After a very painful second year I vowed to behave better in the third year. It started out well but just before Christmas it went all wrong. I was 14 by now and beginning to notice girls and their effect on me. I was in a Latin lesson being taught by Miss H. She was tall and slim, long black hair, black spectacles, in her 20’s, and liked wearing long tight dresses with black high heeled shoes.
During the lesson one of the girls was called to the front of the class for misbehaving. She was given a detention and told to return to her seat. As she walked past me I gave her a playful whack on her bottom. Very politically incorrect now, I know. She giggled and Miss H looked round. She demanded to know what was so funny and the girl told her I had given her a playful smack for being naughty. Miss H asked me if it was true and I admitted it.
She told both of us to report to her at the end of the lesson. At the end of the lesson it was break time. We reported to Miss H and she told us she was disappointed in us. She told us that, as we thought it was funny to be smacked on the bottom, we were going to be caned. She sent the girl for the cane and book. Meanwhile I was told to move the teacher’s chair to a side of the desk.
The girl soon returned and Miss H started writing in the book while we were told to remove our blazers. Miss H told me to stand outside the door and ordered the girl to bend over the chair. I listened intently and heard four strokes of the cane and some cries of pain. The girl then came out and I was ushered in.
Miss H told me to bend over the chair. I waited as she walked to my side. I felt the cane touch and Miss H told me I was to get three strokes of the cane. The first stroke hit hard and central, making me wince as the pain arrived. Miss H hesitated before bringing the cane back on my bottom. It soon cracked down again with the same result. Miss H hesitated again before delivering the third stroke hard and low. I let out a loud gasp but managed to prevent the tears.
Miss H walked away and told me to ask the girl to come in. We were then given a lecture before Miss H told the girl that she did not have to serve the detention as she had been given an extra stroke of the cane. I was given the cane and book to return. We walked out together and I gave the cane and book to the secretary. This had been one of the least painful canings I endured. I had expected a lot harsher caning for my actions.
PLa