The place of the cane in education

Does the cane have a role to play in today's schools? Although a number of modern educationalists will answer that question with a resounding 'no', we are of the firm belief that corporal punishment, used in moderation, can make a useful contribution to the smooth running of a school.

As long established suppliers of goods to schools in the independent sector, we receive a certain amount of 'feedback' from the teaching profession. It is evident to us that one of the most urgent concerns nowadays is good order within the classroom. Effective teaching requires good order: but how is this best achieved? There are the familiar sanctions of lines, impositions and detentions, whilst some schools give offenders 'extra chores.' But all these punishments need to be supervised in one way or another and thereby make demands upon an already busy teaching staff.

However, there is one time honoured sanction which is both effective and time saving: the cane. We are pleased to be able to offer a range of high quality school punishment canes, manufactured to the highest standards. These excellent rattan canes are in no way vicious, being relatively lightweight, yet are capable of imparting a painful sting which the toughest of boys will find most disagreeable. There are three basic types, each of which is available with the traditional crook handle or with a straight handle.You are invited to order any combination of these six canes, with the proviso that the minimum consignment of any one type is one dozen.

PREPARATORY SCHOOL CANE
With a diameter of ¼" and a length of 30", this cane is recommended for the punishment of younger boys - those aged from 7 to 11. It is normally applied to the boy's clothed seat but is also suitable for application to the palm of the hand, in which cases it is guaranteed to prove effective with offenders of all ages.

JUNIOR SCHOOL CANE
Of a similar diameter to the preparatory school model, but some 3" longer, this cane packs a greater punch and is recommended for the punishment of boys aged 11 to 14. We are aware that boys of this age often prove the most problematic and are pleased to report that we have received numerous unsolicited testimonials from members of the teaching profession as regards the efficacy of this cane in the correction of such pupils. However, please note that this cane is not recommended for application to the palm of the hand: the preparatory school cane should always be used, whatever the age of the boy.

SENIOR SCHOOL CANE
With a diameter of 3/8" and a length of 35" this is a most effective punishment cane for older boys, aged 14 to 18. However, we must once again stress that it is not suitable for application to the hand. We can only recommend our preparatory school model for this mode of punishment.

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
We list here some of the most frequent questions we are asked about the use of the cane in schools. The answers will be of particular interest to headmasters who are considering introducing corporal punishment for the first time.

What is the youngest age at which a schoolboy should be caned?
Seven years of age is not too early to begin corporal correction, provided that our preparatory school cane is employed. However, a maximum of two to three strokes should be sufficient for such a young boy.

And the oldest age?
Although, as a general principle, no schoolboy is too old to be caned if he deserves it, the corporal punishment of sixth formers should be discouraged unless all other sanctions have proved ineffective.

How many strokes would you normally recommend?
For boys of preparatory school age, three strokes on the clothed seat are generally ample, with four being given for cases of repeated misconduct. Junior boys are tougher and we would recommend an average punishment of four strokes, with six of the best for repeated offences.

When younger boys are to be punished on the hand with our preparatory school cane we would recommend a standard punishment of one or two cuts on the non-writing hand. For more serious offences, the absolute maximum should be three on each hand, whatever the age of the boy.

It is good policy to make corporal punishment somewhat less frequent in the senior school. However, when the cane is ordered it should be applied with firmness, with six of the best on the clothed seat being a normal dispensation.

What should be the corporal punishment ‘philosophy’ of a school?
There are no hard and fast rules and each school will adopt its own approach based on local needs. However, it is useful to remember that if all boys know that the cane is kept and used when warranted there will be an immediate deterrent effect as regards bad behaviour. Corporal punishment should normally be given in private, after the offender has had a period of time to reflect upon his misconduct. However, in the case of junior boys it can prove very effective to keep one of our preparatory school canes in each classroom for immediate application to the palm of the hand in the case of minor breaches of discipline.

How firmly should the cane be applied?
It is good policy when a schoolboy is to be caned for the first time to lay it on well. Make the offender realise from the first just how unpleasant the cane can be. The boy will thereby greatly fear a repetition of the punishment and the deterrent effect of the cane will have been established early on in his school career.

Are the canes guaranteed?
Guaranteed not to split or break in time? No. Guaranteed to be effective when used on rulebreakers? Yes! Each cane in our range is a most effective instrument of corporal punishment.

Surely the purchase of canes is an unneccessary expense when a slipper can be just as effective?
Slippers are not as effective as canes! The slipper is clumsy, more difficult to apply and is regarded as markedly less painful than the cane by most boys. Our canes are not expensive and represent very good value for money when set against savings in valuable staff time.

Compare a caning taking a few minutes with the time involved to supervise a detention or extra work - and remember that each and every caning has a continuing deterrent effect on both the boy who has been punished and the other boys in the school.
As a final tip, headmasters, in consulation with their teaching staff, are recommended to draw up a list of offences which merit corporal punishment. A boy will know that if he commits such an offence he is liable to corporal punishment. But please ensure that none of the caning offences are trivial, otherwise the worth of the cane as the ultimate and feared sanction is devalued.