This letter followed L.R. Savage's letter expressing his disapproval of spanking older girls.
It is intreresting in that this woman essentially believes their is no other method than spanking, though she leaves the door open to be persuaded, she does not like to spank.
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March 10, 1898
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SHOULD GIRLS OVER FOURTEEN BE SPANKED?
To the Editor: I noticed that a correspondent is much exercised at the prevalence of spanking where grown-up girls are the suffers. Being a man he cannot understand how we mothers are at our wits end in knowing how to deal with big childrern who disobey. The Journal would do a great service to mothers by offering a prize for the best letter on the topic: "How shall we Punsih Girls of Fourteen and Upwards". Some people say girls should never be whipped. I think that there would be a hot dispute on this point. Boys can be dealt with severely. But when at rare intervals I do have to spank my little daughter of fourteen it almost makes me sick, for I know how painful it is. Ought girls escape the rod, whatever the fault, and if so at what age? The British mother spanks her young lady daughter as a matter of course, but that is no reason why we American mothers should.
PERPLEXEXED MOTHER.