THE PATH [ PERSONAL EXPERIENCE]

 

                                                              THE PATH

Though every one of us has come through the same steps of life, our paths need not be identical in the sense that our location, local conditions, facilities at every stage of life and the educational institutions we have come through are different. Sometimes even under the same stream of study throughout, we may come under different sets of teachers and friends. The contributory influences are different. Talking of contributions, teachers come to my mind. In recalling those people, inevitably the institutions need also being recalled. Is it any unpleasant to do? No. In my case very many places have to be narrated. I am quite sure many would not have had the funny experience of being a ‘stranger’ all through life. So to say,  I never had the experience of friendship as a school boy until I entered my V form in Boys’ High School, Srirangam. [the then V form is the equivalent of 10^th standard] My VIII, IX and X Stds were in the same school. To locate some friends in a new environment that too in a high school, it takes time. I am used to living in such isolation right from my early childhood. Staying at a distance has been a god-given gift. It also gave me the courage to operate singly during the best part of my later life. Also, I had picked up the nuances of studying persons dispassionately, silently enjoying their foolery / gimmicks without letting them understand how I rate them. Now at this late stage I realize that I have lost nothing though I used to suffer with in myself for that fate of mine moving from place to place in districts and not being able to develop a circle of steady friends. Education in those days was not this much formalized in the sense, during a mid academic year the Head master would admit student[s] to any class if he was satisfied of the academic fitness of the candidate. A hand written letter from the previous school was taken as a sacred record. Those teachers would not indulge in malpractice despite their languishing in abject poverty. Most schools up to the mid level [8^th standard] were handled by 2or 3 teachers levying 2 or 3 Rs as monthly school fee to be given to one of the teachers.

Those teachers would teach all subjects. People of the area gave them freedom to do anything with the children so as to make them learn. The teachers instilled fear in the minds of wards as their parents would show utmost respect to the teachers. The teachers’ poverty was no yardstick for their dignity. The spirit of this philosophy is reflected in the saying in Tamil “Delhi kku Raja aanalum Pallikku  Pillai thaan”. No social status would work in schools and the teachers did a grand job in every tiny hamlet across Tamilnadu. We should be genuinely proud that the best citizens of our country in every sphere have come from the grooming of such obscure teachers in tiny villages and towns. Where are those souls now? Gone for ever. In our very period we see so much deterioration with all the structured rules of administering the schools. People who want to make a livelihood by teaching can not teach. It is a mission of zeal and uncontaminated enthusiasm for values that every teacher has to possess. If not, the scenario will be what it is. Now let me recall my teachers one by one and pay my respects though they may not be in a state of receiving these. Yet, showing respect need not be deterred by such limitations. In those days some basic training was imparted by parents at home for scribing a few Tamil alphabets before putting the child in school.  Admissions were made for I standard at the age of six. English alphabets were taught at 6^th Std.  [I form]. .Instruction was in Tamil up to the school final stages. Yet, English was taught for all its intricacies. Teachers were thorough with their jobs. They would bestow attention to hand writing and tables. Tables were taught from I std. Every day the whole class would recite the tables. To date, rote learning of tables remains the best methodology. Probably we would never have been comfortable with tables had it not been for that approach. So much of foundation has been laid to refer to my path. To continue        K, Ranan