As I have mentioned before, at my primary school my father was headmaster. He rarely used a cane as he hated doing so. Other pupils told me about canings they had received from him but never once was there any acrimony and he was perceived to be strict but fair.
The same attitude existed at grammar school even though the punishments were a good deal harder. I remember the words of a friend when being caned for the first time at grammar school after having been caught “scrumping” (taking apples from a tree) in a private garden adjoining the school. He told me “I got six with the thin end and it really hurt, but it was my own fault”.
His experience didn’t frighten us, but it made us more determined to watch our behaviour and avoid an unpleasant punishment.