What is the importance of the White House in the novel, The Nickel Boys?

The White House is the name of a small, detached edifice on the Nickel School grounds. Staff members sometimes punish students by bringing them to the White House and beating them severely. This corporal punishment is illegal, but the staff use this punishment anyway and simply keep it a secret from outsiders. The beatings sometimes end in death, and the staff sometimes purposely murders students.