An informal reader poll by the Madera Tribune in 1950 found, perhaps not surprisingly, that mothers were in favour of corporal punishment. The newspaper’s column The Inquiring Reporter posed the question: “Do you think children ever should be spanked? Below are the responses – all firmly in favour of smacking little bottoms.
MARGARET CAMPBELL, Route 1. Box 232
“Yes, sometimes they need it. And if they don’t get it then, they will grow up spoiled.”