> as the only thing students could do instead of paying attention to the teacher was drawing messages on papers and passing them around Or playing battleship (

> as the only thing students could do instead of paying attention to the teacher was drawing messages on papers and passing them around Or playing battleship (or any of a huge number of other pencil-and-paper games). Or reading under the desk. Or throwing spitballs. Or doing their nails. I'm not sure whether you lived through ye olde days, but there were _tons_ of things you could do if you wanted to ignore the teacher.