Memories: Six on the bare behind

 

A headmaster who gave boys six-of-the-best on their bare behinds was fondly remembered by former pupils. Readers of a small monthly newsletter called Chesterton Gossip in Staffordshire in June 2003 recalled ‘Dickie’ Slaney who was headmaster at the Junior Boys School in Albert Street, in the 1940s to the 1960s.

Mr Slaney had just one punishment for any boy who disobeyed him or brought the school into disrepute, six of the best across the bare behind, reader Paul Cannell recalls. ‘It was a punishment which was rarely carried out but no boy ever came back for a second helping.’

Another reader, Mr J W Williams, recalls, ‘He was a firm believer in the old adage, “spare the rod and spoil the child” and I must say that I have yet to meet any of his old pupils who would disagree with his philosophy.

‘Anti-social behaviour whether it occurred in or out of school hours would not be tolerated. He let it be known that retribution would be painful and anyone who ignored the warnings were shown just how painful, sometimes in front of the whole school, which tended to deter others from misbehaviour …

‘Boys need to be taught what is and is not acceptable behaviour and I am afraid that we are reaping the results of the lack of appropriate punishment for the vandals, muggers and petty thieves who are making so much trouble nowadays. The so-called do-gooders will have it that corporal punishment is not the answer and it doesn’t work. Dickie Slaney proved that it does if applied hard enough.’

The Chesterton Gossip newsletter had been available online, but it seems it is no longer available.

Picture credit: Darrien.

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