What happened at school in the 1950s depended on a persons social class. If you were a member of a working class family you were expected to work. You would grow up only needing to know practical skills. This is why there was a lot of time spent on cooking for the girls and nailing wood for the boys. These people would then leave school as soon as someone would employ them, knowing only the alphabet and basic wood or cooking skills. Failing was very common.
If a child's father was semi-skilled then the entire family would be of middle class. A child of this class would have two options available to him at this stage. Failing or achieving. The child's choice would be his father's choice. If the father wonted his son to be a laborer then the child would become part of the working class. If the father wonted his son to be a doctor then the son would work hard and become a doctor. Daughters of this class were expected to find a wealthy husband. Since the work force was made up of men, women were not expected to work; therefore the only way they could make money is to marry into it.
The upper class was very well educated. It did not matter if you were a boy or a girl in this class. Almost all rich kids went to boarding schools. At the boarding school every one was ranked according to there fathers wealth. Physical punishments were a lot more common and discipline was a matter or life or death.
Discipline was a major part of school. Often a stare was enough to put students in line. If the teacher didn't feel like staring he/she would simply give the child a good whack. There were many ways of hitting kids. Teachers used whatever they could get there hands on, although a cane was a favorite. The forehand and backhand were good for an immediate response but if the teacher wonted a lasting effect he/she would have to ceremoniously bring the misbehaving kid to the front of the class. The class would then fall silent as the teacher asks for the kid to put out his hand. After a few good slams on the hand the rest of the class would be too scared to move, for a few minutes.
Boys received a lot more physical punishment then girls. Although boys were sometimes invited to detention it was the girls that were punished in the form of boredom. Detention was the most serious part of school. Smiling was quickly fixed with a caning and additional line. Lines were the feature of detention. Writing 100s of lines with a feather would make you think twice before breaking a rule again.
It wasn't only the teachers that gave out punishments. Students spent there spare time playing sports and annoying teachers. The worse the teacher the bigger the prank. A teacher's day would involve dodging unoriginal jokes. Pins on the teacher's seat, bins above half open doors and missing chalk dusters were encounter by teachers regularly. To retaliate, teachers would give out a random caning.
1950s schools are different from today as there is less painful discipline today, there are more expectation for students no matter who they are, boys and girls are treated more equally today and teachers were more honest to students back in the 50s. Today teacher don't call their students dumb or stupid and classes were ranked at an earlier age in the 50s. Today every ones scared of getting in trouble and people treat each other more equally even though it is quite obvious no ones equal.
Then: Children were as lean as whippets and a clip over the ear fixed everything. Now: They are fat hippies and no one will lay a finger on them.
