I started school in '56 at 4 and graduated in '70 at 17.
The "then" was all the way through my school years. The principal was still paddling when I was in HS. I'm pretty sure the parents were also called, as I remember hearing guys say they were going to be in more trouble when they got home.
We had PE all the way through senior year of HS...4 days a week. I was totally uncoordinated, except for swimming, and believe me the PE teacher didn't care! The only things that saved me were attitude, effort and I could swim.
Except for 1st grade, I went to public school all the way through. We stood every morning and recited the Pledge of Allegience, the teacher when I was younger - then the principal over the loud speaker - either read a Psalm or said a quick prayer, then we sat for announcements. Didn't hurt us at all.
Yes, there were bullies...but they usually ended up getting what they deserved.
Going through school, we liked/loved our teachers for the most part, (though I did have a very evil male Algebra teacher in 9th grade....a total asshole! Only D I ever got in conduct was from him!), but we feared the Principal! The Pincipal was in charge of the paddle, he was the one who called your parents. Mine were only called once....I was in Kindergarten...

My kids graduated in '97 and '00. While they were in elementary school (it's through 5th grade here) I signed permission slips that they could be paddled by the principal with both the teacher and the school office manager, present. T left elementary in '93, and I think that's when the school system stopped ALL paddling.
I've been through the school system with "alphabet" kids, and ritalin. It's a racket and sends my blood pressure into the stratosphere!
Our kids today, would be much better off, if the schools would go back to the way it was when I was a kid. There were a lot less problems, at home - at school - in the workplace.