As Ross the Rambler, I avoid sarcasm or meanness. I pick a subject, and sometimes try to make a point — usually with a smidge of humour. There’s no humour in this week’s Ramblings.
We’ve learned the Robert Land Academy in West Lincoln has closed permanently after some 47 years as a military-style boarding school, typically with between 75 and 105 students.
It had no affiliation with the Canadian Armed Forces. Online sources list annual tuition at $68,000. During my high school years at Sir Winston Churchill Secondary in St. Catharines, a couple of my pals were sent there — in hopes of curing some serious discipline issues.
Everything changes, usually for the better. Hearing of the closure bumped me back to 1960, in Etobicoke. I was in Grade 4 at Park Lawn Public School.
My dear mom, a former teacher in northern Ontario near Cochrane in the 1930s, saved all my report cards. They showed OK marks — but clearly, I was more interested in recess, sports and fun.
Mr. MacPherson, unaffectionately known to students as “Big Mac,” was the principal — and a strict disciplinarian. He was a large man and, out in the schoolyard or on the playground, always seemed to be in a bit of a bad mood. He was usually glowering.
I have no memory of why my pal Bill Armour and I were called to his office that day. But there we were — just Big Mac, Armour and me.
He no doubt gave us his version of what we’d done wrong, then told us to put out our right hands at waist level, palms up.
He went over, closed his office door, and opened the top left drawer of his desk. Out came the dreaded strap — a thick piece of dark brown leather, about 10 inches long and three inches wide.
We were about to get “the biffs.” That was the accepted punishment for behaviour Big Mac deemed unacceptable. No questions asked. Just hold out your hands and get whacked.
Bravely — and with no choice — we obeyed. After a few seconds of dramatic pause, he raised his arm, held the strap high and said: “Stay still. Don’t move.”
Down came the strap on my palm. Then the same for Armour. Once each — and then a second time, for good measure.
“Now, get back to your classroom.”
This is a totally out-of-character Ramblings, but for some reason, I want to get this story out.
Not bitter. Things change.
I can’t even imagine such a scenario in 2025.
Wow, eh?
