Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1925-10-15
INTELLIGENCE AND
C0MRADESHIP NEEDED

There q always growing gen
erAxioD and therefore the bring
Ing 10 and developing ~ The child
Will constantly be live subject
Herewith a. given fs~ thoughts
On the matter which Il pA8set On
20 American readers FOR their
perusai and study.
New York. Oct l4.-To spank
q child Is to confess your failure
rs a parent says Mrs. Sidonie
Matsner Grucnberg. director Of
the Child Study Association Of
America Inc. which this month
is holding the first parents con-
ference on child study ever as
semblcd in this country. She adj
mits that children are often pro-
voking. hut she thinks also that
it is time we recognised child
spanking as an archaic way Of
correcting their failures.
There may have been some
justification for solomon. she
explains. who was the author Of
the household maxim. Spare the
rod and spoil the child He. poor
fellow. with his numerous wives
and overwhelming number Of
progeny. probably didn't know
the names Of half his children.
nor which were his and which be-
longed to the ncighbors. II would
be too much TO expect such q
father TO use persuasion and en-
PLANTATION instead of the rod or
the slipper. But the home Of the
polygamous despot Of the Orient
in those days was very different
from the small family Of today.
and we hardly have TO cling to
the methods which he may have
found useful.
Develop intelligence and com
radeship in your children, and q
sense Of responsibility will grow
in them that will make punish
ment unnecessary" says Mrs.
Gutenberg.
This is one of the topics that
viii be discussed at the confer
ense which this Association Is
holding at the Hotel Waldorf-As-
toria. New York. Oct. 26-2S. IL
is called q conference on modern
parenthood. Many Of the per-
picking difficulties about bring
ing up children will be talked ov-
er. and specialists on child study
from England and as far West
rs California will attend. IL Is
expected to be a great occasion
for parents. who often are baf-
fled by the ways Of their chill
dren, and parents from every
part of the country viii come.
TO spank child for every lit
tie offensc is like giving one
medicine for all ailments" says
Mrs. Gutenberg. "and does just
about as much good. The spank
ed child will not stop his wrong
doing. He will merely look sharp
that he is not caught again.
'-Child-spanking is simply al
lowing yourself TO be mastered
by the animal instinct TO strike
back Do we ever stop to con-
slider the childs motive or intent
when we spank him for some
thing that has caused annoyance?
No. we are merely responding TO
the result Of his action. We are
displaying the same instinct that
society shows when IL seeks to
avenge itself on the criminal. An
eye for an eye il says. At best.
we are trying to brighten the
child from doing wrong another
time.
What we should do is TO de-
velop the child's impulse to do
right by appealing TO his own
initiative and reasoning faculties.
and making a responsible human
being out Of him. To bring him
up in blind obedience to his par
ents will not do this. Instead OF
spanking him for breaking the
dish. give him something to play
with that he can break or bend
TO his purpose in another way.
like clay. Supply him materials
out Of which he can create things.
II parents take this constructive.
understanding attitude toward
children. they viii find that the
need for punishment grows less.