Swishing sounds of the cane

Did your headmaster ever exercise his arm by swiping the cane in the air while you bent over and waiting and did the sound of cane swishing in the air make you flinch?

After the cane was removed from the wardrobe it would be flexed a few times before several practice swishes in the air.  Then as I was encouraged to bend over the end of the Head’s table I would first feel a light tap tapping of the cane on my backside – this would slow right down.  Then there would be a pause before the first (of usually 6) strokes would be administered.

pyjamaboy:

You say the cane was removed from the wardrobe and then you had to bend over the Head’s table.

That sounds like you were caned in the headmaster’s bedroom which does sound a bit unusual even at boarding school?

….unless the headmaster had a wardrobe in his study?

Can’t say I remember any swishing in senior school but definitely remember the (getting the aim)  taps before each stroke.

A teacher in junior school used to swish his cane when threatening the class that he would use it.

pyjamaboy wrote:After the cane was removed from the wardrobe it would be flexed a few times before several practice swishes in the air.  Then as I was encouraged to bend over the end of the Head’s table I would first feel a light tap tapping of the cane on my backside – this would slow right down.  Then there would be a pause before the first (of usually 6) strokes would be administered.

Yes I think there was a lot of tapping during canings, our headmaster would take aim by first resting the cane on our buttocks twice before bringing it down. After the second tap you would brace yourself, the time intervals were regular so you could anticipate the whack even if the head decided to add in an extra third tap

It looked like a wardrobe – ie double doors opening outward and tall but as far as I remember it only had canes and gowns hanging in it

Sir John 2 wrote:Can’t say I remember any swishing in senior school but definitely remember the (getting the aim)  taps before each stroke.

A teacher in junior school used to swish his cane when threatening the class that he would use it.

How many taps did you feel before a strike, our headmaster would usually line up his cane twice on our backside before taking a swing

2 0r 3

I think rubbing or tapping the paddle first makes you freeze up with fear which is good in one way because it makes the punishment more accurate.

The ‘swoosh’ of the paddle and the shadow on the wall – wonderful happy memories CathyG!

CathyG wrote:The hardest part was not moving too much between swats.  His ten seconds or thereabouts between them added to the uncomfortableness. Although I could not see him as he paddled me, I could tell by the swoosh of the paddle that it was on its way.  Sometimes though, depending on the time of the day, I could see the shadow of us on the wall to my right and see it coming that way.

In the UK our schools never used a paddle, did any US schools use a cane?

i think its was used some in boston and new england in general

They probably did as most of the early settlers were from the UK

Several masters would swish the cane in addition to taking careful aim. Mind you, most of them had years of experience so could deliver accurately in any case.

Did you ever flinch on hearing the cane fly through the air?

I think most lads did. I remember that from outside of the headmaster’s office the swish wasn’t heard but the thwack as the cane landed across a boys bottom certainly was. Scary if you were waiting your turn to be caned too.

Probably after a few strokes with a throbbing bottom that swishing sound  would make you flinch more, bending over the back of a chair it’s best to get lay over the back rest with your body weight resting on it so it’s difficult to move.

I certainly flinched during the first few visits to the study. Waiting outside was a nervous time. Once bent right over a chair or armchair I well remember how vulnerable my bottom felt and the evidence afterwards confirmed that.

At break time we were made to wait facing the wall under a covered walkway which linked the school to the administration block. You could only hear canings in the summer if the headmaster had his window open.

Hi – The deputy head administered the most painful of canings,we had to bend over a stool while he collected his cane from the cupboard.He used to use a sawing motion lining the cane up on the seat of our trousers then two taps then WHACK ! my god it hurt i use to hang on to the legs of the stool for dear life and keep my eyes shut,after he had administered your caning you had to stay in position over the stool,while he filled the punishment book in,only then were you allowed from over the stool.It seemed to take forever to fill in the book in the meantime your bottom was throbbing. Painful memories

Having the stool legs to grasp would have helped rather than the touch-toes position and if you had been allowed to immediately stand after the last stroke you would not have ‘benefited’ from the last stroke.

It sounds like your deputy head knew how to do it properly!

Hi Alice – Yes the deputy head certainly knew how to administer a really painful caning,probably all the years of experience. As for holding on to the stool legs, your right it did certainly help, i have been caned touching toes again by the deputy head, three strokes i admit i was struggling to keep in position,he only used the stool for six stroke canings,and as for making us stay over the stool yes it did make me feel the benefit of the last stroke,he applied the same rule when using the touching toes position. All the boys tried to avoid being caned by the deputy head

Our deputy was the witness to our canings and prep us to be caned, after the head had finished talking the deputy would position the chair while the head grabbed the cane. The deputy also helped us to get into the best position over the chair especially useful if it was your first time.

70sboy wrote:Our deputy was the witness to our canings and prep us to be caned, after the head had finished talking the deputy would position the chair while the head grabbed the cane. The deputy also helped us to get into the best position over the chair especially useful if it was your first time.

What would be the “best position”? Would there be one that would make it worst?….curious, the cane was never used here or on me.

The deputy would give little pointers, spread feet, where to hold, move close to chair, rest yourself on the back and look forward so I guess we couldn’t see anything from the corner of our eye.

I remember the look forward command as well!

I had to bend across a padded chair and hold the arm on the opposite side. The head tapped the cane on my bottom and I soon heard the swishing sound followed quickly by the impact!