Learning A Lesson You Never Forget
Learning A Lesson You Never Forget
“The Punishment book of Swinton & Kilnhurst Council School
18th June 1920 – Walter Wilkinson aged 12 one stroke on each hand for bathing in river”
Walter Wilkinson
Wandered by the water -
The “dirty, dangerous Don”,
Or was it the cut?
(The South Yorkshire Navigation
Twines canal and river
Along its length to the Trent).
The Punishment Book
Clearly said it was “the
River”. So that must be it.
All the children had been
Warned to stay away.
Warned not to play by
Either the river or the cut
Come to that.
Walter Wilkinson
Wondered what was wrong.
He swam strong and sure.
Or was it the infected cut?
Germs were always a threat
To the river’s neighbours
Along its length to the Trent.
Records show that it was
Not very hot that summer
Of nineteen twenty; there
Had been heavy rain and
Frequent thunderstorms.
Maybe that was it - the river
Was swollen and hurrying -
No time for naughty boys.
Walter Wilkinson
Waded into the water –
He had left his clothes
On the bank under a bush
He felt the current tug, as
It bobbled him off his feet
Making two strong strokes.
The Book, that afternoon
In June, stated it clearly -
Walter Wilkinson had
Dared to “bathe in the river”!
Contrary to everything that
The whole school had
Been warned not to do.
Demanding punishment.
Walter Wilkinson
Wondered what was
The lesson to be learned
From his exemplary punishment:
“one stroke on each hand”
Mister Martin bobbled on his feet
Making these two strong strokes.
Walter Wilkinson
Walked wearily homewards
What if he had drowned?
He was only twelve – not
Alive long enough to impact
On anywhere or anyone
Specially not in Swinton.
Walter Wilkinson
Forgot about his mum and
Dad and his grandma who
Had made his tea that day.
He was thinking about the
Lesson he had learned –
From the cuts of the cane.
Walter Wilkinson
Wondered which one
Of his mates had split.
How’d the teachers found out?
Someone saw his swim.
Someone told the tale.
This made the deepest cuts.
Copyright: Tim Brannen.
