A Catholic-School Veteran Tells All

I also attended Catholic schools in the '50s and '60s. It was there that I learned Phonics, which enabled me to spell (and parse) better than did my public school friends. Thank you, Sister Modesta! I learned the Baltimore Catechism-- sort of like the Baptists' "Bible Quiz-- and it became a life-long tool for understanding my Faith. Thank you, Sister Simplicia! Thank you, Sister Edward, for recognizing that I, in my shyness, was a good writer and inviting me to join the staff of the school newspaper-- where I eventually became editor-in-chief. A sister at high school level taught me everything I needed to know about Business, from typing to resume writing to office practices. A sister chastised me for planning a clerical career, and nudged me toward college. I learned telephone manners (rare these days), and life skills such as cooking and embroidery. Thank you, Sister Simplicia! David Noonan's article is full of cheap shots and an occasional error (the Church did not, for example, throw out the idea of limbo. Rather, they continue to speculate as to what happens to the child who has no opportunity for sanctifying grace-- thus no heaven-- and no opportunity to sin-- thus no hell.) The Church's representatives in academia have perhaps been unduly strict at times; but compare and contrast with today's educational free-for-all. I'm sorry for your hurt, but thank God that I was protected from the rough-and-tumble antics of rowdy boys in my class!

I am Catholic but I went to public schoold in the 60's and 70's. Corporal punishment was not the exclusive domain of Catholic schools. I had a 5th grade math teacher, Mrs. Pointdexter, who walked around the classroom with a yard stick. This gave her the ability to reach across several aisles and inflict her punishment. There were bullies and sadists in every school at that time. It's unfair to imply that Catholic nuns were the only ones inflicting this kind of punishment.

I went to Catholic school and was never hit by a nun, but I was repeatedly hit by a lay teacher who simply didn't like boys. Addie Calendriello was her name. St. Mary's School in Middletown, N.J. One of my crimes was folding my paper the wrong way. Another time it was simply looking like another student she didn't happen to like. It's not just the nuns who are the problem, but the Catholic school system, which thinks that this kind of abuse is acceptable. Rot in hell, Mrs. Calendriello.

I, also, attended Catholic schools in the 50's and 60's in two states (Washington & Louisiana) and never once witnessed or experienced this type of abuse. I do not think that it was quite as wide spread as the author would have us believe.

I, also, attended Catholic schools in the 50's and 60's in two states (Washington & Louisiana) and never once witnessed or experienced this type of abuse. I do not think that it was quite as wide spread as the author would have us believe.

I am the product of Catholic schools and I vividly remember intensive and excessive corporal punishment doled out by a few but not all of of the "good sisters" who taught us in elementary school. Reflecting back on those times, I beleive a number of the sisters had some very serious personal and mental issues that caused them to lash out at the children. Some of my classmates were especially targeted. I remember an atmosphere of fear rather than a joy for learning. Saying all that, I survived, taught in a catholic school for 2 years and now have the privlege of having my grandchildren attending parcochial school. The atmosphre today is totally different than in my day. It may be due to the majority of lay people who are doing the teaching or the fact that the parochial school system has evolved. I had an unpleasant experience in my time but what I observe today with my grandchildren is a warm, nurturing system.

I was in a catholic school for eight years. The majority of the teachers (nuns and lay teachers) were truly only concerned with providing you a great education. There were a few that did strike or pinch the students. The previous article takes the perspective of todays standard of behavior and places it over the past and how those teachers acted. You cannot compare yesteryear with today. If those same teachers acted that way in todays society there would be a huge outcry of abuse. Maybe if they did use those same tactics of discipline with todays children they would be better behaved. Todays parents and teachers have their hands tied when it comes to disciplining children, Seeing how children act in public these days I think we need to go back and use some of those "Arcane" tactics like the good old SPANKIN!!!

Hasn't anybody ever noticed how fixated Catholicism is on pain and suffering? Seems like their answer is "Jesus went through it so it must be good." Look, we cause our own pain and suffering not to mention all the unintentional pain and suffering brought on by the world. I don't need religion to emphasize it. Catholicism is the sadists/masochists religion, and Catholic school is just an extension of it. What saved me? A school project. I decided to do a report on "purgatory." So what better source than the Bible for this information right? I looked and looked...nothing on purgatory. But I did find alot of other interesting things. That is when I discovered that the Catholic church has it's own teachings aside from the Bible. I renounced my Catholic faith because I'm not some stupid sheep following the crowd...I looked for God myself and found HIM!!! And HE is not Catholic!

I am a survivor of 12 years of Catholic education and by the time I was a senior in high school I could pick a thrown eraser out of midair and move my hands quicker than swinging pointer. I was disciplined for asking questions that countered catholic doctrine (why does Judas get such a bum rap?) and for basically being a teenage male. Did I buy my own car? Yes with paper route money. Bought my first guiatr that way too. Do I owe that to the nuns? The ones who ridiculed us when our voice changed or cut our hair when they felt it was too long? There was even a nun that was known to throw a brick that she kept on her desk to restore order. No, I don't feel that I owe anything to those nuns. I was a product of the late 70's and was raised in a bluecollar family so I knew what it was like to work. No, any teacher that performs a ritual exorcism on a library science class (thank you Sister Maria Arnold), throws students against lockers and is practiced in the art of vicious ridicule I want no part of and that goes for my kids as well.

Sorry David, I'm not a fan of your article. I, too, am a product of a Catholic school education. I've had my knuckles hit with the ruler as well as the window opener on numerous occasions. (Yes, I am female!) I am no worse for wear! Stop the blame game! What positive traits did your Catholic school education provide? I'm sure those far outweigh the negative.

Let's clear the smoke folks! Did you deserve the punishment? Probably so. Did you deserve all of it? Probably not. So what? Are we going to blame the nuns for turning you to a snobbering, pill-poppin, socially inept, unemployed, drunk! From what I'm reading...yes, it's all THEIR fault!!
My story? Eight years at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Essex, Maryland. Did I get the whuppings? Yes I did. Did I deserve them? 99.9% of the time I did. Did I like it? That's like asking the hog if he likes bar-b-que.
After eight years I had it. Purposely failed the entrance exams to an all male Franciscian High School. My punishment? The next four years in public schools. The result. Got my diploma, went on to get my BS, then an MBA, commissioned as a military officer, off to war, then a few stints as manager in several Fortune 500 companies.
Did the nuns have anything to do with it? Sure did! Did I? Yes to that one too!. Did my family, friends, schoolmates, and everybody else I came into cotnact with? Yes, yes, yes, and yes.
Bottom line...it wasn't just them puyky! It's you...make what you can out of yourself and leave the past behind.

It's not violence - it's discipline. When corporal punishment was abolished in the schools, the students began ruling the campus. It should not be that way. They need to learn that authority deserves respect.

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I grew up in Brooklyn during the '50s and '60s. I didn't go to Catcholic school, but many, many of my friends did. When we would play "school" during the summer, my Catholic school friends would pull out their rulers and hit us across the hands and mete out other suitable physical punishment for our perceived misdeeds. They were, in the summer, acting out what they experienced during the school year. That was not a distant memory, that was contemporary. Those abuses were real.

I attended Catholic school for all my grammer school years, got a few whacks with the clappers across the knuckles but I also learned respect and consideration for my classmates and authority,not like todays classrooms, maybe a few nuns could straighten out todays schools.

My twelve years of education were in Catholic Schools. I have absolutley no regrets. Through eight years of grade school my class had 100 children to the one nun who taught and maintained control. It was not uncommon for her to use her ruler or hand for discipline. I can happily say that I am retired after a successful stint in the workforce and I believe the nuns who taught me made it possible along with my parents. So here's to the Sisters of St. Joseph from Philadelphia..