The Christmas term in Odminster Grammar School ended with Mr William Booth almost livid with anger. Roy Norris, a sixth former, had been caught with alcohol on school. He had padded himself for his caning and as a result had received that punishment without the normal protection his clothing might have provided. Indeed, when he thought of it later, the headmaster's mind went back to the vocabulary of his own school days and he told himself that he had given Norris a bare-arsed caning. It was not this that annoyed him. It was the fact that he had instructed the boy to return later in the day and wearing PE kit for a second instalment. He had been punished for the drink. He was still due for punishment for the deception and dishonesty.
Mr Booth had been able to spend all afternoon looking forward to this encounter for he had instructed him to report at the close of school. He had even warned Norris not to consider failing to appear as he was fast approaching expulsion.
It had had no effect. Roy Norris decided that he would gamble on the headmaster forgetting the incident over the holidays. It was a foolish gamble, taking no account of the fact that Mr Booth would have almost three weeks to brood on this insult to his office and to prepare his response.
The first stage was a discussion on the telephone with Colonel Gillespie, chairman of the Foundation. The headmaster's first response was to feel that expulsion was now the only course. The Colonel had other ideas.
"I agree that it was serious, but I'm not convinced that we ought to risk ruining the boy's future if there's an alternative."
Mr Booth replied, "I accept that, but I can't see any alternative just now."
"I know the father. We both belong to ." he hesitated and then concluded, "the same organisation. I am sure that we can get him into school to discuss where we go."
What he meant, of course, was that both of them were freemasons.
It was two days later that Mr Booth was back in school during the evening. He had unlocked and switched on an electric fire in his study. He was joined by Colonel Gillespie and Mr Norris who arrived together.
Mr Norris said, "I understand that my son is causing some concern."
Mr Booth replied, "That's putting it mildly. On the last day of term he and another boy were discovered smuggling drink into school. The other boy accepted his punishment quite properly. Your son chose to report for it wearing extra clothes. Naturally, I had to require their removal."
Mr Norris said, "In my day that would have earned a bare arsed caning. I hope that's what he received."
The headmaster recognised that he was likely to get support from this parent, at least. He replied, "In actual fact, he did but it's not recorded as such in the punishment book at his request. He didn't want a permanent record of his disgrace."
The Colonel said, "That is perfectly normal. I know that unprotected beatings occasionally occurred in your predecessor's time and that they were often not recorded as such in the punishment book. Naturally, I was informed then, as I was on this occasion, and the boy had to agree to it."
Mr Norris asked, "Where does the problem come in?"
Mr Booth replied, "That caning was for the drink offence. Apart from the fact that it was unprotected, which he brought about for himself, there was still the question of his dishonesty in reporting for a caning wearing padding. I instructed him to report for a further caning, wearing PE kit, at the end of school."
Mr Norris said, "Fair enough. It would teach the blighter a lesson to get a second dose on a sore bottom. It was fair of you to give him some time to recover from the first and he didn't have the whole afternoon sitting on so sore a bottom."
Mr Booth said, "That's where the problem arises. Even though I warned him that he was getting close to expulsion, he chose not to report for that beating."
Colonel Gillespie said, "That's why I suggested this conference. The Foundation's guidelines for punishment do provide for two more serious punishments before we get to expulsion itself. One is that the normal maximum that the headmaster can apply for a single offence is six. However, with my agreement, on boys over sixteen, that can be raised to twelve in serious cases. The other is a public beating, in front of his form or even the whole school. That also acts as a serious warning to anyone else contemplating the same foolish behaviour. That would require my agreement and also yours. It remains the case that the headmaster has the right to suspend him and ask the Foundation to agree to his expulsion."
Mr Booth said, "I would prefer to avoid expulsion if that is possible. Of the alternatives you mention, I would opt for the public beating, I think. He needs to be made aware that what he did was serious but, for this offence, twelve strokes would seem to me to be excessive. The only question would be whether he would turn up for it."
Mr Norris said, "Thank you, Headmaster. If that is what you prescribe, I can only say that I agree and I'll personally ensure that he is in school to receive it. I would also suggest that he is instructed to wear his PE kit so that the whole school can witness that he is wearing no additional protective padding. He'll have had time to get over the belting I'll be giving him as well. He's under my direct instructions to consume no alcohol without either my permission or that of his mother and naturally he had neither."
The Colonel turned to the headmaster and said, "It's been some time since the school had a public beating but I suggest that you consult your Games Master. He was involved in the arrangements last time. In fact, if my memory serves me correctly, your predecessor asked him to apply the cane."
Mr Norris said, "Is that Mr Carr?"
Mr Booth replied, "Yes."
Mr Norris said, "I'm sure that you can apply a cane well, Headmaster, but I imagine that Mr Carr will as well. He's in my tennis club and I think he's got the most powerful forehand stroke of any in the club and a backhand that is just as impressive."
Mr Booth said, "I'll certainly consult him about procedure and I'll give serious consideration to asking him to do it. He will already be changed for lessons and so will have less clothing impeding his action."
Thus it was that a very concerned Roy Norris was delivered to school on the first day of term by his father and handed into the custody of Mr Carr. As the boys went into the hall for assembly, everything seemed to be normal for most of them. The most alert did spot a gym horse at one side of the stage and a few towards the back noticed Norris, wearing his gym kit, come in and stand at the back, flanked by two prefects.
Assembly took its normal course with hymn, prayer and Bible reading. Then the headmaster addressed the boys.
"I hope that you all had good holidays, enjoyed your Christmas break and dealt with all the work you took home with you. I regret to say that one boy has caused myself and several other people, including the Chairman of the Foundation, some additional work. I will start at the beginning. On the last day of term, two sixth form boys were detected smuggling alcohol onto the premises. Naturally, both were caned. One accepted his punishment quite properly. The other decided to wear additional clothing, thus trying to reduce the effect of the punishment. This was detected, of course, and so he was instructed to report after school that day for a further caning for attempted deception and dishonesty. He was warned of the seriousness of failure to appear. He did not turn up. It would be perfectly appropriate, after the warning he had received, for him to be expelled. After a conference with his father and the Chairman of the Foundation, we agreed not to follow that route. However, such deliberate defiance requires extreme action. The offender will therefore be beaten in front of the entire assembly as a warning to anyone else who even considers defiance of that magnitude. That boy is Norris in the sixth form. I have asked Mr Carr to make the arrangements and apply the cane. I will therefore hand over to him after issuing a warning. I think for every boy here, and certainly for most of you, this will be the first public beating you will have witnessed. The proceedings are to be carried out in complete silence. The prefects, masters and I will all be on the look out for anyone speaking or otherwise disrupting things."
He sat down. Mr Carr stepped onto the stage and nodded. Two prefects lifted the gym horse and moved it to the centre of the platform. It was the only horse in the gym which was provided with leather straps on its legs. Now, the curious were to discover what those straps were for.
"Bring Norris up here."
The escorting prefects led the unfortunate offender forward.
"Get yourself over there."
Norris draped himself over the horse. He was now surrounded by four prefects who had been briefed. Quickly, they secured his wrists and ankles with the leather straps on the horse's legs. The stepped back and Mr Carr moved forward with a long strap. That went over Norris's body and under the horse. Once it was fastened, there was no possibility that he might move during the beating, thus causing the cane to hit the wrong area. This was important because Mr Carr was going to prove to be a powerful operator.
He stepped to the side of the stage and collected a cane. There was a spare one available as well, in case this one happened to break. It was no ordinary cane. This was one of Mr Booth special canes. Four feet long instead of the standard three foot six for the senior cane, fairly thick and very flexible.
The entire school watched. Norris's buttocks were tense. His gym shorts provided almost no protection, only a measure of privacy. He twitched as he lay there with his eyes closed and sweating, ashamed of the public display and dreading what was to come. He had not been watching and was unaware that it was a special weapon.
The school watched Mr Carr aim carefully at the centre of the target. They saw the cane taken right back and watched Mr Carr's body twist to get maximum power for the driving return. Then it happened. Three successive sounds.
First there was the just audible swish of the cane as it sped through the air towards its target. Then there was the crack as it struck and almost buried itself in spite of the tension of the muscles that received it. Then there was the reaction. Norris had been caned before but he had never received a stroke like that one. It was greater power than anything he had experienced, both because Mr Carr was capable of greater power and because that cane was longer, thus producing greater speed, and heavy making a greater impact.
"Arrrgghh!"
It was almost an ear splitting cry of anguish.
Mr Carr snapped, "Cut that noise out! It's quite unnecessary."
Roy Norris felt like replying that if Mr Carr had been in his place, he might be feeling differently but realised that he was in no position to take any risks.
For the Games Master, this was simply a duty which had to be done. He had no particular liking or disliking for the boy. It was clear that he had to be punished and it had to be severe as the alternative was expulsion. He gave him about fifteen seconds to get over the first stroke and then aimed again. Many of the watching boys noticed that he was aiming about half an inch above the mark, already showing through the thin white shorts, where the last stroke had landed. Several were tempted to discuss with a neighbour whether the blow would be as accurate but all were aware of the fate that could be theirs if they spoke.
Again, the cane was taken back and again it was driven forward.
Cracckkk!
It hit exactly where it had been aimed. Masters who were aware of the challenge of accuracy with the cane could see that they were witnessing a master in the craft.
This time Norris managed to stifle the cry of anguish which tried to force itself from his lips. As he recovered slightly he was aware of little except the raging of his rump and the bonds that held him in place. He was aware that, had he not been so securely held, he would have tried to escape. No escape was possible though and he did not know how many strokes he had to endure.
Cracckkk!
A third stroke fell, this time still parallel but below the other two.
To the surprise of many of his audience, Mr Carr moved to the other side of the horse. He took aim again, this time clearly using a backhand stroke. It was aimed so that it could cut diagonally across the previous three. The spectators assumed, correctly, that he felt that this diagonal effect was better produced with the different stroke. Again the cane went back and again his entire body was used to generate the power of its return.
Cracckkk!
Norris could not suppress a cry of horror as the stroke cut across existing tender weals.
Once again, careful aiming was to produce a stroke parallel with its immediate predecessor and crossing the first three.
Cracckkk!
This also forced a cry from the suffering sixth former.
Mr Carr noted a speck of blood appearing at the junction of the fourth stroke and one of the earlier one. He was a merciful man and did not wish to cut the boy too badly. He returned to the earlier position to deliver another forehand. Some spectators also detected that this was likely to be the final stroke. Many operators of the cane make the final stroke one which will be remembered by hitting that sensitive area where buttock joins onto thigh. That was where Mr Carr now aimed.
Cracckkk!
It was also where he struck.
A heartrending shriek came from the suffering boy.
Mr Carr turned to face Mr Booth.
"Six strokes delivered as you instructed, Headmaster."
The headmaster stood again.
"Thank you, Mr Carr. After you told him that that noise was unnecessary, I am tempted to order a few more for disobedience because of the later screaming."
Roy Norris turned his head towards the headmaster who was just distinguishable in the blur produced by his tears."
"For pity's sake, no more, sir, please."
"Silence, boy! I wasn't speaking to you."
The headmaster considered the situation for at least thirty seconds while the boy sweated on the horse. Then he said, "Let him go, Mr Carr."
Mr Carr nodded and started to release the strap round the offender's waist. The four prefects returned and released the straps round wrists and ankles, revealing serious reddening where Norris had struggled during his punishment. As he lay there, Norris moved his hands to his suffering rump and gently massaged it.
"Help him up, boys. He could be feeling a little weak or dizzy."
Two prefects took his arms and slid him off the horse. Norris stood there, tears running down his face.
"Take him out. He won't need to change. He's got gym next period."
Soon the assembly was dismissed, the horse was returned to its normal place and lessons started.
In the gym changing room, Gregory Pratt, who had been Roy's companion in crime at the end of term was talking with several friends.
"He laid that on didn't he? I bet Norris has got an arse like you've never seen before."
Smith replied, "It's his own fault. I've got no sympathy with him. He was a bloody fool to go for his whacking padded and an even bigger fool not to go for the second instalment. It's guys like him that could make the old man less considerate."
Thompson asked, "What you mean - less considerate?"
Gregory replied, "It's obvious, isn't it. If he gives guys a time to get over one whacking before they get a second they are due for, and guys don't play fair and go back for the second, he just won't give a break and you couldn't blame him."
Just then, Roy Norris came in.
Gregory said, "Are you going to show us your marks?"
"_f_u_c_k_ off!"
"There's no need to get stroppy. You know quite well we won't be looking if you don't agree."
"Quite right, Pratt." The previously undetected gym master spoke.
"Norris, your backside is hardly in the state where it would welcome my gym shoe, let alone a further visit to the headmaster, which that language could well earn. You've got your jockstrap on and so you won't be exposing anything seriously private. I suggest a compromise. We forget the previous conversation happened. I go out and will remain out for a minute or two and you can agree to Pratt's request instead of refusing it so rudely."
"Alright, sir."
Mr Carr retreated, Gregory said, "So we can start again. Are you going to show us your marks, Norris?"
Roy said, "Promise not to touch? It's bloody agony"
"Fair enough. You ought to know after all these years that guys always ask before they touch."
Roy turned round and slipped his shorts down. He revealed six purple weals, raised and doubly raised at the intersections.
Gregory said, "Look, mate, I know you didn't want anybody to touch but if you lie on the floor, I'll get some talcum powder and put it on your arse. It'll feel a bit better."
"Thanks, Pratt. Sorry I was being awkward, I just thought you wanted to gloat."
He lay on the floor. Gregory shook his tin of talcum powder and gently massaged in into the suffering rump."
"These stripes are a mile high. I'm not surprised that you shouted out a bit."
That comment was the olive branch which told Roy Norris that he was accepted back into the fold.
He said, "It feels better thanks. Old Carr didn't have to do it that hard."
Gregory replied, "He didn't have any choice. It was his job. I bet it that that Colonel who said it had to be that special cane as well. Even the old man wouldn't have chosen that."
"I don't know about that. I think Carr enjoyed doing it."
"He probably did, but he was fair. Look, if he'd really wanted to whack you he could have got you again for that language."
"I suppose so. Thanks for getting me to see sense. I'll thank him for being so decent about what I said."