Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-12-06
ALExANDRIA. Va FRIDAY EVENING DECEMBER 6 1889
Girl Flogging.

Girl Flogging.
Enc London Truth brings cut a story Thlch
has created considerable sensation about
"Mrs Walter Smith, toe girl f,gger" Eug.
lish people are proveEbialiy more stern and
severe in tbe management of children than
Americans. English mothers whip their
dsug hieIH up 10 al age Of the girls which ls
Simply urheard of across the water. Birch
in the bcudoir is g common thing, and it ia
Invariably sp: :lied TO that part Of tne body
which i associated in the United States
with ,be tenn "spapsing." Nevertheless
the revelation has somewhat as!oEished the
generality of people that there exists at
least ole regular whipping booth where
girls are birched at Z fixed sum per whip
ping. Girls, it seems. are hogged there, toe,
for ply ysical and mental diseases. ani toe
whole ideG Of birchiDg girls Ia brought down
10 acieDce UnquestiousbIy there are
many other institutions of the like chafGc-
ter. Mr.. Labouchere denounces Mrs. Smiths
institution as public outrage, and calls Tor
ite suppression by the authorities. 1t is i'm.
that he hints at Infinitely graver crimes
than those be declares. The article in
Truth in substance, is as follows:
Some months ago called attention to the
al vertisemente on the part Of woman,
offericg to fog unruly girls Of any sge on
pavrent of fee It struck me thet this
sort of thing ought 20 be exposed, and l en
deavored to enter into correspondence with
ne Operator She probably, however,
suspected the hook, for she did not rise to
the fly.
"a friend got lady of his acqua ntance
to write 10 say that she had an lntractab!e
daughter, whom shs wished to be broken
iu,' aud requesting the advertiser to send
pamphlets aud letter of advice. The books
aud the letter were sent, from which the
following is taken:
My first object when girl is placed
with me ia to show her, kindly but firmly,
hat must be implicitly obeye6. II ia al.
ways good plan 20 rule by moral suasion
If possible When that has been fairly tried
and fails, then it is positively necessary to
use some other means Of making the girl
obey.
First warn of The consequences of re.
| pea;ed fauts then, when direct act OF
| disobedience, lie, or very serious fault
SHOWS itself, l tell her that presently l shall
punish. Never birch when angry. During
the interval she thinks over the fault. I
make preparations These consist in hav-
ing ready a strong narrow table, straps
(waistband with Gliding straps, anklets, and
wristlets), cushions, and good, long, plia.
bic birch rod, telling her to prepare by re-
| moving her dress, kinkers, &c., and putting
on the dressing gown hind part before. Then
talk seriously to her, show the nature of
the fault, and the need of punishment
as cure. Next I put on the waistband,
after having told her that if she submits
;ott no cfr les
must call in help (girls generally prefer TO
be quiet) Placing her at the end Of the
table ION which there are cushions 20 pre-
tect the petsop,) l turn her body over the
table, and fasten the straps underneath it.
Then fssten the knees together, wrists the
same unless / anticipate sttuggle--then L
use ankleta and wristlets, and fasten the
limbs to the legs of the table. This really
takes less time to dc than 10 write about.
christening the dressing gown. the ortho
dox surface is found ct the right angle for
Furnishing Taking he birch, measure my
distance, aud standing at the side, proceed
! to strike slowly but firmly. By moving
| gently forward each stroke is differently
placed, and elk strokes may be enough II
we'll given with full force. If the fault has
| been such as to need severe correction, then
l begin on the other side and work back
again. For screams increased strokes must
be given. If girl tries very bard indeed
to bear it 5ravely, then perhaps I give ten
| instead of twelve.
Directly it is finished l cover up the
part exposed, unfasten the girl, and, finding
her probably much subdued, help to resolu-
,ions of amendment Ii this birching has
been iudciousy and oonscientiously admin
| istered, the girl will bear against the opera
| ton no resentment, but be ready to kiss
and be friends
AFTER allowing the culprit little time to
compose herself and redress. expect her to
join the others, and no mention of any kind
is made of the punishment, unless future
misconduct makes it necessary, and this is
not often.
"Birching is an extraordinary thing not
an everyday work {; therefore care must be
taken that the operator has tbeproper nerve
| and patience for the operation. Mothers are
the proper persons to whip girls; but if they
have not the necessary nerve then 1t Is bet.
| ter to appoint deputy.
AFTER this serious business is over much
steady patience is needed, for birching is
no usa whatever if girl is to be petted again
and allowed to do just as she likes She
must be under firm, kind discipline. None
of my girls have been more attached to me
than those whom have been obliged to dis.
cipine severely. They have great respect
for those who can master them and who do
not taunt them With paat misdeeds. One
good scolding Is worth months of 'nagging'
Efforts at amendment must be encouraged,
and those having the charge of girls must
not expect to reform girls Ill at once. Rome
was not built in day. The old Adam will
sometimes show itself and for checking its