One particular incident, however, has always remained in my mind. Around 1955, a local woman came to the school to complain that two eleven-year-old boys had been throwing mud at her washing. She knew their names, and in those days schools commonly dealt with children’s behaviour even when it occurred outside school hours.
The two boys were sent for and freely admitted what they had done. The headmistress listened quietly before informing them that each would receive six of the best with the slipper across the seat of the trousers.
The complainant had been invited into the office for tea while the matter was discussed. Once the decision had been made, the headmistress politely suggested that she might prefer to leave before the punishment was carried out. To everyone’s surprise, she declined. Calmly sipping her tea, she explained that she had seen many boys punished during her lifetime and saw no reason to leave now.
The woman remained seated without the slightest sign of discomfort or embarrassment.
The punishment proceeded exactly as described. Each boy was required to receive the prescribed strokes while the woman watched in complete silence. Throughout the entire episode she neither flinched nor commented. Once the punishment had finished, she simply thanked the headmistress, stood up, and quietly left the office.
