I was one of the last batch of pupils to be caned in English state schools, in 1986, at the age of 13. There can’t be many under the age of 30 who have felt its sting – for my misdemeanour, a rather dangerous prank; I set off the school fire alarm on the last day before the school holidays. The 20 anniversary would be in about 3 weeks’ time.
The procedure was that you were sent to the Head, and allowed to make a statement. I couldn’t really defend myself, and I heard him ring the prefects’ room, and tell them that he needed 2 of them to come in, as he had to give a boy – then the dreaded words ‘SIX OF THE BEST’. Fortunately, my brother, who was deputy head boy, wasn’t available, but I learned afterward that he wouldn’t have expected him to be a witness anyway.