Discipline
| Teachers were much more strict in the 1850s. Students were expected to arrive to school on time, address the teacher as "Sir" or "Ma'am", stand when speaking to the teacher, sit only when given permission, and generally behave at all times. Students who did not meet the teacher's expectations were severely punished, both at school and at home! Physical pain and embarrassment were encouraged. Below, draw a line to connect a punishment to its meaning. |  |
| Pegging | The student would be led to a wall and forced to stand on tiptoe. His/her hair would then be tied to a peg in the wall. The student would remain there until the teacher untied him/her. |
| Blocks |
The student would have to balance on a small block in a corner until the teacher gave permission to step down. |
| Dunce Cap | A student who acted "stupidly" would be made to sit on a stool in front of the whole class while wearing a hat that said "Dunce" on it. |
| Toes and Nose | The teacher would draw a small circle on the board, slightly above the student's height. The student would then have to stand with his nose in the circle and his toes touching the wall until the teacher gave permission to return to his seat. |
Gender Swap |
A boy student would be dressed in a girl's bonnet and forced to sit on the girls' side of the room. |
| Switch | The teacher would carry a wooden stick or branch, which he or she would use to hit students who misbehaved. |
Some punishments were less severe. A teacher might require the student to do extra chores before or after school, or the student might be given "lines" to write. Since students liked to pull pranks on one another, there was a good chance someone was going to be punished before the school day was over. One thing was certain, though. You didn't mess with the teacher!