The cane was always referred to as ‘The Stick’. Although the stick landed with a painful ‘THWACK!’ the stroke would only travel some two or three feet to it’s target. I was eleven years old when I started at ‘The High School’ and stayed there until I was between the ages of eighteen and nineteen. After all I have enough material to draw on! I’ve been caned on my hands and on my bottom. Some girls were themselves in tears. The whole school was assembled and the girl was marched up onto the stage. There was no response to the first stroke, but the second produced a whimper and the third a shriek. Really serious offenses resulted in being sent to the Head or Deputy Head or even in a beating being given in front of the entire school. My school was a ‘single sex’ establishment which was a bit of a bore really, and as we approached the senior forms we often fantasized amongst ourselves about being at a school with boys.
