The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Taws \Taws\, n. [See Taw to beat.]
   A leather lash, or other instrument of punishment, used by a
   schoolmaster. [Written also tawes, tawis, and tawse.]
   [Scot.]
   [1913 Webster]

         Never use the taws when a gloom can do the turn.
                                                  --Ramsay.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

tawse
    n 1: a leather strap for punishing children