My Latin teacher was blind and as a young lad my attention was low during his class (and most others come to that). I used to sit at the back of the class more often with other things on my mind. He however had a highly accurate shot with the blackboard wiper that regularly refocussed mine and many other classmates attention. Really really stung when you got unexpectedly hit by that block of wood. Headmaster used a cane, deputy head a chair leg, maths teacher used books, physical education guys kicked and punched. Back in the days when respect was commanded rather than earned.
More like fear than respect.
The School Sisters of Notre Dame must have learned their corporal punishment techniuqes from those UK Headmasters, et al.
I attended a Catholic Parochial Elementary school from 1st through 8th grade.
I've personally been on the receivinng end of:
- Nun's knuckles ground into my spine from behind. Always a surprise and quite painful.
- Rulers across my knuckles. The kind that had that thin metal strip embedded along the edge. "Put your hands down flat on your desk!" (Oh lord, here it comes!)
- Thrown Chalkboard Erasors, although they did not have wooden spines like yours. Not particularly painful but would be quite an embarrasing surprise as they were normally thrown while you were asleep at your desk.
- Dustbrooms across my backside, and sometimes the small of my back that did have thick wooden handles and spines. It's a wonder I'm not a parapalegic as a result.
- Wide Leather Belt 'borrowed' by Sister Mary Cyprian from (the hated) Tom Hryzina; the first guy in our 7th grade class that went 'Mod' and wore that kind of belt. He got his comeuppence after school and was told afterwards to never wear it again.
- And maybe the worst torture of all was being made to kneel, upright on a marble floor for 30 minutes.
Best Regards, Steve (The Grabber)
AI
