the anarchy of the late 70’s took a little longer to reach us in the Home Counties 
We had a few rebellious types in school, but I’d say the majority of us had had a healthy(?) level of respect for authority drilled into us over the years.
My headmaster was a short man (not a little man though!), and I suspect that by the time I was 16 I must have been much the same height as him. I don’t think I was ever scared of him per se, but was certainly fearful of what he could, and frequently did, do to me.
I guess I’ve always been a bit on the submissive side, always looking to steer the course of least resistance. When something is really worth fighting for I will do so, but, most of the time, and probably on my last day in school, I guess I didn’t think it worth the trouble. I’d been caned before, so once more wouldn’t hurt (who am I kidding – it was bloody agony!!).