This was often accepted. It would do two things. It certainly added to the boys punishment that the person was watching him being punished. Secondly, it did deter people from coming into the school complaining about minor things.
Having dealt with these those that had dirty shoes were asked to come in and it was one stroke of the cane on each hand before being sent back to class. The boys without handkerchiefs were then called in and they would then get one stroke on each hand before being sent to get a sheet of toilet paper to use as a handkerchief and then return to class.
After this it was the turn of those that either did not have gas masks or had things inside the box. They would be given a short lecture about the importance of gas masks and those that had left it at home were told that on going to the shelter they would be handed one.