After I had caned Thomas for the use of bad language I suggested to Linda, the boys' mother, that if she thought it was a good idea I could take more interest in their upbringing. I particularly had in mind their behaviour and work at school which I knew had been giving Linda cause for concern. As I have written previously the boys' father had been very strict with them before being sent to prison. He used to whip them mercilessly with his belt but the thrashings were always for so called "naughtiness". He had never taken any interest in their schooling. Linda readily agreed that I should start inspecting their schoolbooks on a regular basis and I had called both boys into my house and explained to them the standards I expected. I told them that they were to do their best at all times. I told them that homework must always be presented on time and I also told them that they should behave at school as they would at home. My final words to both boys were that Thomas (I had had to cane him twice) knew what would happen if they let me down.
As it happened the Spring term ended about 2 weeks after my little lecture and Linda had been given their school reports to check and to sign. She had come to see me and said that both reports highlighted that the boys were both becoming somewhat unruly and cheeky at school. I suggested Linda sent both lads to me, with their reports, and I would deal with them. She agreed this was a good idea and about 15 minutes later I answered my door to a quiet knock and was unsurprised to see the two boys, Thomas who was 11 and Ian his 8 year old brother, standing there, school reports in hand. They told me their mum wanted me to look at their reports and I told them both to take off their shoes and go upstairs to my office.
We climbed the stairs in silence, Thomas had made the journey twice before and knew what to expect if I found his report unsatisfactory. Thomas had clearly told Ian what was about to happen because the younger boy was finding it hard to hold back the tears. I went and sat behind my desk and faced the two boys standing opposite me. They were both wearing t-shirts, Thomas a blue one and Ian white. Both boys were wearing shorts which, as was the fashion at that time, showed large expanses of thigh, the shorts being extremely brief. Both pairs of shorts were white.
"Hand me your report please Ian" I instructed the younger boy and he passed the thin folder to me. I sat back in my chair and began to read. It was apparent the boy was not behaving well at school. Three of the teachers had made comments about him being cheeky, chattering in class and having a generally disruptive air. His word had also not been of the standard the teachers felt he should be capable of producing. The head mistresses comments endorsed what the teachers had written. I placed the report down on the desk and glared at the 8 year old boy who was looking down at his feet. "This report is very bad, Ian" I said "and I think you deserve to be punished. I expect you not to be rude at school and I expect you to concentrate in school and not disrupt other children. Have you anything you would like to say". The small child sniffed, carried on studying his feet, and shook his head. I rose from my chair and went to the cupboard where the cane was now kept. I produced the bamboo cane and, holding it by it's curved handle, strode to the hard back chair in the corner of the room and placed it next to the boys in front of my desk.
"Take off your shorts" I barked and Ian slowly pulled down his shorts and stepped out of them before placing them on my desk. He was wearing a flimsy light blue slip and clearly hoped he would be allowed to keep this on. However I was soon to destroy his hope that he might be allowed to retain a modicum of modesty. "Pants down" I ordered and he tearfully lowered his pants to his ankles. "Over the chair" was my next instruction and the little lad leaned over the back of the chair and held onto the front legs as far down as he could reach. "I am going to give you 3 for talking in class, 3 for not doing your work properly and 4 for rudeness. That makes 10 altogether Ian. You will stay in that position until I tell you to get up. If you get up before I say you will get more. Do you understand". The small boy sniffled that he understood and I positioned myself behind the raised backside drew back the cane and snapped the first stroke across Ian's behind. He let out a small whimper and clutched hard at the chair legs. CRACK! The second stroke and a louder gasp. The third stroke was followed by a sharp sob and "OWWWW NOO". The fourth---"AAAHHHH" Number 5 and, like Thomas had done during his punishments previously Ian mentioned Dad---PLEEEZZ DAD NO MOORE PLEEZZ" . Numbers 6, 7 and 8 drew forth increasingly plaintive cries of "AAAHHH, OWWWWW, PLEEEZZZ NO MOOORE". The boy was fidgeting now but had stayed in his position. No 9 cracked across the boy's rear and he yelled out again-NOOOOO MOOORE PLEEEEZ". Finally the tenth . Ian was sobbing and screaming uncontrollably now but he had stayed down and so I told him to stand up. Instinctively his hands flew to his backside and rubbed madly as he hopped around, pants still round his ankles. "Let that be a lesson to you" I barked before telling him to pull up his pants and watch his brother's punishment.
I then turned my attention to Thomas, the 11 year old. "Hand me your report" I instructed and the lad nervously complied. As I had done with his brother I studied it thoroughly. Like his younger sibling Thomas had been guilty of misbehaviour on numerous occasions, had frequently handed in homework late or not at all and was also showing signs of developing into a very rude and ill disciplined boy. I decided a severe thrashing was called for. "You should no better Thomas", I began, "Having had the cane before. You should know I expect better than this. Shorts off boy". Thomas timidly lowered and stepped out of his shorts. His slip was white and before I had ordered him to lower his pants he had started to peel them off down to his ankles. I grunted with satisfaction before commanding "Over the chair". I then began my little speech. "You should know better Thomas so I am giving you a total of 14 strokes. I have had to thrash you twice before and I thought by now you would have learnt the error of your ways". Almost immediately I brought down the bamboo firmly across his raised backside. Once, twice, thrice. Each stroke accompanied by a quiet moan-each moan gradually louder than the previous one. Four, Five, Six-the moans turned into sobs, the loudness increasing with each stroke of the cane. Seven, Eight---and the first mention of "Dad". A plaintive " OWW DAD PLEASE OWW". Nine, quickly followed by ten caused more pitiful whining and the eleventh and twelfth strokes had caused the 11 year old to scream loudly---"AAAAAAHHHH-PLEEEZ NOOOO MOOOORE". 13 and 14 followed in quick succession and after I had applied the 14th lash the boy shot upright briefly before realising the error of his ways and positioning himself back over the chair.
"That's two more" I told him. "You know you don't get up until I say".
"Ppleasse Dad-oh ppp-lease-no more-ive learnt my l-l-lesson" he pleaded.
"SILENCE" I ordered and whipped the 15th stroke firmly across his backside. He howled and screamed. I then drew the cane back as far as possible and, with all my strength, cracked the cane for the 16th time across Thomas's behind. He screamed loudly but this time remained in position until I told him to get up and pull his pants up.
I then returned the cane to the cupboard, went and sat behind my desk, and told the boys, still in only their underpants as I had not yet allowed them to replace their shorts, that I expected today to be a lesson and that I would be regularly checking on their schoolwork. I also told them that if they didn't want any more sessions with the cane they would, as I put it, "Buck your ideas up".
I was thoroughly enjoying my role assisting Linda in the upbringing of her two boys.