[Misc] Old fashion school injustices

lawros left foot · Aug 29, 2018

rool said:
We had a coal fire downstairs and a parafin heater on the landing upstairs heating the bedrooms. The crittal windows in my bedroom had ice on the inside in winter lol.
I used to lay on top of my bed covers face down, with my hands tucked under me, listening to music until my bed warmed up enough to climb in.
Funny enough it didn't feel like suffering, just the way life was at the time.

I remember having ice on the inside of the windows,and having overcoats on the beds as blankets in winter.
Getting up in the morning, and leggings it downstairs to get dressed in front of the living room fire.Blimey, we had some cold winters then.

And still going to school in shorts all year round, no matter what the weather was like.

Jack Straw · Aug 29, 2018

Super Steve Earle said:
I remember it well. Do I know you? When were you there? I went there from '66. I also remember the Sammy whack, but never experienced it and Screaming 'Arry Ault with board dusters and chalk flying at miscreants with unerring accuracy.

I was there from September '67 to July '72.

Jack Straw · Aug 29, 2018

Gwylan said:
I actually liked George Eley. When I was slipping behind in maths, he gave me loads of encouragement and helped me with stuff I found tricky. I did so well that I got the second highest mark in the class at the end of the year and George gave me a massive bar of chocolate as a reward. I was encouraged so much that I ended up doing maths A level.

He may have dressed like a Nazi officer - remember his leather overcoat - and had the attitude to match but he was a bloody good teacher.

I can't argue with you there. Out of my meagre three O-levels, he taught me two of them - Maths and Tech Drawing. My other in Art was courtesy of Matt Bruce!
Having had George Eley as a form-master, we might have seen a different side to him? Mind you, controlling us lot you needed to have something about you!

Harry Wilson's tackle · Aug 29, 2018

Got three slaps round the face by Madame Levy (French teacher) at St Nick's, Portslade, age 9. A couple of weeks later she gave a boy ten slaps. He walked out of the class and home. His mum came back shortly, and within the hour the head, Mr Humphreys (JGH) had escorted the teacher off the premises, never to be seen again. Sadistic old bitch. Seem to recall posting this anecdote on another thread some years ago.

I was too smart to get the cane at HGSB. And frankly we were too civilised in L stream to trigger much opprobrium.

Our nipper (age 7) has never been smacked. She can be a pain in the arse but....she's only little, FFS. If an adult can't deal with a child he/she shouldn't be allowed near one.

Things today, my younger friends, are immeasurably better, on average, than they were. There is hope.

The Clamp · Aug 29, 2018

Boarding school so too many to list them all but indiscriminate group punishments were standard. Too much noise at dinner? All on a run at 8pm after prep.
Too much noise after lights out? All on a run at 6am.
One person fails a class test? All back for saturday detention to re-sit.
Couple of people messing up drill practice? All back on Saturday detention for square bashing for two hours.
Got two conflicting detentions? Gated for the weekend for missing whichever one you had no choice but to miss. A gating meant you stayed in all weekend, reported into the duty master every hour on the hour, no trips out or treats (films or takeaways), eat all meals alone, sleep in seperate dorm (which could be pretty creepy in a big old house at night aged 10) no speaking to other pupils, got given tasks both physical and academic and chores from 4pm on Saturday afternoon until midnight Sunday.
And the frequent smack round the head or flying objects from Masters.
All a bit Victorian really. That was 88-94, dunno if they are still like that but they seem to occupy a universe all of their own so I wouldn't think much has changed.

Razzoo · Aug 29, 2018

I was about 6 in the late 70's and was just slurping down my lovely free milk at break. When I became aware of a foul smoky taste and a harsh burning feeling in my throat. I complained to the lovely Mrs Blackett. She took the little bottle and gave it a shake and the remains of a fag butt were sloshing around in it. I later took up smoking. Coincidence? These days that would be on the local news. Mrs Blackett just gave me a bit of water and told me to have a good rinse around.

Gwylan · Aug 30, 2018

Jack Straw said:
I was there from September '67 to July '72.

A year before me.

It seems like another world now, so different from my kids' experiences of school. It's not just the abolition of corporal punishment, it's just about everything from the meagre homework they get these days to the choice of lunches. I got an email the other day about the formation of an LGBT group at school, imagine someone from our era going along to that?

School life is certainly a lot better these days, something to be thankful for/

Gabbafella · Aug 30, 2018

Sirnormangall said:
Are you a teacher by any chance?!

I have taught at high school level, but I actually really enjoyed it and the kids were good fun. But that was 20 years ago and the attitude of kids has changed for the worst. I wouldn't teach now even if the money was magnificent.

Krusty · Aug 30, 2018

The Clamp said:
Boarding school so too many to list them all but indiscriminate group punishments were standard. Too much noise at dinner? All on a run at 8pm after prep.
Too much noise after lights out? All on a run at 6am.
One person fails a class test? All back for saturday detention to re-sit.
Couple of people messing up drill practice? All back on Saturday detention for square bashing for two hours.
Got two conflicting detentions? Gated for the weekend for missing whichever one you had no choice but to miss. A gating meant you stayed in all weekend, reported into the duty master every hour on the hour, no trips out or treats (films or takeaways), eat all meals alone, sleep in seperate dorm (which could be pretty creepy in a big old house at night aged 10) no speaking to other pupils, got given tasks both physical and academic and chores from 4pm on Saturday afternoon until midnight Sunday.
And the frequent smack round the head or flying objects from Masters.
All a bit Victorian really. That was 88-94, dunno if they are still like that but they seem to occupy a universe all of their own so I wouldn't think much has changed.

Whack-O!

alfredmizen · Aug 30, 2018

Jack Straw said:
I was going to give 'arry Allt a mention. Going back to our Iranian classmate, on one occasion, during one of 'arry's history lessons, Farshad said something to 'arry's dislike. 'arry's reponse was to shout this at him, "I hate ****!" (rhymes with cogs)!!
Ah, the good old days!

Are we really that sensitive that we cant say.the word wogs in a story ,i could understand it ot being acceptable to call someone a wog , but not feeling you could use it in a story , ffs :facepalm:

Bakero · Aug 30, 2018

I can't believe so many of you went to fashion school.

Tim Over Whelmed · Aug 30, 2018

PILTDOWN MAN said:
Spackman his name by any chance

No, but he was there and equally avoided!

Barham's tash · Aug 30, 2018

Gwylan said:
School life is certainly a lot better these days, something to be thankful for/

Do you really believe it’s better though? Instilling discipline both academically and physically or mentally for me was/should be the primary function of a school.

It establishes and reinforces the moral code you should be taught by your parents and delivered the right sort of upbringing into a world which is increasingly harsh.

Your generation achieved some phenomenal things as a result of that way of schooling and sadly having only joined secondary school in 91 most of that had already been lost.

Fast forward to today and kids don’t learn in most schools half of what they should simply because they know there aren’t really any consequences if they don’t.

I’m not saying kids should have things thrown at them or walloped if they step out of line but teachers these days can barely raise their voices without fear of losing their jobs and kids are wise to it in the extreme.

I really worry about today’s generation pushing on in the world without having any sense of fear or responsibility for their actions. It’s all so soft and namby pamby.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Tim Over Whelmed · Aug 30, 2018

Bakero said:
I can't believe so many of you went to fashion school.

Had to darling, all the other options were soooo last year!

Tim Over Whelmed · Aug 30, 2018

Gwylan said:
School life is certainly a lot better these days, something to be thankful for/

I disagree, yes it was more aggressive all round but you had a childhood and you could make mistakes, have laugh and get on with life. I feel for kids today, social media means they have to be in the spotlight 24/7, they have reputations, standards and brands to stand up to and everyone's life is exaggerated and appears so much better on instagram, snapchat, facebook, twitter and everything else.

The pressure on kids to achieve is immense and mistakes can't happen, this doesn't breed innovative or entrepreneuralism.

They have to grow up by the time they go to secondary school and have to surround themselves with trophies of perceived achievement, clothes, money, locations and events.

I look back at climbing trees, acting the goat and generally f***ing about as the good old days, carefree and without judgement.

pastafarian · Aug 30, 2018

GT49er said:
Huh! You should have tried being at school in the 1950s!

LOL, my old mans first night at big school in the 50`s was spent locked inside a suitcase and suspended out the third floor window. Apparently already known for being quite handy at cricket he was let of lightly compared to the newbies left inside.

Icy Gull · Aug 30, 2018

Barham's tash said:
Do you really believe it’s better though? Instilling discipline both academically and physically or mentally for me was/should be the primary function of a school.

It establishes and reinforces the moral code you should be taught by your parents and delivered the right sort of upbringing into a world which is increasingly harsh.

Your generation achieved some phenomenal things as a result of that way of schooling and sadly having only joined secondary school in 91 most of that had already been lost.

Fast forward to today and kids don’t learn in most schools half of what they should simply because they know there aren’t really any consequences if they don’t.

I’m not saying kids should have things thrown at them or walloped if they step out of line but teachers these days can barely raise their voices without fear of losing their jobs and kids are wise to it in the extreme.

I really worry about today’s generation pushing on in the world without having any sense of fear or responsibility for their actions. It’s all so soft and namby pamby.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You knew the boundaries and if you over stepped them you accepted whatever punishment you got. Some of it was harsh but you understood how it worked. You wouldn’t dream of moaning to your parents about it either because in most cases they backed the school.

There don’t seem to be too many accepted boundaries now and parents getting involved in school discipline has risen dramatically as far as I can see.

I don’t remember pupils at school getting arsey with teachers more than once and I never saw anything bordering on aggression to teachers and not from parents either. There was way more respect than there seems to be these days

junior · Aug 30, 2018

I went to Downs Junior school in the 80's and there was a teacher called mr Tumner who would throw the blackboard rubber at peoples heads if they spoke during his class. He did a couple of years later from a brain tumour. Karma i guess.

dazzer6666 · Aug 30, 2018

My old primary school (in Devon) had a garage around the back, and the head had parked a car in there - and old Morris I think. Any, one day we were playing nearby and someone knocked something over, which hit the back of the car and smashed one of the back lights. I was about 10 yards away, but he happened to walk out just as it had occurred, grabbed hold of me (I was closest to him) and gave me a caning (along with a couple of others). I'd had one or two that were (at the time) probably fully justified, but this was a savage injustice. You had no real ability to state your case as a 10 year old.

Caning, or the odd slap, was, at the time, part and parcel of being at school - it was often a badge of honour (particularly if you didn't cry). My secondary school also threatened (if not used that often) the cane - discipline was pretty good as a result. We dicked about and got a bollocking when it was deserved. Must be a nightmare for teachers these days - they have no real sanctions to deploy (can't even put little Timmy in detention without his parents turning up to complain......my parent's attitude was always 'serves you right, hope it's taught you a lesson' for anything that was dished out)

Icy Gull · Aug 30, 2018

junior said:
I went to Downs Junior school in the 80's and there was a teacher called mr Tumner who would throw the blackboard rubber at peoples heads if they spoke during his class. He did a couple of years later from a brain tumour. Karma i guess.

The only blackboard rubbers that got thrown at us were wooden backed ones with a cloth base, bloody hurt if you got a direct hit too. Made you a bit dusty too from all the chalk on them.

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[Misc] Old fashion school injustices

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