The Times 19th May 1967
CORPORAL PUNISHMENT
Mr. E. Armitage, Headmaster Soham
Grammar School.
Sir. - Whenever cases come to light of the gross
misuse of corporal punishment in schools, the cry goes up
for its total abolishment. In 30 years of teaching, 20 as
headmaster, I have found my colleagues tolerant,
understanding, humane and lenient in their handling of
boys with never a complaint from a boy or a parent. I am
sure that is the experience of most teachers. But in most
schools there are a few boys who abuse tolerance and for
whom a caning seems to be the most appropriate form of
summary punishment.
In my school five cases of caning are on record this
year. The offenders were all 13-15 years and the offences
were swearing or smoking on the school bus, pulling a
chair away from another boy about to sit down and
disturbing morning assembly.
Would those who advocate the total abolition of corporal
punishment kindly state what alternative punishment they
would advise a busy headmaster to give to these boys,
none of whom was a first offender?
Yours faithfully,
E. Armitage, Headmaster.
The Grammar School, Soham, Cambs., May 16.
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