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Memories of corporal punishment
realitykeeper
Recently I was thinking of my school days when corporal punishment was practiced. Even when I was not the recipient of this form of punishment but just a witness, it was very frightening - especially when the children were punished for things like poor homework or classwork (as opposed to behaving badly).
Paradoxically, I retain tremendous respect for one teacher who beat and terrified kids but got the job done. His frustration always came through when he was shouting at us and this made me aware of the need to study hard and focus.
I also remember the smell of freshly baked bread from the bakery of the way to school and to this day, I feel a sense of dread when I smell freshly baked bread.
Instances of corporal punishment were still common in the early eighties but not so much after that. Anyone else have, memories of corporal punishment, be they witnessed or experienced? If so, you might find it cathartic to share them (or not).
I do remember the various impliments used. A duster, a strong angular stick, a leather, a short rounded stick, a hand, a pencil. Scary stuff for a seven year old.
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Comments
decky1
Ah the ould 'CHRISTIAN' Brothers and their Black Jacks[where did they get these things made?] did'nt spare them on us right into secondary school and we let them away with it, we had a relief teacher one summer in national school and he killed us for the 2 weeks he was there [with a piece off a chair , he lived a few miles outside our town hav'nt seen him since that summer would love a go at him now,same school a guy in our class did'nt seem to have any feeling in his hands the poor ould brothers used to beat him and all he did was laugh at them,same guy used to catch Wasps and keep them in his ink well on the desk[that's go'in back a bit,] we had another brother and god bless him he was the tallest ugliest man in the world if you were misbehaving he'd just walk up to you and hit you a box yes it did hurt.we had a duster trower in secondary school a lay teacher who owned a pub in a very popular part of the county [near bray] great shot .An alcoholic also had a go at teaching us science well from wednesday on that is monday and tuesday he'd be to sick to talk, Ah the good ould days.
Autosport
I remember it well, I was one of the unfortunate girls who the teacher loved to hit/slap etc He made me terrified of men and as I was a quiet/shy girl I never told anyone. The day I heard he died I smiled and said He can't hurt anyone anymore
This was in the 90's so not that long ago.
Irish Guitarist
I'm just barely at the age where it had been scrapped when I was going to school.
There was one instance in fifth class or sixth where I started scribbling on the desk. The teacher said "would the lad who's writing on the desk stop". I somehow thought he was talking about someone else and kept scribbling. He then hit me across the knuckles with a ruler. I put the pencil down but he just kept beating my knuckles until he drew blood.
This was in the late eighties and corporal punishment had just been stopped a couple of years before. I got the impression he had wanted to give someone a good beating for years. I wonder what he would have been like when it was still legal.
mjsc1970
Back in the 80's in secondary school. Not even sure corporal punishment was outlawed or not by then.
One of the lay teachers in our CBS used to too easily loose his shït on some poor unfortunate.
Was interesting one day when he picked on the wrong 13 year old. A bit of a stand off ensued.
Teacher was asked was he brave enough to step one foot closer. He didn't. For 10 seconds he'd the whole class looking straight at him and for the first time the fear was on him. I never forget that.
Pinch Flat
Went to a Christian brothers school. Some genuinely nutty people teaching there.
Some of the situations were mad. Sent to the head brothers office for a lash of the leather. Another teacher preferred the back of the knuckles. But to top it off, we had one brother who preferred a cane. Used to jump on the air hitting fellas.
Except Christmas. The cane was josephs staff in the crib, so we got a few weeks of a reprieve.
mvl
nah, I was usually on the favorites list of my teachers // so no corporal punishment for me.
except the geography teacher: I was so scared of failing her (something like that had to be followed by public humiliation in front of the class), I would often forget my words. this had an effect on my lack of interest in geography/geology, as it felt I was not good at it.
SlowBlowin
Remember the old blackboard rubbers, the heavy wooden ones ?
We had one teacher who would lose his temper and throw them at us. Split one kids head open, and he stopped doing it after this, but I dont think he got into any trouble.
The slipper (normally gym shoe) and cane were common. The slipper when correctly delivered was most painful, I had it from one teacher who used to make you pull your trousers and pants down prior, not sure that would be acceptable nowadays...
_Brian
Was hammered daily for being left handed.
Bleak times.
tayto lover
The cane and “six of the best” was the norm in our school.
We feared that teacher. I saw him lift a boy off his feet by the cheeks and slam his head off the blackboard. Cruel cnut.
Your Face
I got a few digs in the arm, nothing serious.
Some lads got a bit worse and deserved them too.
Snowfire
Elderly neighbour was recalling his school days and corporal punishment. He said headmaster would send them out to the playing field to fetch a stick from the hedge to beat them with.
“And like a fu#kin idiot we’d bring him back a good solid one”
thebaz
I was schooled just before corporal punishment/ beatings were to be phased out - as a 9 year old kid I was traumatised by a particular teacher , it was not until I was 16 that I got the strength to fight back - and I did - with a vengeance - which got me into more trouble - so I dont have fond memories of corporal punishment , it was not until later life when I heard other friends who had been traumatised much worse , abuse , that I fealt at peace and forgiving , and a little grateful just to have got physical abuse.
Giveaway
Wooden spoon broken over brother's head. He was an adult at the time too
Recliner
A timber metre stick across the palm of the hand was the weapon of choice for the nuns in my primary school.
If you had given any reason to displease the nun during the day, you knew what was coming.
Lined up at the end of the day with your fellow criminals, one hand behind your back and one outstretched palm side up. And woe betide you if you pulled back your hand before the slap.
The teachers pets got to pass judgement on us as to whether or not we escaped punishment, depending on the severity of our crimes.
Really took bravery to assault sobbing 6/7/8 year olds.
Jesus thinking about it now actually horrifies me. What sort of creatures would willingly do that to children and call themselves godly people?
And I'm very aware that what I experienced is on the very mild end of what went on.
freshpopcorn
I'm not old enough to remember corporal punishment. I had a teacher that never gave out a detention/etc and he wasn't gone it.
He did say that a few bullies/people who treated people badly deserved it and some of those were in the staff room.
hatrickpatrick
I have rather fond memories of the first time I was with a woman who shared my interest in sending me home red-assed and howling :pac: I've never looked at a ping pong paddle the same way again
gozunda
Oh I remember the days - how we would laugh when they beat the crap out of us. And if you went home and told what had happened - you'd get another clatter because teachers like priests could never be wrong. And still we laughed ...
corner of hells
I can remember the son of a famous Dublin footballer getting seven shades beaten out of him on a regular basis by a Kerry teacher in the 70s for no particular reason other than Kerry and Dublin.
