Civic lessons and two pair of pants. In the seventh grade I had a class in civics. One of the assignments was to memorize the pre-emblem to the constitution. That was not a monumental task for someone who could memorize a three act play. However, being seventh graders and thinking that the assignment was over the top the class got together and decided that we would not do the assignment; there were fourteen of us in the class. When the day of the assignment came due no one in the class had memorized the pre-emblem. I think the teacher knew that there was a conspiracy going on so he went ballistic. He said we would have to write the pre-emblem five hundred times. One of us asks and if we don’t write it then what? He said he would give each one of us 20 licks with a paddle on the behind. We got together during recess and all but one girl and two boys decided to take the licks. In fairness to the two boys who did not take the licks of the paddle it was their father’s wrath they feared not the teachers.

            When we made know our decision to the teacher he said he would not spank us all on the same day so his arm would not give out. I was one of the lucky one who got to wait for the second day punishment. I wore two pair of jeans to help cushion the sting of the paddle. It may have helped some but a paddle wielded by a full grown man hitting you behind while you were bent over holding on to your ankles can be felt well enough. I still cannot quote from memory the pre-emblem to the constitution. We the people of the United States in order to perform -------.