Sunday 19 October 2008

Dress Discipline Bulletin Board and Punishment Uniforms - see last few posts - An Extract (with apologies to the writer)

Too Old To Wear White Socks

(I'll probably add a few pics to this tomorrow or Tuesday - its a bit too text-dense at present)

As some of you may be having trouble finding the cached remnants of the bulletin board I have been speaking about recently (and that has done such a good job in distracting me from my own writing) I have taken the liberty of pinching a couple of the letters that were published on it for your interest, for the sake of posterity (Google doesn't cache stuff forever) and to give a something of a taste of its direction and the potential that has sadly been lost in its demise. If the writers object then I will, of course, remove it immediately: On the other hand should any of the original participants come across this site and wish to use it as a forum to continue their debate, please feel welcome - the floor is yours.

(Left - suitable for a 18 to 20 year old? You decide...for me, well, you know me, I just couldn't resist its inclusion - applied to that age group and under the right circumstances what interesting punitive arrangements are conjured forth ...)

Recently I have found the following link to work – so i'm not sure what happened to the links I posted earlier (click) Too Old To Wear White Socks


The following is a letter posted on a bulletin board recently by a twenty year old woman about her life with her aunt. It is not my work and I have had no input into its writing whatsoever, despite certain similarities some might perceive between the spirit of the thing and certain events depicted in INSTITUTIONALISED Vol 1. I have, however, taken the liberty of running the originals through my spell-check.

My Further Disciplining [by Judith]

My Aunt has instructed me as part of my punishment and as an example to others to explain my most recent misbehaviour, the punishment I received for it and the future restrictions I have received. I am aware that she indicated the nature of my offence to you a couple of weeks ago but I will begin by specifying this and the circumstances again. I am typing this into the system as a copy of the handwritten 5 side essay I had to complete as part of my disciplining. I am adding only an additional request which my Aunt has proscribed to the end of this message.

As you know from my earlier posting I was, following a 3 month period of punishment, being disciplined as part of an ongoing behavioural improvement plan by my Aunt. I was subject to several restrictions some of which were being removed over time as I demonstrated my ability to behave in an appropriate manner. The restrictions were:

No trousers to be worn in future. Only skirts/blouses and dresses longer than knee length and with long sleeves to be worn. Any additional clothing items to be cardigans, waistcoats and/or jumpers. My clothing to be specified by my Aunt and then to be allowed further independent choice with time. The items to be chosen from the limited wardrobe I now have. Items to be worn buttoned up at all times.

No jewellery or make-up to be worn by me.

Hair to be worn in a bun or ponytail at all times.

Initially to be grounded except when going to work. With good behaviour to be allowed freedom to be out of the house up to a curfew time of 8:00 PM Sun-Thurs and 7:00 PM Fri-Sat

I am to remain responsible for the foreseeable future for all housework.

To be allowed to watch approved TV programmes up to a limit with amount increasing based on good behaviour.

I will devote some of my spare time as decided by my Aunt to lessons she provides to me in dressmaking and knitting enabling me to produce my own clothes.

Just over 3 months into my behavioural improvement plan period. I was being allowed freedom to the new 8PM curfew on Mon-Thurs but was still grounded on Fri, Sat, Sun. On Saturdays I was still confined to my bedroom when not performing housework or on the occasions when my Aunt had sent me to stand against a wall/in a corner with my hands on my head as a reminder that I still had much work to do to earn myself full-time relief from schoolgirl type punishments. In my sewing and knitting lessons my Aunt had shown me basic techniques and had then got me to employ these to make in turn a green Gingham dress in my size and knit a pair of green woollen knickers and a brown woollen round neck cardigan. In all cases these activities were conducted in what otherwise would have been my own spare time. Of course as I obviously had no desire to wear these items my available wardrobe remained limited to the plain items provided to me at the start of my original punishment.

Just over two weeks ago on a Saturday I had been sent to my room. Both because it was warm and because of my own indiscipline and stupidity and with every knowledge I was breaking my Aunt’s rules I undid the top button of my grey blouse and unbuttoned my grey cardigan. My Aunt had been in my room only a few minutes earlier as part of her routine inspection process and I had as usual been made to stand whilst she ensured I was dressed appropriately my skirt seams straight, ankle socks pulled up and straight and of course all of my blouse and cardigan buttons correctly done up. I was also therefore guilty of assuming that I could do this and not be caught and punished – something which my Aunt noted when allocating my punishment. Anyway my Aunt returned to my room unexpectedly and observed me with my buttons undone. As stated unbuttoned clothing is not permitted according to the rules and her reaction was immediate. I was forced to take of my cardigan, and then my skirt and blouse so that all of my clothing including knickers and socks could be subject to inspection. She then instructed me to redress and to go downstairs to the dining room where I could be easily observed and stand facing the far corner of the room with my hands on my head. I was told to consider my actions and what should be done to me to punish my misbehaviour and prevent a repeat of such disobedience. It was clear to me that I was to be severely chastised. I then stood hands on head for about 2 hours before my Aunt arrived and told me to turn around, stand to attention, hands behind my back and ready to be disciplined. She told me that my behaviour was unacceptable and that although I may have thought this was a trivial issue I was about to find out that under the new conditions any failure in obedience would have severe consequences. I was being punished for failure of clothing inspection, disobedience and trying to avoid punishment. She asked me if I had anything to say for myself. I apologised and promised that I did not need any further punishment to be clear of the lessons to be learnt. She said this was not correct that I needed to learn how to be completely obedient and the consequences of failing to do so and proceeded to specify my punishments:

Wear a school uniform much of which I had made myself - green Gingham dress, green woollen knickers, white ankle socks and brown round necked woollen cardigan.

All my work clothing to be worn to be specified again by my Aunt.

Corner time every day including at all times on Saturday when I might previously have been sent to my room.

Frequent clothing inspection – including regular humiliation of being stripped to knickers and socks and further punishment to be applied for any failures no matter how small e.g. sock ribbing not being straight, etc..

Corporal punishment 4 strokes of the strap to each hand to be administered on Sunday afternoon at 3 PM so that I had time to suffer the discomfort of thinking about being strapped.

Grounded except for going to work – to be at home no later than 6:00PM.

No TV and no supper.

Bed time 8 PM

To stand to attention at all times when confined to my room to minimize potential for further uniform failures.

Punishment to last for two weeks.

With this I was send back upstairs where I stripped and dressed in my infant’s school uniform under my Aunt’s oversight. I then had to stand to attention in the centre of the room and was left there. It was still very warm and I quickly realised the discomfort of the woollen knickers I had been consigned to. The thick elastics I had inserted into the waist band and leg holes bit into my skin through the rough and irritating wool. Over the next two weeks I was to grow to understand their usefulness not just as a method of humiliation but also discomfort punishment. Eventually after making supper and doing some ironing I was sent to bed at 8 PM. The Sunday passed slowly and even the humiliation of being made to serve coffee to my Aunt and our next door neighbor in my uniform passed as I thought of the corporal punishment I was to receive. After lunch I was inspected by my Aunt, having to remove my cardigan and dress completely in the process. You really are left in no doubt of your place when dressed as a schoolgirl you are made obediently to take-off your uniform as instructed, having to return stood to attention after each activity and then having to respond obediently to questions and observations. I was then sent again to the corner of the dining room where I stood hands on head until 3 PM. My Aunt then entered carrying a short leather strap about1 cm thick. Her instructions followed and I choked back my fear as my strapping approached. I was ordered to remove my cardigan. I was directed to hold out my left hand palm-up and prepared to receive my assigned strapping. My Aunt reminded me of the rules for application of corporal punishment. 1) You will not move during punishment. 2) You will not squeal or cry loudly 3) You will count each stroke in the manner, one thank-you Maam, two thank-you Maam and so on. 4) When the strokes stop you will remain in the position you have been placed in until told to move, 5) When told the beating is complete you will thank your punisher in the manner, “I thoroughly deserved those [number of] strokes of the strap because of my misbehaviour. Thank-you Sir/Maam. Failure to comply with any of these will result in additional strokes and being placed on report for failure to accept punishment. Is that clear to you schoolgirl?” She then pushed my dress sleeve up my arm so that it was bare from finger tip to elbow and then promptly began the application.

“One thank-you Maam”, two thank-you Maam, three thank-you Maam, four thank-you Maam”. Next my right palm. She struck the full length of the target with the tails biting into the flesh of my arm just before the elbow. I winced as I counted the strokes. “Five thank-you Maam, six thank-you Maam, seven thank-you Maam, eight thank-you Maam.” I was told to stand both palms outstretched. Finally she said “Your strapping is complete girl”. “I thoroughly deserved those 8 strokes of the strap because of my unacceptable behaviour. Thank-you Maam”. I then spent 60 painful minutes with my throbbing hands on top of my head facing the corner in the hall and weeping quietly to myself.

The next two weeks were as humiliating and punishing as I am sure you can imagine from my predicament. This was made all the more so because I could have avoided this if I had obeyed the rules – something which my Aunt reminded me of constantly. The wearing of school uniform was deeply humiliating and as I came home from work every night I shuddered at the thought of how I was to have to dress myself. My Aunt was unforgiving in her choice of clothing for work frequently sending me in dress or skirt and blouse together with two cardigans to be worn all day and in addition my large arran woollen jacket to walk to work in. I spent many hours reflecting on my stupidity both stood to attention in my room and in room corners with my hands on my head. I may be 20 but I felt like I was 9 which is of course exactly what my punishment was made to do. After 14 days during which I did everything to be compliant I was made to stand before my Aunt again. She spent the first 30 minutes chastising me again for my misbehaviour and how she hoped that the punishment I had received would have been sufficient to deter any such future behaviour. I promised her that this was the case. She responded that she had heard this before and therefore she had decided that the terms of my behavioural improvement plan were to be amended both in terms of likely final point and conditions whilst I reached that point. The new aiming points were as follows:

No trousers. Only skirts/blouses and dresses - longer than knee length and with long sleeves. Always to be worn with a minimum of one cardigan at all times.

No jewellery or make-up.

Hair to be worn in a bun at all times.

Curfew at 7:30 PM Sun-Thurs, 7:00 PM Fri-Sat

All housework to be performed by me.

Limited TV (maximum of 3 hours total per week) and only with her approval of content.

All other spare time to be spent in my room dressmaking and knitting to enable me to produce a further complete infant’s school uniform set, a further complete Junior school uniform set and additional work clothing for myself. In addition following her reading of this I am to knit a pair of thumbless mitts.

Every other Saturday to be spent in school uniform as a reminder of the consequences of disobedience.

If I behave appropriately over the next 6 months then my Aunt says she will revise some aspects of this but clearly not all. She also told me I was to first hand write a document outlining misbehaviour, punishment and revised conditions which I would then have to type into the intranet for public display. I can assure you that as well as hopefully providing some information for others wishing to discipline poorly behaving girls that having to do this has been a very salutatory experience for myself. I ask you not to feel pity for me as I was stupid enough to fail to behave correctly and thoroughly deserve the resulting penances no matter how severe they are. I apologise to you all if this is a misuse of this area but in this case I must obey the instructions my Aunt has given me if anyone can suggest a more appropriate location to display my humiliation please let us know as my Aunt informs me that she would be happy to have to repeat this exercise. In addition my Aunt has warned me that if I again fail to behave in any way that even more severe consequences will follow including public display in school uniform as this appeared to be one of the most severe and effective punishments imposed on someone else who contributed to this site.

In addition my Aunt has proscribed that if anyone has additional punishments or humiliations which could be used as part of my current behavioural plan or of a future punishment please describe these and be assured that they will be considered.

Judith

Here is another posting from the same bulletin board:

From an Experienced Mother [about a letter entitled:Office juniors]

I remember when you described your two work colleagues who were office juniors back in the early ‘70’s. Those two young women would have been regarded as minors by their parents and would have not been allowed to exercise many of the legal rights that were available to those past the statutory school leaving age. You said the older of the two was wearing socks until she was almost 19, and had the added humiliation of seeing her younger colleague come to work in tights when she had attained the age of majority. Both these girls, especially the older one, could have been easily forced to remain in socks until they were 21, which was the age of majority until 1970 in the UK. If I had been the manager of either of these girls I would have probably kept them on the most junior grades in the office (with the lowest rates of pay), regardless of the quality of work they produced, and be more likely to promote staff who wore grown up work attire even if they were younger. To me the girls’ appearance would have indicated they were weak (as they could not persuade their own parents they should be treated as adults) and regarded as subordinates.

Some one else answers:

In the early 1970’s you didn’t have the Sex Discrimination or Equal Pay Acts so these two office juniors were probably on very little money, and would have likely had to hand over a significant amount of their earnings to their parents for board.

Were there other officer juniors under the age of 18 who could wear tights, and how did these two girls feel about having to wear socks? Do you think colleagues treated them differently because they were wearing socks? From my memories of the 1970’s it was quite common for young girls to wear shorter skirts than their mothers, and grown ups in general. How did their clothes compare to everyone else in the office? And finally when the older of the two girls turned 18, how long did the younger girl have to wait before she turned 18?

The parent’s must have been concerned that as their daughters were in an adult environment they would try grown up things like going to the pub, smoking or even getting into a relationship before they felt they were ready. How times have changed! I don’t know what the girls earned but it was likely a pittance and after paying their parents for housekeeping there would have been very little money left for clothes. They both always wore knee length dresses and skirts and granny-type blouses which seemed very conservative and old fashioned in the 1970s when nearly all young girls wore short mini skirts and skimpy tops. I suspect that their parents bought their clothes and the girls had no choice in the matter. I heard from a colleague that neither girl was allowed makeup and they certainly never wore any. They looked younger than their years and neither could have been served in a pub or been able to buy cigarettes which maybe were two of the reasons their parents dressed them this way. They both had to go straight home after work and were not allowed to stay out.


Interestingly there were two other female office juniors of a similar age who wore tights, high heels and make up and looked much older. This could not have gone unnoticed by the two girls in white knee socks who were never teased (we were all far too polite) but we ladies would often comment, sympathetically, on their appearance behind their backs. The older girl had to wait until she was almost 19 before she was allowed tights while her colleague who was six months younger was allowed them on her 18th birthday so the older one remained in white socks for about four months longer which must have added to her discomfiture.


12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would like to start by explaining that my name is Judith and I wrote the article, a copy of which my Aunt found on this website. As you can see I am subject to some deserved disciplining. Since the time I wrote this I have again failed to meet my Aunt’s required standards of behavior and as part of my punishment she decided I should again be made to display my ill discipline and the consequences of this in public. Unfortunately when she returned to the original site she found some undesirable developments however somehow she also found the link to this site and she has ordered me to write out my humiliation here. I apologise if this is an inappropriate use of your site.
Shortly before Christmas my Aunt discovered I had been to a pub with work colleagues and had a drink – as you can see from my earlier disclosures this was completely forbidden. My Aunt therefore decided that as I could not be trusted to obey her outside that I would hence forth be disciplined by not only being dressed at home as a misbehaved school girl but that I would live this life at all times. I have therefore resigned my job as a Secretary and am subject to the following strict and deserved regime in which I am under constant and close supervision at all times. She has told me that I clearly did not learn the lessons when I was ten or eleven I will be subject to the experience again to provide me with this opportunity.
I wear school uniform at all times. Old style brown school knickers including a large size sanitary pad at all times, grey ribbed knee socks, yellow blouse, brown and yellow stripped tie, brown worsted square yoked pinafore dress reaching well below my knees, brown V-neck woollen waistcoat with yellow trim and brown V-neck woollen cardigan with yellow trim. Of course all items must be buttoned at all times and worn correctly. I have also been required to embroider in yellow thread the words “Reform School for Girls” across the yolk of my pinafore and embroider badges in yellow and white with the same words, “Reform School for Girls” and sew these to my woollen uniform items. I have to say that although minor this detail is a severely humiliating one particularly when having to appear in public. I wear this uniform at all times except at night I wear a grey woollen ankle length gown buttoning high to the neck in addition of course to my knickers and sanitary pad.
I do all of the housework before my breakfast at 7:30 am each morning meaning I get up at 5 am.
From 8am until 6:30 pm every day I am confined to the study room. I have a laborious regime of school work consisting of religious study (reading out loud, writing dictation or having to copy passages of The Bible), writing lines and essays on my misbehavior and punishment and needlework (making of school uniform including knitted woollen items and other plain clothing).
I am allowed porridge for breakfast, liver or mince with mashed potatoes and two boiled vegetables for lunch and two slice of bread and water for tea (except on Sunday when I receive no tea).
The only exception to my confinement is on Sunday when I have to attend Church with my Aunt. In addition to my school uniform I also then wear a brown woollen cardigan jacket with yellow trim, brown woollen beret with yellow trim and brown woollen mitts with yellow trim. To add to my humiliation the mitts are sown to the arms of my cardigan jacket by elastics. Following the Church service I have to help serve tea in the Parish rooms. Following this public humiliation I spend the rest of Sunday providing meals to my Aunt and her many guests, doing two hours of physical exercises in full uniform in the garden and when not doing this standing with my hands on my head facing the wall or corner.
I speak only when spoken to and must always reply as succinctly as possible finishing with “Maam” or “Sir” as appropriate.
I have to ask permission to go to the toilet and am limited to two cold showers per week using carbolic soap to wash my hair and body. My hair is worn in a pony tail and is swept back from my forehead. My Aunt cuts my hair to ensure I have no fringe. I have my mouth washed with carbolic soap and water three times per week before going to bed as a specific punishment for lying when my Aunt asked me if I had been drinking.
I am allowed to change my knickers and socks twice per week, my blouse once per week and my dress and woollens once a fortnight. My Aunt says that as I am a schoolgirl I can endure the body odour consequences. I, of course, am not allowed jewelry, make-up, etc..
I receive corporal punishment regularly as my Aunt says I need to be punished severely for many failings and to receive regular reminders of my new position in life. I receive eight strokes of the cane to my behind every Sunday and two strokes of the tawse to the palm and back of each of my hands on Wednesday.
If I fail to meet the required standards I am immediately and harshly punished. In all cases, without exception, I receive corporal punishment – spanking, slipper,paddle, tawse and cane to the hand or bottom, have privileges withdrawn (meals, toilet access, change of clothing, etc..) and other humiliations imposed (more woolens, corner time, wearing of Dunce’s hat, etc..).
As you can see my status has changed for the worse but I accept I deserve this and I am determined to follow the rules as laid down until I have served my punishment and demonstrated I can be trutsed to behave. My Aunt has said that I will remain in this regime until the end of June at which point she will decide what happens next based on my behaviour. She has also made clear that even if my behavior until then is exemplary I can expect to be spending several further months in school uniform including in public. I have already learned a very severe lesson and recognize how stupid I was when I thought things couldn’t get any worse as I had to go to work in a plain dress and cardigan – I now know what freedoms I still had and how long it will be, if ever, before I have them again. I apologise again for this intervention and of course, as asked by my Aunt to do, request that should you or any of your other readers have additional thoughts on how both my current disciplining or future regime can be shaped or harshened to ensure I behave please let her know. She is always keen to add to my deserved discomfort and humiliation.
Judith

Anonymous said...

Either this girl is mad or it's a hoax!

Anonymous said...

Thirty years ago I endured a regime somewhat like this when I was in my early 20s. Although not quite as severe as this I think, I was confined to a school uniform at home and for Chapel. In addition I spent many long hours in my room doing additional Bible study as penance and hours doing Chapel work like cleaning the Parish rooms. I was occassionally caned or given the strap. I hated it but it certainly ensured I behaved. I would be interested to hear if it worked for this young girl.

Anonymous said...

It seems a long time since I posted this and I certainly did learn to improve my behaviour over time. Thankfully now I am back working again as a secretary which I really enjoy. I am no longer routinely in school uniform, receiving corporal punishment or enduring long periods of detention. However I do have a more disciplined lifestyle than before this all began. I don't drink or smoke at all. I still live with my Aunt and Uncle (makes financial sense) and I do dress in a mature and ladylike manner which means skirt or dress and jumper or cardigan - this helps me not to forget my previous failings. I do volunteer work for the Church. I do still get disciplined if I do not comply with the house rules or if my employer is not satisifed with my work (they know my Aunt as she is their solicitor). Thankfull though that has been very rare over the last year but even a week back in uniform doing detention was a sauatory lesson.

Best wishes,

Judith

Anonymous said...

Judith you give me so much hope & happiness. XX

Anonymous said...

I had promised my Auntie on The Holy Bible to obey her wishes without question.
I would always have my hair clipped off weekly; I would always wear my full school uniform.
I would be punished for any transgressions. I accept this. When I am beaten on my bare thighs and the pain is insurmountable I think how happy my Auntie Grace is and I grit my teeth and scrunch shut my eyes. When my ankles are chained and my wrists secured behind my back and my neck is chained to the wall for hours on end in silence I think how good it is to please my Auntie Grace by constant suffering.

Anonymous said...

. Then my head was pushed to the side and Auntie Grace stood up and told the barber to stop which he did. Auntie Grace held my chin and slapped me hard in the face and told me to look at the mirror. I said “Yes Auntie Grace, sorry Auntie Grace” The barber was asked to continue. My head was pushed to one side and then the other and I felt the clippers slowly clipping off my hair at the sides, slowly going round my ears, seeing my hair fall but afraid to take my eyes off the mirror.
Eventually after almost half an hour the barber put down the hair clippers and took out a pair of scissors from his breast pocket. The barber put my head straight and held my fringe in the comb and with three deft but deliberate strokes cut my fringe straight to one inch above my eyebrows. My nape was wet shaved and Auntie Grace and Jean were both invited to inspect my head and they seemed satisfied Auntie Grace said I would look very smart on my first day at St. Mary’s. The barber stopped removing the cape from me and turned and spoke to Auntie Grace in a hushed voice. They spoke for some minutes and Auntie Jean sat by watching me to see that I sat still. The barber returned to me replaced the cape and went to the drawerer and removed the hair clippers again. This time he looked at my Auntie Grace and slowly removed the guard from the clippers so that they would cut my hair to zero, the shortest grade available no more than just a prickly stubble. The barber held my head and put the teeth of the clippers to the centre of my forehead and began clipping. My head was clipped to nothing straight down the middle. My hair was thick and clumps were falling past my eyes as I stared unblinking at my reflection in the mirror in front of me. The barber was not clipping very quickly, he was very thorough and methodical he stopped and looked at my Auntie Grace and Auntie Grace gave a small nod. Slowly I could feel and see the scalp of my head becoming more and more visible. The barber went over and over my head with the clippers and then proceeded to push my head to the left and then to the right to clip off the rest of my hair from the sides. My head was pushed forward and the back of my head was clipped clean. I kept my head down and the barber then disappeared to the back of the barber shop. Auntie Grace told me to look up which I quickly did, not wanting to be slapped again. The barber returned with a mug with a brush handle poking out the top. My head was pushed forward again and the barber pasted swarm shaving foam all over my head and around my ears. My head was put straight again and I saw my Aunties behind me looking at my head covered in white spume. Auntie Grace asked the barber how long the foam ought to be on before shaving and the barber replied that it should take three to five minutes and Auntie Grace told me to mouth the Lord’s Prayer while I waited which I did, all the time looking at myself in the cape with my head covered in foam with just my face visible. The barber tilted my head and I felt and heard my head being shaved. Where the foam had been scraped off my head was very pale.

Anonymous said...

. The barber slowly and methodically shaved my head, wiping the blade every four or so strokes on the towel draped over my shoulder. The foam was cleared line by line to reveal my smooth white head. The barber then wiped my head and looked at my Auntie Grace who gave a small nod. The barber turned to the counter and poured a punguent insecticidal after shave onto his palm and splashed and rubbed the liquid into my scalp. My face went bright red and my scalp was burning, water flowed from my eyes and ran down my nose. The alcohol on my freshly shaved scalp was agonizing and to keep still and not move or speak was unspeakably difficult, I learned accept the pain as part of having my hair cut off in the barber’s shop. I sat in the chair for five minutes while Auntie Grace spoke to the barber and made another appointment for me. The barber took off the cape and brushed me down. Auntie Grace said to show my manners and I said to the barber “Thank you sir for cutting off my hair” Auntie told me to fetch their coats. I held my beret in my left hand with my Prayer Beads. I knew that I mustn’t wear my hat for three days after having my head shaved as my hat would simply slip off. My head was almost glowing after the razor and the after shave and Auntie Grace & Auntie Jean stopped several times to show people my bald head on our way to Church service.
I knelt in the front row during the entire service except when I followed Auntie Grace to the back of the church & slowly walked down the aisle, so that everyone could see how smart & well-disciplined I was.

Since I was seven years old I have spent every holiday with my Auntie Grace. I now stay with her in the bedroom I have known so long. The iron frame bed the one wardrobe, small dresser, the bars on the small window & the lock that works from the outside. My life is regimented by my Auntie Grace & her friends. I am beaten every day morning & evening six times by the tawse on my bare thighs, I eat only boiled cold vegetables & water, except on Sunday when I neither eat, drink nor speak. I wear my full school uniform always always with a bottle green crew neck handknitted cardigan with fish eye buttons & my medal sewn on. Auntie Grace clips off all my hair every Friday afternoon. On special occasions & on my birthday I visit the barbers. I have to wear my short trousers to visit the barber & Auntie always invites a friend of hers to witness it. We always visit the barber on the Thursday beforehand again wearing short trousers to make the appointment when Auntie shows the barber how she wants my head clipped to nº1 then we take a photograph then my head is shaved smooth. We often have our photograph taken afterwards with my shiny white head. We usually catch a bus to a different barber every time & Auntie always makes sure that he uses the manual hair clippers. I am not to carry anything except for my prayer beads & my library card with my name & my address, I am never permitted to have a house key or carry money. I have got a menial job now at the Senior Citizens Home arranged by my Auntie Grace & it is good to work with the nuns & ladies from the church keeping an eye on me & making sure Auntie knows how I have been behaving. Mrs Brown is a friend of my Auntie & my supervisor at the home, she accompanies me to work & I spend my break & lunchtime reading to her. Mrs Brown takes me home & I sometimes have to wait outside standing smartly while Auntie Grace speaks to Mrs Brown about how obedient I have been.

Anonymous said...

Where can you find the bulletin board with the story of Judith and her Aunt ? thx, Stephane

Toyntanen said...

Hi Stephane

The original correspondence took place on a bulletin board called Female First. The bulletin board still exists but alas the correspondence you are looking for dates back to Oct 2008 and the thread no longer exists on that site (I have just taken a look. However, the individual behind the discussion has posted many times here on this blog in comments so you could try the search facility to find more or alternatively post a request for more info as a comment attached to my latest post as that will more likely be seen and read by the person concerned. I hope this helps. Best wishes, Garth.

Anonymous said...

Are you saying this girl/woman is still being punished in this humiliating manner? Tough even if it is deserved.

Toyntanen said...

Hi Anonymous. When I moderated and published your comment (which I did via email off my phone) I thought it was in response to my latest posting in which case the answer would have been 'perhaps - you decide' and 'most definitely NOT desearved - that's part of the interest'. As it is I have no idea and must refer to my previous comment above (posted way back in 2014). For a while the correspondence did continue in this blog but unfortunately more recently I have been forced to move to moderated comments due to inreasing quantities of spam getting past the spam filter which has pretty much drawn a halt to it (for which I'm a little glad because I'd hate to have to keep moderating and posting the volume of comments involved). If you want to reply to this please do so under my latest posting as few folk will come across it this far back in the archive