Catholic School horror stories....

[babar]

when I'm watching t.v or reading and someone is talking about how horrible the nuns were in Catholic school (you know the stories), I never really know what they are talking about. And these are people my age (31). I went to Catholic grade school and high school.....nothing really that bad, and compared to some of my public high school friends, nothing that different.

The worse I can remember are from grade school......
don't read if easily offended ....in first grade, I had to go to the washroom during the Pledge, but I was afraid to interrupt, so, you know, I went right there ....anyways, at lunch (1 thru 8 ate together), the nun rang the lunch bell and held up a baggie with my undies!!! I had to walk up there in front of the entire school and get them.

Then my fourth grade teacher used to make us sit in the hall if we sneezed because she said the germs stayed in the air for 20 minutes. She said we did it on purpose!!

high school was a breeze....

any stories?

 

[bananiem]

The nun that taught my older sister's fourth grade class hit the kids. One kid she hit so hard he ended up with a permanent hearing loss in one ear.
That was the end of parochial schooling in our house. Yeah for me!
Edited to add- Yes, I realize it could have happened in any class in any public school as well. The OP wanted Catholic school stories so I told the one I knew.

 

[babar]

What year????

I can't believe that still goes on today.

 

[bananiem]

Would have been 1970.

 

[Mermaid02]

I have a friend who went to catholic school in the late 60's and she said that one nun was SO mean that when she fell down some stairs and had an obviously broken arm- the kids all stood around her and laughed.

 

[babar]

Okay, I really meant in the past 20 years or so. I'm not disputing the fact that it happend with older generations.

I was hoping for some funny stories!!

Also, here's good nun story. In high school, we had a nun who was awesome!!
She was the one I went to when I was in trouble, she took notice if we were on a downward spiral and just talked to us, and took us all to a Bear's game!

I miss her sometimes...

 

[Castlebound]

I went to a Catholic grade school until the middle of 5th grade then we moved to a smaller city. I don't have any horror stories to tell either. On the other hand public school in a small town was a real eye opener! In Catholic school we were just starting to flirt with boys and did not have boyfriends. In public school not only were the kids "going out", but they were doing some pretty interesting stuff under the stairs before going to their buses after school!

 

[bananiem]

Sorry, I misunderstood. When you said horror stories I thought you wanted "horror stories."

 

[babar]

Sorry, I misunderstood. When you said horror stories I thought you wanted "horror stories."

No, that's cool, I just didn't think anyone would have any!! When I talked to my parents and my aunts/uncles, they would say the nuns were mean and would slap their wrists, but none were upset.

"whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger" says my dad!

Most of their stories were pretty hysterical.

 

[bananiem]

Actually I had some friends that went to the Catholic high school in my hometown. Mostly they saw a big rift between the rich kids and the poor kids. Also it was small school compared to the public schools and didn't offer as much class-wise. So the kids had to come to the public schools in their uniforms for AP, drivers' ed, and tech classes. This was early '80's.
Kids that age tend to not want religion crammed down their throats all the time. My friends used to ask "Why do we only read it but never discuss it?" Several of them aren't practicing Catholics anymore or have converted to other religions. I'm not sure exactly what went on but it wasn't "right" if they left the church.

 

[LBAK]

My DH went to Catholic school in the 70's and he said he was always getting hit over the knuckles with a yard stick. The nunm got really mad when she broke it on him and sent him to the principals office. Guess he wasn't a model student.

 

[babar]

Really? In my high school, our religion classes were about religions of the world, death and dying, and others. It wasn't about just the religion at that time, as we had a lot of non-catholics attending. And we were pretty bad kids! We did have mass once a month, but you weren't required to attend if you weren't Catholic.
And we weren't rich! It was smaller than the public school, but it was all girls so it's hard to tell.

Oh well, everyone has their different experiences.

 

[joshsmom]

I went to Catholic Grade school (graduated in 1982) and then Catholic Undergrad (graduated 1990). In grade school the principal had a hand held bell that she would ring to get our attention. When we didn't listen right away, she would ring it LOUDER and LONGER. Sometimes she was quite close to people and it was ANNOYING. As our act of rebellion, in 8th grade, we stole her bell! I know, we're real rebels. But it was a big deal to us that we actually swiped it, hid it in the snow behind a trash dumpster, and one of my friends took it home with her!! That poor nun looked all OVER for that bell, but never found it because my friend still has it!!

Well it was funny to us!! It may lose something in the translation! Guess you had to be there.

 

[babar]

No, I get it!! We had a nun who always ran after us with her hole-puncher to give us demerits. One day a girl stole it from her, and had it hanging from her rearview mirror!!

We thought we were soooo funny!!

 

[PatriciaH]

I went to Catholic school for 15 years! College and high school were ok. College (1988) had very silly rules for 18+ adults. Did hear rumors about one priest and a student (male) in HS (1984) but who knows. One priest yelled the f word out in class during a debate in philosophy class about if animals can feel. One kid kept arguing the point yes but priest said no. Grade school the nuns were tough. One third grade nun was a nut. She rotunely threw books and once even a desk at students!!! That would be 1979.

 

[holycow]

The one I remember my mom telling me is when there was a break out of lice in the school, now mind you my mom didn't have lice but to take care of the situation they cut all of the girls hair!!!!!!! My mom had a beautiful auburn ponytail down her back and they just cut it off!!!!!!

sorry I think that is HORRID!...I know she's told me others but can't think of them right now...

 

[RadioNate]

Really? In my high school, our religion classes were about religions of the world, death and dying, and others. It wasn't about just the religion at that time, as we had a lot of non-catholics attending. And we were pretty bad kids! We did have mass once a month, but you weren't required to attend if you weren't Catholic.
And we weren't rich! It was smaller than the public school, but it was all girls so it's hard to tell.

Oh well, everyone has their different experiences.

My Catholic HS School was the same way. We did have rich kids though. I think I read in the HS thread where you went and I'm familiar with the school. I didn't go to an all-girls school.

I actually didn't feel the Catholic religion was forced upon me.

Our nuns for the most part were pretty cool too. No horror stories.

 

[WDWLVR]

I went to Catholic grade school - 1st through 8th. Graduated in 1971.

Two stories:

1) If the nuns thought the boys hair was getting too long they have these pink velvet bows they would make they guys wear in their hair all day. Needless to say the hair didn't stay long.

2) The young "hip" priest came in one day to give the sex education class - coed no less. So he asked who in the room knew about sex - no one spoke. He asked who didn't know about sex - again no one spoke. Finally one of the guys yells out from the back "Father we may be dumb, but we aren't stupid!"

 

[AllyandJack]

I have a few stories....let's see...8th grade....my teacher (an ex-nun) starting calling our names one by one and telling certain people to stand up. Then, when a few of us were standing, she went up and down rows telling us all what was wrong with us. Ryan couldn't be trusted. Estelle was boy crazy. Val was annoying. Shannon was fat. Me....she told me that I wouldn't have an easy time in high school beacuse I wasn't as pretty and thin as one of my classmates who was Junior Miss Massachusetts.

Ten years later, I finished my therapy for my eating disorder and went back there for their Christmas Fair. I walked in and this teacher was there. She walked up to me and said, "So....what are we doing with our life now?" I told her that I graduated from Boston University with a full scholarship, just graduated from law school, passed the Bar and I'm working at one of the largest law firms in Boston. I live in a huge, custom-built house and have an amazing husband who is equally as successful. Then I told her that what she said to me stayed with me for a very long time. Her words caused me to starve myself, contemplate suicide and doubt my abilities and worth as a person. She tried to make excuses. She said that she was only doing what she thought was best for us. I told her there is no excuse for standing a few people up in a classroom of their peers and putting them down. There is no excuse.

My entire time at that school was a nightmare. My mother's friend's kids go there now. This same teacher once told her 8th grade class that if your mother and father aren't married, your mother is a you-know-what (a word that begins with a w and ends with an e and has an hor in the middle). She told her 8th grade class that if their parents' bedroom door is closed, don't go in because they are having sex. She told her 8th grade class of both boys and girls about having a period.

After going back and confronting her, I've been able to let it go. I've actually been able to go back periodically to volunteer time and I've donated money to the school. I want this lady fired, no doubt, and I truly believe I'm not the only person she's psychologically damaged, but my education there was top-notch. It's a private school in an inner city and it provides an wonderful alternative to the not-so-great public schools in that city. I want to make sure other kids have that opportunity despite that woman.

So, that's my Catholic School Horror Story.

 

[lulu71]

haha..Yep, I went to convent prison (that's all-girls for you laypeople) for high school and regular co-ed catholic school for grammar school and part of college. Most of my memories are of the guitar strumming variety of nuns, but there were the slap the inside of your wrists with a ruler variety too. Of course who can forget the uniform inspecting nuns, you know, the ones who would do a suprise attack if your shoes weren't polished, shirts weren't tucked, nametags not properly attached. Good times...

The best was the priest who promised no homework for the entire year if we could find the word Jesus in the New Testament. I can still remember thumbing though the entire thing even looking in the footnotes. Do not try this at home.