Peter Grainger was feeling rather pleased with himself. He had just spent the better part of 2 hours in the new slot machine arcade in the High Street — and had won over £15! Now, he would have the pleasure of deciding how to spend it. Peter’s day was turning out much better than another, ordinary, mundane day at Hymers school for boys.
Peter reminded himself how he had come to be playing on the slot machines today — he’d decided to play truant for the day when he remembered that he’d mixed up the day for handing in his English homework. It should have been completed and ready to hand in at 2pm when his class timetable read ‘double English’. He hadn’t even started it — and there was no way Peter wanted to be in trouble for not doing his homework again. It was the third time this term — and Peter remembered what happened at that particular landmark last term.
Peter had been sent to the new Headmistress, Miss Svenson, who had taken a dim view of Peter’s excuses for not doing his homework. She heard that Peter had been slippered already that term and decided a more severe punishment was required on this occasion. Miss Svenson was not in the mood for nonsense from lazy schoolboys that afternoon and decided that Peter needed some ‘encouragement’ to improve his behaviour. Peter got a strapping from Miss Svenson that day — 6 strokes — and he did not want a repeat of that punishment.
In fact, Peter was worried that he might be even more severely punished second time around. He was told that he had actually got off quite lightly — Miss Svenson usually gave 10 strokes when a boy was sent to her for a strapping — and sometimes it was also given on the bare. Peter decided not to risk it, he might just as well bunk off for the day — say he was sick — and hand his homework in on time tomorrow.
So, Peter was now feeling particularly pleased with himself. He had avoided being reported to Miss Svenson, and he now had an extra £15 in his pocket. Today was turning into a good day.….
‘Grainger — what are you doing here?’ Peter spun round, shocked by the sound of Miss Carter’s voice. Miss Carter was his history teacher at school and had just left her dentist’s surgery — which happened to be directly across the road from the amusement arcade where Peter had spent most of the morning. Peter stammered some incomprehensible excuse about not being well and didn’t even get to finish his sentence before Miss Carter assertively told him to get himself back to school ‘at once, Grainger’. Peter felt himself unable to argue any more — and headed back in the direction of school whist Miss Carter kept him in her stern gaze. Peter just hoped that he wouldn’t be reported by Miss Carter. His plan to avoid a strapping for not having his homework ready was now in tatters though. English was at 2pm and there was no way to avoid that lesson now.
Peter arrived at Hymers school just as the morning classes were finishing — and the boys were filing into the dining hall — there was still a full hour before he was due to hand in his English homework, so still a chance to avoid being reported to Miss Svenson. Peterís mind raced. Peter came up with an idea, he had £15 in his pocket from his morningís gambling — maybe he could ëpersuadeí one of his classmates to lend him their homework. He could try an offer of £10 and would still be ahead on the day. Of course, none of the other boys would risk a visit to Miss Svenson, so it could only be one of the boys who had not missed a homework deadline during that term. They would still be risking a slippering, but Peter could think of a couple of his classmates who may be tempted by some ready cash! Peter decided to ask Paul Maguire to swap his English homework for the £10 on offer. Paul had a reputation as one of the naughtier boys and was no stranger to the slipper or Miss Svenson for that matter. He had, however, kept out of trouble so far that term and would not be in danger of being sent for a strapping. Paul also liked money. Peter made him an offer.
At 2pm Peter and the rest of his class headed towards their double English class. Peterís plan had backfired — Paul and another boy turned him down flat when he proposed ëborrowingí their homework. Other boys had got wind of the scheme too. Peter had to confess that he had not done his English homework along with one other boy in his class. Peterís classmate was called out to the front of the class and told to bend over, before getting 6 whacks from the English teachers slipper across his backside. Peter was told that his failure would be reported to Miss Svenson. Peter knew what that meant. It was Tuesday
Miss Elsa Svenson was not pleased,. She had attended a Headteachers conference in Brighton and would now have to stay an extra two nights in the town due to a rail strike. She liked Brighton but needed to get back to the school to attend to important business.
Miss Svenson finally got home and in to work on Friday. She had important matters to deal with and was not pleased at the list of adverse reports regarding certain boys which were made to her. A total of 15 boys had been reported to her for various misdemeanours and each of them deserved to be strapped. A further 7 boys were reported for rather more serious offences — and they would, most likely, be caned. One boyís behaviour was troubling her most of all.
Peter Grainger, along with four of his classmates, was not enjoying this morningís maths lesson. They all knew that Miss Svenson had returned to the school. They had all been reported for one misdemeanour or another during the week and they all feared that a strapping or even a caning awaited them when the were summoned to her study. Two of the boys did not have long to wait. A messenger interrupted the lesson and read out the names of those who were to report immediately to Miss Svensonís office. The two boys returned to class about 20 minutes later feeling extremely sorry for themselves. They were amongst the group of boys who were strapped — they both got her maximum of 10 strokes and Miss Svenson had laid the strokes on hard today. They would not sit comfortably for some time.
Peter was surprised that his name was not read out at the same time as the two boys who had just returned. He knew he had been reported and was ready to join them if his name was called. He would have to wait, however. The two other boys who were ëfor ití had been reported for much more serious offences than forgetting homework. One boyís bullying ways had caught up with him and another had been caught cheating in a test the day before. Both of them were expecting to get the cane. Peter was now worried that he, too, may be one of the recipients of a caning. He had not had the cane before, but by all accounts it was much worse than the strap and that had been awful enough last term.
> Once again, lessons were interrupted and the two boys who were fearing the cane were summoned to see Miss Svenson. Both returned to class after some 20 minutes. Both were in a somewhat dishevelled state and found it painful to walk back to class. Sitting still for the remainder of the day would be a real challenge. Peter was relieved that his name was not amongst that particular group of boys.
>
> It was an hour later when a different messenger interrupted lessons again and said that Grainger was required to report to Miss Svenson in her study. The walk along the corridors, across the school quadrangle and through the assembly hall to Miss Svensonís study was not pleasant. Peter was now fearing the worst. He had, rather hopefully, thought that he may not have been reported after all. He was not amongst the group of boys who had been strapped although he had fully expected to be. Nor had he been one of the boys who had been caned. Peter began to realise that he was going to be receiving some individual attention from Miss Svenson.
Elsa Svenson was appalled by the three separate reports which had been made to her regarding Peter Graingerís behaviour. The boy had come to her attention on several occasions in the past — and had been one of those boys who usually managed to avoid the most serious consequences. Peter had just the one entry in Miss Svensonís punishment book, a strapping last term when he had got off relatively lightly. Six strokes with the standard strap had been applied to Peterís bottom on that occasion — firm strokes but not laid on especially hard. Today, however, would be different.
Miss Svenson had reminded herself of the updated Governorís rules regarding corporal punishment at Hymers. These were revised from time to time and the most recent version allowed her the use of a new ësenior plusí cane which replaced the birch as the punishment instrument of last resort for very serious offences which may otherwise deserve expulsion from the school. English was not Elsa Svensonís first language, though she spoke fluently and prided herself on her immaculate knowledge of English grammar and meaning.
The governors rules allowed the Headmistress to administer up to 10 strokes with the strap — either the standard one or the extra heavy version which Miss Svenson usually favoured. This could be administered on the miscreantís bare bottom if it was considered appropriate. It was explained to Miss Svenson when she raised the point that if she felt that a boy deserved more than 10 strokes — then he should be caned. Miss Svenson read on Ö. ëand, up to 12 strokes of the junior, standard or senior cane may be administered with up to 6 of those strokes given on the bare bottom and, for particularly serious breaches of discipline, up to 12 strokes of the senior plus cane may be administered. If a boy is deserving of so serious a punishment then all strokes of the senior plus cane should be administered on the bare bottom.í
Elsa Svenson was determined that Peter would be properly dealt with for each offence. The literal interpretation of the Governors rules allowed her to administer a strapping AND a caning AND 12 strokes with the new senior plus cane. The rules clearly stated AND between the various disciplinary sanctions — if they had meant ëorí then they would have said that! Wouldnít they?! With that, there was a knock on her study door.
Peter Grainger looked very forlorn. He had just been on the receiving end of a serious scolding for his behaviour from Miss Svenson. She told him how he had let himself down, had attempted to implicate his classmates in a scheme to pass off another boyís homework as his own and had brought the school into some disrepute by being in a gambling establishment when he should have been in school. Peter had already heard that Miss Svenson had used the heavy strap across the bottoms of several boys earlier in the day. He could not help but notice the fearsome looking strap which was hanging by the side of her desk. Peter was not looking forward to his fate — but he knew that the strap would be preferable to the cane — and he could see two canes lying on Miss Svensonís desk. One looked fairly familiar, he had been threatened with the cane on an earlier visit to Miss Svenson if he were sent to her again, and Peter rightly assumed that that particular cane had stung several naughty boys bottoms already that day. The second cane was different. It was darker in colour, slightly longer and looked particularly fearsome. Miss Svenson had used it once before on that day — administering the maximum of 12 strokes to the boy whose bullying of junior boys needed to be severely dealt with. Miss Svenson had been both delighted and surprised at how much more severe that cane was than even her senior cane. She was also pleased at her handiwork — leaving clearly defined stripes across the bullyís bare bottom. Miss Svenson was looking forward to perfecting her technique with this new cane.
Miss Svenson informed Peter that he would be punished separately for each of his reported breaches of discipline and that she would deal first with his failure to complete his English homework. ëTrousers and pants down Grainger — and bend over the deskí. Peter was on the verge of tears already, without a single stroke being applied to his bottom — he hadnít really expected to be punished on his bare bottom — but he was relieved, at least to see Miss Svenson select the strap from her range of disciplinary instruments. At least it was the strap and not the cane ëTen strokes Peter, and you will count the strokes aloudí. ëYes, Miss Svensoní, said Peter in a wavering voice. Miss Svenson laid on each of the 10 strokes as hard as she had any that day. She intended that Peter would experience as severe a strapping as she administered to the naughtiest boys in the school and did not expect him to take the 10 strokes in silence. She was not disappointed.
Stand up Peter. Now you can stand in that corner of my study, with your hands on your head, and contemplate exactly why you have been strapped. I will then deal with your truancy.í Peter spent some five minutes in the corner, his arms ached from having them over his head — but that was just about the least of his worries. Peter heard Miss Svenson select a cane and swish it through the air a few times. The sound of it was quite terrifying and Peter finally realised that he was going to be both strapped and caned. He was then ordered back over the desk, again trousers and pants down, and told that the punishment for playing truant was always 6 of the best with the cane. Boys who visited public houses or gambling establishments and brought the school into disrepute were caned on the bare — even for a first caning. Peter was required to count each of the 6 stinging, searing strokes before again being confined to the corner of Miss Svensonís study — hands on head — to further contemplate his various misdemeanours.
Miss Svenson left Peter in that state for some 10 minutes, whilst she attended to some paperwork and filled out the various entries in the punishment book. The final entry read, Grainger, attempted deception and cheating, 12 strokes, Senior Plus cane, bare.
Peter assumed the position for the third time that day, his bottom which was already sore and marked was about to experience the most severe caning which Miss Svenson was permitted to administer. The 12 strokes were applied expertly and without compromise. Miss Svenson was pleased at the accuracy which could be achieved with her new cane. The 12 strokes were all applied parallel across Peterís bottom with the final 6 laid on especially hard.
This was a day which neither Elsa Svenson nor Peter Grainger would forget in a hurry.