Monday 21 December 1952
…the last full day of term and nothing more onerous to deal with than the school carol service. I wore my academic gown for the occasion, the boy scrubbed up nicely, there was a Christmas tree in the school hall and the whole atmosphere was serene and stress-free, until… I could hardly believe my ears!!! Two fifth-formers, Cook and Atkinson, were singing a version of Good King Wenceslas that was so coarse and smutty and generally obscene that I could see Matron blushing ñ and sheís a hard woman to shock. I waited until the service was over, made a little end-of-term speech thanking the boys for their efforts during the term, then added, with menace in my voice: ëI am afraid Cook and Atkinson are dishonourable exceptions. Could they please present themselves in my study immediately?í I donít like thrashing boys with the strap in Christmas week, trousers down, but needs must. My strap was warm to the touch afterwards ñ and I dare say their backsides were, too.