In a post a couple of years ago Joe referred to the tricks that teachers would use to increase the pain assocuated with a caning. There have been a number of references to techniques utilised by those who administer punishments but unless I have missed it - if so please point me towards the discussion - no specific thread exploring this issue. I wonder what peoples' experiences were in relation to this topic. At my school the standard ways of doing this were to:
a) use a longer and heavier cane than usual
b) administer the cane across PT shorts rather than trousers and pants
c) cross the strokes previously applied.
Masters and prefects always caned with maximum severity but I guess that some were more athletic or had stronger wrists and were able to apply the cane with greater force than others. Interested in the thoughts of others.

The original 'Tricks of the trade' is one of the most famous contributions to this forum. Written by retired headmaster George, it contains only six references to 'pants' but it does have these immortal lines:

“Before taking up my headship in St Peters I had never caned a boy.

I had slippered many, but that is nothing compared to caning. I was

so concerned that for most of the summer before starting I practised.

I got an old pair of trousers, put a pillow inside them, and practised

caning then. I kept doing this until I could land it time and time

again on a tiny little chalk mark.”


The complete piece is on Page 17 at the moment. The last post thereto was made on 7 September, 2002.

Many thanks for the info. I thought there must have been a thread somewhere. The post you refer to is fascinating.

YES. I was the person that made the post and many more but due to actions of certain people ceased posting on this site


George

The other side of the coin was that some boys had tough, muscular buttocks while others, like yours truly, had very sensitive bottoms. Yes, masters and the Head Boy did cane VERY hard and hurt me a great deal more than the tough lads.

Sigh

BoB

"I was the person that made the post and many more but due to actions of certain people ceased posting on this site" says George.

Indeed, George is the fantasist who posted many highly imaginative stories relating to his wholly imaginary career as an imaginary headmaster who punished thousands of imaginary boys upon their imaginary bottoms with an imaginary cane.

It's good to know he's still around.

The word on the street by the lake is that George is reforming his Pants Club.

When using a cane, first practise on a dark cushion with white chalk marks. This is a great way to get your aim as accurate as possible. Don't use a thin, swingy variety, these can cut the skin far too easily. Heavy canes have to be used with ultimate care, so a medium weight (like the old-fashioned school variety) is probably best to start with, and one which is short enough to enable your aim to be accurate.

When practising, it can be a good idea to place a book in your armpit.....it will help enable the force to come from the wrist, rather than from swinging from the shoulder. Again, this not only prevents too much force but aids your accuracy. You'd be surprised how painful the sting can be, even used this way.

Robert:
Interesting comment in para 2. Apparently the Arab countries in which 'flogging' is carried out practise the method of having the Koran under their arm when inflicting the punishment.

Yes, that’s right. I have just looked on the encyclopaedic site and there are several references.

The explanation that I have always heard is that the caner has a copy of the Koran under his right arm to reduce the force of the blow and thus demonstrate that Allah's justice is tempered with mercy. Too bad if the caner is left-handed.

Yes I am still reading the site, and feel compelled to reply to this post. I would like to know what encyclopedia stated this about the Koran (Quaran).I am no expert on the teachings of Islam but very much doubt if this is right and the thing taken out of context. This Holy Book is treated with the greatest of respect. It has to be placed on the highest shelfin a bookcase. It has to be laid. it flat or placed on a stand when reading so as not to cause damage. it is an insult to place it in the pocket as this would cause damage. in view of this i cannot imagine the placing of The Book under a sweaty armpit as being true.

I think the idea has been misquoted. I do know that Muslim boys were made to hold a copy of the Koran while being caned but this was very rare. They were required to bend over and hold their arms out in front of them and hold the Koran which required both hands. This prevented the boy from placing his hands on his bottom during the caning, as it would result in the Koran falling to the floor and being damaged. This would bring greater shame on the boy and his family. I also know of the Koran being placed on a boys back while doing a touch toe bend. If the boy moved slightly this would cause the book to fall. I quickly add this kind of thing was rare and was something that would only be done if the caner was a Christain. It was mocking the boy

It is good to hear from you again, George.

The word ‘encyclopaedic’ in the message by Robert refers not to a book, but to a web site.

www.corpun.com

The site has its own search facility and entering ‘Koran’ will produce a few examples of ‘book under the arm’ syndrome.

George is up with current practise.

It WAS once common for the Koran to go under the arm of the chastiser. But this sank into disrepute soon after 1979 & the rise or return of Ayatollah Khomeni.

Most Islamic states now agree that a book of exactly similar width and height etc should be used instead. It is also strongly preferred now for this to be a book by a westerner on subjects unrelated to Islam, and, of course unforbidden ie Images of the Prophet, etc.

Apparently, bus and train timetables are greatly in demand, but NOT American ones. One suspects this is because the average jurisprudential or chastitorial Muslim might prefer to make a bonfire of anything connected with The Great Satan, just to show the humble ordinary believer the right way.

On a practical note, the presence of anything but Brut under Islamic male armpits was originally to ensure the victim was not flogged to death. They tended to award 100 or more strokes at a go, and that would not be too pleasant with a run-up to boot.


Steve M

Steve; It would be nice if you would provide a link to where you got this info. If possible.  I suspect however these are the ramblings of someone who has tipped a few too many pints of lager today.

BOB

The info came from people I work with.

Two of them worked in Islamic states within the last 10 years, and both were in groups of workers who were warned about alcohol consumption and Islamic distaste for it. Ditto the consequences of it-bit like smoking at school, except the Muslims are not inclined to stop at 6 of the best!

Both were told the same story,one in Saudi Arabia & one in Kuwait, that I've set out. What they also both confirmed was that the Koran is still used, but only if the crime is purely religious, and not a civil or criminal matter as well.

The current thinking since Khomeni is that the word of Allah should not be defiled by its' presence at the punishment of human flaws and crimes.

After all, we only used to burn men for heresy, anything else bar treason was a hanging. Women were different, regarding murdering or attempting to murder husbands or masters(as servants), or even theft from them, for which burning at the stake always applied.

And did you know(or care) that you could be executed for adultery in SCotland-at least between about 1560-1600? I don't think there were more than a couple of hangings, but it did happen.


Steve M


PS-I only drink rum, about 3 times a year!

As i stated i am no expert on this matter and fully prepared to admit i am wrong on this issue. I was refering to caning in schools, which still takes place not public flogging.I have done a bit of research into this and asked a couple of friends who loved in Saudi up to 1975 about this. They find the practice of holding the Koran under the armpit as being uninmaginable and an insult to Allah.

They and I feel Steve that this was a story put around in a mocking type of way without any trueth. On the one hand they are saying that Allah will not tolerate drink and you will be flogged in public....remember as a rule for adults it is 50-100 lashes....so in His name the skin will be taken off yor back, but in a mocking way suggestiong Allah is kind, as the flogger will have the Koran under his arm so as it cannot be done too hard....

The point is also overlooked that the offender is made to lay down on a benchfor his punishment. This means that he receives a downward stroke and impossible to take a few pace run up for each stroke.The fact that they are downward strokes greatly reduces the force as the swish has come down below 90 degrees to stroke the bac and is loosing force.


George.

Teenage boys in Saudi Arabia who pester schoolgirls face public floggings and possible prison terms.

The daily Al-Eqtissadiah reported that boys loitering outside schools in the holy city of Medina would be punished.

Following complaints from schoolgirls and parents, Medina's governor, Prince Megren, set up a committee to stop what the newspaper called immoral behaviour.

"The committee will impose strict and immediate punishments on violators, including public lashing on the spot where the offence occurred, and both lashing and imprisonment for repeat offenders," said the paper.


Quote: Amnesty International

Flogging is a regular and widespread practice throughout the Kingdom and is applied even to children despite the fact that Saudi Arabia is a state party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child which under its Article 37
prohibits torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of children [14].

For example, Nasir al-Shibani and Muhammad Majed al-Shibani, both secondary school students, were respectively sentenced to 210 and 150 lashes.

They were also sentenced to three and two months imprisonment, respectively. The sentences were passed in March 1996 by a court in Ta'if which convicted the two children on charges of assault against a teacher at their school, al-Thaqeef School in Ta'if. Some of the lashes were apparently carried out in front of the pupils and teachers of the school.


Quote Corpun

“Saudi floggings are intended primarily as symbolic humiliation rather than intensely painful retribution, and is in line with a rule in the Koran that the operator is supposed to keep a copy of the Koran under his arm, so that he will not swing the whip from the shoulder but only from the elbow. However, other observers, notably Amnesty International, reject these claims as mere propaganda by the regime; they say this Koranic rule is by no means always followed, and suggest that the floggings, at least in some cases, do in fact cause injury to the recipient.”


K