I had several nuns in grade-school. This was the 1970’s, and nuns were still running schools, as well as teaching some classes.
I NEVER met, or heard of, a nun who “rapped knuckles.” It is a completely false stereotype.
Most literally viewed us as their own children. If anything, they were too soft, pliant, and sometimes, even too forgiving. I remember one Sister who literally broke down in tears when she overheard “one of her boys” use the “F” word on the playground.
It's not a false stereotype...I can certainly attest to that. I attended St. Anthony of Padua School in Camden NJ in the mid 60's and had my haand whacked a couple of times. Once for doing poorly on a test and shrugging my shoulders when Sister asked why I didn't do better and once for missing Mass without a good excuse. My folks kept me home because I was sick...but that wasn't a good excuse. I also had to kneel for an hour in prayer on the linoleum floor in Sister Benedicta's ofice. And I wouldn't change a thing about those years and would love to be able to relive them. Those Sisters were tremendous people and a great influence on my life.
The nuns I had weren’t “soft!” Yes, I got my knuckles rapped, and even tougher discipline, but that was the style back then (60s-early 70s), and not just in Catholic schools. I think when they ditched their traditional dress and went “modern” that they lost their identity, both in their communities and in their convents. I’m glad to see young people dedicating their lives to Christian service, whether it’s as a Catholic nun, or a Catholic priest, or as a Protestant minister or missionary. God bless ‘em all!
The nuns I had in the 1990's rapped knuckles....the school is no longer open.
This was my experience as well, after twelve years in Catholic schools...the nuns I knew, almost without exception, were compassionate, humble and would do anything for we children...and got almost nothing in return but satisfaction...these women were truly holy and children of God!