I remember when I was 10 years old at my primary school in Scotland. The teacher, miss Simmons used to walk up and down the isles of desks in the classroom with her thick leather belt in her hand. One time she sat down beside me and laid her belt along the top of my desk. She told me to just carry on doing my work. After a few minutes she looked at me and asked me, "What do you think I thought of your homework?". I thought for a second and replied, "Was it ok?" Miss Simmons then said, "Well actually it was dreadful. Do you know what I do with boys that hand in dreadful homework?" I replied, "No miss". She then said, "Well take a look at what's lying along the top of your desk. That's a good clue ". I looked at the thick leather belt that was split into two tails at one end. (I now know it's called a Tawse) I gulped and replied, "They get the belt ". Miss Simmons smiled and said, "Well done boy. I think you should follow me to the front of the class ". The rest of the boys and girls were listening in and they all watched as I was asked to hold my hands out, one on top of the other. I then received 6 of the best and after the last stroke I burst into tears. I was told to go outside into the school corridor and come back in when I had stopped crying. After about 20 minutes I was ready to re-enter my class. I sat down and the girl opposite me asked to see my hands. I showed her them . They were both bright red and swollen. I will never forget that day
לפני 4 חודשים. 6 ביולי 2024 בשעה 21:45