A sixth form girl has to wait several days for her caning from her headmistress

The situation concerned me many years ago when in the Lower 6th Sixth formers were caned just like any other class. There were no exceptions. I had been caught out of bounds after an edict had been reiterated about this matter. It was the Tuesday before half term. I was sent to see the headmistress, Miss P. She was kindly but could come across as austere. She was a disciplinarian and in those days her repertoire included canings.

I went to her study at 4 o'clock and her secretary, an older woman, Mrs E, acknowledged my arrival, commenting that it must be for being caught out of bounds. She frowned and said something like, "It looks like the cane you, Elizabeth."

I waited for 30 minutes before Miss P called me in. I stood before her while she finished some paperwork which took about ten minutes. She then quizzed me about the rules concerning being out of bounds. I squirmed as she gave me a rocket. It was well known that she took a dim view of sixth form misbehaviour. She then said that she saw no reason why she should not cane me. Even though I expected this and had been caned before, it nevertheless made me blush deeply. Miss P then said she did not have the time, so I should return at 4 o'clock the next day.

This was awful - waiting 24 hours. I barely ate any dinner that evening. My mother detected something was not right but when I explained she was not sympathetic. She had been caned twice in her day and trotted out the old line, "You deserve it and you will live." Thanks!

I spent an anxious day constantly clock watching. We had sport in the afternoon and I played badminton with my friend Helen. I had told her what was coming (which she knew in view of the fact I'd been caught out of bounds) and we lingered in the showers talking about it. She commented that my bottom would look rather different in an hour or so.

At 4 o'clock I trotted along to see Miss P. Mrs E said the headmistress was not there and that I should wait. I waiting for 30 minutes and then asked Mrs E if I should see her the next day. She advised me to wait. 5 o'clock came and then at 5.15 before Miss P turned up. This wait was as a good as a detention on top of receiving corporal punishment. I sensed she'd forgotten about me. She saw me and said she had to leave shortly and I should return at lunchtime on Thursday. I just wanted it to be resolved - how long would it take her to cane me!

The next lunchtime I went back. I was not happy about this as it would mean an uncomfortable afternoon trying to sit in class. Miss P obviously had someone in her study but Mrs E told me to wait. I waited and waited. The early warning bell for afternoon classes rang and Mrs E told me to hurry along but come back at 4 o'clock and she would inform Miss P. I had a real sense of disappointment.

I returned at 4pm but Mrs E told me Miss P had left for another appointment and that I should return at 4 o'clock Friday, the last day before half term. That evening I examined my bottom which was smooth and unblemished and wondered if I might be let off due to the delay, especially if Miss P wasn't able to discipline me on Friday. Surely I wouldn’t need to wait and worry all over half term.

Friday 4 o'clock came and I was waiting outside Miss P's study. Again there were voices inside her study. Miss E said it was some prospective parents and that I should wait. After 15 minutes they all came out. I wondered if they had any idea why I was waiting there. Miss P called me in just as another new girl and her mother entered the secretary's office. Miss P pushed the door of her study to and told me she could not see me now. I hoped that would be the end of the matter. To my dismay she asked what I was doing on Saturday morning. I said I was revising for exams. She told me to report to her at 9 o'clock in uniform. In uniform on a Saturday and in half term! I wanted to say this was unreasonable but the words would not come out. I headed home but realised that had I protested she may have made me wait another week.

It was going to be awkward to dress in school uniform on Saturday and have to explain that one! However, my parents announced that they were leaving early on Saturday to see my mum’s parents - did I want to come along too? I really enjoyed visiting the grandparents but said I needed to study. On Saturday morning they left around 7.30 am - what a relief. I decided to pack my uniform in my bag and change at school in case I bumped into a friend or a teacher who might ask about my choice of clothes for a weekend. On arrival at school the door was open as the caretaker was on site doing those jobs he could only do in half term while the place was empty. I went to the gym changing room, undressed and changed into my uniform. At 9 o'clock I went to Miss P's study. Miss E was not there.

I knocked and she asked me to enter. Miss P looked at me over her half-moon glasses.

"This has taken a while, Elizabeth, but you will nevertheless receive your six strokes of the cane. I see no reason to reduce your punishment. In fact, as a sixth former you ought to get a couple of extra strokes of the cane."

I was well aware of that and just wanted her to get on with it. Miss P stood up and came alongside me. "Bend over." she instructed.

Those famous words. I assumed the traditional position, bending over and grasping my ankles and she lifted my slightly crumped gymslip and folded it out of the way. My blouse was tucked up too. My navy blue regulation knickers were on show and bottom ready for punishment. She went to her cupboard and took out a cane and a black book. The book was placed on the table. She came to my left side again and swished the cane twice. It was tapped quite firmly on my bottom.

The telephone rang. She put the cane down and answered the call. After several minutes the call ended - I had remained in position which was not easy. She came alongside me again and tapped the cane again. The telephone rang again. "Stand up." I stood as she answered the call. Miss P was on the telephone for a good 15 minutes. The call ended and she told me to bend over again, which I did, firmly grasping my ankles for the second time. I had waited four and a half days but these extra minutes seemed like eternity.

Miss P ensured my gymslip was folded up satisfactorily and tapped the cane again. There was a swish and loud, crisp crack as the first stroke of the cane was delivered. It hurt! The next hurt too! Crack! Number three landed. "I do not expect warnings about going out of bounds to be disregarded!" Crack - number four. Number five was another stinger as was six. I had been caned by another mistress before but Miss P certainly knew how to use a cane.

"Stand up!"

I stood and clutched my bottom. Miss P put the cane away and sat down at her desk. She opened the black book and filled in the details. She gave me another rocket and said that if it happened again she would cane me again, make no mistake.

She dismissed me and I went back to the changing room. I undressed to my bra and socks and examined my bottom in a full length mirror. It was quite a sight with six straight parallel welts lined up across my bottom. I dressed in my civvies and packed my uniform away and walked home. I spent the rest of the day not wearing any knickers and managed to do some studying. The wait for several days had been awful but at least Mrs E had not been outside listening to events. We all knew that a caning could be heard in her office. It was not the last one I got from Miss P.

Liz