Same here.

Going to Manor in the early 80's, the years above us were terrible with the cane still widely used.

Most of the time I deserved it, but not every time. This was the reason I threw several chairs at Ernie Wilcox during my escape.

The cane isn't exactly gouging someone's eyes out with a hot poker like. It's not a cat o' nine tails either.
It's certainly something you'd tread carefully to avoid receiving, but half a day later max the discomfort was gone. The biggest hurt was humiliation in front of your peers (although some teachers would cane you out of sight of the class), and the biggest fear was not the cane itself but hiding the cane stripes from your parents so they didnt get in on the act too - 'cos when we got wrong in those days, our parents assumed their responsibilities.

You know the way falling into the nettles teaches you to keep away from nettles? I'd put getting the cane on a par with that. I don't know of any parents who've got angry and beat the shite out of a bunch of nettles.

Now I can understand someone not wanting anyone to lay hands on their children, but quite honestly from a CHILD's (or rather adolescent's) point of view, it was a bloody good deterrent but not the end of the world. The child's point of view does count doesn't it?

Having said that, we had no one in our school who overdid canings. Those who caned the hardest caned least often. But I can understand the opportunities for abuse by teachers in less reputable establishments and that some of you might have witnessed or even undergone such abuse. Serves you right for being catholics!

I know. And the cane never did u any good did it!