by Jacqueline Scott
The car moved slowly up the drive to Collingwood's, a small but expensive private school in the south of England. Eventually it reached the front of the imposing stone building that housed the main part of the school and, after a brief pause, was parked in one of the spaces marked 'staff'. A minute or so passed and then the driver got out and looked at the building for a brief moment or two before walking to the steps that led up to the main door. The driver was a tallish, slim and elegantly dressed lady with dark hair cut just off the shoulder and with a pleasant open face that looked as if it would rather smile than frown. Reaching the door she pushed it open and entered the building. Then she paused and looked around as if not quite sure what to do next. Just then a door opened and another lady appeared.
"Pamela! It's good to see you! Punctual as always I see! Come through this way and let me take your coat."
Pamela Jameson followed the other lady through an office and into a large study.
"It's good to see you too Julia. I never expected that we would meet again so soon."
Julia Maclean was Headmistress of Collingwood's. Still in her late 30s she was relatively young, to hold the position which she had taken up some six months earlier. During that time she had discovered that there were a number of problems at her new school and after some serious negotiations with the Board of Governors she had persuaded them to allow her existing Deputy to take early retirement with a view to recruiting a new, more dynamic replacement. She hoped that Pamela Jameson, who had been her Assistant at her previous establishment, would be that person. When she telephoned Pamela to persuade her to apply she had said,
"This is a very good school with a very similar outlook on education and discipline to Edmonstone's. The girls generally come from a very high quality background - we even have a number of minor Royals, both British and European. The problem is that the discipline has gone to hell. My predecessor let things slip very badly and the Governors are very concerned. They are getting a lot of complaints from parents and a number have even withdrawn their daughters. They want something done about it - and quickly before the roll starts falling further. My existing Deputy is simply not up to the job that is required and is leaving so I need somebody to come in and take charge of the discipline. The school is too big for all that to fall on the Head. I really ought to be the last resort on discipline matters."
The reference to discipline was significant as Pamela had been involved jointly with the Head in such matters in her previous post and that had included the administration of corporal punishment which was now unheard of in state schools.
Sitting in Julia Maclean's study with a cup of coffee, Pamela listened to her erstwhile boss describing what would happen that afternoon.
"You are the last to be interviewed, Pamela. It would be unprofessional to give you tips but having sat in on the others I am confident you will be successful. Just be yourself. The panel is made up of three Governors and myself. There is the Chairman, Cedric Wilson who is a retired army colonel; the Secretary, Cameron Sefton, a lawyer, originally from Scotland and Emily Pargetter who used to be the Matron of the local hospital. I can take part in the interview although I am not supposed to have a vote when it comes to making the decision. To be honest, however, they need me here and they know it so I would be very surprised if they chose to ignore my views."
After another few minutes, the Head stood up and ushered Pamela along a corridor to another room.
"Just take a seat here, Pamela. I'll let them know you are here and we will get started as soon as we can. Good luck."
It was only a minute or so before the door opened and Pamela was invited into the room to meet the interviewing panel. Forty five minutes later she was feeling that things were going pretty well when the lawyer asked a question.
"Forgive me my dear, but are you not a bit young to take on such responsibility? The girls here come from very wealthy and distinguished families. Do you think they would accept discipline from someone so young and from such a different background to their own?"
Pamela swallowed and tried to quickly gather her thoughts before speaking. She knew that at barely 30, and as someone who not only had been educated at state schools but until her current appointment had only taught in the state sector, this was a fair question, if rather bluntly expressed.
"As my CV shows, Mr Sefton, my current position is not dissimilar, albeit in a smaller establishment. However, I do not believe that discipline is age related. I am strongly of the view that if it is made clear to girls what the rules are ... the boundaries if you like ... and that is then backed up by a strong system whereby the prefects, staff and school management know exactly what is permitted and what is not, then there is no reason why discipline should be a major problem. Most girls have a good sense of what is acceptable and what is not. Of course there will always be occasions when girls push against the boundaries to see how far they stretch but that is what teenagers growing up do everywhere. When it is made clear that breaking the rules will be punished consistently then the problems should never be significant."
The Secretary gave a sort of half smile and nodded. Then he asked another question.
"What are your views on corporal punishment?"
Pamela replied instantly. "Have no fear, Mr Sefton. If I am appointed I will spank your girls hard and often if it is necessary. I do not particularly like corporal punishment but when it is necessary I will administer it without fear or favour. By doing so from the start I believe very strongly that it will become less necessary as time goes on."
After that the interview ended quickly and Pamela was asked to wait outside in the corridor. Bearing in mind what Julia Maclean had said earlier she hoped that it would not be long before a decision was made and so when the time seemed to go on and on she began to worry that somehow she was going to be rejected. At last, however, the door opened and Miss Maclean came out smiling broadly. She didn't speak but ushered Pamela back into the room. The Chairman invited her to sit down again and then spoke.
"I'm sorry to have kept you hanging around Miss Jameson. However, we would like to offer you the position of Deputy Head here and would be delighted if you could take up your position as soon as possible. I am sure that Miss Maclean will have told you of our current problems with discipline and we are confident that you are the person we need to help her sort them out. Have no doubt, my dear, that the staff here will get full backing from the Board of Governors. And the same applies to the parents. They have all received a letter this summer explaining that the Board is very concerned at a general deterioration in behaviour and discipline, that Miss Maclean has been recruited to bring things back on track and that a new Deputy Head will be enforcing school rules with vigour. The response has been extremely encouraging and I have had a number of letters supporting these actions and stating that they are not before time. I suspect you may find that there will be plenty of protests from the girls at first, but sore bottoms will be good for them in the long run."
Naturally Pamela was delighted and revealed that circumstances with her current employer would mean that she would be free to take up the post at the start of the new term after the summer.
The summer flew by as she made all the arrangements to move to Collingwood's where, in common with the majority of the staff she would be resident in the school. As part of several discussions with Miss Maclean she was told that all the pupils would receive a fresh copy of the school rules and discipline policy when they arrived back, so nobody ought to be surprised at any action Pamela saw fit to take. Then suddenly the term began, the girls appeared back and she was introduced to the staff and, more generally, the pupils.
In her first few days at the school not much of significance happened on that front for which she was grateful as it gave her time to start to get to know the girls. One or two had already given hints that they would be candidates for a more strict approach to discipline but nothing had happened as yet to bring that about.
That was about to change.
Pamela was walking along a corridor one evening when a girl came hurtling round a corner and cannoned straight into her. Pamela recognised her as Susan Fox, a first former in only her second week at the school. Quite apart from the collision, the girl was clearly distressed and burst into tears when Pamela asked her what the matter was. She took the girl by the hand and led her to her study when, after considerable coaxing, the story came out.
Apparently young Susan had been chosen to 'fag' for a sixth former, Constance Cowley, and was finding life very difficult. When she had bumped into Pamela she had been coming from the sixth form Common Room, sent to collect a magazine with dire threats ringing in her ears of the fate which would befall her if she didn't return swiftly. Pamela could hardly believe her ears! She would never have guessed that the practice of 'fagging' persisted in modern schools - it had certainly been specifically prohibited at her previous school. She comforted Susan Fox as best she could and sent her on her way, assuring her that the matter would be sorted out immediately. Then she returned to the sixth form corridor and walked straight into the Common Room.
"About fucking time too," came a voice from an armchair with its back to the door, "but shouldn't you knock before you come into the presence of your betters?"
There were three other girls in the room who saw Pamela and blanched visibly at the speaker's words, and tried to attract the girl's attention.
Pamela stood where she was and said in a quiet but icy voice,
"Miss Cowley, I assume. I take it that you are not referring to me, but no matter. I want you standing outside my study door in thirty seconds flat and praying that I will be lenient with you, although I fear that you may pray in vain."
A girl sprang to her feet and jerked round,
"Oh Christ ... I mean ... shit ... I'm sorry ... "
Pamela stared at her with unblinking eyes.
"You are not making things any easier for yourself. Go!"
The girl vanished through the door. Pamela turned to the others in the room.
"I met a very distressed young girl a few minutes ago. She has only been here a week or so and is finding life very difficult. If there are any others like her I suggest you set their minds at rest. In the meantime I would like you to find the School Captain and Vice Captain and ask them to come to my office."
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