbidden over the teacher’s desk in the manner of a formal caning. This is likely in accord with audience expectations based on their recent personal experience rather than historic accuracy. Such ritualised punishment likely took two or more generations to develop and become engrained.

Quality artwork and competent live performance tends to carry more weight than simple drawings. Compelling fiction augments and colours our understanding factual material and is not to be under estimated. It can corrupt history.

In the original US version of the story Tom is punished for tardiness and consorting with the reprobate Huckleberry Finn. In other versions he takes the rap to save his heart throb Becky.

Geometry

Okay for open hand, shoe or hairbrush but not switch or cane.

Another political cartoon in the humour magazine Puck January 1899. No paddles in sight.

Correlation between school CP and professed religious belief in the USA

The above maps shows the main religion in each county according to the US census. Counties in which school CP has been recorded in recent times are overlain in light blue in the lower map. (My attempt at an animated gif failed).

There appears to be a strong correlation between religion and the use of the paddle in US schools although care is needed in drawing conclusions.

1. The counties vary greatly in population size.
2. The counties vary greatly in the degree of religious diversity. The major denomination may or may not constitute a majority in a county and it may or may not influence school discipline.
3. The religious affiliation is professed for census purposes and is not necessarily sincere or practised.
4. The amount of spanking may differ greatly from county to county.

Southern Baptists in rural counties seem to be the keenest school paddlers. They also seem to be Republicans rather than Democrats, fundamentalist, creationists and believers in the literal truth of the Bible. Some of their pro-spanking material is alarming if it is authentic and not just posted by enemies to discredit them.

The European settlers in the South mainly came from other parts of the USA or were mainly English or Protestant Irish. They would have brought their cultural practices with them but probably not a propensity to favour the paddle.

I have previous expressed doubt that present day school use of the paddle in the South was derived from the paddling of slaves because of the time lapse between the end of slavery and the beginning of compulsory education. Now, given the apparent extreme conservatism of some in the South, I think I may be wrong.

Yet another drawing featuring the switch
Why are there so few images of classrooms with paddles?

The use of the school paddle appears to correlate with religious belief, going by the maps above. It is unlikely religious belief per se is responsible for the choice of the paddle over other implements when the belief supports the use of CP. Perhaps a few influential preachers promoted paddle use during the “Great Awaking” – the emergence of Anglo-American evangelicalism in the Protestant churches, circa 1730-1750. This is a matter I will investigate.

Plantations and slavery, and perhaps the paddle, were important in the South before the American Civil War (1861-5). The climate, plentiful rainfall, and fertile soils of the Southeastern United States allowed labour-intensive large-scale production of tobacco, sugar and cotton as shown in the following maps.  (source: http://www.bowdoin.edu/~prael/maps/maps.html).

Possibly, cotton and sugar plantations were more paddle-prone than other plantation crops? If so, why?

Customs and practices tend to move when people migrate. Possibly, those of conservative political and social outlook migrate least.