IS THIS DUMB OR COMMON PRACTICE?

[Barbara]

I had my knuckles hit with a ruler plenty of times by the nuns for not forming letters in a way they considered proper & right and once had to write the definition of faggot hundreds of times.

Knuckles hit is just wrong Duchess. I remember a teacher pulling my hair because I did not write the letter correct. I also remember my Mother coming to school and questioning the teacher about this