SCHOOL RITUAL

by ray pool

Saturday 13th February 2021 3:42 pm

Firstly the cupboard as tall and as wide as a dormitory

inside the master's cane as thin as a whisper coiled.

The precision of ritual sacrosanct with rightul pain,

the outstretched hand a plea for mercy ignored,

a scything sting, the suspension of disbelief,

Grim set face at one end, sultry witness at the other.

Overarching all this the stiff upper lip

twitching with thoughts of mother,

dismissal at the turn of a heel

the cane smarting back on its shelf.

Down the years a rush of sobs and tears

carrying burdens of old masters

on streams of chalk

long laid to rest on their laurels

on catafalques of pitch pine dreams.

Comments

raypool

Mon 15th Feb 2021 12:31

Thanks for sharing your own experiences Keith and Mark. That throwing technique was like a regular for me too. The sad thing is nobody really deserved it; just a release for frustration coupled with a sneaky sadism, I reckon. An interesting word: insubordinate. It smacks of a pecking order inherent in any old hoary institution.
Of course there were liberties - we were much too cowed to try much on.
Graham, sports for me another terror laden experience. I had a medicine ball thrown at the back of my head once. Hence the poetry probably. Blackout material shorts and unforgiving football boots , cold showers. What's not to like?

Thanks too for your interest Stephen, Aisha and Holden !

Graham Sherwood

Sun 14th Feb 2021 00:12

It was always a talking point when getting undressed for PE to see whether that day’s miscreant had had a corporal or a sargeant!

M.C. Newberry

Sat 13th Feb 2021 17:02

Those flying pieces of chalk were invariably accurate and often
aroused a reluctant admiration among their recalcitrant recipients. ???
Small (and not so small) boys always had an unerring instinct
for perceived "weakness" in teachers and could make the life of
a chosen target something that must have been passing hell for
some. i recall a female teacher of French leaving our class-room
in tears and had enough self-awareness to feel a sense of shame
and remorse for the behaviour that had brought it about. In short,
teaching was no occupation for the "wrong" sort of personality and
either you had it or you didn't when it came to controlling a class.
Hard to define but recognisable in short order to any would-be trouble maker. The fact that I can recall the names of certain teachers even now is a sure guide to how they could leave their
mark (so to speak!) on a youngster.
.

keith jeffries

Sat 13th Feb 2021 16:39

Ray,

Another poem to endorse the fact that we are contemporaries of age and memories. I recall bamboo canes which were on the top of the blackboard and barely visible. As some recalcitrant pupil incurred the master's wrath he would move toward the blackboard and reach up toward where the cane lay. If the insubordinate behaviour continued then the cane was brought down into full view. The offending minor made to come out to the front of the class and bend over. Thwack, the number dependent on the severity of the offence. Other weapons in the armoury were blackboard erasers thrown at the offender or pieces of chalk aimed directly at their target. Little mercy and pleas for clemency seldom had any effect.

Thank you for this
Keith ( a former victim )

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SCHOOL RITUAL

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