Chastisement Across the Ages10

He began enlarging his activities in his office itself: at one time, during the school-vacations, a “resident housemaster” was to be seen there, who professed himself ready to give free advice on the upbringing of boys. And his advice was sometimes actually sought. According to reliable accounts, a long discussion might take place as to the respective advantages of beating on the bare buttocks or of providing the coverage of trousers or shorts. On this topic, as the “resident housemaster” himself admitted, “there are two schools of thought;” he himself was inclined, but not in every case perhaps, to favour the directer method. It was more humiliating to the boy, and thus provided an element of punishment which enabled the master to take a more lenient attitude in the beating itself; it was thus, in the long run, kinder to the lad. But, of course, circumstances alter cases.

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