Lately, here in Ottawa, there is a TV ad for a comedy show. It has a "teacher" in front of a 3 student class. The teacher says that when he asks a question everyone should put up their hand. If they fail to raise their hand he will get "this" and then he kicks one of the students in the face.(laugh track plays) While the "victim" holds his head in pain the teacher asks another question. Two students raise their hand but the other fellow is still holding his head. And he gets kicked in the head again and the laugh track plays again.
Sounds like my father's descriptions of his school days!
My kids keep telling me how glad they are that there's no cane at school anymore, whereas I disagree. The cane was quick, was applied immediately, and then you got on with your life. As opposed to today where infinite letters pass back and forth between school and parent until the child is eventually punished by detention or whatever, days or even weeks after they've forgotten what it was they even did, so no lesson is actually learned.
Stephanus,
of the "Bring back the birch!" class.