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I met Leonard Gravois this past weekend and he asked whether I had ever written about the infamous clock at Vacherie Elementary School. I don’t remember if I ever did, so here is what I remember. The school’s main entrance was off Hwy. 644. There was also an entrance from the hallway that joined the main entrance with the two-story classroom and lunchroom behind. A large clock hung in full view from the frame of the wide hall between the entrance and the classrooms. The office was located inside the main entrance on one side. On the other side were the teachers’ lounge and a first aid closet. It’s important for me to describe all these rooms and entrances to help you understand that the clock hung above the busiest area of the school. Whoever came into the school from either direction had a clear view to the hallway and the infamous clock. Kneeling under the clock before school or at recess was the ultimate punishment. Visitors, teachers and fellow students could see who had been in trouble. Being sentenced to time under the clock was the worse form of punishment. Leonard said if the infraction was very severe, the perpetrator was made to kneel on dried corn kernels or grains of rice. The usual spot to kneel was in the middle of the hallway with the clock directly above. When a group of children were punished, they were placed in a line across the hallway. I must admit that I did a stint under the clock. I was being aggravated by a classmate and made an ink mark on the front of her dress. She “reported” me and I was sentenced to kneel under the clock. For most students, kneeling under the clock once was enough humiliation that the students tried very hard not to ever go back. Some students, however, loved the attention and achieved multiple visits a week. For those students there was further intervention between parent and teacher.