Why were children punished for writing with their left hands in grade school and when did this practice stop?

Question

I have recently spoken with 3 people in their 50s (from PA and IN) who were punished/struck with a ruler for writing with their left hands in grade school. I assume part of this had to do with smearing ink...I wonder when and exactly why this type of punishment started and when it stopped. When did it become "o.k." to be left-handed?

Answer 1

my uncles and aunts said that they got spanked with the rule for using there left hand that it was not allowed.that was in the 50s and still in the 60s not sure when it stopped...but it didn't have to do with ink just not using left hand it was bad...superstition maybe...they were in public school...

Answer 2

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Answer 3

I was punishe for doing it, too. I'll be 50 in 2 weeks. There was 2 reasons. One was left handedness is associated with the Christian devil, and the other was teachers didn't know how to teach let hander's. To this day I write right handed and do everything else left handed. I'm also extremely dyslexic when it comes to directions. I still get lost in the city where I've lived for the last 15 years.

Answer 4

Unfortunately, this was a pretty common practice right up to, and beyond, the middle of the 1900s. Handwriting (called Penmanship in many schools) was an actual class like civics, math, spelling, etc. The only "correct" form of penmanship was done with the right hand; left-handedness was considered and aberrancy (and not just in schools). Many teachers believed they could beat left-handed practices out of children (and many did).

Answer 5

being a left handed person myself, i too, was once forced to write with my right hand by my father - and believe me, it was not a pleasurable experience. There is nothing like being force to be what you are not.

from what i know, these parents are a little bit towards narrow-mindedness way of thinking, for they think that their child has to be right-handed, so called to fit the norm, to fit in the society. But i fail to understand what makes them think that way.

I personally do not think there is a major difference between writing with different hands(smearing ink?), and it is perfectly normal. so, to answer your question, i think as long as the parents (or whoever it concerns) stick to that kind of idea, this practice will go on.

Answer 6

The reason that you had to be right handed is because Jesus was right handed. Its one of those silly practices that the catholic church abused. That's why only 15% of people are left handed like myself. this practice still goes on today in strict catholic schools and should be stopped but then again why would the catholics want you to be your own person.

Answer 7

I'm 65 and right-handed, but I know a lot of left-handed people who were never kept from writing with their left hand.

At one time there was a perception that handedness was strictly a matter of personal adaptation and that it was better for all to be right-handed. (There are advantages to being right-handed.)

I believe I might have been intended to be left-handed, since I am left-eye dominant and have a terrible handwriting. I don't think I was prevented in school from being left-handed. It was either my mother, who is left-handed, other relatives, or my own initiative that led me to train myself to write with my right hand.

I have no idea who done it, but I wish I had gone with nature's plan for me. I was ambidextrous for a time, but eventually grew into being strictly right handed.

I don't recall ever being punished for writing with my left hand, but I sure caught a lot of crap over my lousy hand-writing!

(My first radio station manager advised me to learn to type--very good advice that I have never regretted taking.)

Answer 8

Left handedness used to be seen as a weakness and an indication of moral corruption. I'm not sure when the practice of punishing it stopped though.

Answer 9

I don't know when it started.But in NJ it stopped in the middle 50's.

Answer 10

It is true..my old man had the same thing done.