Page 10 - Contrast1978Marchv21n2

A Caning

Once, Waiting with my upper sixth qroup
outside a room in the new school building' f
weco.llecti vely eltpe.rien·ced a very bizarre

episode. The Deputy Headmistress, a woman
of about forty-ii ve, was in the room talld..ng
to one of the first year boys. She had left
the door open but nei tiler myseJ.f. nor the

kids wi t.h me c'ould heat: what was going on.
The sixth chatted pati.ently waiting to he
let into the room. Suddenly the. tone

changed" the Deputy Headmistress. voice
increased its VOl'!:Imaend the first year boy
stiffened inside his schoolw:l.iform.It

was as if she had set a cloCkwork motor

into action as her voice grew lOuder and

lOuder and the lad gotstiffe.:r: and stiffer.
His face :flushed and tears were at the
corners o.f hi.s eyes. The class and :r out-
side looked at one anot'h.t'>.a.r littiebemo.sed
unsure whether to laugh or put: our £ingers4
in our ears.

"Never hexore have I had one boy $.0
UEq'Uently in .my day-hoOk: "she shouted.

The. tone Was harsher and the voice rose

in VOl'UllieI While the USe ox 1&Y-hook t

eindsgtee.ad of diary gave the af'fair a macabre

"1 will not be Sl.1bject:to such behaviour •
.I Will not put up with your attitudes and

nonchalant ideas! We do not tolerate such
things he.re! You're not at home now!"

'!"he boy .began to hlinkrapidly to try to

diS.Perse the tears before theybeqan to fall. ..
I wanted to step forward to pull the door

Shut, to save the e:mbar.rasmnentof it all,

but such an act :might break the ~ll she
was weaving.

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