The grade school where I grew up left all discipline to the school Principal. It was always a man. Behind his desk hanging on the wall was a wooden paddle. It was around two feet long with a handle cut on one end. It was 3 to 4 inches wide and was painted completely black. In the center was a painted human eye. It was known as the Black Lady! It was only used on boys, and we all feared it.
If a teacher sent you to the dreaded "Principals" office, you were at risk of meeting the Black Lady! I only got sent to the office once and I did not get the lady, but I was warned, next time would be different. I never was sent to the office again. Except one time I got into a bit of a fight with a guy in class. We both were sent to the office to see the principal. I had no idea what was going to happen...
As soon as we were called into the office and explained to the principal what we had done, he proceeded to get the 'Lady' off the wall. He laid the paddle on the front of his desk, right in front of us and then he slowly walked around his desk standing behind us. He told us to stand up and move our chairs against the back wall. He then explained that since we both wanted to fight so bad, he was going to let us take turns paddling each other with the Lady. But he advised us if we did not "hit hard enough, then he would give a swat to the boy who failed to hit hard."
I was perplexed! I no longer wanted to fight, and I could tell the other guy felt the same. The last thing I want to do was hit him with the Lady! I was ordered to pick up the paddle and the other guy had to bend over a bit and put his hands on the desk. I was then told to let him have one.
I was crying pretty good by now as was the other guy. I tried to give him a swat that looked hard, but it was not. The principal promptly had me grab the desk and he gave me a 'good one', explaining that's what he expected. He told me to stay on the desk as now the other guy gets a shot at you. Now I'm thinking, my rear is already on fire and this clown has to hit me. I'm thinking he is going to blast me to avoid being hit by the principal. But he didn't, he hit me lightly, and then of course, he got a good one from the principal.
Thankfully, the principle ended the punishment, reminding us that fighting in school or on the school grounds is not allowed. He advised us if either of us had another fight anywhere near that school....it would be much worse. I never again had a fight anywhere near that school...