Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-06-09
Whipping Children.
By MRS. p. oAKEs SMITH

All the ancient martyrs and heroes, and
great soldiers, the men and women who
shame our own pusillanimity, came up under
the rod, aud that not lightly administered.
We know that the early settlers Of New
England enforced the 8" iron rule" The men
of '76 were men used in childhood to sharp
discipline; and the world is not likely to
produce nober type of manhood. There is
something weak and cowardly in this fear Of
the rod, though, when unwisely and recklessly
administered, it is a fearful evil, and too often
administered when reason should usurp au.
thority if it ever will.
With US authority is inverted, and the
child. not the parent, rules the household /;
all its fine old dignities are lost under mis-
taken fondness and a sensual indulgence.
The child is restive under restraint and, ii
punished regards himself as a victim he
applies the odium to the punishment, howey-
er well deserved, and has no condemnation
for the offence which occasioned it, In that
feeling he is maintained by growing, mawk-
ish sentimentality in the public mind.
A manly boy would show his stripes man
fully, and take them manfully as an atone
ment for wrong, and such boy is not like
ly to repeat the offence; while your weak
sniyeling boy is very likely to beg your par
don ten times over, and commit any meanness
to escape whipping and ten times over
commit similar offence and end his career
at last in the penitentiary. Parents and
teachers often lack sclf-control themselves
and they magnetic children into rebellion
rage and obstinacy, and the contest descendi
into regular fight for the mastery. This Is
pitiful in the extreme, and the child is SURF
to suffer great cruelty in such a crisis. Par
cnt and teacher are only fit for their oihc'
when perfectly calm, wise, and Of just mind
and sympathetic of heart They should bC
capable of penetrating to the mind and heart
Of the child and judging thence what may
rightfully be required Of it.
1t is wonderful how much harmony may
be produced'in family by the simple meth
ods of calm Judgment and sympatheti
mind for myself, | have always found tina
to lay my hand gently upon the shoulder o
even raging child, and saying My dear
you will do what is right" had the immedi
ate effect to subdue him; hence, | beliey
that after a child is old enough to understand
he may ordinarily be controlled by reasor
and kindness but when these fail to keel
him up to the mark of conscience and duty
more energetic measures ought to be resorte'
to. The parent or teacher is culpable wh'
allows his charge to shirk one iota of tn
duty enjoned by him, and if he does this an'
the boy or girl merges his future life int
what is base and ruinous the sin must lie
his door.
do not approve of whipping, to my min'
it seems merciless and unnecessary thing
children Of the better instincts rarely, if ever
require it-but these Titles ones, "withou
reproach or blot" are in the present state
society the exception, not the rule, and an
convinced that the majority require ener
getic handling. They must be made to dc
where they are deficient in the inner law
In extreme cases even, | can hardly concelv
that child in his teens will need to be whip
ped by that time reason and judgmen
ought to begin to gain the ascendency an
induce tendencies in the right direction. IL
should be the companion of the parent, shar
ing in some degree his confidence, no les
than his affection, and a right-ninded paren
would be to him the best and safest "guide
) counselor and friend"