Paddling ain't just for rivers

Finally, the world has set itself right in a strange way. In an era when students talk back to teachers, skip class and wear ever-more-risque clothing to school, one central Texas city has hit upon a deceptively simple solution: Bring back the paddle. I admit, having grown up during the anti-corporal punishment age was rather nice, but I didn’t have any instance where the threat or such adjustment exercises would apply. I did however know several people whose lives may have been improved by a few quick smacks on the ass with a paddle. I mean, seriously, my parents used corporal punishment and the threat of such action to keep me and my brother in check a number of times. I feel like we grew up better because of it. Those of you out there with hippie parents who coddled you through your youth will not know what I mean, but if you had parents who believed in spanking then you may understand. Something about facing an actual, physical reprimand seems to work more often than not in preventing ridiculous behavior. But, as a more litigious society came about due to the go-go eighties and high-life nineties, corporal punishment, especially in public schools, was pushed aside.

Most school districts across the country banned paddling of students long ago. Texas sat that trend out. Nearly a quarter of the estimated 225,000 students who received corporal punishment nationwide in 2006, the latest figures available, were from the Lone Star State. But even by Texas standards, Temple is unusual. If you’ve ever made the long drive up or down Interstate 35 to get to the places you would actually want to be, Dallas or Austin, you’ve passed Temple. Most notable from the highway is the football stadium which stands prominently above the other modest buildings in town. The city, a compact railroad hub of 60,000 people, banned the practice and then revived it at the demand of parents who longed for the orderly schools of yesteryear. Without paddling, "there were no consequences for kids," said Steve Wright, who runs a construction business and is Temple's school board president. Consequences for your actions, what a novel idea!? Who would have thought?

Since paddling was brought back to the city's 14 schools by a unanimous board vote in May, behavior at Temple's single high school has changed dramatically, Wright said, even though only one student in the school system has been paddled. "The discipline problem is much better than it's been in years," Wright said, something he attributed to the new punishment and to other discipline programs schools are trying. Residents of the city's comfortable homes, most of which sport neighborly, worn chairs out front, praise the change. "There are times when maybe a good crack might not be a bad idea," said Robert Pippin, a custom home builder who sports a goatee and cowboy boots. I don’t want to be cliché, but only in Texas would you find a seemingly professional man with a goatee and boots suggesting we give the kids a “crack” to keep them in check. That’s why I live here.

Corporal punishment remains legal in 20 states, mostly in the South, but its use is diminishing. Ohio ended it last year, and a movement for a federal ban is afoot. A House subcommittee held a hearing on the practice Thursday, and its chairman, Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.), is gearing up for a push to end the practice once and for all. She plans to introduce legislation within weeks. "When you look that the federal government has outlawed physical punishment in prisons, I think the time has come that we should do it in schools," she said. Only a Democrat from the North would use such logic. Honestly, since I don’t see myself ending up in prison any time soon, we should probably bring corporal punishment back there as well, not take it out of the schools. Backward thinking liberal. And I don’t think that the decision to use or not use physical punishment in schools should be up to the United States government to decide. It should be a local matter handled by local school boards and local legislation. This goes back to the State’s Rights argument that I have had with Democrats for several years. Some things just shouldn’t be a federal government matter (like health care). Rules about paddling vary from district to district, but typically only administrators, not teachers, can mete out the punishment, which is done in private. Usually, a long, flat wooden paddle is used to give as many as three blows across the student's clothed rear end, although it was found that some students had been hit many more times. Boys are overwhelmingly the target, which makes sense because we are usually overwhelmingly worse in our behavior.

Having studied psychology I do understand that corporal punishment is not the best answer all the time. A joint American Civil Liberties Union-Human Rights Watch report last year found that students with disabilities were disproportionately subjected to corporal punishment, sometimes in direct response to behavioral problems that were a result of their disabilities. Many educators and psychologists say that positive tools, such as giving praise for good behavior and withholding it for bad, are far more effective for discouraging misbehavior. Those techniques "encourage them to behave well in the future," said report author Alice Farmer. But, honestly, the findings can be turned either way depending on the side you want to stand on. Sure, positive reinforcement does work for some, but not for all. And with particularly ill behaved students wouldn’t you want good behavior now through physical punishment, rather than “in the future” with positive reinforcement.

But in Temple, a city just outside Fort Hood that shakes with the air horns of the trains that pass through its rail yards, many residents say they hope that the old-fashioned solution can address what they see as rising disrespect among youth. They say their discipline problems aren't different from those in any other school system in the country: students showing up late for class, or violating the dress code, or talking during lessons. Those habits were unheard of in the days when schoolteachers routinely swung a paddle, they say. "Back then, you wouldn't throw spitballs, because you were afraid of the consequences," said Darr Kuykendall, a worker for a plumbing supply company. "A lot of kids have tempers," said Abby Jones, a junior at Temple High School. "Those kids that would be paddled would think of it as a threat . . . and maybe would be better."

Parents also pushed for the change because many paddle their children at home and wanted consistent discipline in the classroom, said John Hancock, assistant superintendent of administration for the Temple schools, who has been an educator for more than 40 years. "We're rural central Texas. We're very well educated, but still there are those core values. Churches are full on Sundays," Hancock said. "This is a tool we'd like in the toolbox for responding to discipline issues." Hancock, an urbane, sturdily built Colorado native who wears horn-rimmed glasses, said the school system had banned corporal punishment about six years ago because a state law change made what was permissible uncertain. Follow-up made clear that schools could paddle, he said. Since the policy was changed in May, the school system has paddled only one student, and that was at the request of his parent, Hancock said.

Many districts, including Temple, which is nearly evenly divided among white, black and Hispanic students, require parental consent before the punishment is given. Temple also requires the student's consent, Hancock said, and the punishment is considered equivalent to an out-of-school suspension. Residents said restoring paddling is less about the punishment and more about the threat. "It's like speeding," said Bill Woodward, a graphic designer. "Are they going to give you a speeding ticket, or . . . a warning? I'd speed all day if I knew it was going to be a warning." I have to agree.

Finding your own trail isn't a metaphor

While reading the new last night after class I came across an article that listed the nine U.S. hikes with gorgeous finales. I mentioned in a previous blog about my dream to hike the most important trail in the Incan world, the Machu Picchu trail in Peru. This isn’t the only hike I’d like to undertake in my life. The plan would be, once my life begins, for me to take my holidays in exotic places hiking trails and recreationally photographing things. Not a bold endeavor, mind you, but one that I want to accomplish in my life. My father wanted to learn how to fly, but never did, due to letting life, work, and family consuming his time. Since I am nowhere near the family tip, then it may be possible for me to do this. I just need to make sure that when I settle down with someone, that she would enjoy doing this too. That way I am not hiking alone every time.

Why hiking? Why not? It’s outdoors, in nature, where we as humans belong. Not just nature either, hiking usually involves some of the best that nature has to offer. Tremendous views, communing with wildlife, and absorbing the environment are all the positives that hiking has to offer. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking have been confirmed in studies. Hiking is one of the fundamental outdoor activities on which many others are based. Many beautiful places can only be reached overland by hiking. Hiking is better than a tour in a vehicle of any kind because your senses are not intruded upon by distractions such as windows, engine noise, airborne dust and fellow passengers. Hiking over long distances or over difficult terrain requires both the physical ability to do the hike and the knowledge of the route and its pitfalls. So you see, hiking provides you with the best perspective on things. It requires you to use both mental and physical faculties, to the extreme in some cases. It takes preparation, discipline, and fortitude, which are important in all aspects of life.

So where do I go, besides to Peru? Well, reading this article gave me some pretty sound ideas. Considering hiking is not always the be-all-end-all in and of itself, it can be tricky to find the right place to go. Though some say the journey is its own reward…that is not always true when it comes to hiking. If you’ve ever been on any particular hike with the most scenic views and hit a more treacherous patch, then you know the journey can be more of a burden than a blessing. The endpoint of a truly great hike, be it a breathtaking view or the most soothing waters, can throw all doubt and regret out the window. In these cases, the destination is the biggest reward of all.

Let me highlight some of the trails in this article that sparked my interest. Let’s started with Conundrum Creek Trail just outside of Aspen, Colorado, which was called one of fifty authentic American experiences by Time Magazine. After a grueling 8.5-mile trek through the Maroon Bell–Snowmass Wilderness, few things feel better than soaking in one-hundred-degree waters with gorgeous mountains as the backdrop. Having experienced hot springs before, I can only imagine how get they would be after hiking your ass off. Apparently clothing is optional at these hot springs, so I wouldn’t be surprised if I got even more of a view than I expected. This can be good or bad depending on who else is on the trail with you. I’ve always wanted to go to the Grand Canyon, but never thought of hiking it until I saw this article, which suggests taking a different trail than the South Kaibab. As opposed to the other main trail, the Bright Angel Trail offers more shade and places to get water. It starts at the south rim of the canyon and goes down 4,380 feet and about eight miles to the beautiful Colorado River. According to the National Park Service, you shouldn’t try to go to the river and back in a day, especially on really hot days; an average of 230 people have to be rescued in the Grand Canyon every year, many of them on the Bright Angel Trail. It is considered one of the ten most dangerous hikes in the United States, but I won’t let that stop me from experiencing the spectacular Grand Canyon scenery…I’ll just have to be prepared with camping gear.

I have to admit I will be tired of all the dry, rocky trail hiking at some point, which is good because then I can head out east to the Mount Riga State Park Trail in Connecticut. At the end of this trail lies Bear Mountain, the highest point in Connecticut and the place to see views of three states…New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut…at once. The twelve-mile hike is part of the famous Appalachian Trail and goes through gorgeously green forests with wildflowers and wildlife. It is listed as one of the best trails for seeing ancient forest growth and also includes lakes and sweeping valleys before reaching the top. Or, if I don’t feel like dealing with New Englanders, I could head to Virginia for the Old Rag Mountain Hike. There are a few ways to reach the top of Old Rag Mountain, located in Shenandoah National Park, but ascending via Ridge Trail and coming back on the Saddle Trail is suggested. At the top, I’ll find panoramic views of the Virginia landscape and lush, colorful plant life. The hike is seven miles round-trip, which doesn’t seem that long, but it does involve scrambling up boulders for a short duration. I hear that due to the popularity of the view at the, this climb’s almost always crowded, but I could avoid that by going during the winter.

Of the nine places in the article, where’s the first place I could likely start my campaign? How about the Raven Cliff Falls Trail in Georgia? Having a friend living in Georgia would make this the most likely place for me to start my life of hiking. Being able to stay at his place and then travel out to my destination in the Raven Cliff Wilderness area would be ideal. Plus, I would have an emergency contact nearby, if needed. This 2.5-mile path goes along Dodd Creek, big trees, and even some waterfalls in the Chattahoochee National Forest, but nothing compares to the awe-inspiring Raven Cliff Falls at the end. The walk there is fairly easy, but I’m sure I’ll need to climb up a steep path to get to the top of the cliff. But it’s short and not that strenuous, making this hike suitable for the first in a long line of hikes to come (hopefully). So that is the plan, after finishing school and getting a job that might allow vacation time for ridiculous excursions.

M-W-F Revolution and Rosary

Some of you may have noticed that I didn’t post any blogs over the weekend. Truthfully, I noticed I didn’t post any blogs over the weekend. But, there is a pretty good excuse why not. If you follow my blogs or if you have at least noticed the past few, then you are well aware that I haven’t been writing about anything in particular. I have mostly just written stuff that makes sense to me or my friends, which is fun, but short changes the rest of you out there. I find trying to come up with something new every day is difficult without becoming somewhat self-absorbed. Considering the fact that I don’t want to come across as too narcissistic, I have come to the conclusion that I have to cut back. So, beginning today, I will only be posting blogs on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I shouldn’t say only, because there will be times where I will through a special entry in over a weekend or whatever, but primarily it will be M-W-F. Like a college course, except you don’t get create for reading my blog (too bad, that would be nice wouldn’t it). With the end of the semester coming up, I will have several papers and projects and exams that will need more of my attention. Thus, the blog will have to take a second seat where my time expenditure is concerned.

That all being said, I haven’t really planned anything else for the blog today. I guess I could fall back on an old standby…religion. I missed church today because I overslept and then had family plans. I have something similar to insomnia, but not quite that bad. It’s more or less a difficulty falling asleep when I should. So I didn’t fall asleep till almost 5 in the morning and woke up abruptly at 1 in the afternoon, missing an important meeting and on the verge of being late to get over to my parents house. Knowing I wouldn’t be able to make it to church I said a rosary and took some time out for reflection and prayer. There is a lot of misconception about the rosary, as with a lot of things in the Catholic Church, due to what I can only describe as misinformation perpetuated throughout the ages. So let us try to clear some of that up and learn something at the same time. Some of you are probably asking yourselves if I am so vain in my faith that I think everyone wants to learn about it. Well, you are mostly wrong. Though I am vain in my faith, which can be good or bad, I do not suppose that everyone wants to be Catholic or should be Catholic. There are many pathways to God, so I have said before. I actually got started writing about my faith because I have had several people who are very important to me, and not Catholic, ask me about things pertaining to Catholicism. Like, for instance, the importance of the rosary.

The word rosary refers to two things: the actual beads and the prayer itself. We'll talk about the beads first. A traditional rosary as it was when the practice first began contains fifteen decades (groups of ten) of, with an additional large bead before each decade, and a stem that has three beads proceeded and followed by one large bead and a crucifix (cross with the corpus of Christ) on the bottom. Today, however, most rosaries only have five decades because the practice of saying the rosary has been altered slightly. The beads can be made from a wide variety of materials, including wood, bone, glass, crushed flowers, semi-precious stones such as agate, jet, amber, or jasper, or precious materials including coral, rock crystal, gilded silver and gold. In the 19th and early 20th century they were sometimes made from the seeds of the "rosary pea" or "bead tree". Modern beads are most often glass, resin (plastic) or wood. Early rosaries were strung on strong thread, often silk, but modern ones are more often made as a series of chain-linked beads. A set of blessed Rosary Beads is a sacramental, which means it is something set apart or blessed by the Catholic Church to manifest the respect due to the Sacraments.

The Rosary as a prayer combines vocal prayer and meditation centered around sequences of reciting the Lord's Prayer followed by ten recitations of the Hail Mary prayer; and one recitation of Glory Be to the Father; one such sequence is known as a decade. A complete Rosary involves the completion of fifteen or twenty decades, as well as other prefatory and final prayers. Traditionally the Rosary was prayed in its entirety in one sitting; hence traditional rosaries have all fifteen decades. Today, the Rosary is usually prayed in three or four parts, one part each day, with the "Mysteries" (which are meditated or contemplated on during the prayers) being rotated daily. What distinguishes the Rosary from other forms of repetitive prayer is that, along with the vocal prayers, it includes a series of meditations. Each decade of the Rosary is said while meditating on one of the "Mysteries" of redemption. The recitation of the Rosary is traditionally dedicated to one of three sets of "Mysteries" to be said in sequence, one per night: the Joyful (sometimes Joyous) Mysteries; the Sorrowful Mysteries; and the Glorious Mysteries. Each of these three sets of Mysteries has within it five different themes to be meditated on, one for each decade. Pope John Paul II recommended an additional set called the Luminous Mysteries (or the "Mysteries of Light"). However, it should be noted that the Luminous Mysteries, like all the mysteries, are optional. Catholic faithful who prefer the original fifteen mysteries point to the belief that the Rosary is Mary's Psalter, containing 150 Hail Marys in its body for the 150 Psalms. In addition to meditating upon the events of the mysteries, many people associate certain virtues, or fruits, with each mystery. (The following list of mysteries and the fruits associated with them corresponds to moments in the life, passion, and death of Jesus and Mary's participation in them chronologically.) The parts of the mysteries are as follows:

Joyful Mysteries
1. The Annunciation. Fruit of the Mystery: Humility
2. The Visitation. Fruit of the Mystery: Love of Neighbor
3. The Nativity. Fruit of the Mystery: Poverty
4. The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple. Fruit of the Mystery: Obedience
5. The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple. Fruit of the Mystery: Joy in Finding Jesus

Luminous Mysteries
1. The Baptism of Jesus. Fruit of the Mystery: Openness to the Holy Spirit
2. The Wedding at Cana. Fruit of the Mystery: To Jesus through Mary
3. Jesus' Proclamation of the Kingdom of God. Fruit of the Mystery: Repentance and Trust in God
4. The Transfiguration. Fruit of the Mystery: Desire for Holiness
5. The Institution of the Eucharist. Fruit of the Mystery: Adoration

Sorrowful Mysteries
1. The Agony in the Garden. Fruit of the Mystery: Sorrow for Sin
2. The Scourging at the Pillar. Fruit of the Mystery: Purity
3. The Crowning with Thorns. Fruit of the Mystery: Courage
4. The Carrying of the Cross. Fruit of the Mystery: Patience
5. The Crucifixion. Fruit of the Mystery: Perseverance

The Glorious Mysteries
1. The Resurrection. Fruit of the Mystery: Faith
2. The Ascension. Fruit of the Mystery: Hope
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit. Fruit of the Mystery: Love of God
4. The Assumption of Mary. Fruit of the Mystery: Grace of a Happy Death
5. The Coronation of Blessed Virgin Mary. Fruit of the Mystery: Trust in Mary's Intercession

* The days of recitation when including the Luminous Mysteries: The Joyful Mysteries are recited on Mondays and Saturdays; The Luminous are recited on Thursdays; The Sorrowful Mysteries, on Tuesdays and Fridays; The Glorious Mysteries, on Wednesdays and Sundays. The days of recitation without the Luminous Mysteries: The Joyful Mysteries, on Mondays and Thursdays, and Sundays from Advent to Lent; The Sorrowful Mysteries, on Tuesdays and Fridays, and Sundays in Lent until Palm Sunday; The Glorious, on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from Easter to Advent. For those who use the traditional Catholic calendar, the Sorrowful Mysteries are also said on the three pre-Lenten Sundays.

I am not going to get into the history of the rosary with this blog because it is long and tedious, like most traditions in the Catholic Church. I am also not going to get into the other forms of the rosary (chaplets, single decades, rings) because I don't know many who use them as much as they use the Rosary itself. I will say that the rosary is not used for worship of Mary or prayer to Mary, but rather pleading for the intercession of Mary on our behalf or the behalf of others. We never pray directly to Mary as we would to Jesus or God, but we ask that she pray for use. If you actually listen to the words of the Hail Mary you will hear it plainly…we praise her greatness and ask her to pray for us. I pray the Rosary for special occasions (my brother's wedding, when I got my job) and for sad occasions (funerals, illness). Every time I pray the rosary I pray for you. I pray for those whose lives I have touched and whose lives have touched mine.