People were well-behaved back in the old days because if they weren't behaved, they would get whipped or something awful would happen like that!! Sometimes if they talked, they would use the ruler method. The ruler would come right across their hands. Back then, if you were talking, the teacher would ask you to stand up, and you will stand up because if you did not you could be whipped across the back. One did not fall asleep in class because if you did, you would get lifted by your left ear or they would burn your bare ankles with a magnifying glass reflecting the sun. If you were late for school you would stay in school and clean the blackboard or pick up garbage. There were no school bus in those days. They usually walked miles to school with bare feet,but if you were lucky you had your own horse and could ride to school.
The thimble!!
To get to school you had to wake up at four in the morning. Children did not lose their school books for if they did, they usually did not get new ones.