Other boys at my school who had received the cane were in agreement with me on this point, and the cane was deeply feared by all of the boys, including the ‘toughies’. In my case, the cane seemed to me to be whacking in the same spot each time, although an inspection in the bathroom […]

I never received the fabled six, but in taking four of the very best from my ex-rugby fullback headmaster, I believe that I can safely say that each stroke counted and each one was a serious punishment in itself. Unlike getting the cane on my fingertips at primary school, where after 2 cuts, the fingers […]

As to fear , I suspect you are right.As I said fear of the unknown is great ,actually greater than fear of a known quantity ,and many regimes tried in the past to increase that level of fear. Sure a kid facing swats should be apprehensive , but not genuinely fearful, for fear has no […]

One of my school masters was a keen civil war re enactment guy, so we all went to watch him once at a recreated skirmish. He was a Roundhead officer……I’ll never forget when at one point the Roundheads looked to be routed but in due course they followed history and won. He then gave the […]

When I was eventually caned well it wasn’t so frightening ,( although some of that may have been because Jackie dispensed in my case with the ritual of waiting your turn , and the ‘build up’) or so terrible, so the threat of the ultimate deterrent disappeared for me and maybe for some of my […]

Maybe the real answer is the British like 6 because it is a perfect number: and the Americans don’t !!!! Maybe to them imperfect behaviour doesn’t deserve deserves a perfect number of licks, whereas we think it is the perfect solution!!!! The threat of the cane might not have been much of a deterrence to […]

She frequently refers to having given in the 70’s 2,3,5,and , in extremis ,up to 10 …..by the 80’s , in line with custom, reduced to a maximum of 5, with three as a ‘normal ‘ dose.Her daughter who paddles today as a High School VP in a Texas ISD says two or three is […]

My friend Jackie , when first appointed principal in the 70’s used up to ten swats. Why? Well simply because in her youth in the 50’s ,her worst paddling , for skipping school to attend a country music competition , was ten licks, therefore as she had received it she felt she was giving to […]

One possible source of ‘training’ could arise if a teacher was invited to act as witness to a caning given by the head teacher. It would be interesting to know whether they were ever given a cane and a pillow to practice on; God knows, one of my masters could have done with the practice. […]

This question has often crossed my mind. I guess not, as no-one seems to have ever mentioned it. Perhaps they developed their technique on the basis of prior experience. This would explain the differing style employed by the Headmaster and two senior masters authorised to cane at my school, which resulted in somewhat different sensations. […]