Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-11-01
PARENTCU[TURE
SCHEME TO END
.FL0CC|NC
Mrs. Chas. J. Haden Thinks Those
in Authority and Children Should
Both Be Taught Duties.

Mrs. Charles j. Haden, No. 1918
Peachtree road. president of the City
Federation of Women's Clubs, on Sat
urday injected 8 new idea into the
discussion Pre- cipitated by an inter
view gwen out recently by Recorder
Nash r. Broyles, in which he char
acterized corporal punishment as in
human and a relic of barbarism, and
urged that the practice of fiogging
children, both in the home and IN
the school, be abolished,
She advocated course of training
tor parents and children, beginning
in the infancy of the latter, by which
there should be instilled into the
mind Of the child a knowledge of au-
thority, of the meaning Of discipline,
and natural inclination to obey, that
should solve the problem by the sim
pie process of eliminating it. 1t would
follow, she declared. that the child
that entered school with such train
Ing received in the home would never
need an application of the rod as a
corrective measure for its misdeeds.
Mrs. Haden, while she laughinsly
declared that whatever opinion she
might entertain is more or less theo-
retical, being based on observst alton
rather than on experience, admitted
that she agreed with Judge Broyles
that corporal punishment is never
justified, except perhaps as punish
ment for the most fla grant violations
of discipline.
Parents to Blame.
This statement she modified. how
ever, by declaring that children who
have attained such heights OF juvenile
90 !.
dent through malice thereby making
the rod the only remedy, are not so
much to blame as their parents, or
whoever has their training in charge
The time undoubtedly viii coms,
Mrs Haden declared, when corporal
punishment will be abhorrent, and
when the flogging of children will h9
the exception rather than the rule,
but it will hardly be for Some time.
A course of training that proba big
must extend through several genera
tions perhaps may be niece ssary be-
fore the precepts OF discipline. the
beauties of obedience and thorough
knowledge of authority Is so ground
ed In the mind of childhood that it
will be unnecessary to resort to vio-
lent means to enforce discipline or
compel obedience.
81 do not believe" Mrs. Haden de-
clared. that the practice of whipping
children is a thing that can be cast
aside lightly, because ii appears to
be human nature, or at least natural
fNr a great MANY peOpIa. to resort
to the rod as punishment for even
the most trifling violations OF disci-
pline | do not think any child does
wrong wilifuIl-- or msliCiously, AMI
surely there are Other means Of con-
4,
However, I have heard children, and
parents, too. say that trey have
known children who have been utter
ly unresponsiVe to kindness and love.
and yet have instantly become ODE
dent and trSctable after being
whipped, so there must DE times when
corporal punishment appears to be
justified. Corporal punishment car
ried to excess, however, could never,
under any circumstances, be right or
just.
Training Only Solution.
Corporal punishment, l think. IS p
problem. and nothing seems TO offer
solution but training. potn for the
parents and the children. IF the right
kind Of training is given. the problem
will solve itself by gradually elimi-
mating whatever necessity there
might be for corporal punishment.
This training has already begun. and
II Is, In fact, a part OF the feminist
movement that is sweeping the world.
The kindergarten and all the modern
scientific methods OF rearing a Child
appear to me to be things that will
be factors in the solution Of the cor
poral punishment problem. At the
kindergarten tie child is trained in
the right direction, the principles If
discipline, knowledge Of authority
and ms tural inclination to obedience
are instiiled into it at a time when
it's mind Is receptive II this training
Is continued through the years with
out a break, they will never need the
rod, and when they, too become par
ents they will be equipped to train
their own children. OF course, moth
ers who are equipped and able snd
have the time should train their
children in their own home, but for
those who have not the time. FOR
those mothers who are forced by cir
cumstances to relinOuish TO certain
extent the care of their children, the
kindergarten training is the best sub