The Cane and the Double Standard7

A year later, now at “big school” where it soon became clear that corporal punishment was used much more frequently. A new school meant new faces, both in classmates and staff. We soon all got to learn who were the soft touch teachers and those whose wrath was to be avoided at all costs, well certainly for boys as once again, still in the same local education authority area, meant the same rules regarding the cane and slipper. At this stage in adolescence, boys and girls were starting to “notice” each other in different ways, but girls were certainly a mystery to me, they would say and do some seemingly strange things. We sat at desks in pairs, boys generally sitting with boys and vice versa. Behind me in most classes were two girls who I had noticed because they were attractive, but treated boys with total indifference.