Does this mean something to YOU?

This article by Elizabeth Cherian which appeared in 2003 in Deccan Herald, the leading local newspaper of Bangalore, may interest some of you.

The right spirit

Recalling her years as a teacher in one of the prestigious schools of Mumbai, Elizabeth Cherian concludes that schools have an important role to play in shaping a student’s future in the society

What is it that makes some students stand out and shine in the society and the world at large? Is it their intellectual power, or the values instilled in them by their parents, or their school and teachers who have, over a period of time, effected a positive change in their personalities? Probably, it is a mixture of all these factors!

These thoughts came to my mind as I retraced my life back to my teaching days at Cathedral and John Connon School in Mumbai. The school has an old world charm, with buildings of heritage value. It is traditional, yet very modern in its outlook, and has a very simple and straightforward approach to life. Teachers here have been chosen for their skills and abilities to deal with particular subjects, and also prepare the children for the day-to-day tasks they have to face in the world. Scores of students from this institution have today made a mark in the world. They are found excelling in all walks of life.

For instance, we read about Kumarmangalam Birla, the young head of the Birla empire, from time to time in the papers. Then there are the brothers Fareed and Arshad Zacharia, Fareed, who has excelled in the field of journalism and diplomacy, and Arshad who has made a name as a financial genius. Rajdeep Sardesai, the able political commentator on NDTV. Shiamak Davar who is a name in the field of dance and choreography. I remember Rahul Bose and Rajat Kapur were very good in acting even as students. They topped in debates, elocution and school plays. Gita Anand, who went on to win the Pulitzer prize, was also an ace swimmer and had participated in international swim meets. They are all products of the school.

Other noted personalities like Pradeep Kar of Microland, Salman Rushdie and the late PM of Pakistan Z Bhutto were also from the same school. All-time heroes like Homi Bhabha and JRD Tata, who have done India proud, were Cathedrites!

What is most important for any institution is to safeguard the integrity of student-teacher relationship. This is very closely and appropriately followed in the Cathedral and John Connon School. No matter what the background is, once an individual enters the portals of the school, he/she is identified as nothing more than a student or a teacher. No favours are shown to anyone in particular. Irrespective of who they are or where they have come from, everyone is treated equally. Every day, one student from the senior school is assigned the responsibility of keeping his/ her classroom clean and neat. The students are allotted marks for their SUPW (Socially Useful Productive Work).

In a lighter vein, I remember an occasion when I pulled up a student for keeping me waiting twice for his extra class. He had come from the US and had joined school a little late, and so had to make up for the lost time. I was quite annoyed that he was late to the class. To top it all, he apologised saying that he had gone to the Raj Bhavan for lunch! I told him he could go anywhere he wanted, even to the ‘White House’, but only after informing me first. From then, he abided by instructions without fail. Soon a special bond developed between us. Once he informed me casually that he was going to Ahmedabad to see his grand parents. Only then did I discover that his grandfather was the Governor of Gujarat!

The teacher-student bond between us grew so strong that when he passed out with flying colours, he presented me with a cake inscribed ‘Thanks Mrs C’. And eating most of it, he commented he was actually helping me to check my weight! These are little memories that make the school, and its students so great.

Some of the most significant values the school taught me and my students were that a strong code of ethics is as valuable as a compass, and a simplest task is most meaningful if done in the right spirit.