Formally, no. No one got whipped. But if Mr. Hatch caught you, and was mad at you, you'd get a body punch, or a headlock squeeze. Nothing that left large marks. And, I doubt complaining would have done anyone much good for that soret of thing.
Besides, many of these kids probably were subject or poundings at home, and being called out for disrespecting the teacher was more often frowned upon by Dad rather than looked at as a worthy boyhood show of independence.
It was a half-Italian neighborhood, and the "hood" look was popular, along with well-greased hair and mild juvenile delinquency.
Where I’m from, the school board didn’t axe the “board of education” until the fall of ‘85.
The consensus among the high school students (I was a frosh at the time) was that this was a big mistake.
But what do red necks know.
A good deal about human nature.