Today, the use of brute force is unacceptable within the walls of a school. Moreover, in most countries, such acts of violence by teachers are punishable by law. However, in the old days, the educational system was not so loyal to students. Until recently, batting or intimidating “rods” at school were familiar education measures aimed at improving discipline.
What is a rod?
There are many interpretations of the word. But they all boil down to the fact that the rod is a tool for punishment or whipping. It consists of several thin branches connected in one bundle. Flexible wood species, such as birch, willow, alder, are often used as the main material.
In general, a rod is any bunch of branches strong enough to whip a person. True, one point needs to be clarified here. In some countries, for example in England, there was a special set of rules in which it was clearly established exactly what this “tool” of education should be.
The origins of punishment in schools
It is difficult to say for sure when the rod was first applied. This is too old a question to find a full answer to it. However, it is reliably known that similar punishments were used in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. The upbringing of the boys in Sparta was especially cruel. In these parts, for violation of discipline, the child could be whipped to death so that he would not make such mistakes in the future.
Is the rod normal?
Modern psychologists all claim that violence affects the psyche of children and adolescents. Therefore, most countries have abandoned corporal punishment in schools. For example, in the same England, blows were prohibited in the middle of the 20th century, and in Russia in 1903.
However, even today, in some US states, blows are allowed. Not to mention the fact that many African and Middle Eastern countries openly allow teachers to beat their students. For their culture, this is the usual way of upbringing, quite acceptable and approved.