When I started school, (five years after the war) I don’t remember being punished in Campbeltown. On the other hand, when we moved on to Bothwell/Uddingston, (not far from Glasgow) that was another story.
One teacher nicknamed Basher, (for all the right reasons) used a “Lochgelly.” Now this animal when folded in two, always stood rigidly upright on his desk, just like a compass. He was obviously a sadistic b*****d, (and I say sadistic in the true sense of the word) and was probably one of the aspects that led the belt to be eventually banned.
He looked like a fanatic from some para regiment, so you can imagine the muscles on that right arm. And he’d not only give five of the best which would swell the hands and even the wrists, with the two-tongue line down the middle stinging like hell, but in addition, he’d even wait with the belt nearly touching the ground until the hands were once again extended..., simply to strike the back of the hands on the upward stroke.
At the age of 14 when we moved down to Petersfield in England, and as Billy Bunter could have told you at the time..., that cane really nipped the behind ! But at least there..., you were able to continue writing for the remainder of the day.
A purely personal point of view: In me..., it did teach discipline ! A characteristic obviously absent when you hear the childrens’ comments following the London riots.
Bring back the Boot-Camps !!!
http://www.s1lochgelly.com/memories/a-h ... tawse.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfuVQJdA ... re=related