The hymn ended and the assembled boys sat down. I surveyed the see of faces in front of me. 300 fine, promising young men that it was my job to turn into impressive adults. And, though I say so myself, I was doing a good job of exactly that.
"Gentlemen, we have a good standard of discipline in this school and you all know that wrong doing of any kind earns punishment. I have become concerned in recent weeks that some of you have been requiring more frequent doses of the cane than should be necessary and that additional force in my strokes has not reduced this pattern.
"So today I introducing a new punishment, usually for repeat offenders: the Three-Week Caning. This will involve the recipients receiving four strokes each week for three weeks. The intention is to spread the punishment in the hope that you will avoid breaking any other rules in that time.
"The punishment will operate as follows. After receiving your sentence, you will report to the changing rooms at 12.50 on each of the following three Wednesdays, where you will change into your white PE kit. If you are sentenced to the punishment on a Thursday, you will have six days to wait for the first instalment. Once changed, you will line up in silence with the other recipients outside the gymnasium. Either myself or my deputy will call you in one at a time and deliver four of the best - the "best", mind - while you are across the horse. After being told to stand, you will say thank you and return on each of the following two weeks to receive the next installment.
"Two points to note: this punishment does not excuse any other. If you break a rule on Wednesday morning and are caned you will still be caned again at lunchtime. If you fail to report for any reason you will either recive six strokes that week or the usual four with your punishment extended by a week.
"Perkins, Wilson, Bryant: you names appear more in the punishment book that any others and consequently you are the first boys to be awarded a three-week caning. report as I have described on Wednesday lunchtime."
And so saying I left the assembly to deal with the line of boys outside my office.
{If any reader would like to submit an account in the first person on behalf of Perkins, Wilson, or Bryant it would be well received!}