Corporal Punishment......

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sejintenej
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Re: Corporal Punishment......

Post by sejintenej »

East Gun Copse wrote:My memories of school in the early 50s, were that corporal punsihment was a very real fact of life. I can only remember once being beaten by a master and that was from Carey for some minor matter of not having learnt some facts in class. One stayed behind after the class for the punishment and it was then reported to ones housemaster who took you to task on it. What was more common and more painful was the authorised beating by monitors with their girdle. More often that not this was in the dormitory, usually for talking or being out ofd bed so one had only the pyjamas for protection. There was one occasion when a particular sadistic monitor beat one boy to such a severe extent that his peer group reported it to the housemaster. This was a culturally unheard of thing to do but indicated that this monitor had really gone too far.
In Col A no boy could give a beating even in the early 50's and I never heard of a beating for poor academic work - detentions yes. Monitors could only give running punishments - miles and PO paths. OTOH masters could and frequently did use the slipper and cane. One night (I think it was Jones in Prep A) every boy in the dormitory got a single stroke of the slipper; it was the early morning before term end and there was a pillow fight. I don't remember the cause but Kit came into the dayroom late (when monitors only were there) and announced that he had broken his record with 36 strokes applied amongst various boys. (His maximum was six per boy in one session).
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J.R.
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Re: Corporal Punishment......

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sejintenej wrote:
East Gun Copse wrote:My memories of school in the early 50s, were that corporal punsihment was a very real fact of life. I can only remember once being beaten by a master and that was from Carey for some minor matter of not having learnt some facts in class. One stayed behind after the class for the punishment and it was then reported to ones housemaster who took you to task on it. What was more common and more painful was the authorised beating by monitors with their girdle. More often that not this was in the dormitory, usually for talking or being out ofd bed so one had only the pyjamas for protection. There was one occasion when a particular sadistic monitor beat one boy to such a severe extent that his peer group reported it to the housemaster. This was a culturally unheard of thing to do but indicated that this monitor had really gone too far.
In Col A no boy could give a beating even in the early 50's and I never heard of a beating for poor academic work - detentions yes. Monitors could only give running punishments - miles and PO paths. OTOH masters could and frequently did use the slipper and cane. One night (I think it was Jones in Prep A) every boy in the dormitory got a single stroke of the slipper; it was the early morning before term end and there was a pillow fight. I don't remember the cause but Kit came into the dayroom late (when monitors only were there) and announced that he had broken his record with 36 strokes applied amongst various boys. (His maximum was six per boy in one session).
The legal 'limit' if memory serves, David.
John Rutley. Prep B & Coleridge B. 1958-1963.
Angela Woodford
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Re: Corporal Punishment......

Post by Angela Woodford »

Curious isn't it, that the threads "Corporal Punishment" and "Kissing Practice" should be running concurrently?
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Re: Corporal Punishment......

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Angela Woodford wrote:Curious isn't it, that the threads "Corporal Punishment" and "Kissing Practice" should be running concurrently?

Hmmmm !!
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efsis
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Re: Corporal Punishment......

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Having been thrashed quite often by various housemasters and headmasters during my penal service at CH I come to the conclusion that.
a. it did not do any good
b. I would never go to an Old Blues day because if I saw one of those who had thrashed me I am not certain that I could " keep a smile on my face " :D
c. " Sit-downs " were more effective.
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Re: Corporal Punishment......

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efsis wrote:Having been thrashed quite often by various housemasters and headmasters during my penal service at CH I come to the conclusion that.
a. it did not do any good
b. I would never go to an Old Blues day because if I saw one of those who had thrashed me I am not certain that I could " keep a smile on my face " :D
c. " Sit-downs " were more effective.
Thats interesting - I think I'd agree with (a) to a certain extent - but I found it did modify behaviour in the short term. Sadly, its made me a little paranoid about leaving clothes lying on the floor (the cause of a couple of slipperings - except it wasn't me that left my clothes on the floor!). In my junior house it did seem that corporal punishment seemed to be used at the drop of a hat and a little unfairly.
(b) is sad if you had a lot of friends at school - it is a good place to catch up at....not that I've been for a number of years mainly because of work rotas.
The only 'good' thing about corporal punishment is that it was over and done with without hanging round for a detention on a Wednesday or Saturday!

Am I a better person for it - I don't think so, it just helps me to remember that life isn't fair!
:?
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sejintenej
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Re: Corporal Punishment......

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Chris Blewett wrote: Thats interesting - I think I'd agree with (a) to a certain extent - but I found it did modify behaviour in the short term. Sadly, its made me a little paranoid about leaving clothes lying on the floor (the cause of a couple of slipperings - except it wasn't me that left my clothes on the floor!). In my junior house it did seem that corporal punishment seemed to be used at the drop of a hat and a little unfairly.
...........................
The only 'good' thing about corporal punishment is that it was over and done with without hanging round for a detention on a Wednesday or Saturday!
Am I a better person for it - I don't think so, it just helps me to remember that life isn't fair!
:?
Sure I got caned / slippered for things I didn't do - as Beare A could confirm, but OTOH I escaped punishment for things which did deserve the cane / slipper. Overall I reckon we came out about equal except I still have a bone to pick with two individuals for getting me into painful situations ...............
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Re: Corporal Punishment......

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efsis wrote: c. " Sit-downs " were more effective.
I would agree.
As a House monitor, one of my responsibilities was to take the juniors at bedtime, which basically meant making sure they didn't get up to too much mischief until the other monitors who slept in that dorm came up.
Early on I warned them that unless I could find a culprit for any mischief, they would all be on a sit down. Within the first week some were crawling around under the beds but got back before I could ascertain their names.
No-one owned up, so that Saturday they all sat on their settles facing the wall for an hour.
I only gave 8 punishments during the rest of the year, and I don't think they were dorm related, so as far as I was concerned, it may have been unfair on the innocent, but it was effective.
I also used to read to them on a Saturday, mainly Ian Fleming from what I can remember.
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sejintenej
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Re: Corporal Punishment......

Post by sejintenej »

jhopgood wrote: I only gave 8 punishments during the rest of the year, and I don't think they were dorm related, so as far as I was concerned, it may have been unfair on the innocent, but it was effective.
I also used to read to them on a Saturday, mainly Ian Fleming from what I can remember.
We didn't have "sit-downs". If you think about it, 40+ boys (ignore the monitors) very fit, potentially boisterous and very high standards to maintain, 8 punishments (I perhaps gave a dozen) in a full three terms is a very low score. Says a lot for the discipline from the age of 11. I wonder how many guests of HM we produced!
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LongGone
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Re: Corporal Punishment......

Post by LongGone »

sejintenej wrote:
jhopgood wrote: .
I also used to read to them on a Saturday, mainly Ian Fleming from what I can remember.

Ah yes: pushing the limits of allowed sexuality with James Bond stories. Actually the thing that sticks in my memory was being read Dracula and the door to the dorm creaking open at just the right moments for maximum effect.

More on topic: the only caning I remember was a mass affair after we tossed someone entire bedding out of the window in the middle of a rainstorm.
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NEILL THE NOTORIOUS
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Re: Corporal Punishment......

Post by NEILL THE NOTORIOUS »

I was beaten (Caned) six times during my time at CH ---- all of them deserved, and all administered by L.M.Carey.
One was instructed to change into Gym Shorts before the event -- as Housey breeches would be some protection.
The next part of the procedure invoved going into the changing room, for others to see the result ---- this depended on how cross LMC had been.
The normal spacing was about 1 to 2 "" apart, but if he felt that the punishment was especially deserved, I have seen examples of 4 within 2 " !!
All this was, of course, in my early years, and I was also beaten by Monitors, and did so myself -- it was the norm.

Apropos "Revenge" visits to Old Blues Day ------ One particular Monitor made my life Hell, as a Junior and , at the time, I would have loved to do him damage.

Years later, at an OB Day I met up with him again ------ he was actually quite small and puny, and I wouldn't have bothered !!!

I have always shuddered at the tales of Hertford punishments --- very psychological and evil !!!
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Re: Corporal Punishment......

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NEILL THE NOTORIOUS wrote:I was beaten (Caned) six times during my time at CH ---- all of them deserved, and all administered by L.M.Carey.
One was instructed to change into Gym Shorts before the event -- as Housey breeches would be some protection.
The next part of the procedure invoved going into the changing room, for others to see the result ---- this depended on how cross LMC had been.
The normal spacing was about 1 to 2 "" apart, but if he felt that the punishment was especially deserved, I have seen examples of 4 within 2 " !!
I can't remember - I think it was breeches but with a check to ensure that there wasn't a book hidden underneath. Unfortunately Hop-along- Kit was handicapped so cane blows landed where they would - from the back of the knees to the kidneys. Slipper blows wwere more accurate. Fortunately it was other housemasters who had the reputation for hard hitting so one just was thankful for small "mercies".
NEILL THE NOTORIOUS wrote:All this was, of course, in my early years, and I was also beaten by Monitors, and did so myself -- it was the norm.
Monitors could not give beatings (officially) in Col A. I got just one which put me in the infirmary for quite a while.
NEILL THE NOTORIOUS wrote:Apropos "Revenge" visits to Old Blues Day ------ One particular Monitor made my life Hell, as a Junior and , at the time, I would have loved to do him damage.
Revenge is divine - and I have never claimed to be God :twisted:
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Re: Corporal Punishment......

Post by J.R. »

As with David (above), beatings in Col B were always administered over breeches.

I got two, (I think), from N. Fryer, and one from R.A. Hewitt. Fryer was harder than Hewitt, but neither really troubled me. More shock value than causing severe physical pain. Certainly no skin damage, as I recall.

I would love to be able to get hold of the Col B Punishment Book, but I understand that after corporal punishment ceased, the Punishment Books all 'disappeared' !
John Rutley. Prep B & Coleridge B. 1958-1963.
sejintenej
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Re: Corporal Punishment......

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J.R. wrote: Fryer was harder than Hewitt, but neither really troubled me. More shock value than causing severe physical pain. Certainly no skin damage, as I recall.
Having been brought up in the extreme far wilds of Devon we were not bothered by funny things like lights moving across the night sky at high speed; in my first wek I was terrified and in consequence Mr Jones decided to give me something to take my mind off it. I don't know if the cane / slipper hurt; the shock was such that I couldn't breathe and came round under what I assume was Holger Neillsen. Definitely not nice.

Since at that time I couldn't even understand what he was jabbering about ............. A year or two later I found out what a plane is and no thanks to that CH housemaster..
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Re: Corporal Punishment......

Post by J.R. »

As I re-call, the slipper/gym-shoe was never used in the upper houses.

Definitely used in Prep B and administered by Mr Eagle, in the dorm, over pyjama bottoms.
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