The new children's home had been opened and the first intake of waifs and strays had happened. The home had been designated boys only and it's first intake consisted of 8 lads aged between 8 and 10. All the kids sent there were from poor home backgrounds, in all senses of the word poor, and I, as the newly appointed principal had decided that the overriding feature of the new home would be strict discipline. Most of the boys sent there had been subjected to physical punishments in their previous homes but not in a structured and disciplined manner I believed if boys were to be corrected it should be extremely painful but they should know why it was happening.
So the first full day of the home's existence I stood on a slightly raised stage in front of 8 small boys all dressed in the regulation light blue t-shirt, white gym shorts, white socks and black trainers.
"Welcome boys", I began my address. "You have all been told why you are here. You are here because your parents are unable or unwilling to control you. Whilst you are here you will be expected to behave in the proper manner both at home, in school, or out and about. If I hear of any misbehaviour at any time you will be punished more severely than you can imagine. Do I make myself clear?"
There was absolute silence so I pointed to one of the older looking boys and asked him if he understood. "Yes" he replied.
"Yes what, boy" I retorted. "I expect you to address me as Sir and failure to do so in future will result in a painful thrashing for you. Is that clear?
"Yes, sir" came the timid response.
I then asked the assembled brats if they all understood and observed the nodding of heads and the occasional mumbled "yes, sir". Satisfying myself the boys all understood I dismissed them and ordered them to report for breakfast, which would be supervised by the housekeeper Miss Bullock, at 7.30 sharp in order to be ready for the school bus which would take them to the local primary school into which they had all been enlisted.
The following morning the 8 children were met at the breakfast table by Miss Bullock who ordered them all to show her their hands. The boys lined up and one by one walked past the large housekeeper showing her first the palms of their hands and then the back. Two of the boys had not cleaned their finger nails to Miss Bullock's satisfaction and so she told the offenders they would be reported to me. The children were then given their breakfast and sent to school.
Miss Bullock duly informed me of the transgression shortly before she left for home which she did after preparing the evening meal and. I awaited the return of the boys from school. Shortly after 4 I heard the sound of the school bus pulling up and watched through the study window as the 8 children trooped into the home. As they had been instructed they went immediately to their bedrooms and changed from their school uniform into the regulation home wear of blue t-shirt and white gym shorts. Eventually they all appeared at the dining room door for dinner. We sat in silence, conversation was forbidden at table unless I directed it, and finished our meal. Without warning I suddenly said "David and Daniel stand up". Two confused young boys rose nervously to their feet I went on "When you have all finished the washing up you two boys will go to your room and strip to your underpants. You will then report to my study. The rest of you will report to my study to see what happens to boys who do not maintain standards of hygiene. I then instructed all the children to clear the table and wash and dry the crockery and cutlery we had used. This they did and I went to my study to await the arrival of my charges.
Washing up completed six boys arrived at my study door. The eldest, Paul, knocked and I told them to enter. Daniel and David, the missing two, had gone straight to their room to strip in preparation for the punishment they were about to receive. After about 10 minutes there was a timid knock on the door and I told the two miscreants to enter. Daniel, who was 9, was wearing skimpy, tight red briefs and David,1 year his junior, equally tight fitting black ones. "Do you know why you are here?" I asked. Both boys said they did not and so I reminded them of the fingernail incident of the morning. "I expect you to keep yourself clean and if you fail to do so you will receive a severe punishment".
The other 6 boys had, as instructed by me, lined up, 3 either side just in front of my desk. Daniel and David stood in front of the desk now quietly sniffling knowing what was to come. I made a great show of rising from my leather armchair and walking to the cupboard behind me. Opening the cupboard door I produced a metre long riding whip which I flexed as I approached the 2, now sobbing, boys in front of my desk.
"David you will be first. Step forward, bend over and touch your toes". The young boy obeyed, his black briefs pulled tight against his backside. I placed the whip on the desk and grasped the elastic of the boys briefs pulling them down to just above the knees. "You will remain in position until I tell you to rise, you will not attempt to cover your bottom with your hands. After each stroke you will call out the number of the stroke. Do you understand". Instead of answering my question the little chap fell to his knees, hands clasped in front of him .
"Please, please, please don't whip me sir, I promise I'll scrub my nails every day. I only forgot this morning because I was a bit late for breakfast, I'm really, really sorry."
"Stop your snivelling, boy" I ordered. "You were told the rules when you came here and you disobeyed them. You will now take the consequences. Get to your feet and bend over immediately or you will regret it."
David rose, weeping, and assumed the bending position in front of me. I then turned to my audience, the six boys who were to witness the punishments. "I expect you boys to learn from this. I want you to watch me punish David and Daniel so that you will know what to expect if your standards fall". I then turned my attention to the bending 8 year old. "Prepare yourself boy and don't forget to count the strokes."
I tapped the whip lightly on the boys raised bottom, mainly to ensure my aim was correct, and then let fly with a wristy movement. "AAAAHH—ONE" I waited a few moments then repeated the dose just below where the first had landed "OWWWW—TWO" The boy was shuffling slightly but fearing what would happen if he moved from the position stayed bent over touching his toes. When he had settled I administered 2 lashes in quick succession "AAAAAAHHHH –THREE, SHEEESH—FOUR" I commanded him to stay in position and then ordered Daniel to bend over facing David. I moved behind Daniel and pulled his briefs down as I had done with the other child. I stood behind Daniel and without warning whipped a searing stroke across the raised bottom "OUCH—ONE" I repeated this process on Daniel until I had given him 8 lashes, each one accompanied by louder screams than the previous one. Telling Daniel to stay in position I then returned to David and administered 4 more cracks of the whip so each child had received eight. Leaving both boys bending I replaced the whip in the cupboard and told the 6 young witnesses of the punishment to each write an account of the day's events and to say what they had learned and how it would affect their future behaviour. I then told all 6 to pass by the still raised bottoms and notice the red stripes that the whip had so efficiently raised. After the six had left I told Daniel and David to stand and ordered them also to write an account of what had happened today and how they would avoid a repetition in the future.