T.S. Indefatigable

[happy daze john in oz]

In the 50's and 60's most schools in UK still had corpral punishment, the cane being the most used weapon.

But having to write lines by the 100's or even 1000's was often used.
We had one guy who for a small fee would do then for you, the most stupid of lines were the ones dished out by a MR. Bean, an Indian teacher who took history lessons.

'I must control' was his favorite but what to control, he never said.

At the Vindi we had one officer who thought it was great fun to get us all up in our hut at about 0200 hours and have us stand there for 30 minutes or so.
Sadists such people are.

[Fouro]

#90.As it was compulsory we all had to attend schools and accept corporal punishment if one deserved it. In Scotland we were punished with what was called the 'tawse' a length of hard leather about 3 inches wide and about 18 inches long split into two tails at one end.
Anyway the use of the dreaded tawse for corporal punishment in Scottish schools came to an end in 1987 thirty seven years after I left school in 1950.

Regards from
Fouro.

[Bill Morrison]

#92 Fouro. The dreaded "SCUD" as we called it, or a wrap over the knuckles with a 12" rule. Some of the masters kept the strap over the shoulder under their jackets and it appeared in a flash when they used it.

[Rodney Mills]

I was a punk and a showoff in school, thankfully I grew out of it (I hope). On my last day of school I was having a cigarette in the toilet when I heard the whistle blow to end afternoon recess. If you remember everyone had to stop in place, then a second whistle and every one lined up and marched into their class. I walked out, cigarette in my mouth and started walking towards the school door. Mr. Price, the music teacher was on duty, he met me half way and asked me where did I think I was going, and told me to go to the headmasters office. I said that I didn't have to and I wasn't going as this was my last day. I forgot that he played Rugby and had been on Wale's second team. He grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and marched me into the school and the heads office, told the Head, Mr. Haxwell-Thomas what I had said and done, then left to blow the whistle. The head told me to wait. He waited until 3:59pm and gave me six of the best and right on time of 4 oclock I left Southchurch Hall, High School for Boys, Southend-on-Sea for the last time.

Five years later, Mr. Haxwell-Thomas had retired and I knocked on his house door and had the balls to ask for a reference letter as I was emigrating to Canada. I don't know to this day. 64 years later, whether he admired the cheek of my asking, but he invited me into his in home office and wrote me one. I still have it. One line of it stands out "Rodney will do well in any overseas part of the Commonwealth." I've often wondered whether he secretly liked my nerve, or was he happy that I was leaving England?

Cheers, Rodney

[Keith Adams]

Hey Rodney, I think he did a number on you similar to the Watch Keeping Certificate — ‘This Officer will go far, the further the better ‘. Great story, thanks ! In my day one received 6 of The Best across the backside, up to 14 years, and on the hand thereafter. Guess the didn’t want to damage the future family jewels ! Cheers