I certainly think some parts of the history of the cane are better known than may have been true of the paddle, but I think an examination as extensive as that which has been applied to the paddle in this forum, might yield very interesting results. Generally I encounter in various places, claims along the lines of “The cane superseded the birch in English schools during the Victorian period, possibly because it allowed for greater modesty in punishment” but very little to back that up. It’s further back than I’ve really gone in my own research, but it is something I have on my list to look into at some point.
Origin and Reason for using the Cane1
