Corporal Punishment at a local school...

A recollection of Public Corporal Punishment.

How old was I? I don’t know. Who took me there? I don’t know. Why did they take me there?  I don’t know. Why don’t I know the answers to these questions? I don’t know. What do I know? 

I know that we were at a local County Secondary Modern School. That was the title by which I knew the place some years later. But that name does not convey the entire story, for there was also an infant school on the premises, in fact housed in the same building as the Secondary School. The whole premises may have had a slightly different name but I don’t know it. The Infant School in that building was the first school I went to. Although I suppose that at the time I did not know my age, I recall being told on many occasions that I was four and a half years old and that I started earlier than some other kids, possibly because I could already read, having been taught at home by my mother – I was told. The one dealt with here is the Secondary School.

I recall that it was an evening, but I do not recall what season it was. I was certainly not cold nor do I recall being hot, or anything about the journey to and from the school. Given the nature of the event I guess that it was the late summer of 1951.

Something else that I recall is that I was taken to another similar sized event in the same place. When the event that is the subject of this examination occurred I was of pre-school age – but only just – and by the time of the other event I was of school age. They were each bigger than anything I had ever attended before – or attended for many years thereafter.

When I say ‘big’ I mean that every inch of space appeared to be occupied, and that a lot of people were stood up at the back and side of the room. The room was ‘the hall’, the main room in the school and the largest room I encountered in my life until I was much older. Largest that is if I don’t count the dining rooms at the Holiday Camps where we went for family holidays in the few years subsequent to then.

The hall was high ceilinged with visible timber vaulting and heavy horizontal steel rods, in tension, holding or pulling the hammer beam vaulting together. Around three sides of the hall, at interval were doors opening directly into classrooms, maybe five or six, each classroom being separated from the Hall with a shoulder height wall topped with multi-paned opaque glass panels. The wall opposite the classrooms was of similar construction. The glass walls were presumably to ensure maximum light penetration. At each end of the hall was an entrance, one primary being nearest to the staff offices, and the secondary being nearest kitchens.

With others I was situated nearly at middle of primary end. My angle of view suggests to me that I was standing, and that would fit with the sombreness of the occasion.

At the opposite end of the hall to me, was a 4 foot high wooden stage, running almost the entire length of the room. Perhaps the stage had been put there purposely for the occasion, maybe it served some other purpose, I imagine that the latter was the case.

The hall was well lit but I do not recall how, but I know that when I knew the place later it had large diameter circular electric lights which were suspended from the beams on long metal tubes or rods.

The ceiling was plaster painted a uniform school off white, as was the beams, and the walls were similarly bland, devoid of decoration and pale green.

The venue having been described, I will now turn to the atmosphere. It was clearly a sombre serious occasion, and all those present appeared to know that. I see men clutching folded cloth caps, and looking down, and women with their hands on the shoulders of children half their height. All were standing looking towards the stage, across the void of empty floor, wooden floor. That was the first time I had ever seen herring bone pattern oak floor tiles, each about 2.5 to 3 inches wide and maybe eight inches long. The pattern of them mesmerised me and I long conjectured about them over the years. My eyes sought out where they ended at the edges of the room, they were finished by a double row of end to end tiles. I thought it was a marvel.

Standing on the stage, towards the left was a senior school pupil. His head was down and he was looking towards his feet, his hands clasped in front of him as if they were held there by handcuffs, which they were not. He was not facing the assembled audience, but toward the centre of the stage. Close by him, but not shielding him from the view of the audience, were two adult males, I think that they were teachers.

A man who I later was to know as ‘The Headmaster’, was standing facing the audience, and further – towards the right of the stage were several men and at least one woman, standing facing the audience. I later became aware, or of the belief, somehow that they were the teachers who worked at the school.

It was a moment of high drama. The audience all looked at the Headmaster, and were silent, giving attention.

Horizontal across his thighs held in both his hands was a curved stick. I was later to learn that this was ‘the cane’. He wore a hairy suit of green-khaki colour, and he had spectacles on. He was not a large man, and of slight build, his back was straight, and he spoke clearly – but trembled with emotion. I now have impression that he was unaccustomed to this situation, and imagine that he had never before done what he was about to do. Certainly I never again saw anything even remotely like what was about to happen.

The Headmaster spoke to the audience. His words were few and to the point. He did not fluster or prevaricate. I don’t know the exact words he used, but the gist was this. He said that the shamefaced boy to his right had been guilty of making a serious sexual assault on a girl, and that he was to be punished for it. He ordered the by now weeping and trembling boy to walk to the centre of the stage – to turn to face the way he had come - and bend down with his hands on his knees. Accompanied by an escort of the two male teachers – the boy who was taller than The Headmaster - hesitantly complied – he continued to look down all the time – and he looked pathetic, humbled, pale and weak. 

His brief explanatory speech over, The Headmaster briskly took off his suit jacket, and handed it to one of the male staff members. Then he walked towards the bended boy and without any further formality - holding it at one end he raised the cane in his right hand – high in the air – and brought it down with all the force he could muster and as fast as he could – it hit the boy across the buttocks – and his knees buckled – but not completely – there was no bravado displayed – the boy sobbed and tears fell. The physical aspect of his ordeal had begun – The Corporal Punishment. The boy recovered slightly and his bent knees straightened. This was a matter not to be rushed - but to be carried out to perfection. One of the two teachers signalled to the Headmaster that he could carry on. He repeated the performance – and as before his feet left the ground as he hit the boy. This time the boy was not so quiet. He yelped with pain – and his knees buckled even further than before - and begged that it stop – it was in vain. Each of the two escorting teachers took an arm and steadied the boy as he again bent and prepared for an excruciating punishing blow. It was not clear whether he was struggling against them or whether they were holding up. A third time – after what seemed like an age – the Headmaster raised and lowered his cane – in just the same manner as before – each time the cane made contact with the boys trouser covered buttocks – the sound was heard at the back of the hall. After this third blow the boys knees did buckle – completely – he fell to the floor in a kneeling position – sobbing furiously – but still not looking any direction but forward.

The head spoke…

People walked silently out of the hall…

The event had ended…

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Did I imagine the entire thing? 

If not then why does no-one else in my acquaintance admit to any knowledge of it?

I have enquired about it for years - and found no-one who acknowledges any memory of it.

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Can you or anyone known to you explain any of the above?

The Editor