Story. -The punishment. That never happened.
The ultimate embarrassment. Memoir recollection.
We had a 50s retro style English teacher. Strawberry blond 30s that used to sit on the the edge of her desk and read to us. As she crossed her legs it’s fair to say I was distracted. Twice she gave me “the look”. But I really really couldn’t help to. I’m not innocent in this. . I should have been a more mature 16 year old. But I failed the test. I just couldn’t stop staring
At the end of the lesson she held me back and said.
“ your behaviour is absolutely unacceptable. You are going to have to be taught to concentrate APPROPRIATELY within this class. I want you to go and fetch me Miss Culzeans belt.”
This was a moment. She was the HOD.
She had her own black two tail strap in her drawer. This meant I was being sent to fetch the department’s XH strap. Things were going to be serious.
We all hated that walk of shame walking along the corridor into another class and asking to borrow a tawse. Everyone stared. Everyone knew what you were in for. Plus Culzean was one of the “enforcers”. Trusted by the senior leadership team to deal with the bigger challenges. Assembly beltings etc. She was feared. She delivered.
I knocked her door.
“Enter”
Mercifully it was a more mature 6th yr literature. class in. They actually looked sorry for me rather than mocking.
“ Who sent you and why?”
“Miss Dolan for failing to pay appropriate attention”
She looked at me. Arched her eyebrows. “ my heavy strap for that …unusual.”
She went to her drawer and selected the middle of 3 tawses she had and handed it to me. “ return it promptly please. Some people in this class may have need of it . Don’t dawdle “.
For gods sakes I was 16 not 12.
As I walked back along the corridor. I looked at this heavy brown belt. 2 foot long split at the end into 2 thick thongs. I’d never seen one so close. It was stiff. The leather handle end and tips darkened by innumerable palms. It was fearsome. It was also beautifully finished. This wasn’t a crude belt. This was a fine instrument well crafted and of the highest craftsmanship. I was really struck that someone somewhere had created a device to torture children of such artistic merit. And from nowhere I got a reflex I had no right to have. I was desperate for its evaporation but really there was nothing I could do.
On entering the class Miss Dolan said “ give me that strap. “ she straightened it. It resisted and thick stiff and she worked the tails so they could swing freely and deliver the kind of sting no flat strap ever achieved.
Straight to it. “ hands up”.
No number given so I was going to be belted until SHE felt the job was done, I reflected.
That didn’t help. Hands up. Thin school trousers. Her with the tawse over her shoulder -she was stunning. well … my physiology was unmissable. I was blushing deeply wishing the floor would open and swallow me. . She too blushed. For the first and only time in my school life I’d seen a tawse raised but not swung.
She refolded the tawse and said. “ “take that back to Miss Culzean Now. Please get out of my class. “
“Miss..?”
“Now!”.
Bemused I carried the strap back to the HOD. I knew I was in extreme hazard. She would blister the skin off my hands if she felt a situation needed resolved. She was merciless. But never arbitrary Bit if you needed a belting then you got one neither you nor the rest of the class would soon forget.
On knocking and entering she said
“ Good that was quick. I hope you learned your lesson. “
All I could say was “ I did Miss”
She took the strap put it in her drawer and just dismissed me.
Somehow I’d gotten through 100% unscathed.
It’s remarkable but I felt terrible guilt over the staring. The disrespect I’d shown. The response I’d had in that classroom seemed to me a deliberate act to demean a woman. Even then I had a well developed sense that you should aspire to be a gentleman. It didn’t matter what everyone else did. You should try to be your best person. Always treat females with respect.
Can you believe for 3 weeks I felt extreme guilt about not having been belted and paid the appropriate price.
Though that was to later be settled anyway( another recollection but I don’t want to bore the group)
Now I’m a bit kinder to myself. . I think any reasonable professional could have given her some straightforward advice.
Try teaching from the other side of the desk , Try not wearing above knee skirts in class , try wearing opaque not sheer tights and high heel strappy shoes. Be aware 16 yr old boys are vulnerable in their own way. There was no excuse for my actions I own that; but a bit of professionalism would have helped as well.
We had a 50s retro style English teacher. Strawberry blond 30s that used to sit on the the edge of her desk and read to us. As she crossed her legs it’s fair to say I was distracted. Twice she gave me “the look”. But I really really couldn’t help to. I’m not innocent in this. . I should have been a more mature 16 year old. But I failed the test. I just couldn’t stop staring
At the end of the lesson she held me back and said.
“ your behaviour is absolutely unacceptable. You are going to have to be taught to concentrate APPROPRIATELY within this class. I want you to go and fetch me Miss Culzeans belt.”
This was a moment. She was the HOD.
She had her own black two tail strap in her drawer. This meant I was being sent to fetch the department’s XH strap. Things were going to be serious.
We all hated that walk of shame walking along the corridor into another class and asking to borrow a tawse. Everyone stared. Everyone knew what you were in for. Plus Culzean was one of the “enforcers”. Trusted by the senior leadership team to deal with the bigger challenges. Assembly beltings etc. She was feared. She delivered.
I knocked her door.
“Enter”
Mercifully it was a more mature 6th yr literature. class in. They actually looked sorry for me rather than mocking.
“ Who sent you and why?”
“Miss Dolan for failing to pay appropriate attention”
She looked at me. Arched her eyebrows. “ my heavy strap for that …unusual.”
She went to her drawer and selected the middle of 3 tawses she had and handed it to me. “ return it promptly please. Some people in this class may have need of it . Don’t dawdle “.
For gods sakes I was 16 not 12.
As I walked back along the corridor. I looked at this heavy brown belt. 2 foot long split at the end into 2 thick thongs. I’d never seen one so close. It was stiff. The leather handle end and tips darkened by innumerable palms. It was fearsome. It was also beautifully finished. This wasn’t a crude belt. This was a fine instrument well crafted and of the highest craftsmanship. I was really struck that someone somewhere had created a device to torture children of such artistic merit. And from nowhere I got a reflex I had no right to have. I was desperate for its evaporation but really there was nothing I could do.
On entering the class Miss Dolan said “ give me that strap. “ she straightened it. It resisted and thick stiff and she worked the tails so they could swing freely and deliver the kind of sting no flat strap ever achieved.
Straight to it. “ hands up”.
No number given so I was going to be belted until SHE felt the job was done, I reflected.
That didn’t help. Hands up. Thin school trousers. Her with the tawse over her shoulder -she was stunning. well … my physiology was unmissable. I was blushing deeply wishing the floor would open and swallow me. . She too blushed. For the first and only time in my school life I’d seen a tawse raised but not swung.
She refolded the tawse and said. “ “take that back to Miss Culzean Now. Please get out of my class. “
“Miss..?”
“Now!”.
Bemused I carried the strap back to the HOD. I knew I was in extreme hazard. She would blister the skin off my hands if she felt a situation needed resolved. She was merciless. But never arbitrary Bit if you needed a belting then you got one neither you nor the rest of the class would soon forget.
On knocking and entering she said
“ Good that was quick. I hope you learned your lesson. “
All I could say was “ I did Miss”
She took the strap put it in her drawer and just dismissed me.
Somehow I’d gotten through 100% unscathed.
It’s remarkable but I felt terrible guilt over the staring. The disrespect I’d shown. The response I’d had in that classroom seemed to me a deliberate act to demean a woman. Even then I had a well developed sense that you should aspire to be a gentleman. It didn’t matter what everyone else did. You should try to be your best person. Always treat females with respect.
Can you believe for 3 weeks I felt extreme guilt about not having been belted and paid the appropriate price.
Though that was to later be settled anyway( another recollection but I don’t want to bore the group)
Now I’m a bit kinder to myself. . I think any reasonable professional could have given her some straightforward advice.
Try teaching from the other side of the desk , Try not wearing above knee skirts in class , try wearing opaque not sheer tights and high heel strappy shoes. Be aware 16 yr old boys are vulnerable in their own way. There was no excuse for my actions I own that; but a bit of professionalism would have helped as well.
