The Easter holidays had passed by uneventfully and the boys duly returned to school for the summer term. I had lectured them at length the evening before they went back to school and I had told them I expected better behaviour this term. I reminded them why they had been beaten when I had read their reports at the end of term. I reminded them that rudeness and misbehaviour would not be tolerated. I had also spoken to Miss Brand, their headmistress, and insisted she told me of any improper behaviour from the boys so that I could deal with it. We had agreed that she would not call me for every little thing (talking in class for example) but for major naughtiness or repeated indiscipline I would be informed. I had left the boys in no doubt that their backsides would be very sore indeed unless they improved the behaviour they had shown last term. I had also told them there would be regular inspections of their text books to ensure work was being presented neatly.
The first two weeks of the new term had been uneventful but the following week I was in my office at work when I received a call from Miss Brand. She told me she was sorry to disturb me but, in accordance with our arrangement, she felt obliged to tell me that Craig and Stephen had been caught fighting during their dinner break. Apparently it started off as a stupid squabble involving the 8 year old, Stephen. All the boys took sandwiches to school and today's filling was cheese. The boy who sat next to Stephen had ham in is and Stephen wanted to swap. The other boy said no although he was prepared to swap one sandwich. Stephen it seems tried to take a sandwich from the other boy who responded by pushing Stephen who pushed back---well you know how it is with kids. Craig saw this happening and rushed over and pushed the other boy, whose name was Daniel, and Daniel fell over. Daniel was 9 and in the same class as Stephen and as he had hurt himself when he fell he started crying which alerted the teacher who came and sorted it out. I thanked Miss Brand for bringing this matter to my attention and assured her it would be dealt with.
As usual I had decided not to mention the incident as soon as I got home but to wait until after we had eaten dinner. It was my custom to discuss the child's offence at the table, in front of the others, and then take the child to the study for his beating. Craig and Stephen were subdued at dinner, obviously fearful their playground scrap had been reported to me. Bobby the 6 year old had caught the general mood and was quietly eating his dinner. When dinner was finished I leaned back in my seat and, without warning, ordered Craig and Stephen to stand. The boys cast nervous glances at each other and rose to their feet. "I understand you boys were fighting at school today and I will not tolerate this sort of behaviour. Have you any explanation". Both boys studied their feet and shook their heads. "Look at me and answer my question" I commanded. Two pairs of moist tearful eyes looked straight at me and both boys mumbled that they had no explanation or excuse. I demanded to know what had caused the "fight" to start. I had been given details by the school but I wanted to ensure the boys were prepared to face up to their actions. "Stephen tell me what happened. Craig stay silent, you will get your chance after Stephen has spoken" I said.
Stephen was sniffling now and through his tears said "Daniel pushed me and Craig came and pushed Daniel over". I demanded to know why Daniel had pushed Stephen and Stephen had mumbled that he didn't know.
"DON'T LIE TO ME BOY" I shouted "You know why Daniel pushed you".
"I wanted to swap a sandwich" game the timid reply. I then turned to Craig and asked him why he had got involved and pushed over a boy who was much junior to him. Craig would be 11 in September, oddly all the boys had September birthdays, whereas Daniel had just turned 9.
"Daniel hit Stephen" mumbled Craig "and I went to help my brother".
I glared at the two boys. " Firstly Craig your brothers need to sort out their own problems. It wasn't really a fight but you got involved and a boy got hurt. You turned a little squabble between two boys into an uneven contest---two against one, I am going to teach you to show more self control in future and not pick on boys who are smaller than you". I then turned my attention to Stephen. "As for you I do not expect you to start squabbling every time you don't get your way, apparently Daniel was prepared to swap one of his sandwiches, is that right ??" Stephen nodded and so I continued "You are going to learn that pushing and shoving people is not the way to go about things. Daniel was quite happy to swap one of his sandwiches but you were too greedy and decided you wanted all of them. I will not put up with this". At this point I rose from my chair and walked around the table to where the boys were stood. I passed young Robert who had been watching and listening intently. Robert had been given the slipper by me for a poor report so he had an idea of what was awaiting his brothers. Also my study walls were thin enough for the sounds of the boys' punishments to be heard elsewhere in the house and Robert had doubtless heard the other occasions where his older siblings had been disciplined. I grasped Stephen's arm with my left hand and Craig's arm with my right and led them to the study.
I did not believe in unnecessary delays before administering the punishments and so immediately upon entering the study I led the two boys to the leather arm chair over which they were required to bend for their beatings. "Take off your shorts" I said and the two lads lowered and then stepped out of their white gym shorts whilst I went to the cupboard behind my desk and removed the bamboo cane which I had decided would be the instrument used today. I flexed the cane in my hands and then, for effect, swished it through the air. "Over the chair Stephen" I said and the younger boy he fell across the arm and held his hands out to grasp the arm opposite. I then stood behind the child and inserted my hand into the elastic of his briefs and drew them down to his knees. "You will receive 6 strokes for your behaviour at school plus 2 for trying to lie and tell me you didn't know why Daniel pushed you" I said and immediately cracked the first stroke down across Stephen's bottom. He gasped. I administered two more before the boy cried out for the first time and then a further stroke, the fourth, produced the first tears. Five and six resulted in high pitched yelps of pain. Stephen, knowing the consequences of covering his bottom with his hands which meant an extra stroke, was hanging onto the arm of the chair grimly. The seventh stroke drew an anguished "AAAAAAHHHHH" from the child who was now weeping loudly and the final blow caused his back to arch and at first I thought he was going to try to rub his backside but, to his credit, he stayed still until I told him to get up. I asked if he had learned his lesson an he sobbed that he had and I told him to raise his briefs and put his shorts back on before turning to the 10 year old.
"Get over the chair Craig" and the boy obeyed. As I had done with his brother I pulled his briefs down to his knees before announcing the sentence. "You will get 8 strokes for your behaviour. I expect you to set a better example". And then I administered the first stroke. Like his brother before him Craig took the first two strokes stoically simply gasping under his breath as the bamboo cracked against bare flesh. The yelling started at number 3 and the tears started at the fifth. Six resulted in a high pitched wail and I decided, as Craig was the eldest, the last two would be administered with the fullest force I could muster. I drew my arm back as far as I could and, swivelling round delivered the hardest blow Craig had ever felt in his young life and he screamed loudly but steadfastly held onto the arm with his hands. The eighth and final crack resulted in a howl of "PLEEEEEZZZZZ NOOOO". I then told Craig to rise and asked if he had learnt his lesson. After he had spluttered out, through the tears, that he had he was allowed to raise his briefs and put his shorts back on. We all then went back to the dining room where Robert had remained sitting and I told the boys to clear the table and then wash and wipe up. Needless to say they did as they were told without question.