The Good Old Days

by Barry Spockings <Spockings@webmail.co.za>

THE GOOD OLD DAYS

Barry Spockings

Spockings@webmail. co. za

When I completed my university degree, teaching was still seen as a dignified profession and a career certainly worthy of pursuit. However if I was leaving university today I very much doubt whether I would even consider it as a career. In my latter years as a Headmaster and certainly in retirement I have observed the gradual decline in standards, morality and discipline, throughout our society – a societal decrepitude symptomatic of a general lack of respect for people, possessions and principles.

And what is the underlying cause of this social turpitude? In one word – indiscipline. For centuries both parents and teachers knew that in the absence of discipline (or hard love as it is sometimes called) children will grow up spoilt, without knowing their behavioural boundaries and ignorant of the need to respect their elders and the norms of society. The laissez faire approach foist over the last 30 years by liberal politicians and so called human rights activists on society in general and on the teaching profession in particular, is the root cause of many of today's problems.

When I was a Headmaster a pupil knew his place, whether it was standing up to attention when a teacher entered a classroom or touching his toes to receive just retribution for misbehaviour. A reintroduction of the disciplined approach to child upbringing, which includes corporal punishment as a last sanction is, I believe, necessary if we are to stop the steady decline to total immorality if not social anarchy.

Many youngsters reading these memoirs will have had the misfortune to experience the modern namby-pamby approach to teaching and dealing with disruptive elements in class. For them I decided that it might be highly educational to recall some of my experiences as a Headmaster of the old school who, over twenty years, was responsible for the education of more than 7000 schoolboys. By far the vast majority of these pupils have grown up to be responsible citizens and pillars of society. If you were to ask them why they would probably blame it on their education in general and old Mr Spockings their Headmaster in particular.

They respected me and it was a respect I earned because I was firm bur fair, because I enforced the rules without exception, because I rewarded effort and excellence and because, for those who deserved it, I administered punishment, each according to his needs and deserts. I was the only member of staff allowed to apply corporal punishment and, contrary to the stories of profligate beatings such schools meted out according to the liberal anti-caners, out of a school of more than 1200 boys I usually only had to deal with between two and five boys each day after assembly. Perhaps a total of twenty boys a week, less than 1% of the total, and not all of these received corporal punishment.

However, those that did received a sufficient dose of slipper, strap or cane, applied to their seats of wisdom, to make it difficult to sit for a couple of days and so serve as a painful reminder to mend their ways. Most pupils who received such corporal punishment did not return again to my study. Some however might make 2 or 3 visits a year and a select few recalcitrant boys might visit once or twice a month. I thought it might be of interest to review some of these different types of boy, their circumstances, their misdemeanors and my ways of dealing with them. Fortunately I still have my old Punishment Book in which I maintained a record of all disciplinary actions involving corporal punishment plus anecdotal statements and I have used its entries to help jog my somewhat ailing memory. I trust that the following reminiscences will prove to be interesting, informative and instructive for those of you who would like a return of the "Good Old Days".

THE GOOD OLD DAYS - Chapter 1

1 Adrian Richards and Nigel Thomas – Valentines Day 'Cards'

Punishment Book EntryMonday 14 February 1965A cold, frosty Valentines Day but after School Assembly I found that warming the rears of two boys from Form 2C soon got my circulation going and warmed me up for the day. DATE NAME OFFENCE PUNISHMENT COMMENTS 14.2.65 Adrian RichardsForm 2C Throwing paper darts with rude and suggestive messages into the Girls' School 12 with the slipper; 8 with the cane– across underpants A double dose for being cheeky and telling lies 14.2.65 Nigel ThomasForm 2C Throwing paper darts with rude and suggestive messages into the Girls' School 12 with the slipper; 8 with the cane– across underpants A double dose for being cheeky and telling lies

Being Valentines Day, Adrian Richards and Nigel Thomas thought it would be amusing to make a score or so of paper darts on which they had written some very rude and suggestive messages. These darts they then threw from the flat roof of the school gymnasium into the adjoining Girls' School playground as the girls arrived for school. Some of the messages were so disgusting that the girls reported the matter to their Headmistress, Sybil Trubshaw, who immediately phoned me. I contacted Mr Jones, the gym master, who caught the boys red handed. So it was no surprise for them to hear their names called out at the end of assembly.

"Would Richards and Thomas from Form 2C report to the Headmaster's study immediately."

Whenever I had to deal with boys after assembly, I would always find a reason to delay returning to my study for ten to fifteen minutes. This meant that the miscreants had a period of anxious waiting in my secretary's office, enabling them to reflect on their behaviour and, no doubt, ponder on their probable punishment. From my own experience as a schoolboy I knew that the longer the wait outside the headmaster's study the more knots would be formed in one's stomach. A form of mental torture forcing you to endure the dreadful prolonged anticipation of an unavoidable painful experience.

When I finally arrived at my study I could sense their relief that the waiting was over but, as they followed me into my inner sanctum, I also sensed their trepidation, for they both realised they were in serious trouble and that they had been caught in the act. Denial would not wash and they also knew that I took a dim view of any activities that resulted in problems with the Girls' School next door.

My study was old and spacious and very much a man's lair. It was oak paneled with a large and well-stocked glass fronted bookcase filling one wall, parquet floored with a single well worn Persian carpet in front of my desk and a brown leather sofa to its left. Two matching leather visitors' chairs were placed in front of the desk and from my swivel chair behind it I could see the tennis courts through a bay window. Built before the days of central heating, the study had an open fireplace, which on cold winter days gave out welcome warmth from the burning of logs my secretary put on it. On the mantelpiece above the fire were cups and trophies and an old clock whose loud ticking and hourly chiming added to the room's atmosphere.

Also adding to the atmosphere of the room, on the left hand side of the fireplace, was a brass umbrella stand made from a Second World War spent artillery cartridge. Instead of umbrellas, resting ominously inside it were half a dozen crook handled school canes of various lengths and thickness. Hidden from view in my desk drawer were a slipper and strap, implements I used on the younger boys or for relatively minor offences.

As they walked in I noticed the two boys' eyes fix on the umbrella stand, a fascination shared by all boys entering my study and, like so many before them, I was amused to see them both briefly put their hands on their buttocks as if giving a warning of things to come.

My approach to corporal punishment was simple – let the punishment fit the crime and make it hurt sufficiently that the 'criminal' would think twice before repeating his crime. Generally I preferred to use the cane as I have always found it to be the most effective of the tools available for inflicting corporal punishment.

Ideally I would have liked to use it on boys' bare bottoms to see exactly what impact it had but this was against the school rules. I therefore required the older boys to change into school sports gear – blue nylon T-shirt and matching nylon shorts before reporting to my study. As this was announced at assembly the whole school knew that any boys so summoned were in for a caning. They were not allowed to wear any clothing beneath the nylon shorts and thus suffered almost as much as if their bottoms were bare.

However for really serious offences shorts or trousers would be dropped and I would order the boy being punished to bend over and with one hand on each side of his underpants pull the sides up tightly so that they wedged between his cheeks leaving most of the buttocks uncovered. This was a highly effective position for punishment as the individual being caned had to pull on his underpants throughout his chastisement and so was unable to move or stand up.

I also liked to keep the boys on their toes (both figuratively and in reality) so that they could not anticipate my actions. Variety is the spice of life and so when a boy was due for a hiding from me he never knew quite what to expect until I announced his punishment. Whilst a traditional schoolboy six of the best touching their toes was often meted out, I would sometimes spank them over my lap or cane them stretched across my desk or bent over the leather sofa or over the back of a chair. If more than one boy was to be punished for the same offence then I would punish them collectively so that they could all see that I was treating each of them with the same degree of severity.

Boys were expected to remain in position throughout a punishment and not get up until told to do so. Any resistance or attempt to get up would result in a doubling of the punishment. The number of each stroke was to be called out after it had landed and when the punishment was over they were expected to shake my hand and thank me. Yelling out in pain or crying was however permitted and, in fact, expected – if during a caning a boy did not cry out then I knew I was not hitting hard enough. Even the older boys and Sixth Formers would howl out in agony when receiving a 'wedged six' given with a senior school cane.

I sat back in my swivel chair, elbows on my desk, twirling a pen between my fingers and watched Messers Richards and Thomas across the other side of the desk, twitching nervously, eyes averted from mine, shoulders drooping, heads down and hands clasped behind their backs. They looked the quintessential naughty schoolboys. As second formers their regulation school uniform was a royal blue school blazer, white shirt and school tie, grey cotton shorts, long grey socks and black leather shoes. Out of school they were, of course, required to wear the school cap whilst in uniform and to doff it to passers by. Failure to do so, even for sixth formers, meant an automatic appointment in my study for six of the best. "So would you like to explain yourselves? What exactly were you doing on the gymnasium roof – a prohibited area to pupils? Who wants to speak first?"

Neither replied.

"Come on I have not got all day – Richards you go first – explain yourself."

"Sir it was only a bit of Valentines Day fun. We made some paper darts and wrote some nice Valentines Day messages for the girls to read. It was just a harmless prank. We are sorry if it has upset anyone or caused a problem."

"I can assure you that you will both be sorry by the time I have finished with you. Miss Trubshaw, the Headmistress, telephoned me to complain about your activities. Apart from littering her schoolyard and possibly hurting one of the girls if a paper dart had hit an eye, the so called nice messages were, in her opinion, rude and obscene."

"Sir that is not true!"

"Oh isn't it? Let me quote – "I'd like you to be my Valentine, you pull my pants down and I'll show you mine" or "Roses are red, violets are blue, suck mine slowly for a mouthful of goo" and worst of all "My hand's on your heart, my finger's on your clit, my chopper is erect so you know where to sit!". Obviously I must agree with Miss Trubshaw's opinions, these messages are rude and obscene."

"That's only because she is a dry old virgin spinster and you both are old fashioned and narrow minded!" Thomas blurted out suicidally

"I beg your pardon!"

"I don't think he meant to say it quite like that Sir. But older people are out of touch with the things we kids get up to today. I bet if you were to ask the girls who read the messages they would not have said they were rude and obscene. Only old people would react the way you and Miss Trubshaw have."

"Well Richards let me tell you something. Firstly it was the girls who complained to Miss Trubshaw about the content of your messages. You deliberately lied about them being nice Valentines Day messages – you knew they were crude and rude. Secondly you and Thomas are compounding your problems with me by being cheeky and rude about Miss Trubshaw and myself. We are the adults and as Headmistress and Headmaster we are paid to make the decisions on what is right and what is wrong for our pupils On this occasion we are in agreement and both consider that you deserve to be severely punished for what you have done. Before you lied and made your cheeky comments, I was going to cane you both – six of the best with your shorts lowered and Miss Trubshaw agreed with my decision. However in view of your lack of contrition, your lying and your cheekiness I have decided that you both will be slippered, twelve strokes each, and then given eight of the best with your shorts lowered. Do you have anything to say before I punish you?"

"Oh Sir, that's not fair. We really are sorry for what we did but surely it does not deserve such harsh punishment." Pleaded Richards.

"If this was your first visit to my study for misbehaviour I might be more lenient but you Thomas have been here on three previous occasions and you Richards I have already had to cane twice this year. It is clear to me that you both need a short, sharp shock to knock some sense into your thick heads and the way I intend to do it is to apply my cane to another thick part of your anatomies – your backsides. Now I do not intend discussing this any further and I expect you both to take your punishment without resisting or protesting. Is that understood?"

"Yes Sir." They replied in unison.

I stood up and removed the slipper from my desk drawer. It was an old size twelve gym plimsol, with a well worn synthetic rubber sole, its surface shiny with a patina resulting from years of contact with boys' backsides. Properly applied to shorts tightly stretched across a boy's bottom, it produced a satisfyingly loud crack and an extremely painful aftermath in the recipient's buttocks. I often would spank a boy with the slipper to warm his backside before administering a severe caning. Somehow this preliminary spanking enabled the boy to take a much harder caning than would be the case if he were caned 'cold'. So in the case of Richards and Thomas I was actually being cruel to be kind to them. Their preliminary slippering would mitigate the serious caning that was to follow.

I strode round to the front of my desk with my black headmaster's gown flowing behind me and confronted the boys in an intimidating and authoritative manner.

"So, who wants to be first?"

They looked at each other apprehensively and then Richards stepped forward.

"I will Sir."

"Right, both remove your blazers and put them on the sofa. Richards move that chair to the middle of the carpet and then I want you to bend over my lap. Meanwhile, Thomas, you stand three feet away from the chair with your hands on your head and watch very carefully, for as soon as I have finished with Richards I want you to take his place."

Of the two boys Richards was slightly taller and slimmer. A dark haired, good looking boy, who tended to lead rather than follow and I was in no doubt that it was he who had initiated the dart throwing escapade. In early adolescence, his voice was beginning to break, and a feint trace of a moustache adorned his youthful face. His interest in girls was another indication that he was passing through puberty and hormonal activity was almost certainly "stirring his loins" and promoting such interest.

I sat on the chair and made myself comfortable, rolled up the sleeve of my right arm and took hold of the slipper's narrow end. I motioned Richards to bend over my lap. Reluctantly he did so and I positioned him so that his hands were palm down on the carpet and his toes just touching the floor. This meant that his bottom was ideally placed above my right thigh with the thin fabric of his shorts tightly stretched across both buttocks. With my left hand I pulled and smoothed the fabric to eliminate any wrinkles and then yanked the waistband to make the shorts really taught, providing a superb body-hugging mould encasing both buttocks. He had a small but muscular bottom, firm and well shaped and an ideal target for my slipper.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes Sir." He whispered.

I must admit that I always got a certain amount of satisfaction from giving a boy a good hiding. I liked to do it to the best of my ability and I firmly believe that the boys benefited from it. Not only did they experience considerable pain, which would deter them from repeating their offence, but also many deeply regretted getting into trouble in the first place and a sound caning provided them with a kind of catharsis to expiate their guilt. I likened a visit to my study for some serious corporal punishment, to visiting a Catholic confessional where the priest would forgive and absolve sinners from their sins. The cane can also be very forgiving. On leaving my study or the confessional an individual sinner could feel free from guilt. However, not being a Catholic, I believe a caning is a more lasting means of purging one's soul from guilt than the painless vocal admission of sin!

Richards' bottom was about to experience the cathartic benefits of my slipper. I raised it high above my head and cracked it down with considerable force into the middle of his bottom. This produced a gratifying crack on his shorts and a yell of pain from the boy. Before he could recover from the first stroke a second landed with equal force and produced the same effect. I slippered his poor little bottom again and again until I had covered its entire area with six strokes and then I repeated the slippering until he had received his full twelve. He was crying real tears before I had completed the first six and by the time I had finished, he was wailing like a six year old and I told him so.

"Right Richards, you can get up and stop blubbing like a six year old. Put your hands on your head and change places with Thomas."

Red faced, with tears streaming down his cheeks, he stood where Thomas had, with his hands on his head. Throughout the slippering I had not paid much attention to Thomas, but as he moved forward to bend over my lap I could not help but notice that he suffered from the same problem that many males, including myself, experience when either giving, receiving or watching a spanking or caning – erectile dysfunction. Thomas was an inch or two shorter than Richards, red haired and freckle faced with just a little puppy fat to make his shorts very tight fitting. Erectile dysfunction brought on by spanking means that a male's penis swells and stiffens uncontrollably, without being touched and with no thoughts of _s_e_x_. In Thomas's case his shorts were so tight that the outline of a very stiff six-inch penis was all too obvious. Clearly he was suffering from a serious dose of erectile dysfunction.

Nevertheless I ignored his little problem and, once I had him bent comfortably over my lap, I prepared to slipper his slightly fat little bottom exactly as I had slippered Richards'. His shorts were really too small for him and as I jerked up their waistband, the already close fitting cotton became skintight and I could feel his penis stiffen further against my thigh. I raised the slipper and whacked it with all the force I could muster into his buttocks. It landed with the noise of a gunshot and Thomas wailed out in agony. Again and again I cracked it into his burning bottom and he cried out even louder than his partner in crime. Each time the slipper landed his buttocks bounced up and down causing friction in the front of his shorts to further intensify the strength of his erection. As the twelfth stroke landed I ordered him off my lap and to wait next to Richards with his hands on his head. He did so but with acute embarrassment as his erectile dysfunction was now even more obvious and he blushed with shame. I made them keep their hands on their heads, as I did not want either of them to rub their bottoms before they received their caning.

Now the real punishment was about to begin. Whilst a slippering might be quite painful, a caning is in another league altogether. Properly applied it will produce exquisite agony and this is exactly what I intended the two boys to experience in fulfillment of their punishment.

I walked to the fireplace and carefully selected a three-foot long rattan cane from the brass umbrella stand. It was well balanced and extremely whippy and as I slashed it through the air several times, I was pleased to see the reaction this action produced on the faces of the two boys. I think all boys would have displayed fearful trepidation at the prospect of being beaten with this cane.

I pointed the cane at Richards saying:

"I am going to cane you first. You will receive eight strokes across your buttocks with your shorts off. You are to remove your shoes, socks and shorts. Kindly undress now."

The boy obeyed and stood sheepishly awaiting my next command. As I wanted him to bend over and wedge his underpants between his buttocks, a touch toes stance was not possible. I decided to have him bend over the back of one of the visitor's chairs. I placed it in position so that I could get a full swing of the cane and then ordered him to bend over it. He did so and I used the tip of the cane to flick his shirttail up on to his back, exposing his white Jockey underpants.

"Now, without getting up, place a hand on each buttock and feel for the edges of your underpants. Good - now insert your fingers underneath and pull the material tightly to the base of your back. That is perfect. You are to remain in that position until I give you permission to get up. I expect you to c all out the number of strokes received after each stroke has landed. Is that understood?"

"Yes Sir."

I tapped the inside of his legs to force them slightly wider, which left him on tiptoe. His almost bare bottom was high in the air and his face inches from the seat of the chair. Before applying a cane to a bottom that is effectively bare, I always examine the skin to make certain that there is no reason why it should not be caned. In my younger days I once caned a boy who had several serious boils on his buttocks. It was a messy, bloody business and one that almost caused legal problems with his parents. I ran my hand over Richards' smooth and hairless buttocks, which were bright red and still hot from his slippering. His skin was flawless and I decided that there was absolutely no reason why he should not receive the full eight strokes of the cane.

To his consternation I swished the cane a few more times through the air, causing his buttocks to twitch nervously, and then stood to his side and took aim, tapping the tip of the cane three times across the centre of his bottom. I then raised it high and wide of my right shoulder and flashed it down, scything through the air and into his buttocks. Swish! Crack! Scream! A dark red line quickly filled the initial white indentation left in his buttocks by the kiss of the cane.

"One, thank you Sir!"

The second stroke I landed half an inch above the first and he screamed out even louder. The third I placed half an inch below the first. I applied each stroke with full force causing the boy to jerk his legs behind him and shriek out in agony. Somehow he managed to call out the number of strokes after each had landed. By the time he had received six he was sobbing uncontrollably and begging me to stop. But I was undeterred as I was determined to make the last two strokes sufficiently memorable to cause him to think twice in future before getting into mischief.

Swish! Crack! Ouch!

"Seven, sob, Thank you Sir!"

For the last stroke I took a step back, swung the cane behind me and in one movement lunged forward and buried its tip in the most sensitive area just above where the buttocks meet the thighs. This caused him to yell out at the top of his voice and then collapse forward sobbing after a final cry of:

"Eight, thank you Sir!"

I examined his rear and was extremely pleased with the results of my performance. Eight parallel weals, red and purple and one almost bleeding, were spaced evenly apart from the top to the bottom of each buttock. As I trailed my fingertips across these sensitive, throbbing furrows, I felt his bottom squirm and writhe. I was satisfied that he had received the caning he deserved.

"There, it's over. You may get up and get dressed and then watch me deal with Thomas."

He stood up and gingerly rubbed his bottom before dressing, all the time softly sobbing. Meanwhile Thomas had undressed and assumed the position over the chair with his underpants wedged tightly between his buttocks. The severity of Richards' caning had, I think, shocked him, as his erectile dysfunction problem seemed to have disappeared.

On examination I noticed that his bottom was even redder than Richards' was before his caning and I realised that its greater sensitivity would make it very difficult for him to take a caning of equal severity. From previous experience of other boys' bottoms I knew that if I caned him with full force his would cut and bleed within three or four full strokes. Generally I tried to avoid causing a boy's bottom to bleed. Apart from the mess and subsequent treatment it might need, the authorities were likely to condemn such incidents particularly if they were reported in the press.

I decided to get his caning over quickly and moderate its intensity so that hopefully his bottom would not bleed. I laid the cane across the middle of his decidedly caneable rump, tapped it in warning and for accuracy and then let him have it.

Swish, thwack, "Yowl! – One Sir!"

Swish, thwack, Yowl! – Two Sir!"

Swish, thwack, Yowl! – Three Sir!"

And so I continued until he had received his full eight. Despite the fact that I was caning him at only 80% of the force I had applied when thrashing Richards, he was clearly much more distressed and really howled out in agony each time the cane cut into his buttocks. After the eighth stroke he was crying uncontrollably and his bottom was in a far worse state than that of his partner.

Despite my care, the last two strokes had cut into his skin and a small trickle of blood was oozing from the weals. I took out my handkerchief and dabbed the area until the subsequent swelling from the caning stopped the bleeding. I then rubbed both of his throbbing cheeks to help ease the pain away and was not surprised to see that his penis reacted, bulging out of the front of his underpants. I immediately ceased this activity, as I did not want to arouse him in front of another boy who probably would not understand his special needs. I made a mental note, however, that the next time I punished him it would be in private.

He was told to get up and get dressed and when he had done so I gave them a further lecture on the need for good behaviour. I also warned them that if either of them were in trouble again within the next two months then they would receive an even more painful thrashing – twelve of the best with the senior cane.

They then took it in turn to shake my hand, thank me and, walking with some difficulty, departed from my study. I replaced the cane in the umbrella rack, the slipper in its drawer and sat back on the sofa and relaxed. Beating boys was tiring yet exhilarating work and afterwards I usually allowed myself a few minutes alone to relieve any tensions that might have built up during a beating. I suspected that Thomas would be making a beeline for the boys' toilets where he would be taking his erectile dysfunction problem firmly in hand. Replaying their punishments in my mind and then contemplating Thomas's likely activities in the loo, there remained only one thing for me to do and that was to emulate him – as was often the case after caning the bottoms of naughty boys, I had a significant erectile dysfunction of my own to deal with!