I Had Corporal Punishment At School

Between England and Australia, I went to six different schools and I experienced cp at all of them. Except for when first arriving in Australia, I attended Catholic schools and by the time I was ready for high school, I was sent to a private Catholic boys only.

I have vivid memories of being smacked on the back of my bare legs a Nun several times at my first school (a Convent school). Then as I progressed, it would be a ruler on the hands or legs and by the time I was in grade 6 & 7 (Australia), I and many other boys (never girls it seemed) would be taken into the corridor for a few whacks with the board ruler.

In high school there were rules and regulations for everything and a common consequence for breaking the rules was the cane. All the teachers, through to Home Group masters, Housemasters, the deputy Head and Headmaster all caned. Housemasters and higher were the ones that gave the more serious punishments. I never got anything less than 4 strokes from my Housemaster, but often it was 6 or 8. Prefects did not have any authority to administer cp, but they could report a boy and recommend the cane.

My attitude to it was somewhat ambivalent. I certainly didn't like it at the time of each punishment, but I also knew that I was the one misbehaving or flirting with the rules. With one exception, I cannot say I was caned unfairly or undeservedly and I certainly don't have any resentment. I had the opportunity to get not only a good education, but to enter high school as a boy and leave as a man prepared (somewhat) for the cruel and unpredictable world beyond. The fact that some of that preparation was beaten into me, is of no concern to me.

During high school I came to realise that I was one of those that definitely benefited from the application of rattan to the backside, and I still do! It keeps me grounded and sane.

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Gelly · 61-69, M

@caned4doz
My god. Thats amazing. Synchronicity!!!
I received both a delayed belting for being perceived horsing about on our Good Friday break up mass with family attendance. And for a Bunsen burner “event”.
First Mass. Miss Corrigan came over and told the three of us she would be administering a full 6 of the best to each of us on the return after the 2 weeks Easter holiday. To reflect on our unholy behaviour.
My mother believed me I wasn’t involved and wrote to the school.
It was a long 2 weeks. To be honest a full six of the best was to be dreaded. It would be my first.
We were duly punished on return. Letter achieved nothing. My mother told me the most important thing wasn’t that I was innocent but that I took it with dignity. ( welcome to early 80s)
None of us volunteered to her we were due a belting . But on return from break in her lesson the belt was ready and coiled on her desk. We knew the game was up. It really takes a while to administer 18 strokes in front of the class. It takes a hell of a lot to raise your hands for that 5th and 6th - the pain increase is exponential. None of us sobbed but tears were starting to run. I was furious at myself for allowing that.
A week later the other 2 wrote a letter saying I hadn’t been involved. My mother was summoned and an apology of kinds was offered. She didn’t make a fuss saying that they had their job to do and she appreciated boys needed a good dose of the strap from time to time ( thx mum! ). Miss Corrigan said she couldn’t take the strap of my hands but the next time I was due administrative discipline the tariff would be waived at her discretion.
10 minutes after my mother left I was summoned to the front for talking. Everyone was talking. . The standard “ next person to make a noise will feel my strap” warning had not been issued. Unfair. The heavy strap was taken from her handbag and then as though she had forgotten “ Oh! I won’t give you the strokes - tell your mother the balance has been righted”
Yeah. Right.

My Bunsen burner belting with Laura a tale for a later time.
I can’t believe 2 such similar events occurred in different systems.

Caned4doz · 70-79, M

@Gelly that is quite amazing to have the similarities. I suppose it just proves that boys around the world got up to mischief and none of it was unique.

My mother rarely got involved with my discipline other than to use the threat of informing my dad. That often quelled my exuberance but just as often the threat was carried out with the inevitable outcome.

Many have the view that Catholic schools had a monopoly on dishing out corporal punishment; that simply isn’t true. I knew then and since that other denominational schools were equally adept at using the strap or cane. Through inter-school sports I heard many stories from boys about the discipline and punishment they faced and some of my friends from primary school who moved to state high school also gave accounts of canings.

Sharon · F

Slipperings were everyday events when I was at school. There weren't many lessons where where no one got the slipper. The cane was used most days too. There was often a queue of boys and girls waiting to be caned.

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Sharon · F

@MaryWat Was it Deus nobis hanc otium concessit? Our school motto, over the main door was "lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate."

april50 · F

Very funny!

MaryWat · 80-89, F

@Sharon We are lifting the tenor of this discussion. No, the original Latin, inscribed under the city coat of arms on the front of the Punishment Book was Deus Nobis Haec Otia Fecit.

But I am sure my school shared the same Italian motto as did yours, except they must have invented some sort of invisible engraving over the front gates, as I never actually saw it. But it would have been entirely appropriate as there were many time it felt we were entering a new circle of hell. The very antithesis of divine or comedic.

HowardP · 80-89, M

An excellent memoire of what school discipline was like in those days. My schooling was in England, maybe 5-10 years before yours, and the cane was widely used - even our form masters could cane us, and a visit to the Headmaster invariably meant a severe caning leaving you in extreme discomfort for several hours.

But I spent most of my working life, including having my children, in Australia, and you have captured well the level of discipline in senior boys schools in Australia. You mention a private Catholic boys school, and there is little doubt Catholic school teachers - lay and ordained - had no mercy where it came to corporal punishment. But I am sure you also knew that discipline in non-catholic private school was almost as harsh! When I first went there in the 1960s, I was amazed at the casualness with which parents accepted their sons had been beaten at school.

Caned4doz · 70-79, M

@HowardP Thanks for your reply. I suppose a space of 5-10 years before my time would make a difference in attitudes. My transition from State primary schools in Australia to a private Catholic boys high school gave me the impression of a quantum leap in the level of discipline and consequent punishment. I wasn't delusional though and figured State high schools would also have been quick to whack boys. Not so sure about girls since I thought they were a protected species during primary school.

As for the attitude of parents, my father was a believer in cp and didn't hesitate to take the strap to me when I messed up and did so until I finished school. His attitude to me being caned was one of acceptance; I did the crime, so I paid the fine, so to speak. However, while he expressed his disapproval for my behaviour, he wasn't one to punish me again, unlike some kids parents did.

oneofnine · 70-79, M

The cane played a part in my upbringing too.

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Caned4doz · 70-79, M

@NortiusMaximus and @Gelly I went to six schools in total, three each in England and Australia. There was cp at all of them but interestingly I never encountered the ‘slipper’.

My last school was a private Catholic boys and the cane readily used even for the relatively minor classroom offences. Never was a choice given, we simply had to take whatever punishment was deemed appropriate by the teacher. I’ve often wondered about choice of punishment. Would the teacher be mean and decide (say) “you don’t want lines so that’s what you’ll get”.

NortiusMaximus · M

@Gelly It would have depended on who was going to administer the caning and how many strokes.

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Caned4doz · 70-79, M

@Nikkii I've pondered that over the (too) many years since I left school. There are two occasions I think of but for different reasons. The first was when I was 2 months short of turning 14. It was tradition for a Mass to be held in the school chapel at the start of each term. It was a stinking hot day and yet we had to wear our blazers during Mass. I got ratty and fidgety and even muttered swear words while lining up for Communion. My housemaster had observed me and after mass he pulled me aside, ranted about my disgusting behaviour and ordered me to report to him at lunch break. I was lectured again and given 12 of the cane. I consider that 'worst' only on account of the number of strokes, but I knew I had done wrong so I accepted it.

The other occasion was a year or so later. I and 2 other boys were on detention and assigned to cleaning one of the labs. One boy mucked about and lit the gas tap without the bunsen attached. The jet of flame scorched the bench top and created an almighty stink from the thick vinyl benchtop. The third boy was quick to turn off the gas while I grabbed the fire extinguisher. At that moment the science master appeared. He figured out what had happened and demanded an explanation. For some reason I was singled out as the culprit. I denied it of course but I wasn't going to be labelled a dobber and say who did light the gas (dobbers got a hard time at school). Sadly the boy who did the deed kept silent. I got 8 of the cane. I consider that a 'worst' punishment because I was innocent. The coward who kept silent did get his comeuppance, which helped.

MrVintage71 · 51-55, M

The came was banned by the time I was in juniors,but the deputy head still carried around,as a threat

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