More thoughts on beating children

So where did the term “six of the best” come from? And why were corporal punishment beatings administered in units of 6? Was it an imperial measurement thing? Why not 5 of the best, or 7 or 8? If we were a metric nation would it be 10 of the best?

I was at a boarding school in Gloucestershire when I was 12. It was only for a year and it was a specialised school for kids who needed an extra push to get them through the Common Entrance exams into their chosen private schools, (or public schools as we call them in the UK - because that makes sense doesn’t it?). Beatings were fairly common as were the threats of beatings. It would be easy to go into a kind of comedy appreciation of this experience and say that the beatings were just an occupational hazard, something which built character, “made me the man I am today” (i.e. scared, twitchy, anxious and constantly looking over my shoulder shouting “please sir, no sir, I won’t do it again sir”).

I was only there for a year and was soon promoted to Head Boy, a role which gave me a lot of privileges. I was allowed to drink Sherry once every few weeks and tell other boys off for doing stupid things. It also meant that generally I could do the same stupid things and not get reprimanded.

However, there was one night in our dormitory of 5 boys when we we were all talking after “lights-out” and we obviously weren’t quiet enough. We were surprised by the headmaster who flung open our door and told us all to shut up. I was in charge and was supposed to keep law and order in our dormitory. Instead I had been one of the more vocal and enthusiastic participants of the debate. So I was in bigger trouble than any of the others.

I remember the headmaster’s word clearly. “Cunliffe!”, he growled, “If you weren’t the headboy I would beat you to within an inch of your life. Now shut up!”.

So my question is - Why an inch? Why not half an inch? Or an eighth? An inch is a very specific measurement. It wasn’t a foot for example, presumably because it wouldn’t have the same menace. So, apart from the unnecessary brutality and fear instilled by corporal punishment, I reckon it’s probably a good thing it has now been banned from schools, especially now imperial measurements have been removed from our education.

“Cunliffe! Be quiet, boy, or you’ll get 10.5 recurring of the best and I’ll beat you to within 2.5 centimetres of your life!”

Doesn’t really have the same power does it?

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