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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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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 · 61-69, 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.