Tricia, You bring back wonderful memories of grade school. Going to a Catholic school we had a nun who was as wide as she was tall. Built like a fullback and with the same disposition. She made a strong argument for the harmful effects of celibacy. She kept a large stock of wooden pointers and yard sticks in the classroom closet and needed a new one every week. She routinely broke them over the heads and shoulders of students, including me.
Ooooooooooooooooooo blackboard erasers (I was going to write rubbers but our N American friends might object) hurtling through the air with laser like precision --- ouch! TD
We had a lot of spinster teachers in those days. I don't really blame them for being bitter, Women outnumbered men because of the slaughter of WW1, and eventually WW2.
I can recall eating malt off a spoon, probably the same spoon for 30 plus mixed infants. It was not pleasant. Also horrid cod liver oil capsules that I refused to eat. Big drama! This was in the 1950s. I cannot recall bitter spinsters. Most seemed kind to me, not soft touches though. In my first year we all had to go and have a little lie down after lunch on folding camp beds.
Cod Liver Oil capsules!!!! Horrible big tablespoon for us, again shared by the masses. I haven't touched milk since those experiences of the frozen or lukewarm third of a pint ones (I think Mrs Thatcher ought to be commended for stopping their issue!), but I did like the orange juice from the clinic. I wonder what I would make of the taste now? I always thought that the mental bullying from some of the teachers far harder to cope with than the board rubber. ..... Then there was the school dentist!
My other half's parents live in a 30s semi with original metal Windows. This is not a lost phenomenon...
I actually think they're beautiful (would love something Bauhaus, flat roofs or not), but god I'd need some modern solution to the frames' thermal insulation.
Critall Windows still going strong Crittall Windows - the world’s leading supplier of steel windows Bauhaus Centenary Bauhaus100
Ahh yes the board rubber. Dodged a few of those in my time, improved your reactions though. Then there was the ruler across the knuckles. The nit nurse, detention, lines, injections. School caps. No calculators, no computers just a slide rule. Kids they don't know they are born. Cheers Kevin
I'm enjoying your border collie link, Dave Our 15 yr old bc died a year ago and I still miss her. But I digress!
A brown glass Virol jar. Small cat included for scale, & because it's a pain in the arse. Think we have a few. You certainly see a lot around. Never registered what it was, or that it was dished out at school. Always assumed it was just some patent medicine.
Been watching this series - as a History teacher it was bound to catch my eye. Anyway on the last episode they were looking ahead to what lessons might be like in the future and they showed the kids experiencing a VR recreation of a Lancaster raid over Berlin BBC - New BBC VR film flies you to Berlin at the height of the Second World War - Media Centre Cynical me notes that the BBC are part funders of the project but it certainly looked like something I’d love to try in my classroom.