The New Head of House


by Realist II

I now write as Realist II, having discovered that there is another author called Realist. I am the author of the previous stories about Simon Robins and Jason.

I recently found an old diary in a school exercise book. There is only one indication of the date. The author says he was one year old at the time of the phony war and he is seventeen now. I think, therefore, he must have written it in 1955. Here are the entries for the first seven days.

MY FIRST DAY

A new term has started. But it is not just any new term, I am now head of Middle House. At the tender age of 17 I am now responsible for the welfare and discipline of 80 boys aged between 13 and 16. Of course I know that Mr Blakeson, the housemaster, has overall charge of the house. But the day to day running of the house is very much my province. I have resolved to keep these notes of my thoughts and experiences to enable me to check on how I am shaping up in keeping to my various aims and targets. I will be entirely frank and honest in everything I write here and so it must all be wholly secret. Maybe I will let others see it one day, but that will not be for many years to come.

I am sure that the key to success in a boarding house like this is discipline. I don't mean that the house should be ruled by fear. That would be bound to lead to failure. What I mean is that all the boys should know that there are firm boundaries beyond which they must not go. Within those boundaries, they should be given as much freedom as possible. When I leave the house, I hope that it will have acquired the reputation as the happiest house in the school.

But boundaries can only be firm if they are properly enforced. I had a long discussion with Mr Blakeson about discipline yesterday. He thought it would be helpful if we clarified my powers as head and agreed on what approach I would take to using them. I welcomed the opportunity because I have formed many ideas over my years here about how discipline could be improved and strengthened.

I explained to him that I thought the existing system, used by my predecessor, was far too arbitrary. It could lead to abuse of the kind which must be avoided. At present, the head of house and five prefects are all empowered to give a range of punishments to any boy. They can give lines, house detentions, forced runs etc. In addition, the prefects can use the slipper and the head of house can use the cane. We all know of some prefects who have been far too quick to resort to the slipper and some heads of house have been much more inclined to cane than others. I consider that there should be a more formal regime with strict limits on prefectorial powers.

What I have proposed, and Mr Blakeson has agreed to allow me to try, is an entirely new system of "demerits". All prefects will be empowered to award demerits to boys who break the rules. I will draw up a full list showing how many demerits may be awarded for all the likely offences. Most (such as having hands in pockets, jacket button undone, talking in prep or after lights out, running indoors etc) may only lead to one demerit. Some others (like fighting, swearing at a prefect, skipping prep) will lead to two demerits. The most serious offences (smoking, drinking etc) will lead to three demerits.

Every demerit will automatically be cancelled 28 school days after it has been awarded (half terms, exeats and holidays will not count). But, if a boy accumulates 3 or more unexpired demerits at any time another method of cancelling them will be adopted. In such cases I will see the offending boy at the next mid-morning break. I will discuss his offences with him and ask him whether he has any complaints about the fairness of any of his demerits. If he does, I will convene a meeting of all the prefects (other than the one who awarded the demerit in question) at which the complaint can be considered. That meeting will advise me as to whether any of the demerits ought to be cancelled. I will not be bound to accept the meeting's decision, but I will give it full weight. If I do cancel any demerits and the offender is then left with fewer than three, that will be the end of the matter and the remaining demerits will run their normal course towards automatic cancelling (unless they are brought up to three or more before then).

If the offender makes no complaint, or having made a complaint he is still left with three or more unexpired demerits, I will inform him of the punishment which I intend to recommend at my afternoon meeting with Mr Blakeson. I will ask the boy if he considers that punishment to be fair. If he thinks it unfair, I will tell him to provide me with his written reasons to put before Mr Blakeson at the afternoon meeting.

I intend to limit my punishment powers as follows: 13 year old boys may receive between 3 and 6 strokes with a plimsoll or between 2 and 4 strokes with the cane; 14 year old boys may receive between 4 and 6 strokes with a plimsoll or between 3 and 5 strokes with the cane; 15 year old boys may receive 6 strokes with the plimsoll or between 4 and 6 strokes with the cane; 16 year old boys may receive between 4 and 6 strokes with the cane. From now on only I will administer corporal punishment, although I will always appoint one prefect to witness a beating.

My general rule in each case will be to consider first whether I can properly impose the minimum punishment (i. e. 3 strokes with a plimsoll for a 13 year old, 4 strokes with a plimsoll for a 14 year old, 6 strokes with a plimsoll for a 15 year old and 4 strokes with the cane for a 16 year old). If I think that would not be appropriate, I will go on to consider the next punishment in the rank of severity, and so on until I decide on the minimum acceptable punishment.

I have asked Mr Blakeson to agree to confirm every proposed punishment at our afternoon meetings. I do not think it can be acceptable in this modern age for a head boy to be able to administer beatings without the check of having a master's approval. Mr Blakeson has agreed, but very sensibly pointed out that he would have to feel very strongly before reducing a punishment which I have recommended and informed the offender of. That would be to undermine my authority. He has said, however, that he might, on occasion, suggest that in future I might be less severe. I find his approach very helpful.

During the ten minutes before house tea I will be in my study and any boy who is due for punishment that day must come to me then so I can confirm what he will be given.

I intend to carry out all punishments during prep in the prefects' common room. That will be a convenient time, because the prefects will be supervising prep and the offending boys will be easy to find. Any offenders who are to be beaten with a plimsoll will first be collected from prep by the witnessing prefect. They will be taken to the changing rooms where they must change into games shorts (as for games, no underpants are to be worn). They will then be brought to the prefects common room and each in turn will be admitted for his beating.

The witnessing prefect will then collect any boys who are due to be caned and bring them straight to the prefects common room. They, of course, will be wearing ordinary school trousers and underpants. If, when a boy is bending over, I consider that it appears that he might have padded his trousers, I will ask the witnessing prefect to check for me. I can't actually think of any boy in this house who would dream of using padding, but just so we all know where we stand, I will inform the house that a boy who is found to have padded his trousers will, in addition to having to remove the padding, be given two demerits once the beating has been concluded.

Immediately a boy has been beaten all his demerits will be cancelled and he will start again with a clean slate.

I have thought a great deal about what to do about unexpired demerits at the end of term. It is tempting just to say that they will be cancelled. But that does not seem very fair or just. Suppose a boy is awarded two demerits on the last day of term, the award would be meaningless because there would be no realistic prospect of his collecting a third and he would therefore have avoided a punishment which, in other circumstances, would have been very likely to be given within the next 28 days. I have decided that all unexpired demerits will continue to run from the beginning of the next term for the number of days left before automatic cancelling. Any boy with unexpired demerits may, however, elect to be punished on the last day of term. The level of punishment will not be discretionary (so that all boys will know exactly what they are opting for). Each demerit for a thirteen year old boy will lead to one stroke with a plimsoll. Each demerit for a fourteen year old will lead to two strokes with a plimsoll. Each demerit for a fifteen year old will lead to 3 strokes with a plimsoll. Each demerit for a sixteen year old will lead to two strokes with the cane. It will be entirely up to each boy to decide whether to opt to be beaten. I would have thought that many would think it worthwhile if they have demerits with a long time left to run. For instance, a thirteen year old who has one demerit with over 20 days left and who will be fourteen by the time of the next term (with a minimum punishment of four with a plimsoll) would clearly be wise to ask me to give him one with a plimsoll to clear the slate. On the other hand, I can imagine that most fifteen year old boys with two demerits having only one day left to run would think it mad to ask me to give them six with a plimsoll (especially since punishments on the first day of term are almost unheard of).

Since term always officially ends at 12.00 p. m. on the last day, I will be available from 11.00 p. m. to 11.30 p. m. in the prefects common room to carry out any elective beatings. I will arrange for one prefect to be inside to witness the beatings and one outside to organise any queue there may be and ensure that no boy enters the room while another is being beaten. All 13, 14 and 15 year old boys will be advised, on the night before the last day, that if they are thinking of asking me to beat them on the following day they should make sure they do not pack their games shorts.

Very rarely, as we all know, there can be a boy in a house who does nothing anyone can point to which deserves punishment, but whose general conduct and demeanour is such that, for the good of the house, punishment must be given. With any luck, under this new system, that sort of case will not arise. But it is important, as Mr Blakeson thinks as well, that there should be some way of coping with it if it does. It is possible, for instance, that a boy may constantly have two unexpired demerits but always avoid getting a third. If he is also a bad influence on the house there should clearly be a way of ensuring that he can be given a beating. I did not think it appropriate to give the power of making that decision to one person acting alone. I hope that my system will remain long after I have left here. Who knows who future heads of house will be? The system must ensure that the possibility of abuse is absolutely minimal. I can think of one or two boys in the past who have been caned for being a "bad influence" when the true reason, we all thought, was that the punisher found the boy attractive. Of course we must accept (and here I am being very frank) that some boys' physique is such that beating them will not be an unpleasant experience for the punisher. But I am absolutely adamant in my belief that no boy should ever be beaten merely to give pleasure. No one could complain, for instance, if I happened to enjoy beating a particular boy, so long as I never beat him in circumstances in which I would not beat any other boy in the house.

What I have proposed is that I or any other prefect may recommend to a full prefects' meeting that a boy who does not have 3 unexpired demerits should be awarded enough additional ones to bring his quota up to three. Those extra demerits would be awarded for generally unsatisfactory behaviour. They will only be awarded, however, if the committee unanimously agrees they should be and if Mr Blakeson confirms the award before the boy is told about them.

I think this new system has many advantages over the old. Obviously, it will get rid of a whole lot of time consuming punishments which used to be necessary for offences which, on their own, did not merit corporal punishment. It will ensure uniformity in punishment. When I was younger, for instance, I remember one term when we had one prefect who always slippered us for having our hands in our pockets and another who only ever gave 50 lines. A boy's punishment should not depend on the whim of the prefect who catches him. All that will go. The cumulative effect of the demerits will concentrate the boys' minds on trying to stay out of trouble: a boy with 27 days worth of two demerits is going to do his best to keep on the straight and narrow when he knows that one more minor offence will lead to a beating.

I also hope and believe, notwithstanding the fact that the only actual punishment will be corporal, that the number of beatings will significantly reduce. I knew, of course, that beating was very widespread under the old system, but it was only when I studied the punishment book that I realised the true scale of it. Last term alone when, excluding half term and exeats, there were 81 days, there were 341 beatings. That represents more than 4 beatings a term for every boy and more than 4 beatings in the house every single day. In fact, of course, it is worse than that because the 20 sixteen year olds are beaten far less often than, for instance the 40 thirteen and fourteen year olds. It may seem ambitious, but my aim is to reduce the number of beatings this term to below 200. If I can do better than that and achieve an average of two beatings or fewer a day I will certainly have succeeded.

I have a long term target, as well as a target for this term only. After my three terms in the job, I hope that my predecessor will find, on studying the punishment book, that I have given an average of no more than one and a half beatings a day. So the target figure I have set, for the whole year, is 400. That may seem high, but it compares with over 1000 beatings given last year.

I know that there is bound to be some opposition to my reforms. Many people will think I am being much too liberal and progressive. I am determined to prove them wrong. I firmly believe that I can achieve a very well disciplined house with the minimum use of corporal punishment. What is more, I intend to make it abundantly clear to all the boys that I am not a bleeding heart liberal. I understand perfectly well that it would be impossible to run a house of 80 boys without regular use of the gym shoe and the cane. I also know that it would be disastrous if I got a reputation as being overly lenient. The boys will be told in the clearest terms that, when I beat, I will beat very hard indeed.

Tomorrow the fourth, fifth and lower sixth forms arrive. I will hold a house assembly in the evening and explain the new system to them. I will be most interested in their reaction.

MY SECOND DAY

It didn't go too badly! First I saw the prefects. It would be foolish to pretend that they were desperately keen on the new system. I suppose it is understandable. They had no doubt spent the holidays looking forward to exercising their new powers. A couple of them, in particular, looked pretty annoyed when I broke it to them that they would not have the power to beat. But I think I won them round in the end. I had to give way a little. I agreed that I would, very occasionally, allow them each to beat boys. But I stressed that, on those occasions, I would be the witness and, if I thought that they were abusing their privilege in any way, I would have no hesitation in deciding that they would never beat a boy again while I remain head.

The assembly was mostly successful. First I explained everything in detail. I then gave them all copies of the rules as to how many demerits were to be given for each offence. I also issued them each with their own demerits books. They are small notebooks with numbered pages (just to stop any bright spark from removing pages). They are to have them with them at all times so that prefects can write in their demerits. I emphasised that failure to be able to produce a demerit book within half an hour would lead to an extra demerit being given. I also explained that all demerits will be recorded in the main demerit book in the prefects common room (so losing a personal book will not result in demerits being forgotten about). I then asked them to take part in a full and frank discussion about the new system.

It was clear that the younger boys were generally very much in favour. They are the ones who used to end up with most of the detentions and lines. They also tended to be the victims of arbitrary beatings. I got the impression that they reckoned that the new system would be much fairer. One or two were clearly under the impression that they would be able to play the system and avoid punishment by being particularly careful to limit their misdemeanours to a frequency which would avoid their having three demerits at any one time. I think they are in for a rude shock.

Some of the sixteen year olds were obviously a bit disappointed, because of their own hopes of becoming prefects next year. But I think they were placated by the knowledge that they would now not automatically get six with the cane every time they did anything wrong. They could see the benefits of a system which enabled them to seek to avoid punishment by keeping on the straight and narrow after one or two demerits had been awarded. They were also pleasantly surprised by the news that, when they have to be beaten, they may only get four or five strokes.

I think the important message I got from the assembly was that it is going to be vital for me to make it plain very early on that a beating from me will be administered with very great force, even if it is only with a gym shoe. I noticed, in particular, that Bradley, a rather _c_o_c_k_y fourteen year old, appeared to have run away with the idea that the house was going to become something of a holiday camp. I am pretty confident, from seeing his behaviour last term, that he will be an early collector of three demerits. I think that when that happens he may change his mind about how tough I am. To be frank, I am rather looking forward to beating him. His bottom is a delightful shape and size (small, firm and round) and was clearly designed for corporal punishment. It will also do him a power of good to have that cheeky grin wiped off his face, even if it is only for a few hours.

MY THIRD DAY

The new boys arrived today. I gave them a special talk on their own. Of course, I had to cover a lot of subjects which were not necessary with the other boys, but I noticed that their interest became rather greater when I got onto discipline and punishments. Most of them seemed to be reasonably chirpy and not too unsettled. One, Clarke, is clearly rather homesick (he is the only one who went to a day prep school). I will have to keep an eye on him in the early days. I have put him in a study with a boy called Simpson. The report from Simpson's prep school was exceptionally good. He is described as being an excellent all rounder at games, high spirited, occasionally mischievous (but always considerate of others) and a good leader. I also couldn't help noticing that he is remarkably good looking with a splendidly slim and athletic build. I suspect that he may turn out to be one of those boys whose punishments will not be unpleasant to administer or watch. I can't say the same for Johnson. He is one of those flabby, rather fat boys whom one cannot imagine being much fun to beat and who is likely to be a disaster on the games pitch. That said, most of the others are reasonably athletic looking. We may have some good material for future house matches.

MY FOURTH DAY

I suppose this is like the phony war. I was only one year old then, so I don't remember it, but I can guess what it was like. Anyway, the new system inevitably means that it is likely to be a few days before I can administer my first beating. I have acquired three canes and chosen a large and supple gym shoe. I don't want to muck up the first beating, so I have been practising caning a cushion in my study. I have drawn a chalk line across it and have been endeavouring to hit that line every time, while not diminishing the force I use. I think my technique is improving and I should put up a creditable performance. The gym shoe is easier because its size, compared with the average boy's bottom, means that hitting the target fair and square will not be too difficult.

I have started my individual talks with the new boys, in alphabetical order. I think it is very important that the first time they have a one to one chat with me should not be when they have collected three demerits. I have to impress on them that, just because I will have to beat them at times, does not mean that my main job is not to provide friendly guidance. I usually use the example of fathers who spank their sons because they want to do their best for them. I think they see the point. It is also quite useful to me to get some impression of what sort of regimes they have lived under in their prep schools. Of the five I have seen so far, three have been caned before, one has been slippered (he said he had been given six twice) and one has not been beaten at all. Unfortunately, that one is Clarke (the one who has homesickness). Prep schools which don't use corporal punishment are not doing their boys any favours. It just makes it so much worse for them when they get to their public schools and find that their first ever beatings are rather harder than they would have got when they were younger. I will have to do my best for poor Clarke (who seems a very nice boy).

MY FIFTH DAY

I called Simpson in out of order today for two reasons. First I wanted to enlist his help in looking after Clarke. But I also was rather alarmed to note that he picked up two demerits yesterday for committing a foul in a rugby match. There is clearly a risk that I will have to beat him rather sooner than I had thought likely and I wanted to have my friendly one to one chat before that happens.

Actually, I saw the rugby match and my own view was that he was simply automatically reacting to another boys foul. But we all have to accept the referee's decision and he made no complaint when he was given his demerits.

He will be very helpful to Clarke. He has a very mature approach and I am sure he will do everything he can to make the boy's early days here more enjoyable. I think he was grateful to be given such a responsible task. If I had to bet, I wouldn't mind predicting that Simpson may one day end up in my position.

I raised the fact that he already had two demerits and asked him what he felt about that. He was very sensible in his response. As best as I can remember it, this is what he said.

"Well, it's obviously not wonderful to know that it is probable that I will have to be swished within the next two or three weeks. But at least I've got the chance to avoid it by behaving myself. At most schools I would have been swished for the foul. I certainly don't let it get me down. I mean, if you think about it, pretty well every boy of my age is going to be swished at some time this term. If I hadn't got these two demerits I would have started to collect them soon anyway."

I asked him about his previous experience of corporal punishment (his use of the slang word "swish" suggested to me that he probably had some). He said he had been slippered from the age of eight, when he first went to his prep school and, as well, had been caned three times since he was eleven. Twice he had been given two strokes and the third time he had had three. But, in a delightfully modest way, he immediately said that he knew that a caning from me would be much worse than anything he had had before.

MY SIXTH DAY

I have just given my first caning! I think it was a great success, even if I say it myself. Langton, a sixteen year old, had managed to get caught smoking. He was given three demerits and I saw him at mid-morning break. It was all a bit of a formality, of course, because there can only be one punishment for smoking at his age: six with the cane. He knew I was going to recommend that and I did as well. But it is important to follow the rules. I asked him if he had any complaint. He said no. I told him of my recommendation. He said it came as no surprise. I reminded him that he had to see me in the afternoon for confirmation of the punishment and off he went. Mr Blakeson obviously rubber stamped my decision. I told Langton in the afternoon and said I'd see him later.

Langton was just right for my first time. He is an excellent lad with just the right attitude to the house. He has never been bolshie. He has had plenty of canings in the past and he has always taken them very well. Although he is quite tall (only an inch shorter than me), he is very slim and his bottom is more the size of a fourteen year old's than a sixteen year old. So I had a victim who would be bound not to make any sort of fuss and whose bottom was small enough to provide good target practice for me.

Perceval witnessed the caning. I chose him because I know he is quite friendly with Langton, who would probably be grateful to have a pal witnessing his punishment.

I have to say it is quite a daunting experience giving your first caning. That is especially the case when, as in my case, you were on the receiving end only last term. I put in quite a bit of practice on the cushion during the day.

At 7.00 p. m. prompt Perceval and Langton arrived in the common room. I had cleared a large part of the centre of the room to make sure I had enough swinging space. Langton immediately took off his jacket and put it over a chair. He then asked where I would like him to bend over. I suggested that he should face the wall opposite the window (which would give me extra light). He then went straight there and bent over in the usual manner. It has to be said that he does have the perfect figure for a caning. His trousers were quite tight before he bent over, but they really hugged his bottom once he was gripping his ankles. It was almost as if he wasn't wearing anything. I took a three pace run up for each stroke. I was quite gratified to get a bit of a jump out of him on the first one. I suspect that meant that he wasn't expecting me to be very hard and wasn't properly prepared. Well he was for the next five. I even got a slight indrawn breath from him on the sixth. I could see his face between his legs and he was producing some rather good grimaces. When he thanked me, he also said, much to my pleasure, that he reckoned it was the hardest swishing he'd ever had. I suggested to him that it might be a kindness to others if he spread the word. He said he certainly would. Perceval said he'd walk Langton back to prep and they left (it was nice to see Langton rubbing his bottom as he went through the door). My own guess was that Langton was going to show his stripes to Perceval. On the whole I don't approve of boys showing their stripes to prefects (after all, we can always just happen to see them in the dorms or showers), but it is understandable in a case like this, where they are such good friends.

MY SEVENTH DAY

Since I am confessing all in this secret document, I had better admit that Langton's punishment was a source of considerable pleasure to me as I lay between the sheets last night! I wouldn't be surprised if Perceval enjoyed a similar experience.

Well, Simpson has collected his third demerit (hands in pockets). I dealt with him this evening and it lived up to expectations.

When I saw him at mid-morning break he was surprisingly cheerful. He said he knew it had to come soon and it would be a relief to get it over with. I said I had seen the foul that got him the first two demerits. I asked whether he had any complaint about that. He just said no. I went on to say that fouling was a very serious offence but that, having seen this one, I considered it was not the most serious. I said it had seemed to me that another boy had fouled him first. He just said he didn't want to get anyone else in trouble. I said he wouldn't, but that it enabled me to make a rather more lenient recommendation than I would otherwise. I said I would be proposing four with the gym shoe. He said that I was being very kind. I reminded him to come back in the afternoon.

Mr Blakeson was a little surprised at my recommendation, but when I explained he quite understood. I even said, which was true, that if I had been reffing that match I would not have given Simpson any demerits at all.

I confirmed the punishment in the afternoon.

Watson was witness this time. I like him and think him an excellent prefect. I thought it right to reward him. He brought Simpson to the common room at 7.00 p. m. He was wearing his white cotton shorts. I told him to bend over in the same place I had used for Langton. The shorts were very short indeed. They rode up high enough for a fair amount of bare bottom to be seen. And what a bottom! It was a peach of a bottom. Wonderfully firm and round. His slim, muscular legs rose perfectly up to my target. I think they shook for a second or two as he prepared himself, but he was remarkably steady. Again, I opted for a three pace run up. I really slammed the gym shoe down onto his bottom for the first stroke and, as with Langton, it took him by surprise and he jumped a little. I think, particularly with the gym shoe, there should always be a good pause between strokes to let the pain sink in. The next should be delivered just as it is beginning to become bearable. I did that with Simpson, with very good effect I think. I was not in the slightest bit surprised to see that he took all four exceptionally well. Because some of his bottom was bare, I was able to see the marks very clearly. I think the beating must have been very painful. Unlike some boys, who like to pretend that they haven't felt a thing, he didn't mind showing his pain by rubbing his bottom with both hands. He also gave me the great compliment of saying that it had hurt more than the time he had had three with the cane at prep school. Again, I asked him to spread the word amongst his friends, but I also suggested that he tell Clarke that, although it hurt, it wasn't too bad. He agreed.

I couldn't resist dropping in on junior dorm this evening when the boys were getting changed for bed. I arrived just in time to see Simpson showing off his bruised bottom to the others. I stood at the door without letting them see me for a minute or two and was pleased to see that they were clearly impressed by my workmanship. Then I coughed and they all turned and looked guiltily at me. I said: "dont worry lads, I don't suppose you'll have to wait long before you can do a bit of showing off yourselves".

When I did my last dorm check before going to bed, I noticed a slow rhythmic movement under Simpson's blankets. I was glad he was able to get some pleasure out of his punishment. I fear I may do the same later!


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