A SIMPLE STORY OF PUNISHMENT AT 5 YEARS OLD
Answer to Simple Story Seekers Question 4. Have you ever been punished by a teacher in school?
It was in 1938. I think it was kindergarten, and I was 5 years old.
The teacher had told the class to sit and fold our hands. But my mind was elsewhere, as I spied the fat colorful crayons in a long wooden box. I smiled as I pictured myself drawing with them, and got up, went to the box, and took a big red one.
The teacher hollowed, “SHIRLEY! What are you doing?” I looked at her, confused. The look on her face scared me. I was not used to angry looks at home.
After a few moments the teacher said, “Go stand in the corner — for disobedience!” I looked at her for a few minutes with open mouth, dropped my shoulders, and went over to a corner of the room. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I bent my head, so ashamed, but did not know what I did wrong.
At home, I told my mother about it, but could not explain why. After awhile talking about it, she changed the subject to some things she had been teaching me. And I felt so much better.
To this day, at 90 years old, I have never forgotten that experience. Maybe that was the start of not always believing authoritarianism — but keeping response to myself, and loving my mother.
