Papa always had to handle the twigs, and when I began to get older, Miss Birch would tie me up and leave the room, as she pretended to be quite unable to bear the scene. Still papa would always go into her sanctum at the conclusion of my whipping, to talk the matter over with my governess. On a coffee table in the classically Georgian front room, there was a jug of water and two glasses. She poured two glasses and handed me one. She sat down in an armchair. That will do. I don't want to be too hard upon Lucille this time. We will leave her to think over her disgrace and shame, and let her beware of the birch again," said Papa, taking Miss Birch's hand, to lead her from the room. "This has been a most agitating scene for your governess, who must repose in her private room for a while to recover herself."

Papa.—"Lucille, you hear what Miss Birch says, (I noticed him cast most excited and amourous looks towards the governess as he spoke), she has been most forbearing with you, and interceded with me many times to save your bottom, and even now cannot bring herself to lift her own hand to make you smart a little; it must indeed be a serious fault to induce her to ask me to use the rod, but, 'Spare the rod and spoil the child,' has always been a maxim with me; lay her across you lap, Miss Birch, and pull up her clothes, whilst I get the rod out of the table drawer." Corpun file 7213 at www.corpun.com Dublin Evening Mail, 10 August 1937 To-day's Letters To The Editor "Spanked"

Slim Kim: When Kim is caught sneaking out of detention by the Headmaster, she is forced to accompany him to his office for a sound thrashing, an experience she finds, much to her surprise, to be intensely exciting... Speaking those words, I stood up and walked around my desk, towards Jenny Woods. She was almost my size, and under normal circumstances I would have deemed an over-the-knee-punishment improper. But it was the child Jenny Woods that needed an extra lesson, not the 15 year old girl that apparently stood before me. Well, at least you are old enough to know better than to argue with me. So, step out of your trousers and bend over. You should know how it i So, if you thought before that my job was easy, think again. Of course, the girl needed punishment. Her behaviour wasn’t appropriate at all, and it was intolerable. But it was understandable, too. One morning I was walking between the Norwich electricity plant and the river, the air-raid siren blowing and was hurrying along to the shelter. I waved to an old man who was standing looking up the river. A workman coming out of the plant fiendishly pushed over a large sheet of steel which had been leaning against the wall, and as it fell he yelled ‘JUMP’ and the poor old fellow hearing the load crash jumped right into the river … the air was blue with his cussing and swearing as he was fished out.

Next one’ was Florence Lafleur. Ten years old, sent for repeated tardiness. As she entered, she already looked terrified. I could see it was not only her first time here, in her four years at the institute, she had never been punished. Of course, she feared what lay ahead.At first, she tried to take her caning bravely. But after the second stroke she began sobbing. Then, her legs started coming up after each stroke. I told her to stop fidgeting, but after the 6th stroke, she jumped up and rubbed her bottom. Wanting It: Breeanne had managed to attend Claremont Academy for three years without facing discipline, but when she pushes another girl into the trophy cabinet during an argument she finds herself due to be caned for the first time. As I told her she would be punished now she whinced silently. However, she fully understood what i told her about the importance of being on time. When I told Molly, she of course burst into tears. I promised her that I would try to think of something and not to give up hope. We WOULD go home even if we had to walk. Of course our Head Mistress was only doing what she thought was best, but having to stay at school right through until Christmas was to us utterly unbearable. The meal we all really dreaded was dinner. I am sure that when the food was delivered to the school kitchen it was perfectly good, but what happened to it from there until it hit our plates I can’t imagine.