I Received Corporal Punishment At School

Aged about 10 or 11, during a lunch break I was caught by a teacher, Miss Moran, in a part of the school playing fields that was strictly out of bounds. To make matters worse, when she asked me what I was doing I said something wet, like "Nothing, Miss" or "I don't know Miss." She told me to go and wait outside the head's office.

After I had been waiting 15 minutes or so, Miss Moran came in and went into the head's office. A couple of minutes later the headmistress opened the door and told me to come in. There was a crook-handled cane on her desk. She told me to touch my toes and gave me three strokes - not exceptionally hard, but hard enough to sting and bring tears to my eyes.

Except that she didn't. I think the teacher had intended to ask the head to cane me, but thought better of it, so instead I got an hour's detention. At the time I suppose I was relieved. But I now think it would have done me no harm to be caned. And I hated detentions!

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Sharon · F

When I was 10 at primary school I went out to a local sweet shop one break time. Unfortunately I was seen returning. Luckily I'd already eaten the sweets I bought. I had to bend over in front of the class, my skirt was turned back and I got 6 hard smacks with the slipper across my knickers.

MartinII · 70-79, M

That would have been a suitable punishment for me, I think. Unfortunately teachers at my school weren't supposed to use the slipper.

Sharon · F

@MartinII: I've often found that what teachers were supposed to do bore little relation to what they actually did.

MartinII · 70-79, M

@Sharon: It varied at my primary school. The PE master used the slipper. (We have talked about PE teachers before!) And I once saw Miss Moran, the mistress in my story, spank a boy in the changing room after games - rather ineffectually, as it happens. She must have been out of practice.

Sharon · F

@MartinII: The slipper wasn't used much at my primary school and, when it was, it was only 2 or 3 smacks. 6 was exceptional but it reflected the seriousness of my offence and the fact I was an habitual offender. I don't know why I didn't get the cane for it.

MartinII · 70-79, M

@Sharon: Woud it be fair to say, if you were an habitual offender, that corporal punishment had no deterrent effect on you?

Sharon · F

@MartinII: Yes, at most it was just an inconvenience.

MartinII · 70-79, M

@Sharon: And an hour's detention (at grammar school, two hours on a Saturday afternoon) is so much more inconvenient than a sore bottom, especially if you are used to the latter!

Sharon · F

@MartinII: That just cruelty but it can also inconvenience some teachers so they have to balance that with their sadistic streaks.