I started Grammar School in the late 1960's when corporal punishment was still used fairly frequently in England. On the first morning, the headmaster as part of his introduction to us, left no one in any doubt about his views on the need to make regular use of the cane and strap to maintain discipline and give clear messages about bad behaviour and poor work. Over the years we all received these 'clear messages' on a number of occasions but for me the first time still has a lasting impression.
On the second day we were due to have our first games class and we knew that we would be taught by Mr Pelham. He arrived in the classroom and immediately demanded and got absolute silence. He told us to collect our kit bags and follow him. He was in his mid thirties and about 6ft tall with blond hair. His shoulders were broad and his waist narrow. He wore a rugby shirt and shorts and his thick thighs were some sight. He led the way to the changing room stopping only once to warn everyone to walk in silence, and we did.
The changing room had benches round the edges and hooks above them, the showers were off to one side but we hadn't seen those yet. Mr Pelham told everyone to sit down and he disappeared into his office returning after a couple of minutes, during which time everyone waited in silence.
Mr Pelham then told us about the different games we would play, the cross country running and the gym work we would do in the coming years. He went on to say that he knew we would not all excel and that as long as we tried our best he would be happy but he would not tolerate any poor performance. 'You will be smart, wear proper games kit at all times, you will bring a towel for the shower and as you're men now, when you get changed you take off your vest and you take off your underpants.' This seemed a bit strange but no one asked any questions. Mr Pelham then told us that if we misbehaved at all, he would punish us without any doubt and from the sleeve of his rugby shirt he produced a strap. It was about 45 cm long, 5 cm wide and 2 cm thick, made of black leather. I had seen (and had) the strap before but never one like this. Mr Pelham started to pass it round saying we should each feel it once to appreciate that he meant to maintain discipline and that the next time anyone felt it would be 'at least six times across your bare bottom.' I shuddered when I felt the weight of the strap and decided that I didn't want to get it.
The term settled down and things seemed to fall into a routine. What the headmaster had said about maintaining discipline was certainly true and the cane and strap were in regular use but right up to half term I managed to avoid either.
It was very cold when we returned to school in November and on the day of the first games class it was freezing outside. While getting changed, I noticed that some others were not taking off their underpants saying that it was too cold. One or two of the guys had been doing this for a few weeks and Mr Pelham didn't seem to have noticed, he was rarely around when we changed at the start of the class and was often showering himself when we did at the end so getting caught was, I thought, unlikely and so I kept my underpants on.
Mr Pelham arrived and we all stood up in silence. He started to tell us that as it was so cold, we would have an extra gym class rather than go outside, 'but first,' he asked, 'who's wearing underpants?' No one said anything, I couldn't believe this, if no one said anything, he was hardly going to check. 'Some of you are,' he went on, 'and that is not acceptable, turn round, face the benches and bend over.' What no one had thought of was that we all wore white shorts for games and as we bent over, it was possible to see who was wearing underpants and who had taken them off. Mr Pelham walked round the changing room, telling everyone who had taken off their underpants to go into the gym and everyone else to stand up and face the wall, I was left standing facing the wall. He then sent one guy into the gym to bring back a hurdle.
The hurdle was placed in the middle of the floor. Mr Pelham told us to all take off our underpants but to put back on our shorts and he disappeared into his office. He came out again carrying the strap that we had all seen at our fist class. 'Right,' he said, form a line in front of the hurdle. As this is the first time any of you have been strapped by me, I will give you eight each, anyone who stands up or puts his hands over his bottom will get an extra one for each time he does it. After you have been strapped you will stand facing the wall with your hands on your head. Anyone removing his hands will start again.'
I joined the line in third place. Mr Pelham was already telling the guy at the front to drop his shorts and bend over the hurdle. After making him bend further and open his legs wider Mr Pelham drew back the strap and with a tremendous swish brought it down hard across the exposed bottom. A large red mark appeared immediately, just about the same size as the strap where it had landed. There was a gasp from Saunders but immediately that was masked by a second swish and the strap landed again. A second mark appeared and Saunders cried out. The following six strokes landed and Saunder's bottom began to appear as an inflamed red mass. After the last stroke, Mr Pelham looked up and said 'next' waving the strap at the line. The next guy moved forward as Saunders moved out of the way and pulled down his shorts and bent over. Almost immediately and without warning the strap landed and again there was a gasp as the red mark sprang up. I suddenly realised to my horror that I was going to be next and stood with my heart pounding and my hands going moist, my stomach churning seeing Adam's bottom get more red and sore as each stroke landed, he began to cry out but Mr Pelham took no notice and if anything strapped harder.
All of a sudden he stopped and looked up at me, 'next,' he said. I felt rooted to the spot and thought that I could not move but found my legs moving me towards the hurdle, I dropped my shorts and bent over as far as I could. 'Open your legs wider' rapped Mr Pelham and I did so, aware of how exposed my bottom was. I then heard the swish and realised what was happening, time stood still and then there was the most enormous crack, I felt nothing then all of a sudden my bottom was on fire. I had had both the strap and the cane before but never on my bare bottom and the pain of this was tremendous. I tried to breathe and couldn't, there was another swish and the strap landed again, I gasped again as the pain seared through my bottom, trying to breathe and drew a breath as the strap landed again, knocking it out of me. By now my bottom felt totally ablaze and I was aware of no other sensation than the pain it was causing me. I tried to look at the floor, count the tiles, anything but each swish of the strap seemed to double the heat of the skin and treble the amount of pain.
The strap stopped and I heard Mr Pelham say 'next.' I stood up slowly and pulled up my shorts over my blazing bottom and moved over to the wall where the others were standing, putting my hands on my head. I certainly did not want to experience that all over again. I heard the swish and crack of the strap start again but it seemed so far away, the only thing I could feel was the pain in my bottom that was now a powerful throbbing.
At last, the noise of the strap stopped and we were all standing facing the wall. Mr Pelham put the strap away and returned the hurdle to the gym and told us to turn and face him. He told us that we had experienced the price of misbehaviour that he had warned us about and that if we misbehaved again he would punish us more severely. Standing, with my hands on my head and pain coursing through my bottom, I wondered how much more severe it could be. He then told us to move in to the gym and join the class.
It took three days to be able to sit comfortably after that strapping and the marks lasted for about a week. Over the next seven years I had the strap and the cane on about a dozen other occasions but never again from Mr Pelham. I enjoyed sports classes and still work out and play rugby regularly, and every time I get changed, without a second thought, no matter how cold it is, no matter whether the other guys do or not, I always take off my underpants!!