The boys had arrived to live with me in early March and, in the first week they were there I had needed to administer 2 canings. First to the 10 year old, Craig, for coming home late and the following Friday 8 year old Stephen had been fooling around with the school crossing patrol lady and had been caned as a consequence. Since then however behaviour had been satisfactory and I was satisfied with the boys' progress and I felt that my early use of the cane had achieved the desired results. The Easter holidays were upon us and, as was customary, school reports would be issued which would need to be inspected by me and signed. I decided to go through the reports at the dinner table that evening as today was the day the boys would bring them home. I noticed they seemed subdued when they arrived home, the usual banter as they changed out of their schoolwear into the regulation t shirts and gym shorts was noticeable by it's absence. I felt there could only be one reason for this---the school reports which the boys had left, as instructed, in the sitting room by my armchair. I decided to read them immediately and discuss them with the children after dinner whilst they were all still at the table.
I sat in my chair and picked up the first report. It was Robert's report. Robert was 6, the baby of the family. He wouldn't be 7 until September and surely he was not giving problems to his teachers. The report however indicated Robert had a tendency to disrupt other children by distracting them from their work. The class teachers comment said she had been disappointed with Robert's effort this term and that he needed to improve his behaviour considerably. I reflected on this. I felt the cane would be too much for such a young child but I was equally certain he needed teaching a sharp lesson. I decided Robert would feel the sting of the gym slipper across his bare backside after dinner.
Stephen's report was next. The same comments were made about him as had been passed about Robert. Stephen was in a different class and so a different teacher was writing the comments. Similar words were used though—"disruptive", "noisy" and "careless" were the three which gave me most concern. A beating was in order for Stephen as well it appeared.
Next was Craig's report. Again a different teacher was involved but once more the nature of the comments showed an ill disciplined child who, not content with jeopardising his own education fooled around in class and prevented other students from working well. I was concerned though that the school had not seen fit to tell me about the boy's behaviour as I had requested and so I picked up the phone, rang the school and asked to be put through to Miss Brand, the Head teacher. The conversation was pleasant and she had decided that as the behavioural problems were, as she put it, many but not serious, not to trouble me with them. She felt the only incident worthy of reporting to me was the one which resulted in Stephen's earlier caning. Miss Brand and I wished each other a Happy Easter and agreed that next term I would be kept more fully informed about the boys' conduct.
I had already decided on the slipper for the 6 year old and now reflected on how to deal with the two older boys. I felt that the first applications of the leather tawse would be made. I would discuss the reports with the boys after dinner as originally intended, march them individually to my study for punishment and then send them to do the washing and drying . The boys came down for dinner around 5.30 which was the time we ate and I could tell they were apprehensive about how their reports had been received. I insisted on good table manners but conversation was permitted provided it was orderly. Today however we sat and ate in almost total silence. Finally we finished dinner and the boys waited to be sent to do the washing, Today however the routine was different. I started to address them "I have read your school reports boys and, frankly, they have annoyed me. Robert, stand up, we will talk about your report first". The little 6 year old stood and shivered with apprehension. He gazed at me fearfully remembering, no doubt, the yells and screams from his brothers when he heard them being punished before. "Your teacher says you need to show more effort, Robert and also that you are a disruptive influence on other children in your class. I will not have you misbehaving in lessons, is that clear". Without waiting for a reply I rose from my chair and walked to where the young lad stood. I grasped his forearm and led him towards my study. He had begun to weep.
I led the child into the study and, without speaking, pulled him towards the cupboard where the instruments of discipline were kept. I leaned in and located the size 10 gym shoe. I turned Robert round to face the leather armchair I made the children bend over for their beatings. The first words I uttered were "Take off your shorts". Robert lowered and then stepped out of his small white shorts revealing a pair of tight light blue briefs which were clearly small even for a tiny kid like him. "Bend over the chair" I instructed. I also gave him the usual talk about staying put until I told him to rise. "You have been disruptive, Robert, and also lazy. You will get 3 for each. That's 6 in total". Without further ado I pulled down his briefs to the knees and almost immediately whacked the sole of the slipper hard across the centre of the small backside and Robert gasped. I didn't use my full force on the boy, after all he was only 6, but each blow was accompanied by a crescendo of pitiful sobbing and cries for mercy. On the fourth blow he almost raised up and, as I didn't want to have to carry out my threat and give him extra I placed my free hand, the left, firmly into the small of the child's back whilst my right hand continued bringing the slipper down across his rapidly reddening rear. After completing the six I told the boy to rise and face me. His hands went towards the lowered briefs but my command of "LEAVE THEM –STAND TO ATTENTION!!" brought the boy upright. I noticed he quickly wiped tears from his cheeks before thrusting his arms down to his sides. I told Robert I expected an improvement next term, told him to raise his pants and replace his shorts and we returned to the dining room. I told him to remain standing and now ordered Stephen to stand. "Stephen there are 3 words in your report I do not expect to read. According to your teachers you are disruptive noisy and careless. I will not tolerate this sort of work". Again I walked to the boy, grasped his arm and led him to the study without further comment.
I led the boy to the cupboard and, with a flourish, produced the leather tawse. There were two strips of leather about 18 inches long which were held together in a handle. Each leather strip was about an inch wide and about 1/8th of an inch thick. As I had done with Robert I did not say anything except the order to "take off your shorts". Stephen obeyed. Coincidentally he was wearing the same dark blue briefs he had worn when I caned him previously. Stephen had been thrashed before so the warning about staying in position was not repeated, I simply said "carelessness, noisiness and disruptive behaviour, 3 for each, how many is that Stephen ?" The 8 year old boy whimpered that it was 9. I lowered the briefs in the customary fashion after telling Stephen to bend over the chair and swiftly administered the first lash of the tawse. Stephen, to my surprise, did not cry out although there was an imperceptible twitch as the pain registered. I brought the strap down a second and third time and as I expected Stephen's silence was broken. He yelped. A further 2 lashes brought forth the customary pleas for leniency and the first flood of tears which dripped onto the chair over which the boy was bent. Numbers 6 and 7 were administered firmly across the centre of the backside and caused further pitiful sobs and pleading for me to stop. Number 8 was delivered to the area where back and backside meet and the final lash was delivered to the lower part of the backside where the legs join. This area was effective to ensure maximum discomfort when sitting for the next day or two. Stephen screamed and wept profusely. I ordered him to stand to attention and, briefs still round the knees, he complied. " I expect an improvement next term or you will regret it, my boy" was all I said before telling him to raise his pants and replace his shorts. We then returned to the dining room where Robert was still standing. Craig was still seated but I noticed he had his head in his hands and was crying softly. Clearly he knew what was coming.
"Stand up Craig" I instructed and the 10 year old boy rose to his feet. "Your report is the worst of the lot Craig. It seems you are troublesome in classes, regularly misbehave and generally do not make enough effort". As I had done with the other two I grasped Craig's arm and led him away from the dining room to the study where he would be taught his lesson. I marched Craig over to my desk on which I had placed the tawse after using it on Stephen, I picked it up and then led the boy by the arm to the chair. "Shorts off" I commanded and Craig obeyed. I told Craig to bend over the chair and he obeyed instantly. He was wearing black briefs today and I lowered them to Craig's knees. "Your report card Craig says you are sometimes cheeky, you upset other children, your work is often untidy and you are sometimes a bad influence on others. You will get 3 lashes for untidiness, 3 for upsetting others, 3 for cheek and 3 for being a bad influence. How many is that in total, Craig ?".
"T-T-Twelve, I th-think, dad" Craig sobbed.
"Correct" I said and immediately cracked the tawse across Craig's backside. I rapidly delivered the next 3 and, as usual, each crack drew a slightly louder gasp from the child. I noticed Craig's fists were clenched as he grasped the opposite chair arm. Numbers 5 , 6 and 7 followed in rapid succession and I noticed the first tear drop onto the chair under Craig's face. This boy would find sitting painful for a day or two I thought. The next 3 lashes caused Craig's back to arch upwards, but he remained bent over and had not tried to cover his bottom although he was now wailing and pleading loudly. However when the 11th came down he yelled and his hands flashed to his bottom for a second or two before returning to the arm of the chair. "You know the rules Craig, that means one extra"
"Ohhhh, Pleeeez, pleeex dad nooo" He wailed but I was having none of it. The twelfth lash was delivered to the crease of buttocks and legs resulting in an anguished "AAAAHHHHH". I paused briefly before summoning all my strength for the final stroke which I aimed dead centre of the reddened bottom. Craig's back arched again and his screams could be heard throughout the house but dreading an extra lash he stayed in place until I told him to rise and stand to attention. He stood and faced me and I told him that I expected a considerable improvement next term or he would regret it. I then told him to pull up his briefs, replace his shorts and I took him back to the dining room where his two brothers had been standing since their own punishments.
"I hope you have all learned your lesson boys" I said "More effort and better behaviour next term or there will be more of the same I'm afraid. Now clear the table and wash the dinner things please". The three boys began to clear the table, Craig was still sobbing and rubbing his bottom. The other two had obviously recovered somewhat from their own discipline. Three chastened lads went to the kitchen to wash and dry, none of them in any doubt that to avoid further pain they would have to improve their behaviour and their schoolwork.