i went to public school as a kindergartner as stated above. Then I attended Catholic School grades one through eight (all Presentation Nuns except third grade teacher Miss Hardy). At St. Christopher School in San Jose (graduated 1969) I don't remember any rulers or hitting of students.
On the other hand, my mother (born 1920) attended one room grade school back in the day (Air Point School: Milpitas, CA) and was tapped on the left hand anytime she tried to hold a pencil or pen in her left hand (she was left-handed). She was therefore forced to learn to write with her right hand (and somehow she ended up with pretty penmanship). I understand this was a common school practice back in that period of history.