I've put the following on a couple of similar forums over the last two days - thought I'd put it here as well. But because it's a webpage, I'm not as comfortable just putting it up with all names intact, so I've modified it. Just paranoid that if certain of my old friends ever find it they'd feel I'd embarassed the school. Someone else might post the name - either because they've read this elsewhere, or can guess the school - not incredibly well known, but anyone who knows it could probably ID it pretty easily. If they do, fine. Just not me.

It's some quotes (every quote I could find) referring to corporal punishment from a recently published history of the prep school I attended, followed by some comments by me. Thought it might be of interest to some people even in this form.

'Father McC was already seventy-two years old when he began at (Prep School). He was gentle and cheerful, with a keen sense of humour. *He didn't teach the younger boys in class. He was very fatherly and chatty. I remember he used to come and talk to the boys, but mainly the big boys.* Some (Prep School) boys remember him as particularly strict - he strapped boys at assembly in front of the whole school for serious offences.'

'Mr C, master and prefect of discipline at (Prep School) from 1937 to 1940, slept in (Boarding House) with the boarders. *Once we were ready for bed, we would sit on our beds in a circle around him. He would read us something like 'The Lives of the Saints' and then something humorous, usually Wodehouse.* He was also in charge of maintaining law and order at night and would walk around the house for about half an hour after 'lights out' until he was sure all the boys were asleep. BM remembers that *he could lose his temper and he could hand out the strap indiscriminately, so if you though of mucking about in the boarding house after lights were out with C., you knew that if you were caught you were going to get slammed.'

'To younger boys Father C *had wrinkles and silvery-coloured hair, and was a very stern looking man. We knew that he had a big strap; he didn't use it much, but when he did, it hurt.*'

'Father MF taught at (Prep School) throughout this exciting period of rebuilding and regeneration. He began at (Prep School) in 1954, teaching French, History, Latin and Religion. He was a genial, witty soul, with a sterner side, but he also offered wise counsel to those in need. Affectionately known as 'F', he went to class armed with a strap in his pocket. The strap 'mysteriously' disappeared one day after a class of boys had experienced its sting. Until recently its whereabouts had never been revealed, until another teacher confessed to having confiscated it.'

'Mrs M was a small woman, gaining from some cheeky boys the name of 'Pipsqueak'. MC remembers Miss M as delightful but reasonably strict. By 1964 she was teaching Grade 3; a dear lady, caring, and a person whom MR remembers with real affection. *Miss M was a very small person in stature. I recall one day as a class (which numbered around forty-three) walking to the old chapel situated in (Building). Walking behind Miss M I passed a comment to a fellow student that I was taller than her. She paused, turned around, and pointing to her temple said that what mattered most was who was the bigger in there. Her discipline was that of a ruler on the knuckles. The only way of lessening the punishment was by way of raising your hand as high as you could, making it difficult for her to strike.*'

'Classrooms were also the site of much of the disciplining of boys that seemed necessary. The ethos of discipline was not simply one of punishment, but one that pervaded all aspects of schooling, finding expression, for example, in imposed periods of silence or marching in lines. Most students and staff recall that punishment at (Prep School) in the first thirty years or so varied, but was rarely sadistic. In comparison with contemporary schools, including (Brother Prep School), (Prep School)'s use of corporal punishment was always relatively lenient. Until recent years many (Members of a Particular Order) and some lay staff used the strap to punish certain kinds of misbehaviour - never more than six cuts per boy per day was the rule. Penals, a form of detention in which students were usually set lines to write, was another form of discipline. But for most student it is use of the strap that has made the deepest impression. On BL's first day of school, for example, Father C came over to the classrooms to talk to the school. *He said he would start to tell us about the (Order) traditions, about how discipline was most important for boys, and that while you were under the (Order) at (Prep School), and later at (Senior School), discipline was the most important thing in the school program. He said, "There are a few rules around here. One rule for you younger boys is that you are not allowed to climb trees", and he pointed to the two big Cyprus trees that used to be between (Building) and the classrooms."* Inevitably, of course, one of the new boys decided to put this to the test, and when caught several branches up was sent home for the day after receiving four cuts for his trouble.

In the 1970s there was no written policy in relation to discipline, which was approached much as it had been in earlier years and was mainly based on responding to boys' unacceptable behaviour such as homework not done, disobedience or misbehaviour in the yard. Penals were held twice a week after school, and the strap - only ever used by male staff - was gradually being used less. PH, who was appointed to attend to disciplinary matters, began at (Prep School) in 1971. He had taught previously at (a senior school) where he was Prefect of Discipline. He also taught Geography, History, and later Latin to Years 7 and 8, and introduced the study of Civics into the school curriculum. Students and parents remember him as a reliable and highly organised teacher and as an excellent sports coach. By his presence in the school as a long-serving teacher he has sought to find creative solutions to discipline and behavioural policy.

The 1980s saw the beginning of a completely new approach to discipline. PH and MJ drew up the (Prep School) School Rules in 1986, with the aim of setting specific goals for boys' behaviour and focusing on acceptable boundaries. The rules covered behaviour in such areas as travelling to school, classrooms, lunch breaks, the library, sport and examinations. In the same period, the school introduced the 'strap book,' through which staff became more accountable for their disciplinary techniques by having to record each use of the strap. The culture of discipline was changing in the wider community, and well before the final entry in the strap book (in 1990), use of the strap had rapidly diminished.'

'Once outside for play and lunch breaks, boys saw more of those who had special responsibilities in the play area. Brother McD, for example, *was the disciplinarian with the strap in the school yard. You really weren't a (Prep School) boy, it used to be said, unless you'd been strapped by Brother McD. But he didn't really hurt or hit hard. Everybody was aware of his voice and his strap. His favourite expression was "Hey, you boy! Here, you boy!", and you jumped if you were a boy.*'

COMMENTS: I left this school in 1988 at age 13 - so towards the end of the time they still used the strap. I have to say if its use had rapidly declined at that time, it must have been used an awful lot in the past. There were sixty boys in my year level - and I'd say three were strapped in any given week. I was strapped by three of the teachers mentioned above - by Brother McD, by PH (who was my form master when I was 12) and by MJ (form master in my final year). I guess it's true that Brother McD didn't hit that hard - but it was still easily hard enough to make an impression on a ten year old. Back when I was ten, he used to carry a strap in his pocket in the playground as he had for many years. But he stopped doing that fairly soon after - maybe the changes meant he wasn't allowed to. It did not however stop him disciplining boys. When I was 13, I dared to backchat him after he had mildly reprimanded me at recess. His hand just swung out and - well, he smacked my bottom. I don't think it hurt at all. But I was 13 - I was one of the oldest boys in the school, I had a really high opinion of myself and thought I was very grown up. And this happened in public - dozens of people saw it. I disintegrated into tears. I was totally mortified, utterly embarassed. Looking back on it, it was probably a very good thing considering my attitude. In a second, that man completely reminded me that no matter what I thought of myself, I was still a child, and he was the one in charge, and I could not get away with defying him in any shape or form.

I see a lot of tough kids in schools today, getting into deep, deep trouble - and I wonder if they'd have learned the same lesson.

interesting but long

Is length a problem? I would have thought people would appreciate some decent length factual posts that are ontopic for this forum.

No skin off my nose - I've other places to post where people appreciate reading this.

Unfortunately, Pseudonym, this forum has been taken over by a group of people who think it is clever to make 'smart' remarks and ridicule serious posts. I enjoyed your thoughtful message. Thank you for taking the time to write.

I enjoyed reading your piece, Pseudonym, so please keep posting!

I am not sure who is in the clique nowadays, Seth. We have not heard from some of them for quite a while.

Margaret

the observation was merely factual,not meant as a 'smart remark', apologies for any confusion caused