Things that would pan out differently today...

[Fat Frank]

One day, back when I was in 3rd grade (about '68 or '69), we were assigned some class work and our teacher had to leave the class for a while. She instructed us to sit quietly at our desks if we finished our assignments before she returned. She had a teacher's assistant who I think was a college student or such. I finished the assignment pretty quickly and sat there like I was told.
The TA walked by and asked if I was done, and if so, would I like to help her straighten up the book shelves. "Sure!" Anything to help get some brownie points!
So there I was standing over at the reading table/book area, straightening up things and making them all nice and tidy, when in walks our teacher. Straight over to me, spinning me around and with her best Drill Instructor yell - "I thought I told you to stay in your seats!". Then, POW! - A slap across the face I can still feel. About then (a bit too late) the TA came running over to explain that she had asked me to help her and that I had done nothing wrong.
I don't exactly remember if there was an actual apology or not, but I was rounded back up to my seat and class continued.
Later that day when I told my mom what happened, her words (I'll never forget) were "Well, you probably deserved it for something else you had done.".
Mom always knew exactly what to say to put you right back in your place.

I'm sure everyone here has a story that would end up much differently today. Yes?

 

[BAM-BAM]

Today that slap would pay for your College education..........................

 

[coltle6920]

I'm surprised that it even happened back in '68 or '69.

I was in 2nd or 3rd grade in a public school and not the best of students.The teacher told me to stay at my desk while the other kids were dismissed for lunch.Well,the bell rang saying that lunch was over and when the teacher returned to the classroom she realized she forgot that I was still there at my desk.Meanwhile my mother was placing a call to the school wondering where I was.I only lived a couple of blocks away so I always went home for lunch.My parents didn't appreciate the teachers negligence and I found myself enrolled in a nearby catholic school within a week.

My behavior wasn't going to change in that short of time so you can probably imagine what happened .Most of the teachers were nuns but I had what I considered a wanna-be-nun...a normally dressed teacher.It wasn't long before I was made to stay after school with my head down on my desk.The teacher left the room and I was there alone for what seemed like hours.Eventually I got up from my desk and walked around the room.I figured they couldn't do anything else to me.I walked over to the window and saw children playing outside.A minute or so later I saw my teacher getting in her car and leaving.I gathered up my belongings and headed for home.I told my mother what happened at school and within a week I was back in the public school.

I'm sure I made a mark in both schools because it never happened again.My behavior never really changed through the years and I managed to survive long enough to graduate.

I can recall a lot of kids getting yanked by the collar or an arm but never saw anyone get slapped in the face.My parents never would've tolerated that and this was back in the '50's.

 

[BaldEagle1313]

Today that slap would pay for your College education..........................

Including your Masters, and a PhD.


In the mid-sixties, our elementary principal had his "board of education" on his wall, and paddling a student was, if not commonplace, accepted. I was told that if I got a spanking at school I'd get a worse one at home. But slapping a student in the face? No way. My father would have gone ballistic. Spanking = punishment. Hitting you in the face is a whole 'nother thing. Only person who could do that and not get punished was my older brother... but that's a different story.

 

[BC38]

I went to a local Catholic school for a couple of months in second grade. The building had a concrete lined "moat" around it. The real purpose of the moat was to allow for windows in the basement which was below ground. The moat also had a 5' high chain link fence around it.

Going into the moat was verboten for ANY reason. One day we were playing kickball at recess and the ball went into the moat. One of the other kids, a brave soul named Joe decided to retrieve it. Once he was down in the moat, several of the other guys decided it would be fun to hold the gate closed and keep him trapped in there.

I managed to yank the gate open and get into the moat. I was standing on the lip, hanging onto the fence, with the idea that I was going to give Joe a hand and help him up out of there. Unfortunately Joe was in a bit of a panic, and didn't realize I was trying to help him. So he proceeded to grab my feet and pull them out from under me. I held onto the fence and resisted as long as I could, but I quickly lost my grip and ended up lying in the bottom of the moat face down with the wind knocked out of me.

About that time the nuns descended on us and we both got hauled off to the Mother Superior's office. After a stern lecture about obedience, Joe and I were both instructed to grab our ankles for several whacks with the board of education.

The nuns didn't accept my explanation of trying to help Joe as sufficient excuse for breaking the rules. Despite my dad having told me many times that if I "ever got a spanking at school I'd get another when I got home", he chose not to follow through on that threat in this case. He was fair enough to recognize that there are valid exceptions to any rule and trying to help someone is one of them.

But on the other hand, he didn't go after the school or the Mother Superior either. I suppose he felt that it would teach me the wrong lesson about opposing authority. He was always pretty big on the idea of respecting established authority...

 

[cmort666]

When I was in Catholic elementary school, one of the nuns insisted to my mother and grandmother that they stop me from reading because I was too far ahead of the other kids.

They proceeded to anticipate R. Lee Ermey's "Full Metal Jacket" soliloquy by several decades. There were no more suggestions of enforced illiteracy.

Today, who knows what might have happened. Perhaps they would have been arrested.

 

[Iggy]

I had a Grizzly Bear of a mother. That teacher would have had a black eye purty durned quick. On the other hand if a spanking had been justified and administered by the teacher, I would have got another one when I got home.

 

[bigwheelzip]

My parochial school was staffed by sadists, who pummeled a spirited child, such as I was. My timid younger siblings managed to get through to the end, but my parents moved me to public school, after a nun slapped me hard enough to give me a black eye.

 

[Lee Barner]

Toby, I've got one but I can't put it in writing. there may still be warrant out for it. i'll tell you this much: it involved a snake in the teacher's desk that had about 100 babies before she opened that drawer. lee

 

[cmort666]

My parochial school was staffed by sadists, who pummeled a spirited child, such as I was. My timid younger siblings managed to get through to the end, but my parents moved me to public school, after a nun slapped me hard enough to give me a black eye.

At St. Columbanus Catholic elementary school, a friend's face got slammed into the blackboard so hard his nose bled. To the best of my recollection, he did nothing even vaguely deserving of such treatment.

I swear some of the nuns got their start as guards at Ravensbrück.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Many times I was sent home with a note, from school, for my dad telling him to ask me why I got swats that day.

Dad: "You went for the laugh didn't you? "

Me: "Yes."

"Was it funny?"

"Yes."

"Was it worth it?"

"Yes."

"Been there. Now go tell your mother you're sorry."

 

[101Voodoo]

Sounds like Mrs. Clark, my second grade teacher.

Miserable woman.

 

[the ringo kid]

Sheesh, what y'all post above is nothing like I encountered at the various schools and catholic schools I went to--y'all got off light. I endured in the first or second grade? many pinches to the ears and arms from Mrs. Hitler (Mrs. Dora-who looked amazingly like Agnes Moorehead in Bewitched)

she also used to crack us on the noggin or nuckles with her yardstick. The wicked witch had a big stash of replacement yardsticks too, in case of breakage.
Catholic School Nuns were the meanest--ill forgo any misadventures there.

 

[Comrad]

If we got smacked in school and we did, the last thing we did was go home and report the smack because all that would do was earn us another smack.

We all turned out pretty good.

 

[Beemerguy53]

September 1966...First day of 8th Grade...St. Mary of the Assumption School...

Sister Mary Annina looks at us and says: "There will be no talking at any time in my class. This is the only warning you will ever get."

About six weeks later my friend Buzzy turned and said something to Pam, sitting on his right. Without saying a word, Sister Annina walked up the aisle and slapped him across the face...and that was the last time anybody talked in Sister Annina's class!

(Now, for some additional information...Sister Annina was, at that time, in her early fifties. She was very petite. There were about 45 of us in her class. I think of the challenge she faced as a middle-aged woman trying to control almost four dozen 8th Graders...and I can't really fault the Attila the Hun approach. Yeah, we hated her at the time, and we were terrified of her...but we learned. Half-a-century later, I remember what she taught us...and on the Facebook page for St. Mary's, there are many tributes to her from her former students.

Buzzy, by the way, became a civil engineer... )

 

[the ringo kid]

I don't know how old Mrs. Dora was? but I HIGHLY doubt anyone would give her the honors of a tribute page.

 

[carpriver]

Never got slaped but did meet the broad of education once, spent many hours after school cleaning the black broads, in high school spend enough time in the principals office, was on a first name basis with him. I got caught smoking behind the wood shop with a buddy. sent to the office. when asked if I did it I said yes. No need to lie, I did it, got caught take the punishment. my buddy lied. we both got suspended for three days. It was a Thursday, I was back in school on monday, my buddy on Wednesday. My dad was proud of me for not lying, but took my cars keys for the weekend. That hurt not being able to cruze with my girl friend.

 

[pharman]

I don't agree with your Mother!

I do NOT agree with what your Mother told you after this happened...My Mother would have went to the school and straightened this all out with the Principal...she would have demanded an apology from that teacher and NOT blamed me for what happened.

 

[italiansport]

Sheesh, what y'all post above is nothing like I encountered at the various schools and catholic schools I went to--y'all got off light. I endured in the first or second grade? many pinches to the ears and arms from Mrs. Hitler (Mrs. Dora-who looked amazingly like Agnes Moorehead in Bewitched)

she also used to crack us on the noggin or nuckles with her yardstick. The wicked witch had a big stash of replacement yardsticks too, in case of breakage.
Catholic School Nuns were the meanest--ill forgo any misadventures there.

I received all of the above but in addition Ms: O'Hearn, the elem. school principal, used to lock me in a dark closet for hours.
My mother ended up in a nursing home when she was in her 90s. I went to see her one day and she told me Ms. O'Hearn was in the next room. I walked over out of curiosity knowing she had to be over 100! She took one look at me and said "Jimmy - you were a very bad boy in school"!
Jim

 

[shell627]

1960's elementary school in Detroit .I went to the Shrine circus with family friends.Dave was a Mason and it was a special day.My parents were ok with me missing one day of school to go to circus with other family .Mrs Rowe the math teacher and my homeroom teacher not so much.She took me out into the hall and when I told her I missed school to go to the circus.She slapped me in the face and slammed my head into a locker while screaming school is more important than a circus.When I told my parents they said nothing to her or school.It was a different time.