Pinprick ruse backfires

 

One enterprising youngster received a stroke of the cane across his hand as punishment and two hours later, shortly before school closed, he was seen picking his hand with a pin to make it bleed. He had intended to tell his parents that the Master had done it. The Master found out and punished him again in front of the whole school.

This was one of the entries found in the school punishment book of Grewelthorpe, a village school in north Yorkshire, England.

Until corporal punishment was outlawed in 1987 schools had to keep records in a book of all physical punishments meted out.

Extracts from the punishment book at Grewelthorpe are online as part of a history of the village.

Offences that were punishable by the cane included: using bad language, indecency, telling lies, kicking and fighting and smoking, among numerous other ‘crimes’

Among entries revealed were: T. G. shook his fist at Miss Dale and used obscene language. He was caned twice on each hand and 4 times on his seat before the whole school.

Girls as well as boys were also caned:

E. P. had been circulating amongst the children papers on which were written figures which were easily construed into obscene words. She was punished severely.

More examples are on the Grewelthorpe village website

Picture credit: Unknown

Traditional School Discipline

Traditionalschooldiscipline@gmail.com


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