Headmaster who caned exam slackers has no regrets

 

Governors of Haverfordwest Grammar School last night passed a vote of confidence in the head, Mr. William Thomas, who recently gave a number of boys “four of the best” for their poor examination results.

In his statement the headmaster said that after the examinations he looked through the marks of all the boys. A number appeared to have done badly in several subjects. It occurred to him that possibly in some cases they had not worked and could have done better. He called a staff meeting and discussed about 30 cases.

“The staff were unanimous of the opinion that seven of these boys had been slacking and could have done infinitely better,” he said. “I decided to cane those boys and I make no apology for caning them.

“In the case of six or seven boys there was an element of doubt. The staff could not say they had been slacking, but there was a suspicion. I sent for these boys and gave them a lecture. I gave them the benefit of the doubt and a warning.”

“In the case of the remaining 16 or 17 boys the staff considered they had done as well as they could and I did not even see these boys,” he said.

Mrs. Ann Norman, a school governor, said: “I regret that the stick can’t be used more. Perhaps then we would have less delinquency.”

 

Extracted from the Western Mail (Cardiff), 3 March 1959.

Picture credit: Sting Pictures

 

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