Mass caning of schoolboys who misbehaved on bus

 

Twenty boys received six strokes of the cane each in a mass punishment following an official enquiry into the conduct of pupils on buses returning from Douglas High School to the West of the Island, the Isle of Man Courier, Ramsey, reported on 9 February 1973.

The incidents happened on Monday and Tuesday. On Tuesday night police stopped the bus at St John’s and boys on the top deck were put off the bus.

Mr Frank Luckman, the school’s headmaster, said: “We conducted an enquiry into this matter, and I and my assistant head caned 20 boys who were on the top deck of the bus and had been concerned in these incidents.

“This was a very serious affair and one not to be considered lightly by anyone.

“A particularly bad feature was that some of the boys involved were fifth-formers and should have known better.

“They should have set an example to the younger boys.”

Mr Luckman said it was fortunate for the boys that the matter was dealt with by the school rather than the police.

Mr H. Taverner, the assistant head, said they had received a report about the behaviour of the boys who were all interviewed.

It was felt that what had happened was dangerous and the boys had been punished.

Apparently the boys on the journey from Douglas to Peel had been running from side to side of the bus making it rock dangerously.

Picture credit: Unknown.

News report sourced from Corpun where you can also read follow-up news reports on the case.

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