“In 1956, gum chewing and talking in class were some of the major disciplinary problems in our schools. “
In 1956 hall discipline was handled by trusted senior students who could “write up” fellow students for running, pushing, and such hi-jinks in the halls. Worked just fine and seldom — if ever — required a teacher to intervene. Members of these coveted hall patrol positions got to leave class 5 minutes early and return 5 minutes late.
Elementary school children were guarded crossing busy streets morning and afternoon by student patrols with flags. Traffic always stopped for us and drivers smiled and waved at patrol members. I don’t think a child was ever hit in California by a driver disregarding the student patrol.
Yep, I had the white “Sam Brown” belt & badge, but 10 years later in Chino.
In Ala., selected Seniors drove the school buses (with aftermarket AM radios and speaker arrays), kept them at home and washed them....