Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Reign of Terror

                                                   Grade IV


It was 1955 and I encountered my first really scary, mean teacher.

This year would be "life in the trenches" so to speak and enough it seriously gave me nightmares.

Back then one didn't go home and tell parents how things were - well, the good things, but - - -

To get to the point, this teacher gave a strap on a pupil's hand for every spelling mistake. One little guy, Sammy, was tortured by her and as I think back, maybe he had a slight learning disability.

I lived in mortal fear of the strap and escaped her wrath til one day! An error in our spelling test!

I was so terrified and really offended that I "got the strap" as always studied to avoid.

Moving forward to school's going back in after Christmas and the staff solemnly gathered in our room to tell us that "two teachers had driven an 8 hour journey together to visit family. There has been a terrible accident an one has died." Seriously, I'm sure I wasn't the only pupil making a wish at that moment.

Wishes don't always come true - learned at that time. It was the sweetest, kindest teacher who had passed away. Did I or do I feel guilt for my feelings - no.




5 comments:

KGMom said...

What a memory. And I can inaythe childhood terror you must have felt. The universe has a funny way of handling things, no?

Wendy said...

That's awful! I remember those horrible school days - how far we have come! Thankfully.
No we didn't get the strap for making mistakes, but still I live in fear of making mistakes. We were chastised verbally.

Guilt? Yeah, I get that. Too bad it was the sweet teacher to have gone.

My grade 4 teacher was bad too. Not physically, but she just didn't like her students. I wonder why she became a teacher.

Granny Annie said...

I don't know how I missed this post. Yes I had a horrible teacher. If we did not have our homework or misbehaved in class she made us sit by Eddie. He was a country child who only brought a bottle of milk for lunch and who smelled terrible. Our punishment was to sit next to the stinky boy. He still came to school every day and I will bet that he is some great genius, rich adult or a serial killer. She was a horrible woman.

kenju said...

I cannot remember having a teacher whom I thought was truly mean or bad. I did have a few who made me wonder why they were teachers, since it was so obvious that they didn't like children.

I would not feel guilt for your wish, though. Not all of them come true.

Beverly said...

Hi, Jean,
I have really left the world of blogging, and I realize how much I miss the friends made there. I had a visit from Wendy, so I went to her blog and saw your blog in her side bar. I hope you are doing well. Bev Whitcmb