As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not an expert in human physiology. Probably someone from a university sports science department would be able to give a much more detailed explanation of the physiological processes involved during corporal punishment. But I am a mathematician, and I know something about the mechanics of moving bodies, so I’ll describe what happens with a very simple model: a rigid object (the paddle) impacting upon an elastic body (the bottom) supported by another rigid object (the pelvic bone). I won’t consider shape, like the curvature of the bottom, at all; the elastic body will simply behave like a compression spring. I am very happy to be corrected if I have made any unwarranted assumptions.
I was somewhat suprised that you could apply mathematics to to what is essentialy a spanking with a solid non absorbent object and because it’s non absorbent I can only assume that the entire force of impact is transfered to the bottom-in other words no give as say with a cane or,indeed the open hand.
So using this as a proven example I can only immagine that a Hairbrush would effectively work in much the same manner-and equaly as painful.
A slipper on the other hand would prove less rigid therefore able to absorb a certain ammount of the impact and in doing so impart a less severe punishment at the same time as explaining why a slippering is popular with parents in particular as a way of giving a child a bruise free spanking.
Of course parents also see the Hairbrush as a very effective punishment tool and I can’t possibly see this being applied vigorously to a childs bare bottom without leaving light to moderate bruising which,on the whole,any normal parent would wish to avoid.
Therefore if a paddling is so devistating and in consequence leave very heavy bruising surely this form of punishment should only be limited to a certain age group as with a school caning.
I do believe that the Law permits ‘reasonable ‘bruising brought about by both domestic and corporal punishment and some would even go as far as to say-‘a sign of good discipline’ but I’m not at all convinced that 10 hard swats with a paddle would,in a court of law, be defined as acceptable and within the bruising limits expected from ‘healthy’ chastisement.
I don’t think anyone’s bottom is made of cast iron! What happens when the paddle hits is that the flesh squidges sideways; if there were any reflection of a shock, it wouldn’t be sufficiently concentrated to do any damage.
If you want an explosion, you’d better paste your paddle with gunpowder
I was thinking of the toy guns we had “when I were a lad”, which had little capsules which produced (rather small) explosions. I’d be surprised if any of the chemicals you mentioned were used!
Of course gunpowder doesn’t really explode, it just burns rather quickly. Perhaps the (very unstable) trinitroglycerine would be suitable instead?
This is a delightful compound, and very useful. It disinfects the wounds it causes and prevents goitre.
Do not place a few crystals of elemental iodine on a circle of thick filter paper and then wet the crystals with a drop of concentrated ammonia solution and allow to dry. In particular, do not use a larger quantity of iodine in the school laboratory prep room and then flick the drying mixture with a towel as this will disperse the mixture before it becomes explosive. If you do this, the whole room will become explosive for days after. Merely walking in will set of numerous micro-explosions as will picking up a bottle of sulphuric acid. It is not safe to hope the chemistry teacher will be amused rather than outraged.
Mixtures of silver nitrate and magnesium powder should not be stirred with a wet wooden stick, especially straight after being warned by the cleaner that the lab boys “will blow you up.” If you do, you may lose your eye brows and have your face blackend.
Then there was potassium chlorate and sugar, …..
School chemistry used to be great fun.
His only Achilles’ Heel was Chlorine, generally assumed to be due to an accident early in his career. Any boy brave enough to utter the magic words “Sir, I think I’ve accidentally made Chlorine” was at least guaranteed the drama of a lab evacuation before the inevitable and unpleasant reckoning.
Get some of that Nitrogen triiodide and rub it on the back of your trousers, or trollys if you are a girl.
When the beak canes you it will cause a little explosion much to everyone amusement, but the best part will be the purple cloud that follows, causing a mass exodus of the form room, and a half day holiday.
-
In my classification of implements the flexibility axis is meant to relate to the ability of the implement to bend to match the shape of the target. The contact area of a flexible device is greater than that of a rigid device of the same type and size. Thus, the severity of “wounding” caused by a flexible device is likely to be less than that of a rigid device as the energy is spread over a larger area.
One concern with over-flexible devices is “wrap around”. If the tip lands “long” they can bend and impact on delicate parts. They energy of a flexible device tends to concentrate in its tip during wrap around so the wounds can be servere.
I happen to know a woman holding a paddle with the holes drilled in it. The way she is holding it is pretty standard when it’s a girl getting paddled on that website. I once saw a clip of that same woman paddling a guy. You could describe it as 180 degree difference. She had a firm grip. She was using all of her strength and putting her weight behind every swat. There were strands of wet hair in her eyes and she looked like she was getting a workout.The usual attire of the paddler is heels but don’t navigate the site to disprove me. This explains the placement of her free hand. I wasn’t thinking of the pencil skirt. Only under extraordinary circumstances would that hinder or modify the onerous duty ( to steal a page from DD) at hand. The girl, albeit half her age, being paddled would seem more akin in appearance to the teacher you used in your celebratory posts. Your skills always accrues to the benefit of this estimable Forum, however the large gap between your imagination and reality may be.Brave Man , posting a still from one of the Alpine stables. These guys have more law suits under their belts, and are one of the most aggressive defenders of their ‘images’ around. Still, the beaver is a protected species , I believe!Still a very good ‘brace ‘ position , but that paddle !!! The holes don’t appear to be beveled , and the edges have been left sharp and unturned…and it could well be pine which splinters. I wonder if Renee would care to point out this is an unapproved model? She doesn’t look like she’d be very receptive to such advice !
As mentioned before, I’m not an expert in human physiology. Probably someone from a university sports science department would be able to give a much more detailed explanation of the physiological processes involved during corporal punishment. But I am a mathematician, and I know something about the mechanics of moving bodies, so I’ll describe what happens with a very simple model: a rigid object (the paddle) impacting upon an elastic body (the bottom) supported by another rigid object (the pelvic bone). I won’t consider shape, like the curvature of the bottom, at all; the elastic body will simply behave like a compression spring. I am very happy to be corrected if I have made any unwarranted assumptions.It’s important to remember that the paddle has a direct effect on the bottom <em>only</em> through its speed, both at the moment of impact, and subsequently. The weight of the paddle has only an indirect effect, because a heavier paddle has more kinetic energy and doesn’t slow down as fast when it encounters the resistance of the bottom.It’s also important to remember that kinetic energy isn’t the only thing keeping the paddle moving; there’s also the force from the arm.
There are three requirements that must be met before a patent can be granted novelty, utility and not obvious to a skilled practitioner.A paddle designed to break would seem to be both novel and not obvious. Most practitioners, skilled or not, have been focused on non-breakable paddles, the merits of oak versus pine, Lexan polycarbonate, etc.
However, the patent is weak, if you would excuse the expression and accept the opinion of a patented inventor but not legal expert, in its lack of proof of utility / practicality of the design. No experimental data is presented. There is no actual proof it works or is useful.
For a paddle to be effective it must have a certain minimum weight and to be travelling at a certain minimum speed at time of impact. These minimums have yet to be established. After impact, the paddler has little effect on the consequences notwithstanding the supposed benefits of carry-through. The paddle slows quickly and there is no time, or distance, for the paddler to add further kinetic energy after the impact. Carry-through – aiming for a point beyond the target – ensures acceleration is maintained right up to impact, but increases the risk of breakage.
For a paddle to be safe it needs to be smooth, with no sharp edges, sufficiently broad so that the edges do not make forceful contact, not too heavy and travelling not too fast.
The only way a breakable handle can moderate the energy of the strokes, and the risk of injury, is if it limits the speed by limiting the acceleration, that is, by limiting the force applied during the main part of the swing.
The merits of the patented paddle, as designed, are twofold. Firstly, it will break if applied too hard, and so terminate the paddling or suspend it while the paddle is reassembled, perhaps allowing tempers to cool and the need for further paddling to pass. Secondly, it will curb the enthusiasm of the paddler. Acceleration must be reduced, even if the length of the swing is increased, and all attempts at carry-through must be abandoned. That is, the paddler must stop acceleration some time before impact and allow the paddle to coast.
I would suggest that if a paddle is to be used at all in schools, it needs to be effective. It must cause more than transient mild discomfort except, perhaps, for the very young first-timers where symbolism alone may suffice.
In my opinion, the best way to make a paddle safe is to limit its weight at the time of application. Weight is more important than the thickness of the blade although the two are obviously directly related; depending upon the material the paddle is made of.
Secondly, for a paddle to be safe it needs to flex to at least partially match the curvature of the target, so spreading its energy and not crushing deep tissues against bone. However, the paddle should not be too flexible to avoid any risk of the end making forceful contact, especially with the hip. (“Wrap-around” is a hazard with straps.)
But enough theory! Experiments are required.
High school delinquents in the same grade vary greatly in their size and degree of physical development. If the same paddle is used with the same force on each, for the same offence, their punishments are likely to be greatly different.
My guess is that poorly-padded, bony ectomorphs will be bruised and hurt the most and muscular mesomorphs the least. This is quite apart from psychological and emotional aspects. My further guess is that adventurous boys into robust sports, who tend to be meso-ecto types, will be able to deal with pain better than others and less deterred and therefore more paddled.
Many believe that similar offences should be similarly punished. This has lead to the standardization of paddle sizes, if not weights, and often near fixed tariffs for various offences. More difficult, is ensuring similar paddle swats impact similarly when applied to a diversity of delinquents of similar culpability. Matching the punishment to the age of the delinquent, or to their school grade or year, is unsatisfactory.
I have already suggested that somatotype is likely to have a big effect. A heavy paddle landing on a bony posterior is likely to be far more injurious and painful than the same swat landing on a muscled or plump rump.
In my day, 14 and 15-tear old boys were the naughtiest. This was the very age at which there is the greatest disparity in physical maturity. A few boys have barely begun puberty while others have near adult physiques. Most will be at or near peak rate of change.
It seems most unfair that a well-developed mesomorph and an under-developed ectomorph might receive similar paddle swats if guilty of the same offence. Relying on the judgement and skill of the paddler to adjust the force of the swats to suit is highly problematic.
The paddle is likely to be longer and easier to grasp than a Plimsoll so it should be easier to lay on a harder swat with the paddle. I think the greater resulting kinetic energy might outweigh the ability of the Plimsoll to bend to match the curvature of the target.
Double-blind cross-over studies are the gold standard for experiments involving human subjects but are scarcely practical in the present case. Participants can’t be kept in the dark as to the implement used. Recruiting subjects and gaining ethical approval is likely to be difficult.
Real school paddlings can not be videoed for public showing for various good reasons. Simulations often lack veracity or come from dubious or pornographic sites. Birthday paddlings are generally free from these objections although they vary greatly in style and the quality of the videoing.
A number of points in no particular order:
1. Some how, the paddle was to hand. Was the paddling planned or does the gym keep one?
2. The 18 y.o. is robust and takes his punishment well. There is slight faltering towards the end but this may be as much from holding a one handed press-up stance as it is from the pain taking effect.
3. The paddler has a difficult task adjusting the force of the swats to the case in hand. If too hard serious internal injury is likely – the swats all land on the same spot. If too mild the ceremony looses any meaning.
4. Where does the tradition come from? What is its origins?
5. The bystander is mildly amused. The wrestlers show no interest. Nor the others visible in the mirror.
6. The fit of the shorts prevents easy displacement of flesh when the paddle lands.
7. The “smacks” are loud.
8. It is possible that the boy’s family, classmates and friends might each decide a they should inflict a birthday spankings too.
9. The paddle looks dangerously thick and heavy.
I can’t say I approve of birthday paddlings. To me a paddling is a punishment, and as such it should hurt- a lot. You may have all sorts of ceremonies but the birthday spanking routine strikes me as akin to hazing. i would NEVER allow it in a school I managed. I’m sorry if I’m a spoil sport but to me a paddle has one purpose alone, as a punishment paddle.
When I could paddle in class as a teacher, and if I ever do it now in the gym, if the paddle comes out its because there is a transgression that needs a consequence. I don’t do as some teaches and use a paddle as a fun teaching aid. Students need to know it is a serious instrument with a clear and unambiguous purpose.I never jest about paddling , its unfair both to the student and to the class as a whole. They need to know where they stand. Equally when paddling in class, if the paddle ever came out it was never to threaten or play act it was to administer a serious punishment.
To respond to a couple of your points
A number of points in no particular order:
Some how, the paddle was to hand. Was the paddling planned or does the gym keep one?
Where coaches can paddle, there m normally are paddles in the office or store.
The 18 y.o. is robust and takes his punishment well. There is slight faltering towards the end but this may be as much from holding a one handed press-up stance as it is from the pain taking effect. …The paddler has a difficult task adjusting the force of the swats to the case in hand. If too hard serious internal injury is likely – the swats all land on the same spot. If too mild the ceremony looses any meaning.
It seems to me you sum up the problem of such ‘fun’ ( for whom? ) occasions. Moreover the one handed pressup strikes me as ill thought out and downright dangerous even with his ‘taps’ . Even one of half my normal strength licks would floor him in one from that ridiculous position.
Where does the tradition come from? What is its origins?
I don’t know. I have come across it but not its history. Maybe american Way can suggest?
The bystander is mildly amused. The wrestlers show no interest. Nor the others visible in the mirror.
To my mind as you know punishment should be given in private even if a grup is involved, and/or the effects are obvious afterwards to others.
The fit of the shorts prevents easy displacement of flesh when the paddle lands.
Noted and agreed.
The “smacks” are loud.
Probably the acoustics, although my smacks always are loud and penetrate my office and the waiting room . I’ve been told they can be heard distinctly in the corridor outside the outer office.
The paddle looks dangerously thick and heavy.
Not abnormally so I think for senior hi, but it may depend on the angle. I prefer lexan of course over wood.
Applied Psychology The Stamford (Conn.) Board of Education has decided that ill-behaved students may be paddled. But then the agreement ends. In fact, then comes almost complete disagreement. The board can’t decide exactly how the misbehaving pupils may be paddled or with what or where. Moreover, after reaching this momentous decision, it was discovered that such authority already existed in Stamford schools. It came to light with the discovery of a paddle in the office of school psychologist Kermit Shulman. The paddle is nailed to the door in his office like a mounted mackerel. It is a quarter inch thick, three to f o u r inches wide and about 12 inches long. It bears this legend: “For Applied Psychology.” But the school psychologist explained that it was only a joke. And t h a t is likely what the decision of the school board will turn out to be.
Paula Flowe challenged TWP to find one colleges that teaches how to safely administer corporal punishment. In Enterprise, Alabama paddling is not a pleasant option judging from tweets and arguably given the other options shouldn’t.The was a female administrator, mentioned by a recently deceased poster here, that supposedly showed a video.
I noticed that in some schools the teachers have all graduated from nearby colleges. Schools are so expensive and teachers are not justly compensated so state subsidize schools are the only choice. You can’t come out with a big debt and a poor
High school valedictorians and salutatorians (yours truly) have scholarship packages to prestigious colleges or the flagship state college often located in the Capitol. These brighter or better performing students choose more lucrative careers away from their roots. Can you imagine (some do go to Harvard, Yale or Princeton) fresh out of Enterprise talking about their marks and not meaning their grades?
Hofbrauhaus is not a good summer job for a college student preparing to give five swats without alcohol even to the football center.
With so many instruments of correction why has the paddle been chosen with uniformity and continuity through decades? This may shed some light on that question.
Katie, a good friend who was a teacher and was raised by a teacher tells me she suspects the paddle was so popular in school for several reasons, it’s effective over clothing, where a handspanking, belt or most other implements lose their effectiveness over clothing, it get results quickly, 5 licks is enough for the most recalcitrant student and makes quite an impression, it doesn’t do the physical damage some implements can cause, maybe some bruising but that’s about it, and it’s consistent, the same person can give the same paddling over and over and the results are roughly the same each time.