And you complain about having homework?
September arrives with the smell of new books, newly purchased backpacks, and... the eternal fear of detention! But before you complain about having to hand in an essay or missing recess, let me tell you what detentions were like in the past. Spoiler alert: some were so surreal they seemed like something out of an absurd comedy.
Historical punishments that will make you love secondary school
1. Copying entire books in the Middle Ages
What happened?
In medieval monasteries, if a student committed a serious offense, he could be forced to copy an entire manuscript. Can you imagine copying the Song of My Cid for making a mistake on an accent mark?
Modern version:
“Write 'I must not talk in class' 100 times” seems like a joke compared to this.
2. The dunce hat (Europe, 17th–19th centuries)
What happened?
Students considered "dumb" were given a hat with donkey ears and seated in a corner. The goal was to publicly humiliate them.
Modern version:
Today it would be a reason for denunciation, but at the time it was “visual pedagogy.”
3. Physical punishments with creative names
Real examples:
- The chair of repentance: an uncomfortable chair in which you had to sit for hours.
- The rule of silence: a rod that was used to hit if you spoke.
- The punishment of the toad: squat with arms extended for minutes.
Modern version:
Physical punishment? The hardest thing these days is having your cell phone taken away.
4. Punishments with food (or without it)
What happened?
In 19th-century British boarding schools, misbehaving students were left to eat stale bread and water for days.
Modern version:
“No dessert” in the school cafeteria seems like a luxury compared to this.
5. Creative punishments in Japan: writing poetic apologies
What happened?
In some traditional schools, students were required to write haikus of repentance.
Example:
“I was very loud,
the silence calls me,
sorry for talking.”
Modern version:
What if instead of parts, we write poetry?
Comic comparison: yesterday vs. today
| Time | Punishment | Drama level |
|---|---|---|
| Middle Ages | Copy entire books | 😱😱😱😱😱 |
| 19th century | Dunce cap | 😳😳😳 |
| 20th century | No recess | 😐😐 |
| 21st Century | No WiFi in class | 😭😭😭😭 |
What if punishments were part of a tour?
Imagine a tour of HL Comedy Tours through historic schools where guides make you experience the strangest punishments of each era. Would you dare to sit in the "chair of repentance"? Or would you prefer to write a haiku to apologize for being late?
Book your tour with HL Comedy Tours in Barcelona
Do you want to discover the most absurd, fun, and surreal school story in Barcelona? Join our comedy tours, where we mix history, humor and anecdotes in the most unexpected corners of the city.
Book now at hlcomedytours.com either histary.es
Laugh, learn, and rediscover Barcelona like never before!
