General   (General discussion, talk about anything.)

tom,

Corporal punishment was commonplace when I was at school.

Standards of attainment were not higher as a result. They were much worse, though it has to be said, lots of other factors have some bearing upon this.

Unfortunately, the sudden increase in demand for teachers as a result of the 1944 Butler Act, corresponded with a need to redeploy large numbers of demobbed ex servicemen. So we got a lot of really appalling teachers. Considerable numbers of them should never have been allowed anywhere near kids, and I can tell you of quite a few who ended up on the sex offenders register.

Punishment aside, it was just as common to see a teacher completely lose self control, and violently assault and simply beat up a child in a totally thuggish manner.

Bullying was rife, and often initiated by teachers undermining one of their charges. Bullies were often adept at making sure their victim was the one to get in trouble with the teacher, who would beat them up for a second time.

A system which bred violence. What you learned was might was right!