What happened to Opie from the Andy Griffith Show?

Not being a fan of the show, one can only look at the facts. Andy Griffith was classed as a comedy. there is nothing funny about corporal punishment and it is controversial besides. It would be difficult to simulate something like that on tv anyhow, and it is devoid of entertainment payload. On the other hand- the show showed usually all sorts of positive family interaction, in the fade out, to a country and western theme the Father and Son were seen shouldering a fishing rod- a different sort of rod! as far as I know corporal punishment was never used as a plot device- on a situation comedy which the (Andy Griffith Show) was. Dragnet and similar crime DRAMAS sometimes dealt with child abuse from a factual, police log standpoint, that is something else. ...............................................................

I recall a couple of episodes where Andy threatened to spank Opie. It was never shown on screen that I know of, but there was at least one instance (when Opie had been playing with matches) where it was clear that the punishment had taken place between two scenes. There was also an episode where an incorrigible friend of Opie's threw a temper tantrum. Andy advised the boy's father that there was an old fashioned woodshed just out back. After the father dragged the screaming boy offscreen, Opie asked Andy if the kid was going to get a spanking. Andy asked Opie, don't you think he deserves it?

Back in the 50's and 60's, corporal punishment was a more acceptable form of discipline and at least threats and allusions to it were not uncommon on TV shows like Andy Griffith, Make Room For Daddy, Flipper, and others.