School days in the 50's.

Putting drawing pins in the hammers of the music teachers piano. (to get the Winifred Attwell effect)

Placing a stink bomb under the teachers chair leg. (anticipating the result when he/she sat down was exhilarating)

Dougie Ellingford the English teacher, who was a great bloke who had excellent rapport with us little brats, had a novel way of dealing with kids who didn't stop talking. After being asked twice to do so, a cricket ball that he kept on his desk would suddenly collide with the front of the offenders desk and I can honestly say that I don't recall him ever missing the target.

The headmaster, a chap with the unfortunate surname of C---erill, bought a new car which he parked outside the school, an Austin A30 from memory. A couple of the lads thought it would be a laugh to chain it to the lampost at the rear of the vehicle.

Now, in Winter time it was dark at 4 00pm, so the chances of him seeing it were remote.The object of the exercise was to have some fun at his expense, not to cause damage, however, either in their haste to complete the job or simply not understanding the result, they left a fair bit of slack in the chain. The two miscreants esconced themselves behind old man Phelps hedge over the road and waited.

The result of their efforts was that the rear axle parted company with the rest of the car and, in the resultant mayhem, they had to stay behind the hedge for a couple of hours which, in turn, caused one of the miscreants father calling the cops to report his son missing. (no I was not one of them!)

If I ever got through a week without a caning it was unusual. I recall one instance (I will never forget it) when my good mate and I decided that a days fishing would be a much better option than school.We were returning over the footbridge that led to the beach, when we saw the little Austin 7 outside  my house. school inspector drove an Austin 7 so we knew what was in store. I should say here that this was far from the first time we had done this.

The following day we were in front of the head and were subjected to the usual pep talk which was followed by six strokes on each hand with a whippy quarter inch willow switch. We ended up in the washroom with our hands under the tap trying to stem the tears. It backfired on him to a certain extent because we couldn't hold a pen and had to be sent home. I would have been about twelve at the time and recall that father when told of the punishment simply said, 'That will teach you not to do that again".

Barbaric you say? Yes to certain extent, I guess it was but it had the desired effect. I would never recommend this treatment in this day and age but it seems to me that some form of discipline is needed with modern day offenders in society, we are imho, far too lenient and the culprits know this and take full advantage of it.

Would I go through my schooldays again? At the drop of a hat!!!