The master usually carried a bundle of birch twigs, which he used for beating the boys on their backsides.  The amount of beating varied from school to school.  Some masters only beat their boys for serious offences; but one master was said to beat his boys on cold mornings 'for no other purpose than to get himself warm'.  Boys could be beaten for many offences, including fighting, stealing, swearing, telling lies, coming to school late and talking in class.