We never really had a very large sixth form but then the school was not all that big to start with. Quite a few lads went over to the local Comprehensive school at that stage. They were no longer afraid of the lack of discipline spoiling their chances of study at that age and the parents who were not too flush with money were relieved of quite a heavy financial burden. On the other hand boys did stay on where finance was not a problem and where boys wanted to have the teachers they were used to and, of course, they became prefects in the sixth form. That gave them quite a lot of power for young men. They were able to make the younger lads write out lines or essays but they could not cane them. I was not going to share the fun - er I mean such a heavy responsibility with them! They could of course send boys to me and know that they would probably get caned and that thought might have satisfied one or two of those who had pleasant but disturbing dreams of such things. Not that you, dear reader, would know of such matters.
Just occasionally we had an application from someone who wanted to join our sixth form. Usually it was from a wealthy parent who was moving into the area and the boy was coming from another Independent school. I remember interviewing one such family towards the end of the long summer holidays one year. I was really quite taken aback by the lad in question. He was one of the most handsome youths I have ever seen. He was nearly six foot tall with the slim body of an athlete. The family had just returned from a Mediterranean cruise and the boy was tanned to perfection. His sunburnt face was topped by a mop of blond hair and to make matters worse, as it were, he did not enter my study with the normal apprehension of someone coming into a new school to be interviewed but he was full of confidence and flashed a smile at me as soon as he came into the room. Oh he was gorgeous! I think I would have paid the father to have this wonderful hunk be a member of my sixth form. The boy enjoyed the name of Benedict Archibald James Hetherington Smythe and I learned that his father had just been promoted to be the general area manager of one of the High Street banks. Naturally I could not stomach all those names and we soon settled on the fact that he would be called Ben. How was I to know that this Adonis of a lad was to be an absolute pain in the arse?
It all started just two weeks into the new term. We never have any discipline problems with sixth formers so you can imagine my astonishment when the History master came to me to complain about the gorgeous Ben. Now, no one disobeyed the History master. He was a rugby player and built like a tank. All the pupils were scared of him and he made sure they all worked to the best of their ability. Of course Ben was a newcomer to the school and maybe he did not realise the fearsome reputation that this teacher enjoyed. Even so I could not believe my ears when I was told that an essay had been set for homework and master Benedict Archibald James Hetherington Smythe simply refused to write it. I sent for the lad. He must learn – the hard way, if necessary.
While waiting for the boy to arrive I had a glass or two of medicine from the bottle of sherry that I keep in my desk and thought how to approach the matter with my usual tact and gentleness. There was a gentle knock on my door and I gave the order to enter. In strode the gorgeous hunk and he flashed me one of his disarming smiles. I was having none of it.
" I understand from Mr Hastings, the history master, that you are refusing to complete the essay he set you for homework?" I intoned.
"No, Sir," replied Ben.
" What do you mean? – No, sir," I enquired perplexed.
"It is not that I am refusing to complete it, sir, I am refusing to start it!" he said with a grin.
My eyebrows shot up and I stood up in amazement. Never has a pupil dared to speak to me thus in all my many years of teaching. I was appalled. My ego was dented, deflated – I was apoplectic with rage. I needed more medicine, stronger medicine – but I could not imbibe while a pupil was still present.
" Let me make one thing very clear, young man. While you are in this school you will do as you are told and if you are set an essay then that is what you will do. You will write this essay tonight and report to me first thing in the morning to show it to me." I then dismissed him from my study and dosed myself with the aforesaid medicine. It took me some time to calm down. Adorable Ben was proving to be a problem. He was studying English, History and Economics in the sixth form. I approached his Economics teacher who said he was a model pupil. I approached his English teacher who said that not only was Ben doing everything required of him but he had even volunteered to be in the school play and a very good actor he was too.
The next morning Ben was waiting for me outside my study. I ushered him in and demanded to see the essay.
"I have forgotten it, sir. I thought I put it in my briefcase but I cant find it," he said rather sadly.
"Ah well," I said, "in that case I have no alternative but to cane you, young man, sixth former or not. You will learn to do as you are told."
At that point the most extraordinary thing occurred. The lad dropped to his knees, clasped his hands together as if in prayer and begged me not to cane him just as though he were pleading for his life! He said that the cane was not used in his last school and he had never ever been caned. Well, I have had boys who have been reluctant to take their punishment but I had never had a scene like this before.
"Get up! And bend yourself over my desk." I thundered. "Your only alternative is to go home under suspension with the likelihood of expulsion to follow."
That seemed to sober him up because he stood up without a word, removed his blazer and bent himself over my desk. Now I had not told him to remove his blazer and that seemed a bit strange at the time but I thought no more about it. He was now in the required position and his trousers which he wore quite tightly anyway was now taut against the lovely curves of his buttocks. What an inviting sight! I took out my cane and gave him three hard whacks across the centre of his bottom. I thought that would be sufficient for a first caning. He did not murmur or move until I told him to get up. His face was flushed and he rubbed the seat of his trousers but he was fine. Now as if I had not had enough surprises for one day he then rummages around in his brief case and then proclaimed that he had found his History exercise book with the essay inside!
I inspected his exercise book and, indeed, there was the essay, a very long essay on the Norman conquest in 1066. (Just thought I would let you know that I have not forgotten all my history dates!) Mr Hastings was an authority on the Norman conquest and William the conqueror was one of his pet subjects. This was all very strange. First the boy refuses to write the essay, then he gets caned for not producing the essay and then he suddenly finds the missing essay in his brief case. It left me scratching my head in puzzlement. Perhaps I will never really understand boys ever. I stared at him in disbelief and could think of nothing to say. Now that must be a first for a Headmaster. I shrugged my shoulders and told him to take the essay to Mr Hastings who, no doubt, would be pleased to read it and I dismissed the lad. I then thought the matter over while I helped myself to a drink of stronger medicine which I obtained from a bottle labelled brandy.
It was barely one week later when there was a knock on my study boy and who should be there but Beautiful Ben. He had obviously come from a P. E. lesson because he was dressed just in his white p. e. shorts and plimsolls. It was a hot day and he was not wearing any sort of vest. He looked even more stunning than ever in this near naked appearance. He was clutching a note in his hand. I read the note and was rather surprised to read that he had been swearing aloud in the gymnasium. Everyone knew that this would be treated seriously. We expect sixth form boys to set an example to the younger boys.
"It does not take long before you get into trouble," I said, "it looks like another caning to me," I added menacingly.
"Yes, sir, it does," he admitted quite freely. He really was an unusual pupil. He approached my desk without being asked and bent himself over, with his hands and arms outstretched in front of him.
I took out my trusty cane and decided I would give him four hard strokes. He really was a stunning sight. His tanned body contrasted with the dazzling white of his shorts and now that he was bent over his buttocks were just too inviting. Beautiful curves that just asked to be whacked and I obliged. Four slow whacks were delivered and not a sound from him. In fact he stayed in the same position and simply said that the p. e. master had told him he was to get six strokes! I have never known a lad to stay put and ask for more! I delivered another two strokes of the cane and he condescended to get up and I did have the satisfaction of seeing him rub his bottom and grimace just a little.
I let him stand there rubbing his bottom and I was thinking how odd this all was. The boys previous school had given him a glowing report and his performance at O level was very good. Why had he been so badly behaved in his first few weeks at my school? Suddenly it all clicked into place. "You wanted to be caned, didnt you?" I enquired of him.
"Yes, Sir," he replied without hesitation.
"Why is that?" I asked.
"I dont know, Sir. When I found out that I was coming to a school where the Headmaster caned you for bad behaviour I wanted to try it out for myself. You see, Sir, " he whispered," it sort of turns me on, if you know what I mean, Sir"
"Hmm," I said, "then why did you go down on your knees and beg me not to cane you the first time?"
" I was play acting, Sir. I knew you would cane me just the same," and he gave me one of his endearing smiles.
"Hmm," I said again as I realised that he had probably been chatting to boys at the school during the holidays and he knew the procedure and knew that he had to take his blazer off before bending over the desk. I bet he had been practising at home!
"This cannot continue. You will get a very bad name amongst your teachers and their reports will lead me to write a poor reference for you when you leave school. I tell you what we will do. You will behave properly in school but every weekend you will come to me to be spanked and caned. That will keep us both happy!"
He smiled slowly at the thought. "You are on, Sir!" and he laughed out loud.
And that is exactly what happened. For the two years he was in the sixth form he became a model pupil but every Saturday or Sunday he would visit me at home and I would tell him to strip and I had the pleasure of having his naked body over my knee for a nice hard spanking before he bent over my table to receive six of the best. He went on to Cambridge university where he read for a degree in English. He joined their theatre group and is now quite a well known actor. You would probably recognise his stage name. He often tours the country and when he does he makes sure he finds someone in the locality to give him a good spanking and caning and that sets him up for the week. Every now and then he returns to the family home and when he does he always makes a point of visiting me and over my knee he goes......