Who remembers being caned at school?

[Justin12 10]

When I was a kid at school I was a real good cricket player,the sports teacher was a good guy and I got on with him real well,he also doubled up as a geography teacher sometimes,one day in one of his lessons everybody was chatting and laughing and making a noise he shouted out be quite the next person I hear will get the slipper,it just so happened that it was me whose voice was last as I was in the middle of telling a joke to some friends,come out here he shouted when I turned round he looked a bit shocked to see it was me..he said I'm a bit disappointed with you but you will have to take your punishment I said OK so I bent over ready for a whack on the arse,he said just come in the back room with me and I'll give what for in there,when we got in the back room he said I don't want to slipper my best cricket player so what I'l do is whack the wall with the slipper four times you pretend to yell out and come out rubbing your backside and everything will be ok between us and I will save face OK I said yes that will do me..so he whacked the wall I yelled out owwww ooooooo,,,and walked out and sat down with everybody silent and looking at me... I'll never forget that look on his face when he whacked the wall with his slipper..

 

But although that incident was to your advantage it actually shows the master concerned in a very poor light. Favouritism of that kind was highly unprofessional and the incident you refer to highlights how corrupt any system of corporal punishment could be in practice.

[Justin12 10]

What I am about to describe does not relate to a Sheffield School , but I would be grateful for the views of contributors to this thread!

I am aware of a Boys Grammar School where during the period 1958 - 1978 the Headmaster caned boys so severely that they were made to bleed. On one occasion he was obliged to apologise after the parents took the matter to the national press - early 1962 I believe. A boy who attended the school from 1972 - 1977 states that he was caned on 80 occasions and in total received more than 400 strokes. He often bled , and has said that his mother was apoplectic in her reaction but that his father - being from an Army background - took the view that he should 'not have got himself into trouble!'

I have expressed the view that the Headmaster was guilty of Physical Child Abuse and should have been taken to the Courts. Any opinions?

[mikeG 16]

What I am about to describe does not relate to a Sheffield School , but I would be grateful for the views of contributors to this thread!

I am aware of a Boys Grammar School where during the period 1958 - 1978 the Headmaster caned boys so severely that they were made to bleed. On one occasion he was obliged to apologise after the parents took the matter to the national press - early 1962 I believe. A boy who attended the school from 1972 - 1977 states that he was caned on 80 occasions and in total received more than 400 strokes. He often bled , and has said that his mother was apoplectic in her reaction but that his father - being from an Army background - took the view that he should 'not have got himself into trouble!'

I have expressed the view that the Headmaster was guilty of Physical Child Abuse and should have been taken to the Courts. Any opinions?

In 1950 a boy at a Junior school was caned on the hand by the Headmaster so that his fingers were left blue, bruised and bleeding. Teachers used to send offending kids to the Head if they didn't want to administer corporal punishment themselves. If the teacher had seen this boys hands when he came back from the Head's office, I don't think she would have said anything to the head. I was at the Junior school for 4 years and never heard of a girl getting the cane off the Head.. I was told that he used to sit them on his knee but I never saw that. However, the Head retired from the school in 1977 so how long he perpetrated his vile regime I shall never know. A horrible man.

[trastrick 866]

A little perspective. First you shouldn't judge historical actions in light of today's standards and morals, or lack of same.

 

When we were in the bomb shelters, we didn't have trained "conflict counselors" pulling Hitler, Stalin and Churchill in a room and "raising awareness" of the futility of war Our grandfathers who were given broom sticks and one gun among 10 of them to drill with and prepare for the inevitable invasion, did not write letters to the editor complaining about "lack of proper resources to fight a war"

 

We also are not responsible for what slave traders may or may not have done a couple hundred years ago. I don't believe in "collective guilt", or reparations, but that's another story.

 

Anyway, I went to a tough Sheffield school in the 50s. We generally left at 15 to go down the pit, become a laborer, or if you could afford to wait 7 years for beer and fag money, a trade. Nothing you learned in school was any use to you as a laborer or a coal miner.

 

Caning was the main disciplinary tool for maintaining order in the classroom, along with truant officers, and was generally supported by parents.

 

I got it more than the average, and I can tell you it kept me in line, in school instead of on the streets and respectful of the teachers. There was always one or two teachers you'd be sent to for your punishment, because some, (usually military veterans) could handle it, and yes, the odd one did it with pleasure.

 

It was always administered reasonably fairly, and we knew the rules.

 

Without it, my generation would never have received the remarkable practical education we got in those 10 short years. I failed the 11 plus twice, but in later life ended up teaching for a year at a grammar school in England, as well as being on the governing board of another, one of the top grammar schools in England. (not to mention my real job, a major consulting company in Canada)

 

Mr. Sowerby, Mr. Goulding, Mr Harley (ruler torture) and Mr Humpage, of Heeley Bank, would be well pleased with the results of their canings

Edited April 17, 2016 by trastrick

[jake 10]

A

 

I got it more than the average, and I can tell you it kept me in line

 

It cannot have worked that well if you had to keep being caned!

[trastrick 866]

It cannot have worked that well if you had to keep being caned!

 

On the contrary, I learned that the world always rewards wise choices, and mercilessly punishes the foolish ones.

 

(The teachers had common sense on their side in those days)

 

A stitch in time....

 

Spare the rod.....

 

There's no free lunch.....

 

That sort of thing

Edited April 17, 2016 by trastrick

[Justin12 10]

Corporal Punishment remained lawful in State Schools until 1987 - I have no dispute regarding that . Nevertheless its application had to be 'reasonable'. My point is that if a pupil was beaten to the point where he was made to bleed, he had not been punished - but physically abused. The master responsible would have committed the serious criminal offence of Actual Bodily Harm (ABH) and faced action in the Courts. Some of the incidents I am referring to are as recent as the mid to late 1970s.

[sharonxxxx 10]

i was actually cained at school back in the 70s for something ridiculas and cant believe my dad allowed it they had organised a trip to blackpol for a long weekend and came to collect me from school early on the friday

i was cained on my hands to be able to leave early ? imagine that theese days

 

also once for running across the grass

[cookingfat50 10]

I was caned at gleadless valley sec school I got 6 strokes on my hand for losing my hymn book which was nicked out of my desk I was given 6 strokes on my hands by mr hughes the headmaster then god did it hurt felt tears in my eyes but kept them under control felt the pain in my hands all day never got the cane again

[SputnikBoy 10]

I remember a riddle of sorts that someone posted on the wall at Crookes Endowed School circa 1956. It went:

 

What goes up with a swish and comes down with a whack?

 

Mr. Glossop's cane.

 

I received the cane on several occasions. I was both mentally and physically scarred. Is it too late to sue the school? I'm a little strapped for cash . . .

[TORONTONY 10]

I remember a riddle of sorts that someone posted on the wall at Crookes Endowed School circa 1956. It went:

 

What goes up with a swish and comes down with a whack?

 

Mr. Glossop's cane.

 

I received the cane on several occasions. I was both mentally and physically scarred. Is it too late to sue the school? I'm a little strapped for cash . . .

 

It's you that should be sued for that last line LOL:D

[stpetre 12]

i was actually cained at school back in the 70s for something ridiculas and cant believe my dad allowed it they had organised a trip to blackpol for a long weekend and came to collect me from school early on the friday

i was cained on my hands to be able to leave early ? imagine that theese days

 

also once for running across the grass

 

Sorry, but I think they should have given you a dictionary instead of the cane.