I'm 87 and when I was in elementary school the teachers never hit anyone, but why did I hear some other 80's say that when they were in elementary school the teachers used to hit the students?

It does happen. Because the previous education system is not advanced, many teachers in order to make the students later test results, good university, had to go to only beat students, and there are some students themselves do not love to learn, do not listen to the class, the teacher hit, but also for their studies, do not want them to waste away.