I have a sneaking suspicion also, that at least some of the lady teachers thought baring a little boy’s bottom and smacking it rather cute, and may have derived a little harmless pleasure from so doing.
The reason that I say this, is that my Mother’s cousin was a teacher, and whilst visiting her on one occasion, and when I was supposed to be out playing whilst they had tea, I overheard Mum’s cousin saying something to the effect of how satisfying it was to smack a naughty little boy’s bottom,and they both chuckled about it.