1883-11-15gg

          There was an unusual prisoner in the dock at the morning session of the Hamilton Police Court, Thursday November 15, 1883.

          Mr. A. Scott Cruickshank, headmaster of the Hess Street School, was charged with excessively flogging one of the boys, William Ashley. Ashley, who was about 12 years old, was a pupil in Miss Logan’s class.

          “Miss Logan claimed that the misbehaving pupil would not hold out his hand to receive the strap. Ashley claimed that the headmaster thrashed him unmercifully, and even kicked him after he fell on the floor.

          Miss Logan testified on behalf of the headmaster:

          “The boy, Ashley, was in her class, and a very stubborn member of it too. On Tuesday, he refused to take his lesson book home. As this was a punishable offense, Miss Logan called him out to strap him. He, however, did not seem to relish this treatment, and picked up a slate to hurl at his teacher.”¹

                ¹“Corporal Punishment :  A Prominent Schoolmaster Charged With Overflogging a Boy”

Hamilton Spectator     November 15, 1883.

Miss Logan then called in the headmaster to deal with the boy:

“The boy refused to hold out his hand when told to do so by the headmaster, who thereupon used the strap on his body. Being still too obstinate to take his punishment reasonably, he knelt on the floor, and, being then in a good position, Mr. Cruickshank gave him the remainder of his punishment.”¹

Mr. Cruickshank was asked if he didn’t think the punishment too severe. The headmaster thought not, and claimed that no one could give a boy a severe thrashing without leaving bruises.

A teacher from the Central School, G. W. Washington, testified that no teacher in the local schools could punish a child with the cool or deliberately thorough manner that Mr. Cruickshank employed.

The case was then dismissed.