The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1921-08-23
The Spanking Cure.


A prominent educator of ST. Paul, Mimi,
saws that lmuch of the juvenile delinquency
can be cared by liberal application OF odd
fashioned strap OIL to the modern young
ster's anatomy. He commits himself to Ger
tain kind of faith cure gained from laying
on Of hands" The professor filings the gauntlet
sqdarely in the path of reformers who set
5up a hue and cry about the coercion" OF chill
dren and calls them plain namby-pamby and
perncious Certain women's magazines, which
he does not name, are alleged to be spread
ing non-spankng propaganda, to the utter
riunation of tender young Americans by and
through the cooperation OF their easily in
| f1uenced parents.
Whether this teacher is right or wrong it
cannot be denied that what he says in the
following statement sounds mighty good:
The children who come from homes
! where the parents still maintain some au-
! thority prove the best students, the finest
| bows and girls, and the cleanest young men
! and women. The boy or girl who does not
turn out well is usually from the home IN
| which the children tell the parents what to
! do I am not a vicious man. and L have
children of my own, but nevertheless be-
ieve that certain amount OF laying on
of hands is necessary III bringing up chill
dren. A thrashing when deserved is a good
thing for a healthy boy. There has been
fearful growth OF juvenile delinquency OF
late years There seems to be moral let
down among our boys and girls They too
often seek only pleasure They have no am
btion to work and do big things. There is
too great tendency among them to try to
get by and nothing more"
With nearly all famous men and with prac-
tica1ly all strong characters their early edu-
cation began in the woodshed. shingles have
found that their only destiny is not in the
making of a roof their corrective and cura-
tive influences being, when properly applied,
almost magical) Other agencies OF like kind
have existed from time immemorial the slip
per- the hair brush and various growths OF
sprouts and branches. One of the best cor
pora curatives was the straight and slender
branch of the hickory. 1t was very capable,
and did not injure. The youngster who made
a thorough acquaintance OF the switch needed
but few introductions thereafter.
The ST. Paul professor is believed to be
right in most OF what he says. One would
be expected to admit that certain cases Of
common everyday badness on the part OF
growing boys require the STRAP oil' he sug-
gests There are cases, however, that are
different and careful study is required for
their treatment Some boys and girls do not
yield to corporal punishment, but there are
other methods to be followed in correcting
them, such as denial of privilege Restrictions
frequently effect quicker cures and more last
ing ones than a plain, ordinary whipping.
There can be no doubt that punishment Of
some kind is the logical course for parents
and teachers to follow. Sparing the rod and
spelling the child is just as dangerous a prac-
tice now as it was in the years gone by when
the axiom was religiously accepted far and
wide.
Fathers and mothers ought to try to appeal
to their children to go right. Every boy and
every girl should have the opportunity to
respond to reason A great many of them
will and do Some are stubborn and will
make no response For these the woodshed
and the STRAP oil" as the professor suggests
The training of children, however, should
have as much or more care as that given to
animals 1t is seldom that parents will have
as much patience in showing their children
right and wrong as they practice in teaching
a pampered dog new tricks