Getting the Strap in school

**rich** · 27-Mar-06, 22:09

I got belted regularly - once every month, I would say - for a variety of sins. One of which was "dumb insolence". I used to smirk. Still do come to that. Talking in class or laughing got me strapped. Religion was my downfall - I could not take it seriously. I got six of the belt for mocking a papier mache African village which was the main term work in religious studies.
But getting belted at Thurso was nothing compared to getting belted at posh, fee-paying George Watson's in Edinburgh where I was sent to see if anything could be salvaged from the educational shipwreck of my caithness schooldays.

We had a French teacher called Charlie Brown. First day of term Charlie picked on a poor lad called Bobbie Bogle. Bogle, try as he would, just couldn't sound like a Frenchman. Charlie thrust his face into Bogle's and began to yell "LA! LA! LA!" To which Bogle responded "lur....lurrrr".

Next thing, I knew, Charlie Brown disappeared behind his desk and we could hear drawers slamming. He emerged, tawse held up rigid, his whole face a mask of malevolence.

He adressed the class.
"What shall I do with this wretched youth, Bogle , whio is mangling the French language," he demanded.

And the class responded "BEAT HIM, SIR. FLOG HIM."

This was like a pack of hounds baying. I felt somewhat like a complete teuchter. Never mind the somewhat.

"Bogle, I am giving you a choice," snarled Charlie. "EITHER I GIVE YOU SIX OF THE BEST OR YOU COME ROUND AND DIG MY GARDEN ON SATURDAY MORNING."

"FLOG HIM, FLOG HIM!!!!"came the chorus.

"I'll do the garden, sir," said Bogle to a chorus of jeers from the class - jeers in which I now joined. (We Sutherlands have never seen a gang we could stay out of...)

Of course the thing was that Charlie Brown had a lovely French wife (what she saw in him I have no idea.) But she would make wonderful coffee and croissants and refused to let anyone dig up her rather marvellusly laid out garden.

I could go on but I wont. There was our nudist math master, there was the infamous marching column of schoolboys in OTC uniform which woke the whole of Morningside and led to our mass arrest as a marching column without lights front and back. (This was to avenge some slight insult to the headmaster, involving a 12 foot high spray painted message.)

To think that parents paid for this kind of thing! As a result of my education there I think I would make a pretty good prisoner of war. But that's it.

**Whitewater** · 27-Mar-06, 22:17

I had the belt quite regularly in primary school, always my own fault. Just received it on rare occations in secondary school, again my own fault.

I personaly think the belt should be brought back, some of the unruly pupils would think twice about misbehaving if they knew they would be punished afterwards. There is no deterent now, nor do they fear the teachers/

**squeezy** · 27-Mar-06, 22:28

I recall getting the ruler in I think Primary 4 or 5 for that mortal sin of spelling mistakes. For each spelling mistake we had in the passage we were copying (about dinosaurs I think) was the equivalent to one wrap across the knuckles. Thankfully I only had two, but the whole class was cringing for the poor lad who had about a dozen.
How could there be any justification in this, not that I'm condoning corporal punishment, but I could have seen the arguement for misbehaviour, but spelling - sheesh.

**MadPict** · 27-Mar-06, 23:11

Originally Posted by rich

I could go on but I wont.

Oh don't stop now - this is almost like Ripping Yarns!!!!

**tisme** · 28-Mar-06, 13:13

I got the belt only once in Primary School. It was for dropping my pencil of all things!! It put the fear of death into me. There was many a time I should have gotten it in the High School mind you but managed to dodge it!

**Errogie** · 28-Mar-06, 15:09

I had just started to expand my vocabulary into colourful four letter words and was helping a pal to kick a lump of ice outside the door of the west Public primary in Thurso (see I went to a public school!) using all the new terminology.

Unfortunately we were so absorbed we didn't notice that everyone else had disapeared inside. The next moment "wham" I got a really hard slap on the side of the head. I found out what it meant to have "ringing" in what became a really red and swollen ear and we were hauled in by the scruff of the neck.
Don't think I uttered another profanity for the next 5 years! Couldn't hear much either on that side anyway!

Had the belt lots of times after that including gesticulating at the train pasengers by the railway bridge at the back of Thurso High while we had the morning smoking break, but the Director of education was coming through from Wick that day... And then there was the time he saw us again one afternoon on Sandside beach when someone had the loan of a car. The only hot spots were our hands after 6 each from Willie Young the rector.

Debateable whether it was better to take it all one hand or change over and even up the pain. The worst part a bit like being sick, was the few moments before it happened. Afterwards relief at getting it over kicked in. Also contributed more to one's reputation as a hard man than any amount of lines.

I have no idea how this has affected my after life but I know that we used to provoke Netta Duck into belting us as she was so bad at it and she once attempted to belt the whole class, girls as well which took up a large part of the afternoon.

**Graham** · 28-Mar-06, 19:16

I was strapped once in school by Miss Ryrie (Netta Duck). She decided to strap anyone who had forgotten their dictionary. Many of us had actually brought it but we all decided to say we didn't to see if she would strap the entire class. She did. After strapping thirty some-odd students she was a physical wreck.

**trinkie** · 23-May-07, 12:47

Thank heavens they stopped strapping children a long time ago - but I bet many of us oldies remember being strapped.
Were you strapped - and why ?

I was - for telling the teacher he made a mistake with a sum he had done on the blackboard ! I was right of course.

And a second time for telling the teacher her brooch was undone !
How I wish she had lost the blasted thing.

OUCH !

**Boboowest** · 23-May-07, 13:07

I got it most days in Thurso High as did most of the guys in the class. It was hard trying to smile when it really hurt!

**MadPict** · 23-May-07, 14:26

The "Wick High - Ever get the Strap there ?" thread has been merged with the "Getting the Strap in school" thread also started by trinkie...

Maybe lines would help your memory trinkie?

**Gleber2** · 23-May-07, 15:42

Originally Posted by Graham

I was strapped once in school by Miss Ryrie (Netta Duck). She decided to strap anyone who had forgotten their dictionary. Many of us had actually brought it but we all decided to say we didn't to see if she would strap the entire class. She did. After strapping thirty some-odd students she was a physical wreck.

Netta never used the belt often but I remember that day well. I was one of the first pupils to get strapped in Thurso High in the first week it opened by Gavin Lafferty!!! Got belted by Mrs. Wares in the West Public at the age of five. I asked to go to the toilet and she wouldn't let me so I had a wee accident. My first injustice!!!!

**DIH** · 23-May-07, 16:06

I never got the strap but I once got the ruler to the inside of my wrist when I was in primary 3. I made the mistake of getting a question wrong and that was my punishment. I was hit by a female teacher after the law came in that they couldn't hit us. My mam wasn't very pleased and she had words with the headmaster and this teacher. Unfortunately she went on to be the head mistress of a local primary school and she is still scaring the bairns. She is the only teacher I hate.

**poppett** · 23-May-07, 18:30

An art teacher in Miller Academy used to throw knives and land them between your fingers on the desk if you were talking. After that Netta Duck`s performance in Thurso High was nothing. One particular french teacher was tiny and practically had to stand on the chair to belt the strapping tall lads in our class. On a particularly bad two period lesson she had about six of us lined up ready for belting, excused herself, and returned with her 6`6" fiance, also a teacher to do her dirty work for her. Simon Moodie who taught french on the stage when we were short of classrooms was so fed up handing out lines and belting myself and a particular friend he belted us one day on the way in.....we were angels that day and at the end of the class asked for an apology...needless to say we are still waiting!

**danc1ngwitch** · 23-May-07, 19:32

Such tender skin to use a belt on.
Yep i got the strap, but i'd got it for standing up for myself against Girls who in the end were indeed not as tough as they thought
Anyway it was wrong of me to fight ( rolls my eyes ) wea so many
Teacher did not want to give it to me but she had to.
Other kids parents must av been more important than mine. ( bullies )
Guess even on the org bullies exist.
So hense we will get banned for saying what we really think, ( strap )

**quirbal** · 23-May-07, 21:00

I never got the strap , i got the slipper *Ouch* it was painful!

**celtic lass** · 23-May-07, 22:24

thats what's missing now a days the belt.there's just no respect anymore.I wouldn't be a teacher now a days not for all the money in the world and yes i got the belt a few times in the high school and it did me no harm

**Jeemag_USA** · 23-May-07, 22:27

I got the strap on my first day at High School unfortunately, nothing to be proud of but there was a kid walking through class with a pen sticking out of his mouth and the teacher told him to remove it, he didn't so I felt obliged to remove it for him and I got the strap for it, and who was the teacher?..... Parahandy, so it didnae hurt

Had it several times after that though, not surprised it got banned, I remember two of my friends getting belted by a French Teacher who I will not name and they ended up with severe lacerations on their forearms because he did it face on, needless to say the parents turned up at the school and all hell broke loose, I am not sure but I think that teacher was not allowed to give the strap as punishment again.

My first ever strapping was in Miller Acadamey from Mr McIvor, and I thoroughly deserved it, he put the fear of god in me, and I am distantly related to him too but didn't know it at the time, don't think he woudl have gave me any favour anyway

**Jeemag_USA** · 23-May-07, 22:34

Originally Posted by rich

I got belted regularly - once every month, I would say - for a variety of sins. One of which was "dumb insolence". I used to smirk. Still do come to that. Talking in class or laughing got me strapped. Religion was my downfall - I could not take it seriously. I got six of the belt for mocking a papier mache African village which was the main term work in religious studies.
But getting belted at Thurso was nothing compared to getting belted at posh, fee-paying George Watson's in Edinburgh where I was sent to see if anything could be salvaged from the educational shipwreck of my caithness schooldays.

We had a French teacher called Charlie Brown. First day of term Charlie picked on a poor lad called Bobbie Bogle. Bogle, try as he would, just couldn't sound like a Frenchman. Charlie thrust his face into Bogle's and began to yell "LA! LA! LA!" To which Bogle responded "lur....lurrrr".

Next thing, I knew, Charlie Brown disappeared behind his desk and we could hear drawers slamming. He emerged, tawse held up rigid, his whole face a mask of malevolence.

He adressed the class.
"What shall I do with this wretched youth, Bogle , whio is mangling the French language," he demanded.

And the class responded "BEAT HIM, SIR. FLOG HIM."

This was like a pack of hounds baying. I felt somewhat like a complete teuchter. Never mind the somewhat.

"Bogle, I am giving you a choice," snarled Charlie. "EITHER I GIVE YOU SIX OF THE BEST OR YOU COME ROUND AND DIG MY GARDEN ON SATURDAY MORNING."

"FLOG HIM, FLOG HIM!!!!"came the chorus.

"I'll do the garden, sir," said Bogle to a chorus of jeers from the class - jeers in which I now joined. (We Sutherlands have never seen a gang we could stay out of...)

Of course the thing was that Charlie Brown had a lovely French wife (what she saw in him I have no idea.) But she would make wonderful coffee and croissants and refused to let anyone dig up her rather marvellusly laid out garden.

I could go on but I wont. There was our nudist math master, there was the infamous marching column of schoolboys in OTC uniform which woke the whole of Morningside and led to our mass arrest as a marching column without lights front and back. (This was to avenge some slight insult to the headmaster, involving a 12 foot high spray painted message.)

To think that parents paid for this kind of thing! As a result of my education there I think I would make a pretty good prisoner of war. But that's it.

Thats hilarious, he he, thanks for the telling

**Glenys Hirst** · 23-May-07, 22:40

I remember getting the strap from 'Granny Rosie' at WHS once...but I moved my hand and she hit herself! She didnt bother giving me another lash! That was the time I ever got near to the strap!

**Metalattakk** · 23-May-07, 23:45

Aye, I mind getting the "tweeg" at 'e school.

One time, I'd forgotten my homework once too often, and Andy Smith (Biology I think) sent me next door to get a lend of Mr Boyle's belt, as he didn't have a Lochgelly Tawse of his own, apparently..

So up I got and went next door, knocked on Mr Boyle's door and went in.

"Mr Smith sent me to get the belt from you." I said to Bertie, and held my hand out.

Mr Boyle opened his desk drawer, pulled out the leather belt and "tweeged" me just the once, in front of his whole class, and sent me back to Mr Smith with a slightly stinging hand.

In I walks to Mr Smith's classroom and back to my desk I go.

"Well, where is it, then?" questioned Mr Smith....

I'll never forget him shaking his head when I told him what had happened.