A cold day in January.
The year was 1977.
Getting out of the Savera Lodge at Kadru, I engaged a rikshaw to take me to St.Xavier's school.
At the school gate, a tall, wiry man [Prem Bahadur] stopped me. "You can't go in", he said.
Taken aback, I tried reasoning with him to let me in. "You can't go in", he insisted.
Determination was writ large on his face—to do his duty in not letting me past the gates that he guarded.
I tried to tell him that all I wanted to do was to meet the principal, Fr. George Karakunnel.
But he simply said "Admissions are closed".
After much deliberation, I was allowed to ‘Enter’ when he realized that I was not a parent but a new appointee.
I met Fr. George, who, after having examined my credentials, directed me to Fr. Victor Rosner. The latter spoke to me for some time, took me back to Fr.George and remarked, "He is okay."
It was a verdict.
The appointment letter that I had clutched in my hand, was just another sheet of paper. It had been worthless until Fr. Rosner had interviewed me and declared me worthy of the post.
And that was the beginning. I entered the portals of St.Xavier's, Doranda.
The next 27 years were one long journey more of learning than of teaching.
Teaching students, especially those of Std. VII and VIII was a pleasure - stories of Mark Twain, Alexander Dumas, Arthur Conan Doyle, Jim Corbett and their like, lit up a spark in the class room. Many young Tom Swayers loitered near the gates of Loreto ; few Huckleberrys often played truant; and as the years rolled by, their heroes turned out to be the Count of Monte Cristo and Sherlock Holmes.
Wren and Martin were a thorn in their side. They couldn't understand why there ought to be exceptions to every rule. Infinitives, gerunds, participles created cramps in the pit of their stomachs.
"Why can't she be 'shis' and 'shim' if He is 'his' and 'him"?, they asked. I had no answer and they laughed at my ignorance. It threw up a new challenge in my teaching as I set out each day with the thought–“I must be prepared to face any questions in the class”.
Both the students and staff eagerly waited for the daily games period from 2 - 3p.m. (It is unfortunate that it has been scrapped now.) Handball tournaments, basketball matches, football tournaments were regularly planned out during this period. Every nook and corner of the playground was swarming with students and staff alike. Students went home relaxed and happy after a long day at school.
Thursdays were set apart for activities like scouting, cubs, aero-modelling. Accompanying the scouts to Vikas Vidhyalaya for a swim or to Daradili for a hike with Fr. Lombart was a sheer joy.
One is not allowed to serve an institution for ever, though there are exceptions. So in the year 2004 six of us were given a WARM SEND OFF.
Fr. James Lakra in his speech remarked, 'You are always welcome.'
Encouraging words. So much warmer than a mere 'Thank you.'
An extract from my English Teacher's diary
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