The rod is what? The use of violence in the schools of the past

Today, the use of brute physical force is unacceptable within the school. Moreover, in most countries, such manifestations of cruelty on the part of teachers are prosecuted by law. However, in the old days, the educational system was not so loyal to the students. Until recently, batting or intimidating "rods" at school were the usual measures of upbringing aimed at improving discipline.

What is a rod?

There are many interpretations of this word. But all of them boil down to the fact that the rod is a tool for punishment or whipping. It consists of several thin branches connected in one bundle. As a basic material, flexible tree species are often used, such as birch, willow, alder.

In general, the rod is any bunch of branches, strong enough to whip out a person. True, here you need to clarify one point. In some countries, for example in England, there was a special set of rules in which it was clearly established what exactly this "tool" of education should be.

Sources of punishment in schools

It is difficult to say for sure when exactly the rod was first used. This is a long-standing question in order to find a full answer to it. However, it is reliably known that such punishments were used in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. The education of boys in Sparta was especially cruel. In these regions, for violation of discipline, the child could be whipped to death, so that he later did not make such mistakes.

The rod is normal?

Modern psychologists all say that violence badly affects the psyche of children and adolescents. Therefore, most countries refused corporal punishment within the walls of schools. For example, in the same England, strokes of the rod were banned in the middle of the 20th century, and in Russia - in 1903.

However, even today in some US states blows are allowed by rods. Not to mention the fact that many African and Middle Eastern countries openly allow teachers to beat their students. For their culture, this is the usual manner of education, quite acceptable and approved.