And yet: the way that Niven writes about his headmaster, it is clear that he accorded this man the greatest respect. There was no question of his feeling the object of unwanted sexual attention: it was a punishment, pure and simple. He had committed a serious offence, one which was capable of bringing the school into disrepute, and he accepted that the punishment had been justified.
Now I agree, it’s a long time ago. Society’s attitudes have changed. But the question I asked when opening the thread can still, I think, be illuminated by this example. Yes, there were teachers who used CP as an excuse for indecent actions, ones which may have caused serious damage to the children concerned. But there were other teachers who genuinely believed that physical punishment could be a force for good, and even those on the receiving end might agree with them.