School makes rapid U-turn after protests greet introduction of the paddle
In 1954 the famous Cathedral Choir School in New York announced with great fanfare that it would introduce the paddle in order to tame unruly pupils. The headmaster claimed the “vast majority,” of parents backed him. Within days the plan was dropped after an outcry.
Choir
School Announces
Paddle
for Unruly Lads
Canon Darby W. Betts, headmaster, announcing the
program to parents explained that “one of the means God uses to save us is to
chastise us for our own good.”
Under the paddy-whack schedule, two firm thumps where
it hurts most are applied with a “large smooth light” paddle for every behavior
demerit a student singer picks up in a 24- hour period. The discipline scale
slides up for extensive infractions.
Cathedral Choir School is operated by famous Episcopal
Cathedral of St John The Divine. Students, ranging in age from 9 to 14, come to
the school from all parts of the country.
Canon Betts announced the corporal punishment plan to
parents in a letter 10 days ago and followed up with another after receiving a
number of replies.
The “vast majority,” he said, expressed complete
understanding and avowed willingness to see how effective the program is.
Two boys have been taken from the school by irate
parents, the headmaster said, and several more are thinking about similar
action. But Betts’ main worry at the moment is that the school will be “swamped”
by admission applications from families with incorrigible youngsters.
Expressing the opinion that some of the problems of
juvenile delinquency are due to some extent to the fact that corporal
punishment is frowned on so much these days, the canon said in his explanation:
“We as Christian masters must completely deny the
secular idea that a boy should not be punished for his offense. If he is not
punished his selfish ego will know no restraint and his soul as well as his
body will be placed in dire jeopardy.”
Just taking
away privileges isn’t enough chastisement, the canon added.
“We allow considerable freedom, much noise and
boisterousness, which lead to as relaxed an atmosphere as is possible to
maintain.
“On the other hand when we go into the cathedral we
must have absolute discipline and this difficult transition must take place
within the short space of a count of 10. To do this the boys must learn to obey
commands as automatically as does a soldier.”
There was no immediate comment from any of the lads.
As published in Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth, Texas, United States, 17 February 1954.
Choir
School Drops Paddle After Protests by Parents
NEW YORK. 18 Feb, 1954 (AP). From now on there will be
no more spankings at the famed cathedral choir school. The switch was made at
the behest of the students’ parents and not the youngsters themselves.
The paddling idea was thought up by Canon Darby W.
Betts, headmaster over about 50 pupils of the school, run by the Episcopal Cathedral
of St. John the Divine.
Although some parents approved, several complained and
the paddling was dropped.
But some of the students, aged 9 to 14, went to bat
for headmaster Betts.
Twelve-year-old David Budding of
Bridgeport, Conn, said yesterday: “I don't see why the parents had to make such
a fuss over this. We were the ones getting hit, not them.”
Young Budding further told newsmen: “We prefer the
paddling to demerits. They’re better to get over with than have it hang over
your head. The dement report is sent to your home so that your father gives you
a paddling.
“My father’s paddling hurt worse than the paddling I
got in school. It just stings for a minute and a half.”
Canon Betts philosophically took the orders of
superiors to end the paddling procedure he started the first of the month.
“In the minds of many people, he said, it (paddling)
is apparently reminiscent of cruel and unrestrained instances of discipline
they have known.”
Canon Betts’ mild “woodshed” decree for misbehavior
read: “Two whacks on the seat administered with a large, smooth, light paddle –
moderately and reasonably administered.”
As a schoolboy,
the 34-year-old Canon Betts added, he suffered his share of paddling, and he
added: “it didn't warp my personality.”
Formal action yesterday by Episcopal Bishop Horace W.
B. Donegan and Cathedral Dean James A. Pike ended the paddling. But both the
bishop and dean gave Canon Betts credit for “a sincere effort” to solve the
school’s disciplinary problems.
Betts said the boys agreed to the experiment in
advance, and about eight to 14 lads a day got paddle proddings. But parents of
several boys took them from the school.
As published in The Boston Globe, Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 18 February 1954.
Picture credit: Unknown.
Traditionalschooldiscipline@gmail.com
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