F.D.R.

My grade school graduating class was 16. My high school freshman class was just over 1,100 in 1955. I asked my dad for advice and he told me "keep your eyes & ears open and your mouth shut". It served me well as I was that 'quiet mysterious kid' who kept to myself. In sophomore year however an impulsive event changed that when in between classes we were getting books from our lockers and two wise guys knocked the books out of a classmates hands. Ordinarily I would have ignored everyone laughing at this hapless kid but as he picked up his books, once again they knocked them away and the pathetic look on this kids face really got to me so I went over and shoved the two bullies who went ass over teakettle across the hall and were now the subject of ridicule. When they got up they did the expected and told me 'we better not catch you outside' to which I replied, 'I leave by the main door every day'. Needless to say there had to be 500 kids standing outside the middle door that day as I exited but my two new friends were not there. Word spread and much to my surprise I was now the schools defector anti-bully. Kid's I'd never met would seek me out to end their misery at the hands of bullies and I noticed that in most cases all I had to do was show up. The so-called tough guys didn't want to risk their reputation by taking on someone who wasn't afraid, most 'extended a peace offering' to avoid a fight they'd leave the 'victim' alone. I considered it a win win. BUT, THAT WAS THEN and this is now. Today's kids are different, they have access to a world we never did. A fist fight is no longer settled when someone says 'I give up', more often than not the loser is beaten to death or close to it. Or is simply shot, stabbed, set on fire or some other 'more modern' method. I don't think simple corporal punishment in school is feasible these days unless it starts in first grade.

bahmer

That is where mine started and that is a good place to start for sure. My parents lived in an apartment and right across the hall lived the principal and my first grade teacher was his wife. I knew right off that I had to behave or I would get a spanking at school and one at home. Of course everyone has read and is incorporating Dr. Spooks book and now we have a bunch of kids that do not respect either their parents or authority.

Mikeyavelli

We played hop Scotch with real Scotch and London Bridge is Falling Down with dynamite.

Freedomcalls

And looking now we are older with an education, respect for our elders and others, and most of us know the difference between right and wrong. We said a prayer and the pledge allegiance to the flag, damn those teachers for teaching us how to be a proud patriotic American citizen.

bahmer

It would be nice if we could get rid of the socialist liberal teachers that are in the classroom now and replace them with conservative God fearing and country loving conservatives like we had back then. If that were to occur America could then go about becoming a real great country again. One with morals and decency that appear to be all but lost today.

robmull Loc: florida

Give the secular liberal progressive student ingrates schooling and books, oldroy, and what do they do? Eat the teacher!!! Hummmmmmmmmm. What IS that "crushing" noise I keep hearing??? GOOOOOOOOOO REP. TREY GOWDY (R); and, GOOOOOOOOO PRESIDENT "45" DONALD J. TRUMP (R); JUST LIKE THE WEATHER!!!

Dinty

I gave the school my permission to use whatever means necessary if my boys were ever in trouble.

oldroy Loc: Western Kansas (No longer in hiding)

It is a lot more serious these days in that we always said, "Kids, buy them books and they just chew the covers off". When I was in school we had to buy our own books. I liked new books so bought new ones and could sell them for new since I was so easy on them. The worst thing I had happen to me in senior year was a kid came in the classroom and threw my books including my favorite one that year, the American Government book, out the door into the hall. I grabbed him and threw him against the wall three times till he slumped down beaten. I then started out to get my books and the teacher who was leaving the room ordered me to sit down in my desk. I replied that I would sure do it after I got my books. He came up and slapped me, hard, on my left cheek. I should have beat the hell out of him right there but knew what would happen when I got home. The kids all said my face was about as red when we got out of class as right after he hit me.

Well now, my dad didn't react as he had promised to do years earlier. He said if that ever happened again and I didn't beat the hell out of that teacher he would do it to me when I got home. He knew that I didn't like that teacher but said that if any teacher ever hit me above the shoulders he deserved to be beat himself.

I will never forget the time I threw a kid on his butt because he was bullying others in PE class. I told him it was over and then went on the other team to get even with him. That evening his dad showed up at the door and begged me to do it any time the kid needed it. He said I can't spank him anymore and it seems he respects you more for roughing him up. Back there in the 60s we had parents who had learned respect from their parents who supported corporal punishment.

bahmer

I believe that a lot of those parents learned respect in the military as well. Also life was tougher back then and you learned by the school of hard knocks because that is where a lot of us received a real lasting education. It sort of was like learning about sports, we didn't have all these fancy coaches and stuff we just learned that if we did one way we lost and if we did it different we won.

oldroy Loc: Western Kansas (No longer in hiding)

I had learned that respect in athletics in school long before I was in the Army. However, I was always respectful to my Army superiors except for one Air Force captain. He always demanded that we salute him when we met him. One day we saw him walk out of the commissary with a bag full of groceries in each arm. We spread out (6 of us) and walked at him far enough apart that he had to set one bag down to return the salute. He told us that we didn't have to salute him again.

bahmer

Smart move that.

teabag09

Archie, from 5th grade until 10th grade my mother sent a sealed envelope with me to the Principle giving the SCHOOL permission to paddle me or to take what ever action they deemed necessary to discipline me. Of course she was a teacher herself but would have sent the note anyway. Mike

QuestGirl Loc: Jayhawk Country

A letter like that today would garner you into foster care tomorrow.

Kindergarten: Threw rocks with a boy classmate at the other kids on the jungle gym. Can't recall the punishment beyond removal from the playground.

Another incidence, same year, during storytime, the teacher asked if we had any questions. I raised my hand, she called on me, and I stood and asked, "How everybody liked my new dress?". I don't recall any punishment, but I don't think the teacher allowed the others to answer my all important question. However, after the Parent/Teacher chat, the front door wasn't closed behind my mother before hearing about the embarrassment I had caused her, the horror! I don't recall asking many questions in school from that point forward.

Now I ask questions all the time and people don't much like it. Not even in our schools. How dare we question [their]authority.

archie bunker Loc: Texas

LOL! The first parent/teacher conference with my son's teacher happened 4 days into kindergarten. When the call came, 9000 things went through my mind!!
His teacher was really sweet, and understood the fact that he was a country kid.
But she insisted that we train him to go inside to pee. Evidently, peeing on the playground in public school is unacceptable behavior. Who knew?

QuestGirl Loc: Jayhawk Country

That's funny Archie. You guys have it so easy in that department. You can pee out the window of a car going 70 mph down the highway. I know, I was in the car! Headed to a Ted Nugent concert in the city. I remember the road trip getting there, anyway, better than the concert. The days of high school are rather blurry. I just know I graduated, barely.