‘Unashamed disciplinarian’ reveals caning regime at nautical school
Mr. L. L. Janaway, an unashamed disciplinarian, who had been deputy head of Wellesley Nautical School, Blyth, for nine years described in 1967 the corporal punishment regime at the approved school.
Without having access to the school records, I cannot
tell how many times I have caned a boy.
It is not something one likes to dwell upon.
From my experience, the majority of boys sent to
Wellesley by the courts arrive at the school resentful of the fact that their
rights have been taken away but, once they have tasted the first pill of
discipline, they seem to be happy.
The first thing they find is that there are rules to
be obeyed and any infringement can lead to punishment, such as writing lines or
loss of leave and privileges.
LAST
RESORT
Withdrawal of leave and privileges means that he is
confined to the school and is not allowed to buy sweets or tobacco at the
tuckshop.
The most dramatic form of punishment, however, is the
Home Office-issued cane.
I must stress that before any disciplinary action of
any kind is taken, a hearing at which the boy is allowed to speak takes place.
Reports from staff members on each boy’s general
conduct and demeanour are submitted.
The maximum number of strokes a boy can
receive with the cane is eight though under special circumstances, a member of
the School Board of Governors can give permission for this to be increased to
12.
I cannot remember, however, any occasion at Wellesley
when 12 strokes were administered.
It is all very well people abhorring measures of this
kind, but I firmly believe the cane is a necessity as the ultimate punishment
when all other disciplinary measures have failed.
This applies particularly to the occasional appearance
of a bully in the school, which can be difficult to detect. Such a boy can
completely upset the balance of morale of the school.
Corporal punishment administered to the bully is of
immense value towards deflating him in the eyes of the other pupils and assuring
the smooth running of the establishment.
The cane must not under any circumstances, however, be
wielded indiscriminately. If this is done it loses its whole purpose and
effect.
A member of staff of an approved school becomes, in a
way, a psychiatrist. What would be good punishment for one boy, could be
entirely wrong for another.
As far as I was concerned, the caning of sensitive
boys was just not on. They felt far more the loss of privileges than the
toughies.
On the other hand, the tough boy is more likely to
benefit from strokes of the cane if the preamble before and after the caning is
expertly done.
Provided the staff member has won the respect of the
boys, the combination of a talking-to and the short, sharp shock of the cane
often does the trick. Mind you, there were still occasions when pupils took six
of the best and came up smiling.
Contrary to popular belief, the trousers
are not removed for the administration of corporal punishment. The boy is
requested to bend over a chair and the caning is done swiftly.
Stringent rules are observed and a caning has always
to be witnessed by another member of staff and entered into the punishment
book.
This book is signed by the visiting medical officer on
his monthly inspection of pupils and he is not beyond criticising if he thinks
that a particular caning has been administered badly.
NEEDED
During my time, I was in favour of corporal punishment
for absconders and for rudeness to members of the staff.
The former because of the trouble caused to the police,
school staff and on occasions the general public. The latter because, in an
approved school run on naval lines, discipline is the overriding factor.
I still believe there is a need for corporal
punishment in approved schools, provided it is subject to the decision of the
headmaster or his senior staff.
It is of the utmost importance, however, that school
staffs must be made up of men of the highest integrity who have understanding
and sympathy for the children in their charge.
I never gave an inch during my service at Wellesley,
but I know that I was trusted by the boys. They knew that caning was part of my
job, yet they also knew that if a caning was decreed it was a just decision.
Picture credit: Sting
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