Spanking paddles 30 years ago

Unique topic, paddles were common in school, my female fifth grade teacher used it on both girls and boys more as a reminder, not harsh, usually two or three quick spanks. In junior high, in the states you are 12/13 to 15, the same teacher was the asst principal and handled all spankings. A visit to her office meant minimum of 3 swats and max 5, she could make it sting, but handled it with a bit of humor. She was attractive, she spanked both girls and boys, she would kid you after a spanking if you were fooling around, her favorite was," Do you want to polish my paddle today". Discipline was handled but kids were not beaten, quick spanks but not abusive, she was the best.

I was born in 1970 and lived in the upper Midwest of the US. My folks had this very paddle which my dad called the "lickin' stick":

https://d2ydh70d4b5xgv.cloudfront.net/images/c/a/vintage-spanking-discipline-otk-padd le-heat-for-the-seat-apply-as-needed-used-95759f51f7be3851fd38fbec947f1e91.jpg

It was used on me and my brother until I was about 8 or 9, at which point it broke. I don't think we ever got more than 4-5 whacks with it at a time, on clothed bottoms. But hey, paddles hurt.

My mom preferred this plastic / melamine Mickey Mouse back scratcher, about 16 inches long:

https://www.picclickimg.com/d/l400/pict/282713573584_/DISNEY-Parks-BACK-SCRATCHER-MIC KEY-Mouse-Walt-Disney.jpg

It broke when I was 9 or 10 I think. My mom swung it at me one day and I put up my arm to block it. Busted it in half.

My brother started having issues at home and school (early 1980s) so my folks started taking him to a child psychologist who was OK with spanking, in fact he had a brochure (not sure who it was authored by) that reserved the use of the paddle for "behavior that we cannot tolerate", namely not listening to mom and dad. The prescription for "improving the child's hearing" was four pops with the paddle. This time it was just a regular paddle ball paddle with the ball removed and "HEARING AID" written on the back in permanent marker.

I went to Catholic school until high school and the sisters didn't use the paddle but preferred to snap a ruler on your knuckles, which hurt horribly and was embarrassing too. After I had left there to go to public high school, my friends told me that they were paddled in high school by a severe sister who was in effect the dean of discipline. They actually didn't like to speak about it but apparently she spanked over underwear on the bottom. I never learned much about the paddle used but it apparently was effective.

I was told once by a retired teacher, that the reason paddles were so common in schools was unlike many other methods of corporal punishment, a wood paddle was effective over clothing, it was quick, just a few licks and you got your point across and it was consistent, it was relatively easy to give the same paddling over and over, plus it worked. I know when I was in school, I could vouch for its effectiveness.

Yup. It was an old, wooden, paint stirrer that my dad had sanded down, stained dark brown, and then varnished. It hung inside the closet of the bedroom my sister and I shared . . . easy to get to and use when one, or both of us, were taken to the bedroom for a spanking.

i do not normally comment in this section. This is a topic that I am very familiar. First everyone from the Northeast or the West Coast in the USA should not comment. Their land area is not normal.

I grew up in Illinois in the 60's. EVERY house had a designated Spanker. Some went with the instrument I grew up with ( razor strap, switch, hairbrush). Some were confirmed Dads belt (even Mom used it). the balance went with the cute souvenir paddles or their College Frat/Sorority paddles. My house was the "Cute little dear with the bear behind" model with pictures. But I saw others in the neighborhood. I went to a Catholic School which unlike the public schools had their own Frat paddle in the principal's office. In Catholic HS the Dean of Discipline ( actual title) gave swats as did the PE coach. This went until at least to 1978. as I had a secretary (younger) who told me her mother had a "Heat for the Seat" paddle. She said this was typical for her generation.
None of us were harmed or psychologically damaged but had a respect for authority. As previous commentators mentioned only a few swats on clothing got your attention. And at home on the bare it REALLY made an impression. Did not take more the 12. Quick, easy and effective.