Tales from Thistletop School Oppression ---
Authors note
This segment is called "Oppression". There is more to follow. Dont forget that I, Pettigrew, the author, who outranks you the mere reader, retain the film rights.
Pettigrew
That Friday night five people were lying restless in their beds unable to embrace Morphia; the fickle goddess of slumber eluded them.
Three were lying face down, their bottoms tender, but it was not posterior pain that prevented sleep. Atkins and Drummond could not sleep because their minds still seethed with the humiliation of having been brutally beaten by a fellow fifth form boy, Smith - a sub-prefect, at Dr de Villes behest. The beatings they had received had been viciously designed to torture mind and body; both boys believed that Smith had gone way beyond anything Dr de Ville would condone. They hated Smith with an intensity that neither had ever felt toward another being before.
Johann Petreson, a fifteen year old new boy at the Thistletop who had never before been beaten, was being torn between two sets of emotions. First, the embarrassment, shame and recollected pain of his first thrashing ever, worsened by the fact it was the first occasion since adolescence that he had stood naked before another. Second, the realisation that by placing himself in a circumstance where Dr de Ville, the Headmaster, had been obliged to beat him he had let Dr de Ville down because he knew that Dr de Ville deeply regretted the necessity of what he had to do.
Dr de Ville was lying awake next to his wife, Mary, in their big double bed. He was trying desperately not to disturb her slumber by restlessly tossing and turning. His thoughts were agitated by two matters. First, the necessity of organising the birching of Hetherington on Monday before the entire school. The punishment was entirely deserved but what worried him was whether Hetheringtons offence was a manifestation of a deeper malaise within Thistletops general discipline.
The second matter was what really kept Dr de Ville awake: Johann Petreson. Johann was an all year boarder who lived in Dr de Villes "Headmasters House". A boy who out of school time was a member of Dr de Villes extended family of wife, three daughters and several other permanent boarders. Dr de Ville held a genuine fatherly concern for these boarders who had, usually for sound reasons, been effectively abandoned by their natural parents. That Johann had required thrashing was not the main issue, though Dr de Ville would have preferred the boy had longer to settle into Thistletop before facing such humiliation. However, in some respects the sooner the better because Johann would now be fully accepted by his schoolmates. What disturbed Dr de Ville was the prospect that Johann would be reporting frequently for such thrashings and worse. Jonanns problem was that he smoked and the habit had not been beaten out of him in his previous school in Denmark where effective disciplinary measures were, by law, not allowed.
Dr de Ville was convinced that Johann didnt smoke more than two cigarettes a day. Such a level could hardly be addictive in the medical sense but it certainly seemed to be a habit. Smoking had been beaten out of most of the other boys at Thistletop, if they dared start in the first place, either at prep school or during their first couple of years at Thistletop. Johann was in the fourth form and had indulged the habit unchecked for at least a year before arriving at Thistletop. Dr de Ville could not ignore Johanns habit, especially if it were brought to his attention by others, because the damage to school discipline in general would be too great. Johann must be treated like every other boy. As matters stood, Johann would be beaten often. Yet, that would be unjust because Johann had arrived in the present from a different starting point than the other boys. Wrestling with what to do to keep Johann away from trouble was the root of Dr de Villes insomnia. Dr de Ville knew it might be only a matter of days before Johann was reported again.
The fifth restless body was that of Smith. He was tossing and turning in his single bed in one of the eight bedded dormitories. Smith couldnt sleep because he was so excited by what had happened and was reliving it time and again in his memory. The opportunity to thrash Atkins and Drummond has been utterly unexpected, yet he had made the most of it. He kept reviewing the images of the boys stripping, of them bent over the horse, of the marks on their buttocks, the sound of them yelping or crying out more loudly, his unconventional use of the short strap on Drummond: all of it, round and round. Every so often, despite being temporarily satiated by his depredations against Atkins and Drummond, his thoughts turned to how he would like to do the same, and more, to Petreson, that devastatingly pretty youth at the end of the line he had marshalled outside the Headmasters door.
By 1955 the beguiling, yet ultimately intellectually bankrupt, "theories" of Sigmund Freud et alia had gained foothold in England. Not just among the pseudo-intelligentsia who read humanities at the great universities, too whom the "hard sciences" were a mystery, which in consequence they despised - but for whom Freuds very literary "science" was easily accessible but also amongst ordinary folk. Mothers, with elementary school education, would opine about how doing this or that might give their little Johnnie a "complex". If Freud had known Smith he would have coined a suitable term for his condition drawn upon classical mythology. In more modern times terms such as "psychopath" or "personality disorder" would have been used but they too would have been equally devoid of content. The description and analysis of the deviant personality depend upon the caprice of current fashion.
In some respects Smith might be called a bully. But to term him thus is to do an injustice. Bullies, usually, are people who menace others through their appearance of greater strength. Bullies tend to be inadequate, most often intellectually, and know no other way of gaining the supposed respect of others. Smith was not like that. He was highly intelligent and imaginative. Moreover, whenever he chose, he could make himself liked and respected within his peer group through his manifest intelligence, charm and wit. Smith was a sadist: as yet a tyro, but destined to become one of the disciplines masters.
Smith, being bright and occasionally introspective, had some insight to his condition, though he couldnt place a label on it. It wasnt just hurting that satisfied him. He unlike some boys, had never mistreated an animal; there would be no pleasure in that: for hurting, be it physical or mental, to matter one needed a sentient entity to torment.
The next morning Dr de Ville set various events in motion.
He summoned the school grounds man and requested that a birch be ready for Mondays public flogging. Thistletop was surrounded by birch trees of, for thrashing purposes, the highest quality. The grounds man had, with Dr de Villes consent, for many years provided five minor public schools, one HM Approved School, one HM Borstal, and two charitably run Childrens Homes with birches; the only proviso was that the grounds man prepare the birches in his own time.
Later he had the Head Boy sent to him. First they discussed arrangements for Mondays big event. Then Dr de Ville raised Smiths name.
Wilkins, the Head Boy, had a nagging doubt when what was proposed for Smith was mentioned. Smith was, in many ways, an example of excellence: bright, punctilious in whatever duties were delegated to him, witty when occasion demanded, and outwardly friendly. Yet, there was something about him that wasnt consistent with his external appearance: some steely façade covering malevolent inner workings, perhaps. Wilkins, was not yet sophisticated enough to express his doubts in such words and could think of no suitable alternative. He kept silent. Anyway the upshot was that he had been instructed to talk today to Smith and to arrange for Smith, Atkins, Drummond and Petreson to report to Dr de Ville on Tuesday evening after prep.
He caught up with Smith mid-afternoon and invited him to his study for tea and crumpets at 4.15 pm.
Wilkins toasted the crumpets himself as Thistletop had never had a fagging system, though some prefects had been known to abuse their power and have unofficial "slaves". Smith was sitting in the chair opposite with the fireplace between them. They had had an amiable chat about this and that before Wilkins cut to the chase.
"Smith, Dr de Ville has asked me to tell you something."
"Yes, Wilkins?"
"As of when Dr de Ville announces it at assembly on Monday you will be a full prefect".
Smith was astounded. It was not unknown for boys in the fifth form to be elevated to that exalted status, but it was unusual." His mind started ranging over all the opportunities that would offer for indulging his "hobby".
"Thank you, Wilkins. I am honoured and delighted. I am sure I dont deserve it but I wont look a gift horse in the mouth." He smiled ingratiatingly.
"I have to tell you some bad news and then remind you of your responsibilities."
"Bad news?"
Smith, as you know, every prefect has his own study and bedroom. Regrettably, it is not possible to accommodate you on the first floor west wing with the rest of the prefects. Worse still, there is nowhere else for you on the first floor. The only rooms available are in the attics. They have recently been refurbished, along with others, to cope with the planned expansion of numbers at Thistletop. If its any consolation, your study will be much larger than mine. Also, you will have a bathroom to yourself as I doubt that anyone else would wish to trek up to the attics for their ablutions."
"Oh, I shall do my best to cope with that."
"Dont worry, Smith, you now have full access to the prefects common room so you wont be lonely."
"Thanks", said Smith with a bright smile.
"Now I must remind you of your responsibilities and powers" said the Head Boy. "You share responsibility for the enforcement of discipline throughout the school. You have the power to punish boys with lines, prefects detention and up to six whacks with the slipper on the trousered bottom. However, those powers extend only to boys in your form, the fifth, and below. More senior boys breaking school rules must me reported to me or to my deputy, understand?"
"Yes, Wilkins."
"I have the power to punish, including with the slipper, any boy in the school. That includes prefects, understand?"
"Yes, Wilkins."
"Now, there are borderline areas of punishment which I am sure you must already understand. You presumably know that all corporal punishment administered by masters is entered into a punishment book which is regularly scanned by Dr de Ville. If a boy appears in that ledger too often he is likely to have an unpleasant appointment with the good doctor, yes?"
"I know that", said Smith.
"Whats more, boys whose offences have exceeded a masters capacity to punish adequately are referred to the Deputy Head. I assume you know that he has the authority to administer up to eight strokes of the cane, or sixteen of the slipper, on a bottom protected only by gym shorts; if need be he refers cases on to Dr de Ville himself. He, like Dr de Ville, was once a fast bowler and his shoulder is not damaged; hence his administrations are much disliked. However, the point is that if a boy is logged as punished by the Deputy Head then Dr de Ville keeps a particular eye on that boys future punishment record and may well call that boy in for more recondite punishment one Friday evening."
"Strangely", Wilkins continued, "there has never been a requirement for prefects to log their punishments. Thus when boys commit offences that are on the borderline between being punishable using our own powers and needing referral to the Deputy Head, or beyond, we may use some discretion. The boy may be given the choice of a bare bottom slippering of, by custom, up to twelve strokes, or referral to the Deputy Head. This of course is an entirely informal arrangement which never goes on any record that Dr de Ville sees. Its the boys own choice of course, but all prefer the matter to be quickly closed in an undocumented manner by a prefect. My point is that you must use this discretion wisely. If in doubt consult me first."
"Yes, Wilkins."
"Very, well. Finally, Dr de Ville had said that he has a special task for you and you are to report to him on Tuesday after prep."
"Thanks Wilkins, I shall take heed of all you have said." Again a fulsome smile.
"Oh, one last point. Please join me and the other prefects in the common room at 3.30 p. m. tomorrow to discuss the arrangements for Hetheringtons birching on Monday."
Smith, grinned, nodded and left the room. Wilkins was left with an uneasy feeling he couldnt pin down.
Smith was even more _c_o_c_k_-a-hoop when he explored his new domain. His study and connecting bedroom had thickly carpeted floorboards. Also, his rooms were directly above the lower sixth form four bedded dormitories and attendant ablutionary facilities. Those room would be unoccupied throughout the day until it was the seniors, and Smiths, bedtime. No noise would carry. Had Smith been accommodated with the other prefects it would have become obvious if there were frequently queues of boys outside his study and more sounds of whacking than were normal. One of the other prefects would have mentioned it to Wilkins and there would have been difficult questions to answer, possibly leading to investigations and unpleasant consequences for Smith.
Although the corridor outside Smiths rooms led to staircases at both ends nobody was going to traverse it unless intent on visiting Smith. The only people who would do that were ones sent for by Smith.
Smith settled in on Sunday and began considering his options. Somewhere along the line he intended, as often as possible, to have Atkins, Drummond and Petreson in his study for unpleasant encounters. Also, there were many other boys in his form and among those more junior whom he looked forward to tormenting.
At the end of assembly Dr de Ville formally announced Smith's promotion and wished him well; Atkins and Drummond froze in their seats just along the row from Smith. Dr de Ville also announced the forthcoming birching and the reasons for it.
Smiths depredations on his schoolmates began sooner than he had envisaged. By sheer chance he found two fourth formers masturbating side by side in the same lavatory stall during morning break. Their faces flushed red as they hurriedly did themselves up trying to look as if nothing had happened when Smiths footsteps encroached on them. Smith knew full well what was going on and the two boys knew he knew. So there was little point for argument and they meekly acknowledged Smiths order to report to his study as soon as the birching was over. He gave them directions.
Smith was seething with anticipation when, at mid afternoon, he joined the Head Boy and other prefects in their common room for the briefing. He hoped he might get a ring side seat at the event such as joining the figures of authority on the stage and looking stern. The role ascribed to him was much more exciting. He was to collect Hetherington from where he would be standing, ready in gym kit, outside Wilkins study and escort him to the assembly hall.
"You will bring him to the stage through one of the back doors that lead directly onto it." said Wilkins.
Smith now knew he would be part of the stage party. Having brought Hetherington thus far Smith would no doubt be asked to supervise his divestment of clothes and positioning on the birching stool.
The appointed hour approached and the hall was filling up. Usually juniors were to the front and seniors to the rear but on this occasion that was reversed. Masters were arrayed in seats round the back and side of the deep stage. No women were present. Apart from skivvies, who wouldnt be invited anyway, there were only two female staff. Miss Hodkins, a prim spinster who taught French, and Matron. Matron, though a tough old bird who had coped ably with the many vicissitudes life had thrown at her over the years, was a kindly soul who didnt want to witness any of "her boys" suffering no matter how much she knew he deserved it. Nevertheless, Matron had a role. She would wait off-stage behind the rear doors with her smelling salts in case Hetherington fainted; a rare occurrence but one best anticipated. Also, Hetherington would be taken to her little infirmary afterwards. However, Miss Hodkins was quite miffed at being excluded; the notion of a birching stirred her in some indefinable manner.
Eventually Smith was despatched to fetch Hetherington. The latter had been standing freshly showered, in gym kit and with his hands on his head outside Wilkins study door for twenty minutes shifting restlessly. His face was pale and he had developed a nervous tic on his face.
Smith approached with a cheery "Lets get the show on the road, your audience awaits. Lets hope you dont disappoint them when you strip."
Hetherington reddened deeply and trembled a little. Smith liked the effect.
"Come on Hetherington we are going to the hall in double time", said Smith in his most commanding corporal in the school cadet corps voice. "Up!, Up! Up! ...."
In usual circumstances Hetherington would have told the little prick Smith where to get off. Today he had no choice but to obey.
At a trot with, at Smith's shouted behest, his legs lifting high on each step, he was delivered panting to the area beyond the rear doors to the stage.
To be continued