(Hindustan Times, 1983)
As instructed, we reported at the school at 8.30 a.m sharp.
“In our school we maintain strict discipline and don’t let children come late,” said the Head Mistress in her opening remarks as she showed up forty-five minutes later to address us.
“The role of parents in teaching their children at home,” she cautioned, ‘has acquired increasing importance, especially in view of the stiff competition from other schools.”
“Ours,” she continued, “is an English medium school, therefore at the outset I must call upon you to speak to your children only in English.” She ran her eyes over the audience quickly and added: “I realize the difficulty some of you will have; but it just can’t be helped.’
At this point a person, who looked like an MP, entered the hall. Quickly judging the situation, she added: “Of course, I need not emphasize the importance of speaking in Hindi since it is our national language. Here I have observed that children speak faulty Hindi. For example, what will you say in Hindi for ‘out’ she asked pointing her finger towards me. (A penalty I paid for being on the front bench and having listened to her too keenly). However, backed by 20 years of stay in Delhi, I had no difficulty in answering her. “You see, this is exactly what I have been trying to correct in the children. You pronounce it as ‘baar’ and not as ‘bahar’. To be sure that I got it right, she told me to repeat it thrice. This done, she asked me to meet her after the class which I did to be told that I should engage a teacher for myself first before venturing to teach my son.
“As regards mathematics,” she continued ‘help your children in counting by means of beads”. She demonstrated the technique twice for our benefit. Each time she arrived at a different total. “Anyway, you have got the idea; that is important.”
“Whenever you teach them any lesson, please explain the picture therein. Take for example Ramu’s lesson. By the way, how many of you have gone through the lesson?” she asked. A few of us raised our hands. “That is a good sign. Now tell me from the picture what are the things you saw in Ramu’s room?” No one responded. She said that, like the teachers, we should also be observant, in future. “You see there was a ball, a dog, and…what else was there in the room, Mrs Gulati?” she sought the assistance of the class teacher who hesitated for a moment and replied. “I think that is about all.”
The Head Mistress moved on to the next topic, but suddenly remembered something. “I think there was a doll also, wansn’t there?” “Yes, yes,” hastened Mrs Gulati feeling ill at ease.
This was followed by a few sermons on neatness, dress, weekly nail-cutting and then we were asked if we had any questions. One person got up and complained that his son was not getting any instructions on home work.
“What is his name?” asked the Head Mistress.
“Arun Saxena”.
“Oh Saxena. I think the less said the better. She looked at the class teacher triumphantly and verified if it was not about him that she was complaining the previous day. She clarified it was Arun Shukla. “Anyway, all Aruns are the same”, said the Head Mistress taking an on-the-spot decision.
“An other problem?”
No one answered.
I am very happy at this exchange of thoughts, and hope that your continued efforts and the performance of your children will further improve the image of our school.”
She was about to close the meeting, when one of the staff handed her a chit. She hastened, “Ah, the beads I showed you a little while ago. They are available in our canteen stores and are cheaper”.
“When will we have our next lessons?” whispered a parent as the Head Mistress left the hall.
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