Is it true that the reason for caning the bare flesh was to allow the teacher to see the marks that he was making and any other marks on the victim’s buttocks? I had always assumed that the excuse was a: to make sure there was no padding, b: because it hurt more c: to cause embarrassment d: to create a sense of drama and tension.

What about teachers who were never caned as children? (I went right through school without ever getting caned or ever even seeing a cane. It was done at my school, but behind closed doors, and only to the worst kids — bullies and vandals — not for naughtiness and mischief. I’m betting it was the well-behaved kids, not the bullies and vandals, who went on to become teachers.)