Mass canings common, punishment book reveals
The traditional “six-of-the-best” was rare at
Wednesbury Boys’ High School, but mass canings were not. This is revealed in an
analysis of punishment books between the years 1958 and 1974 at the school in the
English midlands.
A website of old
boys’ memories of the school reports, “It is interesting to note that ‘six-of-the
best’ was a very rare occurrence. Indeed, I spotted only one – for defacing
school furniture.
“There seem to have been a lot of mass canings –
often for ‘attending a fight’ or ‘condoning a brawl’.
“The tariff (that is, how many strokes were
administered) did seem to vary enormously, and obviously consistency was not a
worry for ECW [Edgar C. Whitcombe, the headmaster]. Some of the offences for
which caning was used seem laughable today. My favourite is three strokes for ‘singing
at the end of morning service’.
“One name (surname beginning with M) seemed to crop
up several times on every page in the early 60s. I would love to know how he
turned out, for it was clear that he did not respond well to authority!”
It is reported that the punishment was always
carried out at break, in the headmaster’s study, whose window was clearly
visible from the tennis courts and nearby playground. “Great entertainment.
There was always another member of staff present, and his initials were
recorded in the book.”
Pages from the punishment books appear on the website.
Traditionalschooldiscipline@gmail.com
It's a interesting and rare chance to view a genuine punishment book, even if hard to read some of it due to the headmasters unclear writing. But when these examples come up it does always seem to show only a few each month and often dates can be weeks apart.
ReplyDeleteWhich doesn't tie in with most memories of more frequent canings and certainly not the times several of the readers have of joining the line up outside the study. So not every punishment was recorded (and slippering wasn't noted down, the games master would have filled a book up most terms if he had needed to record). I only remember seeing the head write in the book once and that's sticks in my mind as can remember having mind block on my form number when he asked due to being in shock and pain from the just delivered caning. In the end Mr Parker who had brought me to the head stated it was 3N!