She could or would do nothing right.

Miss Pinwell chided her for carelessness, she retorted saucily.

As discipline had to be maintained she was at last condemned to an hour with the backboard and there she sat in a corner of the room on a high legged chair with a small and extremely uncomfortable oval seat made still more uncomfortable by it sloping slightly forward.
As for the back, it was high and narrow.

It afforded no rest for the spine.

The delinquent was compelled to sit perfectly upright.