My, how times have changed. The mere thought of the possibility was
enough to keep me in line during my school days. Yes, the "seat of
education" was administered at my Indiana school.
Newspaper Article
Jury Upholds Right Of School Officials To Spank Disorderly Pupils
Crown Point, Ind., May 13, 1948 -- (INS) Ten-year-old Albert
Jensen's vacation is over today because his parents were convicted by a
jury that upheld compulsory education in Indiana, including a reasonable
amount of spanking.
His parents, Daniel Jensen, 57, and Ruth Jensen, 36, of Griffith,
Ind., were convicted last night in Lake county juvenile court and fined
$250. each for contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
The Jensens withdrew their son from the Griffith school after they
heard that several of his classmates had been spanked and after they
were unable to obtain a pledge from Principal John D. Matthews that
Albert would not be paddled.
However, Judge John W. Gennon suspended the fine when the parents
agreed to send their son back to school. The parents were given a
choice of sending their son either to public, private or church school.
The case was heralded as a test of the right of Indiana school
authorities to administer spankings.
The boy was withdrawn from the Franklin school at Griffith last
November and was given instruction by his parents.
At the trial, Mrs. Jensen admitted she never adopted the policy of
"spare the rod" and had spanked Albert herself.
Matthews testified he had spanked certain pupils but had lost count
of the paddlings.
Albert, however, had never been spanked in the Griffith school.