Slightly off subject. It was regarded as rather inappropriate to put an 11-year-old boy over your knee and hand spank him even in 1940. Not because of any sexual fears from parents, nor about the fact that the bottom may have been bared but, sounded cold, and the hand did not sting enough.
One interesting note. In top juniors, it was not regarded as a suitable punishment for boys as it did not hurt enough. It was regarded as wrong for a male head to spank a girl over his knee after about ten for other objections, but not for a female to take a boy over her knee and even bare his bottom for the spanking. Most complaints seem to be when males spank girls but not the other way around. Nothing would be said that it was wrong that she should do it, only that it did not hurt enough.