"Mr. Gentry, I am a firm believer that you don't have to use one of those if you are a good teacher," 26-year old Paula Crawford said in her normally self-assured manner as she pushed the wooden paddle back across the man's desk. "Take my word for it, I am a very good teacher."

From reading over the resume in front of him, Peter Gentry slowly looked up at the attractive, but conservatively dressed, young woman who was applying for the job of private tutor to the man's two daughters. "Even good teachers sometimes have to get the attention of their students," the man said between clenched teeth.

"That may be true, but there are better ways than through using a board," the graduate student at the local university said, trying to sound confident. "Take my word for it Mr. Gentry, one of those was never used on me and I don't plan to use it on your two daughters.

The last comment just brought a hearty chuckle from the 44-year old president of Gentry Brother's Construction Company. He hadn't offered the job yet to this "self-confident little vixen" as she had been described to Peter when he had checked up on one of her references. He liked her spunkiness and he liked her resume (he had also liked her looks), but he wondered if this "liberal" would mix well with his conservative views on child rearing.

"Let me put it this way, Miss Crawford, Belinda and Nan have been raised like many southern girls before them; -on grits and hickory sticks," Peter said, using his mother's old saying when she talked about his two sisters. "I don't use a switch, I like the paddle better, but it's all the same. The message is applied to the same spot."

The frank talk forced Paula Crawford to lower her gaze, but the older man could see that she was blushing from ear-to-ear.

"These two growing girls are good girls, but every so often they forget about their studies and have to be reminded in the old fashioned way," the man said from across the desk. "Since their mother died four years ago, the job has fallen to me and their tutors. "It's too bad their teachers at school can't use a paddle anymore. It would help out all these youngins."

"Mr. Gentry," the young woman said as she got her second wind. "That is not the way we are taught to teach young people. There are other ways to reach the growing mind."

"All I know is that when my pappy wanted to reach my growing mind he started with my bottom," the former high school football star said. "I think I turned out pretty good."

On that point even Paula Crawford had to agree. It was well known that Peter Gentry was now the owner of one of the largest construction companies in the southeast, Gentry Brothers Construction Company. In the ten years since he had inherited it form his father and uncle (hence Brothers, since Peter was an only son), Mr. Gentry, as he insisted on being called by all of his employees, had doubled the size of the company and now controlled more than half of the major jobs in the tri-state area.

After his middle-class upbringing, the man was now more than "comfortable" and he wanted all the trappings of the upper class for his two daughters. First, that meant the local private high school. Unfortunately, 18-year old Belinda and 17-year old Nan seemed more interested in just living off the gravy train than adding anything constructive to Gentry Brothers Construction or any other meaningful profession.

Peter Gentry loved his daughters very much and didn't mind pampering them, but he demanded that they toe the line when it came to his rules both at home and about getting a solid high school education. He desperately wanted them to be the first females in his family to get a college degree, something he had promised his wife before her death.

That was the reason for the tutors. Neither Belinda nor Nan seemed to grasp the importance of good grades. They just seemed to feel that daddy's money would get them into any school they wanted where they could spend four years going to sorority parties and dating football players.

Paula Crawford was applying to become the third tutor in the last three years. The previous ones had lasted just a year each, but when the girl's grades failed to improve up to Mr. Gentry's standards, he had not renewed the jobs. This time he had called a professor friend at the state university in town and asked him to recommend a graduate student that might be available for the part-time job. He felt that, maybe, if the girls worked with someone in college they might see what it takes.

As he stared across the desk at the beautiful young woman in his private office, a wild idea struck Peter Gentry.

"So, you would like this job, would you Miss Crawford?" he asked with a mischievous grin. "The job is yours at the stated salary if you want it. Before you accept, though, there are a few conditions."

"First, you don't have to use the paddle if you don't desire to," Peter said to the now nodding college woman who thought she had won her argument. "While I reserve the right to use it for other matters, I will not interfere in school matters for the first nine-week grading period."

"Here is the part you need to think about," he continued. "If either girl gets a 'D' in any class, or falls below a 2.75 average, I will hold you as responsible as the girls themselves. In that case you will be punished just as they will be."

To make sure the 26-year old got the message; Peter reached on top of his desk and grabbed the oak paddle from where Paula had pushed it. He got a firm grip on the handle in his right hand and then patted the instrument against his left palm.

"You have to be kidding!" the woman said a she slumped back in her seat. "I would never submit to that."

"Have it your way, but if you are as good as you say you are, what have you got to worry about," Peter said as he made eye contact, a negotiating ploy he has used many times to close business deals. "I'll even sweeten the deal. If you can go one grading period without using corporal punishment, I'll give you a $200 bonus if the girls get the grades I have laid out."

While she was tempted to accept the offer from the original challenge of her teaching skills, the young woman was hooked after the offer of the bonus. As with most graduate students, there was always a problem keeping the checking account solvent. Paula was also trapped when she looked across the desk and was captured by the penetrating blue eyes of the handsome business executive.

As she was driving back to her apartment after taking the job, Paula felt very pleased with herself for standing up to one of the top businessmen in the city. As the day wore on, though, the 26-year old began to think more and more about the wager that went along with the job. For the first time she thought about what losing would mean and she reached her right hand back to rub over the wool skirt that covered what she considered to be an overly developed rear end.

What Paula had failed to do before taking the bet was to meet her two pupils. The first sign of trouble came when she visited the girls' school to get lesson plans for the upcoming semester so that she could know where the girls were supposed to be. A few snickers when she mentioned the names of Belinda and Nan Gentry gave the young woman reason to be concerned.

The next day those feelings of concern vanished when she met the two cute and charming girls when she was introduced to them by their father. This would be a snap Paula figured as she was shown the study area with the two computers and voluminous research materials that was situated between the two girls' bedrooms.

That confident attitude lasted about an hour, or until Mr. Gentry left the new tutor alone with his two daughters.

"So, you're the new school marm?" Belinda said with a mean laugh. Aren't you a little young for this job girlie?"

"She is a little better looking than those last few geezers dad had in here, isn't she?" Nan piped in. "I bet those professors over at the college love to get you in their private offices."

Realizing that the girls wee seeing how far they could go with the new teacher on the first day, Paula quickly went on the offensive.

"Alright girls, I'm sure we can get along here if we all work together," she said as she tried to sound more confident than she suddenly felt. "We are all working for the same thing here. It can't be that difficult."

"What are you worried about?" Nan chuckled. "It will be just like the last two years. When dad is around, you will act like you're working hard and we will act like we're working hard, and we'll get 'C's and everybody will be happy. Just to make dad happy, you will pull out your paddle every so often and touch up our bottoms and report it to him."

"Wrong!" Paula said, her mouth dropping open at the nonchalant attitude the 17-year old had. "We are going to work here to get you ready for a good college."

"Second, I don't use a paddle. I don't believe in corporal punishment," the beautiful graduate student said. That news caused the two girls to turn and look at each other and a sly grin grew across both faces.

Unbeknownst to Paula, the battle was already lost at that point. During the first two weeks of visits on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings, Paula had little or no success getting the girls to do anything more than the bare minimum. Fearing an early failure, Paula even did some of the work herself on homework assignments as she continued to lose her battle and her patience. That may have worked in the short term, but it obviously wasn't preparing either girl for the first exams of the year.

"What are you worried about sweet cheeks, you're getting paid," Belinda noted one afternoon when she wasn't working on her biology project. The "sweet cheeks" nickname had first been used by Nan, but had quickly caught on with both girls, much to Paula's consternation.

"Alright!" I've had it up to here with your insubordination," the tutor shouted at her two pupils one afternoon. "Now, we're going to learn English today if I have to stay here until midnight!"

The two teenagers just turned to each other and smiled. "And what if we can't learn it Miss Paula?" Belinda said in a mock little girl's voice that the student knew always drove her instructor to the brink.

"If you two don't obey me, I'm telling you I'm...I'm...I'm going to get mad." the college girl shouted. That just brought on chuckles from the two non-caring students.

From a confident first year teacher who thought she would look forward to work every day for the next forty years, Paula quickly grew to hate the finish of classes on campus which meant that she would have to get in her old car and drive across town for an afternoon in hell. Sundays were like a day in heaven and Tuesday and Friday afternoons weren't far behind.

The first change in routine came one Saturday morning when Paula reported for work at 10 a.m. to find only Nan in the study room. Amazingly, the 17-year old had a book out and was already working on a paper. Before she even had time to complement her student, Nan said that her father wanted to see her in his office upon her arrival.

Noting that she'd been five minutes late that morning, Paula quickly ran down the stairs before slowing down in front of the heavy door that led to the darkly paneled room. After knocking, a simple "enter" led to her reaching for the brass knob and moving into the private sanctum.

Expecting to find only Mr. Gentry in the room, Paula was surprised to find Belinda sitting in one of two chairs that faced the large mahogany desk. It didn't take much for Paula to figure out that the other chair was for her after a simple wave of the arm from the man behind the desk.

"Miss Crawford, I asked you here this morning because we had a problem with a young lady in this house getting in after her curfew last night," Mr. Gentry said in his deep voice as he swiveled in his high-backed leather chair., "You don't have to stay for this if you don't wish, but I thought you might like to see how discipline is handled when my rules are brushed aside. I think it would be in your best interest to stay."

Paula swallowed hard at the unexpected news and her first impulse was to leave the room immediately. One look at the now contrite girl sitting next to her brought back strong memories of the trouble that the 18-year old had caused her over the last two weeks. Paula also felt the final wish from Mr. Gentry sounded more like an order than a suggestion.

Upon hearing that the 26-year old woman was going to stay, Belinda broke out in a flood of pleas about how unfair it was for an outsider to stay. This was obviously a side of the 18-year old that Paula had not seen before. Gone was Belinda's aggressive nature to be replaced by a naughty little girl's meek and subdued disposition.

Tired of his daughter's pleading and anxious to show Paula Crawford how responsive a young lady can be after a date with his fearsome paddle, Peter Gentry quickly opened the top right hand drawer of his desk and extracted the wooden instrument that the tutor had seen on her first visit to the house. Belinda had also seen the paddle many times before, but that didn't keep her eyes from swelling when it came into view. Embarrassed after the 18-year old noticed that her teacher was watching her every move, Belinda lowered her gaze to her lap where both hands were already nervously fidgeting.

"OK Belinda, I want you in front of that desk," the girl's father barked as he walked around one side of his desk. "I want those britches down and you well bent over grabbing the other side."

The shapely high school senior was familiar with the procedure as she had been through it twice in the last month. Still, with an outsider just a few years older in the room, the unveiling was not an easy one. Nervously, Belinda sent her hands to the clasp of her faded jeans and, after turning away from the two witnesses, stuck both hands into the waistband and pushed the rough material down to her knees. Without being told twice, the girl bent over the edge of the desk and then slid her hands across the smooth top until she could run her fingers over the edge.

Being new to this scene, Paula was amazed at the size of the target that the girl presented. The bent over position forced Belinda's ripely rounded bottom into the most prominent position. The wide expanse stretched the girl's white cotton briefs until they appeared to be a second skin.

"Oh please dad, not to hard," Paula heard the girl squeak as her father moved into position. "Don't worry about that, dear, you are going to get exactly what you deserve for this offense," the man answered.

SMACK! The man of the family wasted no time getting down to business and Paula jumped at the force of the blow that landed just a few feet in front of her. Belinda let out a little "oh" and then let her head hang between her outstretched arms, no longer wanting to look at her father and that wicked punishment instrument.

It quickly became evident to Paula that Belinda's bottom must be very used to this type of treatment as the youngster never failed to stick out the twin mounds back up in the air after a visit from that fearsome instrument. Even when she started to cry out at every blow after the fifth swat, that beautiful rear end stayed where it belonged.

After nine blows had seared across the white briefs, Paula was starting to feel sorry for the girl and had to fight her instincts to jump up and grab the paddle. Fortunately for all concerned, she won that battle and her employer continued to work on his daughter's twitching behind.

When the 12th blow had landed, the burly man took a step forward and ran his left hand over the two succulent globes that continued to wobble under his attentions. With his big hand spread wide, he lifted it up and brought it down hard on each cheek before ordering his daughter to stand.

Obviously worse for the wear, Belinda slowly regained a standing position, but still had to lean against the desk. Both of her hands swept around to try to rub out some of the sting that the paddle had imparted. Paula could also see that tears were running down the girl's face.

"Do you think you learned anything from this?" the father asked his almost grown daughter. "I bet you won't be in late next Friday night."

"OH (sob), I'm sure I won't (sniffle)," Belinda managed to whimper between gasps for air. "I'm sorry I let you down dad. I really learned my lesson this time."

With that heartfelt confession, Peter ordered his daughter to pull up her jeans and go with Miss Crawford to her studies. A final warning of "don't make me do this again for a while or you won't be able to sit down," brought on renewed tears.

As the two females walked down the hall, Paula couldn't help but talk about what she had just seen.

"You really got it this time," she said to the 18-year old who had regained her composure. "Your bottom must really sting."

"I've had worse, a lot worse," Belinda admitted. "You ought to be here when he is really mad. This was a walk in the park."

That news didn't sit well with Paula when later in the day she remembered her wager with the girls' father. It was just into the first grading period and already the two students were way behind in their work and going nowhere fast. It was true that both girls behaved better the rest of the day that Saturday, but by Monday both were back to their slovenly ways.

Midway through the first nine-week period, Paula found out that even the mention of their father got the attention of the two girls. A note to the tutor from one of Nan's teachers made Paula see red. "What would your father do if her saw this note?" the instructor yelled. The 17-year old went pale and looked down at her lesson. "Well!"

"I'd have a date with his paddle," the girl finally admitted to a surprised Paula. I don't think I would be sitting down for a few days."

After that, Paula brought up the girls' father when she became exasperated with their behavior, That worked for the first few tries, but Nan and Belinda quickly discovered that the threats were just idle.

Finally, as the first grading period reached the eighth week, both girls suddenly got a kick start and tried to catch up on all the knowledge they should have acquired earlier. As is always the case, it didn't work even with Paula's longer hours with them leading up to the final tests.

Believing that she would get the report cards first, Paula had no apprehension the next Saturday morning when she reported for work. That didn't last long when the tutor didn't find the girls in the study area or their bedrooms. Moving down the hall, the 26-year old found the maid who told her the girls were in their father's office and that she was expected to join them.

Upon arriving downstairs and being admitted to the private room, Paula did find both girls and their father. The two looked agitated as they stood in front of the desk. Paula then saw why when she noticed the two report cards laying in front of Mr. Gentry.
"I believe you might want to have a look at these." the man said to the newcomer in the room. "I went down to school this morning and picked them up from Mr. Drake, the principle. He was very disappointed. That's not exactly the word I would have used once I saw them.

Grasping the one on top, Paula's heart sank when she saw the contents. Nan's report card showed three B's, two C's and a D in math. Worse, Belinda had two D's, a C-, and a pair of B's along with an almost meaningless A in PE, something Paula had no effect on. Many of the teacher's comments, even in the better classes, left a lot to be desired.

go to part 2