Henry Jenkins' message about the history and development of attitudes toward
child-rearing in the 1950s is well-researched and thought out.  I'd just add
(in an offhand way) that attitudes toward children's "innate" goodness or
wickedness have been a feature of Western society from at least the time
of St. Augustine, but that American Puritan attitudes have been a particularly
important factor in this country.  The complexities of children's intelligence
and willfulness have been examined by a number of writers.  Probably the most
striking figure is that of Pearl in THE SCARLET LETTER.  For a more modern
(and British) twist, don't forget Golding's THE LORD OF THE FLIES and the
1963 Peter Brook film.
--Don Larsson, Mankato State U., MN