Miss Ross was a strict disciplinarian, a kind but firm presence in the classroom.
She would never raise her voice but there was a chilling undercurrent if you displeased her.
It wasn’t as if she sat at the front of the class flexing a long cane in readiness to deal out numerous whackings.
A quiet word in the ear of the malefactor was usually enough.
However she was also a great entertainer and anyone (although it was always a boy) who broke her rules would be promised discipline.
She would look up from her marking and see you whispering with a neighbour, casually but with a hint of menace she would say.Its a cold day boys but your bottoms will be feeling the heat if I see you whispering again.
Once I got in a fight in the playground with a larger boy in the year above.