Mary, were their mouths ever shut?

Urban myth, not in my neighorhood. Crack the knuckles was for the light hearted. Some used to take us to the coat room drop our drawers & beat on our bare butts with the wooden end of a brush handle. We (boys) had to wear ties & I had one nun that would grab my tie yank it down & as my head droped hit me with an uppercut to the chin 3 or 4 times in a row, now that hurt! 5th grade

In keeping this a little musical here's a pumping shanty from the collection of Frederick Pease Harlow

Priests & Nuns

A priest in Austria thought one day
1st Ch. Ho, Ho, Ho
He'd go to France without delay
2nd Ch. Hal-ler-al-le-re. hal-ler-al-le-ra
He'd go to France without delay
3rd Ch. Hal-ler-al-le-re, Ho, Ho

So when the father came to France
Ho, Ho, Ho
Seven sick nuns he found by chance
Hal-ler-al-le-re, hal-ler-al-le-ra
Seven sick nuns he found by chance
Hal-ler-al-le-re, Ho, Ho

He saw these nuns in the convent yard
All laying down on benches hard

He gave these nuns his calling card                                                                And asked may I come in your yard

To one he asked what he could
I'm both priest & doctor too

A sick nun then made quick reply
Said father treat me ere I die

With cane in hand a walking stick
And he touched that nun so very quick

The others quickly ran to see
And asked the priest what could it be

A medicine stick in my hand I hold
To cure all sick nuns in my fold

Another nun that lay close by
Cried father none so sick as I

He treated all the nuns alike
And said he'd call another night

Their treasure gone they looked in vain
For the priest that carried the medicine cane

Barry