Discipline in schools, homes now missing

By NADINE M. MATHIS (9)

As of Monday, March 5, 2012
© Copyright 2013 Albany Herald

I was on a school bus in 1934 with, I'd say, probably 17 children on the way to school. The bus driver was a good friend of my family. That particular a.m., this girl of 13 and I were sitting together and she saw my colorful pencil and asked me to swap her fountain pen for my pencil. I said OK.

As we got off the bus at school, this girl went to the office and told the superintendent that I stole her fountain pen. The bus driver was sitting in the office, and he told them exactly what happened.

I got reprimanded in the office, and my daddy whipped me that night. He told me, "We, your mother and I, don't send you to school to swap anything."

I learned my lesson. At 92 years of age, I remember that very well. Discipline at home goes all the way to the bank, and we must remember in our later day and age all children don't get disciplined. We must help wherever we can.

I remember the teachers at school lined us up for the class to see if you failed a subject and whipped each one maybe five or six licks. When you got home, you got eight or nine licks from your father. And it was all done in a loving fashion in front of class or the rest of the family. It made you think positive.

NADINE M. MATHIS, Albany

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