School reports

[Q165]

In my time I received punishment via the slipper; the cane; a mild steel rod (metal work teacher); piece of wood (woodwork teacher); Bunsen Burner tubing (yes a Science teacher).

[holmleighchris]

Teachers could be flippin tyrants back in the day. During the 70s the teacher would wallop me between the shoulder blades and hit me across the knuckles with a ruler a number of times . During my time at Grammar school I was slippered across the backside as well as caned just for going out of school bounds at lunch times without permission. A bunch of sadists they were.

Yes, grammar school was a different thing altogether. I got a text book slammed across the side of my head twice for not paying attention. Both times I had a ringing in my ear for several days. I can't argue the fact that I was paying attention as if I had been I would have seen the blighters coming!

[Q165]

We had one teacher who not employ anything to inflict pain. He would sadistically get hold of the short hair just by the ear and twist it...and twist it. That certainly made my eyes water.

[Acido]

Ive still got my last 3 school reports Chris from the mid 80s, but you or anybody else dont want to see that!!.
As they used to say on Police squad, 'Move along everybody, theres nothing to see here'.

[mickd1961]

We had one teacher who not employ anything to inflict pain. He would sadistically get hold of the short hair just by the ear and twist it...and twist it. That certainly made my eyes water.

In the 70's physical violence by our teachers was nothing unusual towards us male pupils.

One male teacher even made salacious comments towards a female class mate of mine....Helen Pugh had an amazing par of "Top Bollox" which quite rightly got the attention of us ****age lads but to hear a teacher passing dirty comments didn't really raise an eyebrow at during that time.

We had one teacher who knew where every nerve point on the body was and he'd press on one and have you in agony on the class floor.

Chucking the board rubber at us was another favourite.

In hindsight it was the best life training I could've had and the same for most of us who are 50+....part of the problem with today's under 40's is that a lot of them are too soft and have no backbone.

[Acido]

Did that really happen Mick, that teachers threw the blackboard rubber/scrubber at pupils ?.
Im sure that had been banned or it certainly didnt happen anymore in my time as a pupil in the 80s, and if it did happen the teacher would have been boll*ocked for it.
It shows how things and peoples ideas & values change doesnt it!.

[Albionic68]

Did that really happen Mick, that teachers threw the blackboard rubber/scrubber at pupils ?.
Im sure that had been banned or it certainly didnt happen anymore in my time as a pupil in the 80s, and if it did happen the teacher would have been boll*ocked for it.
It shows how things and peoples ideas & values change doesnt it!.

I'm 49 and left school in the class of '84.

While at primary school I was hit with the cane, a meter ruler, normal ruler (edge down across the back of the hand), slippers, trainers, open palm, back of the hand and even a teacher's walking stick.

Senior school it was the cane, trainers, board rubbers thrown across the class both aimed and indiscriminately, open palm and even with a fkn tenon saw flat side on (thankfully) once because I snapped the blade of a coping saw in woodwork class. The last one was symbolic rather than anything as we'd been told to be especially careful to ensure the blades didn't over heat and snap, it didn't hurt at all.

It really wasn't the preserve of those over fifty or those in grammar education, it was run of the mill and the way things were for many of us. I'm not looking for a medal but in my case (and most likely many others) it wasn't just at school either. The belt and a wet flannel across the face were particular favourites among others at home.

I wouldn't have classed myself as an especially bad lad, just a bit mischievous every now and again.

[Acido]

Hey '68 matey your about 3 years older than me, so I wont call you an old git yet eh lol (I left school in '87 as a 16 year old).
When I hear people of that older generation talk about the slipper and the cane, wow it makes me think they were being forced to live in the old ages. Is that a fair description of teachers at that time, in the late 70s & early 80s ?.

[holmleighchris]

I had forgotten about flying board rubbers in senior school. In about 75% of classes I would find myself in the front row of the class due to the teacher putting us alphabetically so a clip round the ear (or a text book) was more likely than a flying object.
I didn't get much punishment in junior school as I was a good lad most of the time when there. I was also in female teachers classes throughout primary school which undoubtedly helped.

[Leicesterbaggie]

Being on both sides of the divide it's amazing how times have changed. As a pupil I remember doing PE outside in the middle of winter and only being allowed to wear shorts and plimsoles. It was freezing! Playing rugby, tops v. skins, hated being skins. The cane was a regular occurance. Comments made would never be tolerated today. 'The bin's the place for rubbish boy. Go and stand in it' and the like.

When I started teaching the above was the norm but by the time I retired it had changed completely. Unfortunately, so had the discipline. Yes, perhaps there were some teachers who enjoyed inflicting punishment but from my own experience as a pupil the staff weren't sadistic, it was just the way things were. The interesting thing is that in my early years as a teacher, when corporal punishment was allowed, ex pupils I met after they had left just laughed about it and never held it against me. In fact they said it did them more good than harm.

I'm not advocating bringing back corporal punishment but in many schools today there is too much 'understanding' of the perpetrator of the crime and not enough punishment. Consequently, discipline has broken down in many cases.