School Paddling Memories

Briarwood Christian School, Birmingham, AL, USA

Reference: Facebook

Beth Mann

These stories make me laugh. a lot. I went to Briarwood K4 - 12th grade and got paddled frequently for talking as well. From Ms McLauren (4k) to Ms McCoun, they all gave me licks. The worst one I remember was with Ms Thompson I think. She was the PE teacher sometime before Ms Mcoun and Ms Fleming. It was in 3rd or 4th grade before we dressed out for PE. So, the girls would wear shorts under their skirts for recess. She paddled me once (with a paddle that had the drill holes - ouch!), and then realized that I had on shorts under my skirt. Those had to go - too many barriers between the 'rod of instruction' and my rear end.


Kathryn Petras Shields

I only attended Briarwood thru the 1rst grade, but even in that short time...I managed it. I beleive it was Mrs. Trammel? I was in K5, and I got paddled for allegedly being mean to this other kid. This "other kid" by the way, was the class bully, and she was about two times my size...possibly three, and she was telling one of my friends that she was too poor to go to Briarwood,...so I told her she was too fat to go to Briarwood, she cried...a lot, and thus I got paddled for defending my friend. One of my "finest hour" type moments actually :-)


Julie Baker

I think I made it through my first year at Briarwood (5th grade) without being paddled, but only because I was in Ms. Helton's class and not Mrs. Bickford's. I know I was paddled by Mr. Walden in 6th grade but I honestly cannot remember why. In Jr. High, Ms. Leachman sent me to Mr. Inman to be paddled for answering a question in class without raising my hand. And then there was Debbie!!!! How is it possible that no one has mentioned Debbie Flemming yet? I don't know how many times we were paddled by her. And I say "we" because it always seemed that if one person in the "group" did anything wrong, we were all getting paddled (you know who you are!!). My last paddling was actually in HIGHSCHOOL P.E. class. I was given a choice between D-Hall and paddling. What I remember most is being asked to move away from the wall because the coach didn't have enough room for a good swing!!


Christi-Ann Bono

Oh these are great! I was there from k-4 till high school graduation. I know I got one in kindergarten! I was so upset. Then, in junior high (I think) from Ms. McCown..."stop look and listen!" I remember being taken into the girl's bathroom with someone else during P.E. class, but can't remember what we did.


Maryellen Bates

Ok, I am guessing that I'm older than most of you. I just remember opting for paddling instead of detention. Many many times during elementary/junior high. Usually for chewing gum. Or backtalking. I am quite amused. Coach Young's paddlings were legend.


Leah Wallace Anderson

Mrs. Walters for stealing someone's Erasermate and lying about it. Miss McCoun for being generally obnoxious in PE. both were done with a teacher witness and only if front of them.


Amy Huntington

Miss Finney, the gym teacher, for being late to class. It was either 5th or 6th grade. I had stayed late at the library to help the librarian re-shelf books, so had a written excuse for being late to Gym. Miss Finney didn't care, and had me bend over and grab my ankles for my paddling. There was no teacher witness, but everyone in the girls and boys gym classes got an eyeful!


Gretchen Burwick Scoleri

Yep! I got it from Ken Walden, who was SOOOO paddle happy. I was really a good girl, too, in school. I think I was maybe talking in class, and he said, "Burwick" and had me come up to the front of the classroom, yes, the front, and smacked me right there. The embarrassment was worse than the physical pain. Of course, my parents were mad, but I don't think they ever said anything!


Natalie Nix Britt

I was paddled by Mrs. Bickford in the 5th grade for talking in the bathroon. I was new to Briarwood and a little shy, and I was so mortified! I was paddled in the EIGHTH grade by the gym teacher with Shannon Smith and Heather Hampe. It hurt so bad! We put cold water in the sinks in the locker room and sat in the sinks and cried. That was courtesy of Joel Inman who sent us to get paddled because we did not want to watch The movie "Holocaust". He said we could have an "F" in English or get paddled. We chose the paddling, and all of our parents were mad when we told them about it!
These stories are hilarious! The good old Briarwood days!!!!


Ruth Holton Spencer

I don't know whether to be proud or ashamed to be in this group - I'll go w/ proud. I got paddled about every other year - ALWAYS for talking. I know that will shock all of you. Mrs. Trammell paddled me in 3rd. In 5th grade, Mrs. Bickford's whole class got paddled - 1 after the other. I think Mr. Walden was the witness. The door would open and they would call "next." Only 1 kid got out of that paddling - she was a missionary kid from Mexico (can't remember her name), but she was absolutely talking too & should have been paddled. I can't remember, but the class-wide paddling might have happened more than 1 time. In 7th grade, I got paddled in P.E. for a "bad attitude". I almost got out of it, but Mrs. Leachman (the witness) told me I did deserve it. I think that was it for me. I'm surprised that there weren't more times. (Do you notice that Mrs. Leachman and Mr. Walden are a running theme in several of these incidents?)


Lockett LaGroue

Billy, this is GREAT! I'm laughing so hard I almost fell out of the chair. My one and only incident occured in the 5th or 6th grade, courtesy of Mr. Walden. Punishment for laughing and talking to Mindy Chandler during a fire drill. Mrs. Leachman was out there, too, and topped it all off with a chipper admonition to "Be a blessing!" as we walked back into the classroom.


Christina Dianne Crabtree

I'm loving reading all these stories! Oh, Briarwood...I too was a victim of this punishment. Going to Briarwood from K4 - 12th grade, I'm lucky that it was only once....unlike Justin Cox (thanks for the stories, Justin! I'm sure my brother was right beside you for most of those!). K-4, Karen Smith's class (she was even one of my mom's friends!) - I was in the "quiet chair" for talking too much already - then I started talking to someone else who was in a quiet chair across the room. Anyone who knows me would be simply amazed that I was a talker as a child. Haha! Anyway, ended up getting paddled for it....fun times!


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