Thursday 9 December 1952
I have introduced a new rule this week, at the suggestion of Mr Wheatley, our head of sport, who is a stickler for physical fitness and is worried that some boys seem to put on surplus weight in winter, when they get less chance to exercise outdoors. ëThose of you who have had to visit my study will be familiar with the unpleasant sensation of being told to touch your toes while I cane you,í I announced at assembly, to nervous giggles all round. ëWell, from now on, boys unable to touch their toes can expect TWO EXTRA STROKES!í More nervous giggles. As luck would have it, the very next boy I had to cane, later that day, was podgy little Billy Mayfair, nicknamed Billy Bunter for obvious reasons. There was no chance of Mayfair touching his toes ñ or of escaping the two extra strokes, which I made sure were real stingers, delivered full force. I suspect the fat slob may be going on a diet…