School 60 years ago
Primary (Elementary) School
I went to several primary schools as a child because my parents moved house quite a few times. The one I went to longest was in Wales, where I had to learn to pronounce the LL sound again after forgetting when I went to school in England for a while! While Welsh was not the teaching language, lots of Welsh words were used because Welsh was the first language for all or most of the teachers. There was a Welsh medium primary school attached to the school I attended.
Corporal Punishment
Corporal punishment (the cane) was used by most of the teachers. I was only caned occasionally. The teacher who did NOT use the cane smacked your legs or used a ruler. I remember getting caned by the head teacher once, I forget why. Those who were caned often said the best way to make it stop hurting was to put your hand straight under your armpit. That did help. Some teachers caned on the fingertips, others on the calluses at the base of your fingers. Fingertip caning hurt the most.
Punished Because
Children were punished for talking in class, copying, getting answers wrong, etc.
Unfair?
I didn't question it at the time. It was part of life and I know that I could try people's patience at times! (I probably still do).
FOPP , CorporalPunishment School
Image Credit » https://pixabay.com/en/school-ruler-measure-school-840113/ by BRRT
Comments
grandma20121 wrote on November 22, 2015, 2:22 PM
oh my my things were much stricter in the older times, it might be why many children grew up from older generations with more respect for authority
MegL wrote on November 22, 2015, 2:25 PM
Yes and many of the teachers had served in WWII, so had a military background!
markgraham wrote on November 22, 2015, 3:41 PM
You did have a strict education. I agree with grandma maybe that is why we respect authority more than kids today for kids today want spoon fed and coddled.
By the way I could have a few relatives that still live in Wales I have been told.
wolfgirl569 wrote on November 22, 2015, 3:49 PM
I think we need to bring some of it back to. Maybe kids would learn respect again
MegL wrote on November 22, 2015, 3:53 PM
But I don't live there any more! One of my ancient forebears went to America and was a druid there.
msiduri wrote on November 22, 2015, 5:24 PM
I really disagree. It was and can be so abused.
wolfgirl569 wrote on November 22, 2015, 6:42 PM
It needs control, but needs to be there in some form. Teachers can not do anything to control the class anymore. Standing in a corner or the hall is bad, smacks are bad, they can not yell to get attention, but the kids can do anything they wish to the teachers. We should not need cops in the school to control the students.
msiduri wrote on November 22, 2015, 6:49 PM
I agree there has to be control and cops shouldn't be needed. But giving teachers permission to hit children opens the doors to all kinds of abuse. It went on when we were kids. A friend of mine attended a parochial school where the nuns would whop his hands if they weren't folded on top of the desk. Grade school kids.
wolfgirl569 wrote on November 22, 2015, 10:44 PM
But private schools still do not go by the exact same rules as public schools. When I was in we were sent to the principles office and he always had a witness present when he gave punishment. even if not giving a paddling. That would be a way of controlling abuse and still regaining control
msiduri wrote on November 23, 2015, 8:56 AM
I remember kids getting a paddling on the rear end in front of the whole class. "Grab you ankles." I can't agree to corporal punishment. Detention. Staying inside at recess. Assignment of extra tasks perhaps. Revocation of some privileges, but not corporal punishment.
BarbRad wrote on November 24, 2015, 1:12 AM
In American schools children were disciplined in the principal's office in public schools if there was any corporal punishment. It was administered with a paddle on the behind. Or so I'm told.