The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1889-03-21
TO SPANK OR NOT TO SPANK.
A Question That Stnl Bothers the Heads
of Families.

1t is surprising what theories men
and women have about the training of
young children, particularly boys,
until they have the children to train.
There's nothing quite so confusing and
disturbing to first-class, well regu-
lated theory as collision of that
theory with the child for whom it was
formulated. Girls are supposed to
blossom out like rosebuds into fra
grant and beauteous womanhood all
of their own sweet will and accord.
But boy has always been considered
a born rebel, Anarchist, and iconoc-
last, about as much to be depended
upon as an active volcano and as easily
controlled as Kansas blizzard. One
boy will introduce rebellion into the
most harmonious household, two boys
are a perpetual riot, and three boys
are q continuous and contumacious in
surrection. Mothers of boys need all
the wisdom of Minerva and the majesty
of Juno, the witchery of Gree and
Medea, the tenderness of Niobe, the
strategy and diplomacy of Ulysses.
and the command and authority of
Oliver Cromwell. Real mothers are
like great Generals-born, not made;
but these natural mothers are few in
number, and often. through the in
scrutable wisdom of the distribution
of husbands, are lef. in single blessed
ness, with not even nephew to bring
up, and the boys come tumbling into
| the world to be mothered by women
who dream fondly of golden-haired
cherubs in petticoats. and wake up to
the reality of compressed cyclones in
kits and trousers.
The fundamental principle of dis
cipline through all ages up 10 the pres
| ent esoteric period has been ''sparc the
rod and spoil the child" and the chill
dren who are fathers aud grandfathers
now were'whipped for what they did,
and whipped for what they didn't, and
whipped again for fear of what they
might do. Mothers the most dignilied
! and celebrated spanked their children
| for every trifling offense, fathers fog
ged their sons regularly Saturday
nights whether they had committed
| any miSdcmeanOr or not, just as moth
ers and nurses gave them their weekly
bath, because it was the night for it,
| and the Schoolmasters feruled their
pupils for the smallest breach of school
discipline. Children received little
| consideration, their peculiarities were
never studied, their rights were not re-
| spectcd, and little was done for their
| pleasure or amusement. Even so great
a parsonage as her Majesty the Queen
of England and Empress of India on
| the occasion of visit to Scotland,
where her plaided subjects were giving
her a public demonstration of welcome,
seized the obedient future King of
Great Britain and spanked him so az
tistically before the assembled multi
tude that he was obliged to stand
through the rest of the ceremonies.
When Mrs. Hayes was turning society s
wIne-glasses upside down in Washing
ton she frequently sweetened up her
children with seasonable and svm-
metrical spanking, at which art she
was an adept. The Rev. Lyman
Beecher, with all his fondness for chill
dren. was in sympathy with the spank
ing system, and advocated the theory
that while blow on the head was in
furious to II child, nature had provided
most excellent facilities and advanta-
ges for spanking. and that no physical
bad results could ensue.
Spanking is going out of fashion,
slowly and gracefully, like bustles. 1t
must be admitted that there is nothing
poetical, ideal, or essentially beautiful
in the vision of n woman bending, red
faced and indignant. to belabor the lit
tie child turned upside down in her
lap. Maternity loses something of
its dignity and sanctity in a hand-to-
hand set-to with a struggling, scream
ing, impertinent bundle of ugliness.
The ranscendental lover who fancies he
has married an angel receives rude
shock when he sees her apply her slip
per to portions of his youthful heirs
body in correction.-Net0Y York Sun.