16 December 1996,
Dear James,
I don't have a lot of free time to write just now, but you asked about the Spencer Plan, and, OK, here goes.
As far as I know, the "Spencer Plan"was a set of rules and regulations for "family/domestic" structure and discipline that came out of England earlier (at least 30 years ago?) and it is based on husband's and wife's agreeing to discipline in their lives (and on their bottoms) when they failed in the eyes of their other. The Spencer Paddle was (and is) the implement recommended for use to discipline the offending person and recommended by the woman who created "The Plan" for family conduct and relations (Mrs. Spencer). You can find lots of references to it and people who used it in old "correspondence" type CP mags from UK (elsewhere as well but less frequently) and in hetero columns (sometimes swinger-type mags). It is as likely to be about a male spanking a female as a female spanking a male. My understanding from London (and I wouldn't know how to verify) is Mrs. Spencer was an actual person, a type of "Dear Amy," who advised families on relationships and not only recommended the use of the paddle on a husband or boy friend or son (daughter) across the knee, but also initially sold those paddles which still bears her name and are still sold today. She, apparently was a rather buxom woman, frequently paddled her sons and less so her husband -- always on their bare bottoms -- and I am told she was paddled by her husband as part of the plan also. At least so I am told by the Britts.
In some mags in the US and UK today, you can still find references to the Paddle and Plan, and there are groups (heavily hetero's, swingers and non-swingers) still today who meet within various "clubs" and associations and still discuss that plan and follow it on mates and their kids. Many fundamentalists in the US still spank and paddle their sons, as I am sure you know, and some others have established social relationships with like minded others who believe discipline is a core in the family and some follow the lines of the "Spencer Plan." They are often straight, very straight, but see the Plan adding structure to their lives and solving domestic conflicts and feel it is a good basis for bringing up kids, including teenage ones.
A strictly business colleague of mine and his wife in LA are members of such a loose social group (though they rarely talk about it) and I know for a fact their teenage son, Bruce, still gets his own pants and briefs pulled down and is pulled over either parent's lap and is paddled on his bare bottom with a Spencer Paddle when either parent wishes. Young Chris and I were guests in their place last June (I think it was) and I wrote a note to another friend on it (if I still have it and can find it, I will forward it to you). Bruce, by the way, is a lanky but well developed and attractive California boy, a surfer with shoulder length sun bleached blond hair, who's not really defined himself (about 17 now). As I said, I know his Dad extremely well and do business with him and occasionally when I'm their house guest Bruce's parents will take a long weekend in Palm Springs (they don't leave Bruce or the house unattended to because of the crime they perceive in LA and Bruce's age and what they refer to as "his maturity"). They all, including Bruce, know when I'm there if he misses their curfew, etc., I will apply the Spencer Paddle (and I have, including last June) across Bruce's bare bottom. He's a polite, nice guy, but he becomes even more polite when that Paddle's threatened or hinted at!
There was a rather funny incident last June that occurred when Bruce's current girl friend overhead Bruce's Dad threatening (in some way) spanking him "when we get home" which humiliated the hell out of Bruce, but he got spanked, not paddled, that night anyway and his girl knew it. I understand the girl and Bruce have now discussed it a bit California style and no big deal anymore.
I've met several families in England who use/used the plan and a few men who were brought up on it. I've always been amazed at how "secretive" these "believers" are but how firmly they swear by that Plan's effectiveness. I've never actually seen "The Plan," though. Bruce, for example, has told me how much he appreciates his family's "guidance" as he grows up and how much he prefers being corrected on the spot, even though he's still spanked, rather than all the restrictions, and yelling, and fighting he says his friend's get. He hates it, is mortified, and genuinely is afraid of it when at his age he's still spanked or paddled, but he also sees it as "natural" and has told me he will use it on his kids in his future for sure. Bruce knows other guys in his parent's social circle who also get it under the plan (including peers and those older than him). I've known the family and Bruce since before Bruce was born and though he's in a high risk school environment where many teenagers screw up, he's solid, if rather shy.
Anyway, that's probably more than you want to know about the Spencer Plan, but you asked. I am sure it exists in your city today as well. As always, if there's something particular you want to know, ask, and if I know I'll tell you. Actually I'll probably see Bruce's Dad over Christmas anyway.
Regards to you and your Dad!
Cal