Punishment Pilot Scheme

Following the vote by schoolchildren in Newark in support of the reintroduction of caning in schools, the goverment decided to set up a pilot scheme in the town. The aim was to reinstitute corporal punishment in a number of boys' secondary schools and attempt to assess whether the cane was really the deterrent against bad behaviour that proponents of corporal punishment claimed it to be. If the pilot scheme was deemed a success it would then be extended to mixed secondary schools and junior schools in the town, before a final decision was taken about the general reintroduction of corporal punishment in state schools across the country.

Mr Keith Jamieson, the energetic young headmaster of the Newark Academy for Boys, an ancient grammar school foundation which had gone comprehensive in the 1970s, gazed quizically at the three shiny rattan canes lying on his desk. The canes had arrived by special delivery that morning, along with a compendious blank notebook bearing the ominous title Corporal Punishment Records.

Although a majority of the academy's pupils had signed the Newark schoolchildrens' petition calling for the reintroduction of corporal punishment, Mr Jamieson still felt distinctly uneasy about the whole thing. The government guidelines stated that canings were to be carried out by the 'head teacher, or his or her nominated deputy' and Keith Jamieson was not especially looking forward to wielding the stick. He had absolutely no experience of using a cane and would not know where to begin. He looked again at the brief printed guidelines which had accompanied the package of punishment canes. The cane was to be 'administered to the boy's clothed seat...with a minimum of three and a maximum of six strokes...' The old-fashioned 'six of the best' of school stories, he thought to himself, chuckling.

Keith Jamieson was a relatively young man and thought of himself as a dynamic go-ahead schoolteacher. He would much rather that the school functioned without recourse to physical chastisement. Yet he had to admit to himself that most of the other sanctions available to the school seemed to have little deterrent effect nowadays. The most serious sanction of all, apart from expulsion, was suspension - yet many boys viewed that punishment as a holiday and an excuse to roam the streets and get up to further mischief. He had to admit that caning would probably be a better and more effective sanction. The punishment would be short and sharp and not interfere with a boy's academic progress.

When the headmaster confided his thoughts about the cane to Mrs Bartlett, the long-serving school secretary, she immediately came up with a plan. 'Ask Mr Farriday to give you some hints. He whacked dozens and dozens of boys when he was headmaster here.' 'But he retired years ago,' said Mr Jamieson.
'I don't think that matters,' said the school secretary.'It's experience that counts, and Mr Farriday gained plenty of that during his long career. I can recall times following morning assembly when there were as many as ten young tearaways waiting at the headmaster's door for a dose of the cane. And Mr Farriday certainly knew how to lay it on so it stung! The toughest lads used to limp away with tears in their eyes.'

'It all sound a little barbaric..'. 'Barbaric or not, the cane worked. Boys were much better behaved in those days and for a pupil to be suspended was almost unheard of. The mere existence of the cane acted as a deterrent to bad behaviour. A boy knew that there was a certain line and if he overstepped that line his reward was a sore bottom. On the other hand, once the punishment had been given, that was the end of the matter and the pupil could begin again with a clean slate.'

'Even so, can it ever be right to hit a child?' 'Put like that it does sound terrible. Hit and child are loaded words. But what we're talking about are hotblooded young adolescents who if given an inch will take a mile. Sometimes they deserve to be slapped down, and they will respect you for it. It's all about the re-establishment of respect for authority, headmaster. Let's just hope that it's not too late.' 'Well, if you think that Mr Farriday is prepared to give me some advice, please ask him to visit the school as soon as he can manage.'

A few days later the sprightly 74-year-old figure of George Farriday was seen striding through the school gates. He had fought tooth and nail against the comprehensivisation of his beloved academy and had then taken early retirement. He had noted the ensuing changes with dismay: the abandonment of the school's traditional uniform with its beribboned maroon blazers; the abolition of the cadet corps and its replacement by something called the 'community service volunteers'; the substitution of football for rugger...the list went on and on. And now, paradoxically, the present liberal young head had asked him to visit and impart advice on corporal punishment of all things! It was a funny old world, to be sure.

After shaking hands with Mr Jamieson and reminiscing a little about the old days, Mr Farriday got down to the business in hand. 'These canes seem quite adequate to the task, headmaster. Light and whippy. They will certainly sting...' 'I thought you might consider them too lightweight and thin.' 'Quite the contrary! A good punishment cane is designed to sting but not to bruise. The deterrent lies in the smarting pain - and, of course, the anticipation of it. Once a boy has been caned he never forgets how much it hurts and will try to avoid a repetition of the experience. And believe me, if properly applied, light swishy canes like these sting a great deal. Indeed, most boys are surprised just how much the cane can sting. That's why a boy receiving his first caning as often as not jumps up after the first stroke. He can"t believe just how much it hurts!'

'So how hard should the cane be given?' 'As hard as you can manage. After all, the intention is to punish and deter the boy from further offending. If you pussyfoot he will not respect you. On the other hand, you do not need a great deal of strength. As you can see, I am slightly built but in my time I reduced hulking sixth-form athletes to tears with a few deft strokes.'

'Did you make a boy bend over and touch his toes?' 'You've been reading too many stories! Believe it or not, it's best that a boy is comfortably positioned for his punishment. That way he can pay all his attention to the unbearable pain in his backside! I always required a boy to bend over a chair. That armchair in the corner of your office would be quite suitable.'

'And how many strokes did you give?' 'Three or four for most offences, and six for more serious offences. Very occasionally I gave eight strokes - but that was as a last resort before expulsion.' The conversation was interrupted by the arrival of the school secretary with tea and biscuits. After greeting the retired headmaster she told Mr Jamieson that the deputy head, Mr Norris, was on his way with two miscreants he had caught truanting in the town that morning.

'It's not young Rogers and Hunt again, is it?' The headmaster explained to his retired colleague that the two fifth-formers had been caught truanting twice before that term, creeping into the town when they were supposed to be in the library engaged in private study for their forthcoming mock examinations.

'And what punishment did you envisage for the miscreants,' enquired Mr Farriday. 'I suppose I may have to suspend them from school for a week, since other sanctions don't seem to have worked,' replied the headmaster. 'If they're suspended they'll miss out on work for their exams and probably spend most of the time wandering about the town anyway. After all, they do seem to prefer it to school!' said Mr Farriday, a little sarcastically. 'Don't you think a dose of the cane would be more appropriate?'

'I...I'm not sure. Oughtn't I to get in some practice first?' 'Do you propose to train by whacking a cushion? You now have two perfect candidates for your first use of corporal punishmnent. There's no time like the present.' 'Im still not sure,' said the headmaster, nervously. 'Tell me', asked Mr Farriday, 'who is authorised to give canings under the new dispensation?' 'Er...the head....or his appointed deputy...' 'Then if you wish you may appoint me this one time. You may learn by watching.' 'If you're absolutely sure.' 'I'm very sure, Mr Jamieson.'

The headmaster and his visitor scarcely had time to finish their tea and biscuits before there was a knock at the door and the deputy head looked in 'I have Graham Rogers and Nigel Hunt outside, headmaster. As Mrs Bartlett may have informed you, they've been caught truanting again.' 'Could you ask them both to step in here and then remain as a witness to their punishment?' 'Do you mean you're proposing to cane the young rascals?' 'I shan't, but Mr Farriday here has kindly consented to show me how it is done. A practical demonstration, you might say.'

The two fifth-form truants were ushered into the spacious office and stood in front of the headmaster's desk, barely supressing their grins. 'I hope you realise that leaving the school premises during private study time without permission is a serious offence. You've done this twice before and I was minded to suspend you both. However, I now have another far more suitable punishment available. The cane.' The youngsters' grins dissolved like melting frost on a window pane.

'Don't look so shocked. I'm sure that you are both aware that this school has reintroduced corporal punishment on a trial basis. Perhaps you both signed the Newark schools petition to bring back the cane...' 'I didn't sir,' said Rogers, now trembling.
'I...I didn't either, sir,' added an ashen faced Nigel Hunt. 'At least a caning will soon be over and done with and you won't miss out on any course work,' said the headmaster. 'And since I am new to the game Mr Farriday here, who was headmaster when this academy was a grammar school, has kindly consented to administer your punishment.'

At this news the schoolboys' doomstricken aspect lightened considerably. They were to be whacked by this little old man! To their young eyes he looked far too elderly and decrepit to do very much harm to anyone. 'Now which of you two had the idea of bunking off from private study and truanting? I've a suspicion it was your idea, Hunt.' 'I...that is...I mean...'
'It was your idea, wasn't it?' 'Er, sort of sir...that is I thought we wouldn't be noticed...'

'Well you were noticed, and since you led your friend astray I think you deserve the harsher punishment. Rogers, you will suffer four strokes and Hunt, you will receive six of the best. Are the punishments appropriate in your opinion, Mr Farriday?' 'The punishments are very appropriate, headmaster. Just what I would have awarded in my day - although they would both have been thrashed the first time they truanted.'

'Now, Rogers, you will oblige me by removing your blazer and bending over that chair.' The elderly man's voice was surprisingly firm and authoritative and, watched keenly by the head and his deputy, a nervous Graham Rogers took off his blazer and reached down over the heavy armchair. 'Push your bottom right out so that your trousers are stretched as tightly as possible. That's the way! I am now going to administer four strokes of the cane and take my word for it - it's going to hurt and hurt a lot. The cane is designed to hurt. But however much it hurts, however much it stings, you must stay down over the chair and take your punishment. Is that clear boy?' 'Y..yes sir...'

'If you jump about or give me any trouble at all you will receive extra strokes of the cane. So if you want the punishment to be over and done with as quickly as possible you will give me no trouble. Here is the first of four well-deserved strokes...'
The wiry septuagenerian picked up the flexible crook-handled punishment cane and swished it through the air several times, producing an ominous hissing noise. Nigel Hunt looked on in disbelief as his friend prepared to receive the first cut of the whippy cane across his tightly stretched regulation grey trousers. Mr Farriday caught the boy's hostile glance and barked out further instructions. 'You boy! Go and stand facing into the corner with your hands on your head until it's your turn to be caned. Do as you are told now!'

The crestfallen schoolboy shuffled over to the corner and took up the ignominous pose ordered. He hadn't had to stand with his hands on his head since he had been at junior school! Mr Farriday now returned to the work in hand. Raising the cane he brought it down across Graham Rogers' backside at what seemed to the onlookers like supersonic speed. There was a resounding 'thwack!' and the unfortunate teenager jumped up like a Jack-in-the-Box, frantically rubbing his tingling rear.

'Get back down over the chair boy! Now if there is any more of this nonsense I shall begin your entire punishment all over again. You'll end up receiving six strokes like your friend. Do you want six boy?' 'N..no sir...' 'Then take your allotted punishment like a brave boy. Number two..'. This time Graham Rogers managed to hold onto the arms of the chair, despite the redoubled pain in his backside. All the time he kept repeating to himself 'two to go...two to go.'.

Mr Farriday paused before the next stroke and addressed the headmaster and his deputy .'You will note that I am using comparitively little force, and yet the cane is producing the desired effect. The secret lies in the whippiness of the instrument, which imparts a severe sting, and its thin-ness. The cane makes contact with a very small area of flesh, compared with, say, a slipper, but where it does contacts the miscreant's backside it lays down a line of fiery pain. Would you agree with that statement, young Rogers? Answer me boy!' 'Yes sir...it really burns...'

'And so to your final two strokes. Number three! Number four!' The cane lashed down twice more and Graham Rogers wriggled and writhed like a fox caught in a trap. But at last it was over. The boy stood up, the tears welling in his eyes, and began to rub his burning behind. 'Did I give you permission to rub your backside, boy? Put your hands on your head and take your friend's place in the corner. Hunt, come out of the corner and take off your blazer.'

Nigel Hunt exchanged glances with his friend and walked with trembling steps to the chair. He had not been able to watch Graham's chastisement, but what he had heard had terrified him. 'Bend over the chair, boy. You are now going to receive six of the very best. Oh, by the way, I hope you're keeping a close watch Mr Jamieson...and you as well, Mr Norris, since these duties may also fall to you on occasion. Note how I stand well to one side so that there is no chance of the cane whipping round and bruising the boy's hipbone. All the strokes will be directed to the well padded flesh of the lad's backside - designed by nature for two purposes - to be sat upon and to be caned. Or so we used to jest in my younger days!'

Mr Farriday was now well into his stride and almost enjoying himself. It was gratifying to pass on an expertise gained through the beating of scores of deserving backsides during his long career as a schoolmaster. The cane swished down through the air and landed with a resounding crack on Nigel Hunt's backside. The boy grunted, surprised at the intensity of the pain, but managed to stay down. Stroke number two landed, just below the first, and the schoolboy gritted his teeth and clung to the chair for dear life, wondering just how he could endure four more.

By the time the full six strokes had been inflicted, Nigel Hunt felt as though he had been sitting in a red hot brazier. He would not have been surprised to have loked round and seen actual flames leaping from his backside, so intense was the burning pain. 'Now you may get up, boy.' There were tears trickling down the schoolboy's cheeks as he rose from the chair.

'Do you have a box of tissues, Mr Jamieson? Thank you. Here boy, wipe your face. You, Rogers, come out of the corner and stand here with your friend. Now tell me, are you going to play truant again?' 'No sir.' 'No sir.' 'And what happens to schoolboys who play truant?' 'They get the cane sir.' 'And how does the cane feel?' 'It really stings sir.' 'Yes sir, it's very painful indeed, sir.'

'No doubt Mr Jamieson will call you back later to initial your entries in the official punishment book. But for now you are both dismissed. Don't get into trouble again.' The two schoolboys left the headmaster's office, gingerly nursing their smarting behinds. The retired headmaster turned to look at the two schoolmasters, still somewhat dazed by the exhibition they had just witnessed. 'I trust today's exercise has been of some value, gentlemen.' 'Very much so, Mr Farriday. I think we can now see why schools were better ordered in your day.' 'Yes, the punishment seemed to have a very salutary effect on those two recidivists,' added Mr Norris. 'Much more so than a detention or suspension.'

'I must stress that there must never be any element of sadism or glee in the use of the cane,' opined Mr Farriday. 'Treat it as a regrettable duty, but a duty nevertheless. You are using the cane for the ultimate good of your pupils. A further benefit of your possession of the cane is its deterrent effect. Once word gets around the school that you have canes and are prepared to use them, then paradoxically you should seldom have to use them. For example, young Rogers and Hunt will now think twice about breaking any school rules which incur corporal punishment. They will walk in fear of the cane, dreading it in a way they never dreaded other sanctions. '

'I suppose we can always call on your help again if necessary?' 'No. I've done my job. Now it's up to you. I suggest you make an announcement tomorrow in assembly. Show the boys a cane and list the offences which will incur automatic corporal punishment. I would suggest truanting, bullying, smoking, vandalism and disrupting lessons for a start. And now, gentlemen, I intend to resume a well-earned retirement.'