According to the Collins English Dictionary, Corporal punishment is physical punishment, such as caning. Whereas to Spank is to slap with the open hand. Spanking is a series of spanks, usually as a punishment for children.
Corporal punishment was still in force in most of the schools in Europe say in the 60`s & even as far up as the early 80`s. I have never heard from the platform or read any article that say`s you should hit your children with a stick or repeatedly spank them.
I absolutely do believe that because of the WTBTS view that children should be seen & not heard, that they should mind their elder`s at any cost & the general narcissistic, overbearing/ridged teaching`s that are enforced along with the you must be at all meetings/field service/study/participation or you are crap has given what would be already abusive parent`s free rein to abuse more. Couple in the fact that the elders in general couldn't give a shit about young one`s who may present a problem ( just disfellowship them to get them out of the way) these type of parents get away for years with unbelievable acts of cruelty & are able to confidently place the blame on the unrepentant disfellowshipped youth which has members in the cong patting them (the parents) on the back with pity or a well done for staying loyal to Jehovah as they have want to do, re-enforcing their disgusting behaviour as normal.
I think you need to be careful here Paul, if you went to a high school & claimed that they believe in corporal punishment, that you had found written records of kid`s who had this done to them, they would say "yes that did happen then, but nowday`s we don't except that as the right way to treat children".
You will of cause have more written facts than I, I just think if you are planning on going down this road you need something that is from the 90`s. & I can only speak from what I have or have not heard, it may be different for others. It`s just my own thought`s . SABIN.