Eastmoor High School in Wakefield.

Some members might enjoy this thread and I respect that others might not. Nothing of great significance, but interesting if one is a collector of SCP material. For me, I find it interesting and it does leave me wondering……..

It’s about Eastmoor High School in Wakefield and its often erratic and Ill-tempered headmaster, Mr. Michael Schafer. He and his school made the newspapers in 1980 (And I’m angered that I no longer have the newspaper cutting) amid reports that it was one of the heaviest caning schools in the U.K. According to a STOPP investigation Eastmoor High School recorded 377 incidents of SCP on a school roll of just 613 pupils during 1978/79. SCP was administered to both boys and girls. And with somebody like Mr Schafer as the school’s head, I question if there were any unrecorded incidents of SCP.

It seemed that the teachers were fearful and disturbed by his behaviour and aggressive demeanour. On reading the report it reminds me a little of Mr Ings at Bacons, who did cane girls. Also, Mr Gardiner at The Intake Performing Arts School was another who acted irrationally. He too, caned girls, even sometimes in front of the school (On the hand, only!) Thus, I’m left wondering if Mr Schafer caned girls, also, rather like the aforementioned. According the Wakefield Metropolitan Council SCP Regulations, submitted to STOPP, he shouldn’t have done so. It states ‘authorised women teachers, only.’ The regulations do not say that it MUST be on the hand for girls, but my guess is that it would have been. The Wakefield regulations are quite detailed and specific about some of its regulations. For example, it set the usual ‘guidelines’ that most LEAs set. But Wakefield MC set what they call a ‘RULE,’ which had to be adhered to. Girls’ being caned by a female member of staff, only, was one such ‘RULE’
But with Mr Schafer’s management style and aggression, I do question if he broke that rule. You shall see included on attachment a report from STOPP regarding his eventual sacking from the school as well as the Wakefield MC SCP regulations.

Below also is a Friends Reunited post from a female pupil at Eastmoor High School. Although she is not suggesting she was caned by Mr Schaffer, she certainly comments on his behaviour:

Friends Reunited Post
Eastmoor High, Irwin Crescent, Wakefield

1978 – Mr Schafer             Added by Valerie Winn

I remember Mr Schafer using the cane and going scarlet shouting and strutting about the stage. Oh happy times!!! If anyone has any photos of pupils between 1975 – 1978 please could they put them on this site. Thanks.
*************
I look forward to your thoughts

Enjoy….

Paul

Wakefield was the territory of Sir Alec Clegg and the “rules” may well have been established in his time.  A talk he gave in 1972 demonstrated his view of the approach that the best head teachers should have:

1.                 That there is good in every child, however damaged, repellent or ill-favoured he or she might be.
2.                 That success on which a teacher can build must somehow be found for every child.
3.                 that all children matter.
4.                 that happy relationships between head, teachers, and pupils are all important.
5.                 that the life of the child can be enriched by the development of his/her creative powers.
6.                 that encouragement is far more important than punishment.
7.                 that teachers just as much as pupils need support and thrive on recognition.

I imagine that Schafer would not have lasted long if he had been acting in that way whilst Clegg was the Director of Education for the West Riding of Yorkshire.

Hello, HCJ44,
Lovely to hear from you. Thank you

Also, thank you to Cathy. I suppose you simply had to try and be on your best behavior and not give him ammunition to spank.

HCJ44: I didn’t know that. If we are honest much of what Sir Alec Clegg says is true. Number 4 is paramount for a successful school. Perhaps, too, schools were too stifling in our day.

……….And of course,. another headmaster who could have been added to the list of ‘headmasters acting irrationally’ is Mr Armstrong, headmaster for many years at Harold Hill Grammar and an exponent of cane swishing. He certainly had a reputation.

He once slippered a sixth form girl after she was seen in the school during break time. She was merely keeping out of the bleak winter chill (1962). Years later he caned a girl whom he spotted standing outside a classroom during lesson time. She’d been sent there after a fracas with a boy..   A misdemeanor yes, but to march her into his office without investigating the matter first?
Thank you, both
Paul

Paul
Thanks for the info on Mr Armstrong.. I presume this is accurate.  Instances of CP on sixth formers in the UK is very rare indeed and I was not aware of this one. ; Even at my (heavy use of the cane ) boys only grammar school it was accepted that 6th formers were exempt. You have probably seen my post elsewhere concerning the caning of the teenage daughters of a friend their boarding school in Australia.where it seems older pupils were not so lucky.

Hello, Sir John,
Many, many thanks
Oh, yes….oh, yes, I do  recall the daughters at the Australian boarding school!!!!
Yes, the post was added by the sixth form girl from Harold Hill Grammar on FR. Not too much detail.Sadly, it could..  it could have been a ‘hold your hand out, girl,’ variety! She doesn’t say. 1962, who knows?
From what was gleaned on FR, Mr Armstrong was an excellent headmaster who was well liked. But it was a heavy caning school.
The years pass by quickly, but I think it was about four years back when Mr Armstrong sadly passed away.
It was clear he was not afraid to cane a girl.

I did like the comments of Stuart regarding his thoughts on caning girls…….but ‘bare bottom spankings’…….I love the tongue-in cheek humour of the man!

Again, I hold my breath in anticipation of A.L’s comments.

Thank you, Sir John

Don’t you think “Armstrong” is the perfect name for a cane-wielding headmaster? Almost as graphic as “Whackham!”

Thank you, Stujos

Oh, I do! I do. Agreed!
What about Mr Payne or Mr Smart……or even Mr Kane!!!

Cheers
Paul
P.S Mr  Brandham, Mr Butt