May 28. Day 148. Not for the first time

There's this story from my late father's school days. He was sitting in one of the upper level classrooms of Saint Laurence's staring out the window, apparently in the direction of Somerville House, located just next door.

"Hetherbelle," the teacher exploded."Are you looking at those Presbyterian girls again?"

"Yes, Brother," my father replied.

"Would you like to go and join them?"

"Yes Brother," Dad said. He got the cuts for his trouble.

There's so much about that story that is a reflection of the time. Catholic schools taught by Brothers. Corporal (sometimes sadistic) punishment and, of course the way teachers addressed students. No given names back then. All surnames and apparently somewhat condescending versions of them at that.

Not these days. But fast forward a couple of generations to quite possibly the same classroom and Drama Teen being required to stack chairs as a punishment. He was taking an exceptionally long time to do. It terms out that was Eisteddfod time and there were whole dance troupes of young women warming up on the school oval before their performance in the school hall. You can't blame a boy for looking. Or perhaps you can. Drama Teen's no longer so sure staring at the girls is such an acceptable sport not now that his cousin Jess is one of those girls on the oval ... Perhaps they should bring back corporal punishment.