Little House in the Big Woods, Harper Trophy, NY, ISBN 0-06-440001-8

America's own Laura Ingalls Wilder…before Little House on the Prairie...

(Pa tells a young Mary and Laura a story about Grandpa as a boy, to teach a lesson. In this story, Grandpa and brothers decide to sled on the Sabbath, while Great-grandpa takes a snooze, page 95)

"The sled was going so fast it couldn't be stopped. There wasn't time to turn it. The sled went right under the hog and picked him up. With a squeal he sat down on James, and he kept on squealing loud and shrill…"

"They flashed by the house, the pig sitting in front, then James, then George, then Grandpa, and they saw their father standing in the doorway looking at them. They couldn't stop, they couldn't hide, there was no time to say anything. Down the hill they went, the hog still sitting on James and squealing all the way.

"At the bottom of the hill they stopped. The hog jumped off James and ran away into the woods, still squealing."

"The boys walked slowly and solemnly up the hill. They put the sled away. They sneaked into the house and slipped quietly to their places on the bench. Their father was reading his Bible. He looked up at them without saying a word."

"Then he went on reading, and they stumbled through their catechism."

"But when the sun went down and the Sabbath day was over, their father took them out to the woodshed and tanned their jackets, first James, then George, then Grandpa."

"So you see, Laura and Mary," Pa said, "You may find it hard to be good, but should be glad that it isn't as hard to be good now as it was when Grandpa was a boy."

In Oregon today, and likely in your state, Heaven help Great Grandpa. He would be caricatured as a Christian wacko, and an abuser to boot. Legal fees would have cost Great Grandpa his farm and his pride. Instead of a fondly remembered incident, Grandpa would have been scarred by the shock of his father in jail, and hobbled by his family's system-induced poverty. Would he have been the same father he was? Would Charles Ingalls have been the same man?

Here's another example, from page 184…

"Aunt Lotty had gone, and Laura and Mary were tired and cross. They were at the woodpile, gathering a pan of chips to kindle the fire in the morning. They always hated to pick up chips, but every day they had to do it. Tonight they hated it more than ever.

Laura grabbed the biggest chip, and Mary said:

"I don't care. Aunt Lotty likes my hair best, anyway. Golden hair is lots prettier than brown."

Laura's throat swelled tight, and she could not speak. She knew golden hair was prettier than brown. She couldn't speak, so she reached out quickly and slapped Mary's face.

Then she heard Pa say, "Come here, Laura"

She went slowly, dragging her feet. Pa was sitting just inside the door. He had seen her slap Mary.

"You remember," Pa said, "I told you girls you must never strike each other."

Laura began, "But Mary said-"

"That makes no difference," said Pa, "It is what I say that you must mind."

Then he took down a strap from the wall, and he whipped Laura with the strap.

Laura sat on a chair in the corner and sobbed. When she stopped sobbing she sulked. The only thing in the whole world to be glad about was that Mary had to fill the chip pan all by herself.

At last, when it was getting dark, Pa said again, "Come here, Laura." His voice was kind, and when Laura came he took her on his knee and hugged her close. She sat in the crook of his arm, her head against his shoulders and his long brown whiskers partly covering her eyes, and everything was all right again."

In Oregon today, and likely in your state, Pa is a felon. He is hauled to jail. His wife has to go on welfare, and likely loses the farm. Probably Laura is herself taken into foster care. Severely traumatized, the family is finally reunited. But they never have the courage to head West. Laura never marries Alonzo Wilder. America's best record of frontier life is never written.

Children's Services caseworkers regularly abuse those they say they protect. They will always excuse themselves for their harmful acts. In their own minds, they define right and wrong. Current laws hold them harmless. Their intervention is always a "service".