When I was a school boy , which seems like about a hundred odd ago now, there was one person who I always looked forward to knowing about, before all others, at the start of the school year – that person was the class teacher!
The subject teachers always came second, and they too had a pecking order.
Looking back, for me it was always in the same order – English, Math, Science, Hindi – History, Geography, Art, PE etc all followed. For me Hindi was a bug bear- I was usually, not very fond of the Hindi teacher, and I presume, the feeling was mutual.
Looking back, I can surprisingly remember most of my class teachers, starting from Grade one. Over the years, if I knew the class teacher or had interacted with her / him before, it gave me a sense of comfort and security. I loved it when the class teacher had taught me a subject the year before. In that way it was a known entity. I do remember some of the subject teachers, but only because I was either very good, or very week in their subject- or else they had been a terror and someone who I had been mortally scared of.
If one heard that the class teacher was someone who had not taught them before, then enquires were made to find out “details”. Were they strict was usually the first question. Were they extra particular about haircuts, turn out, punctuality came next? For all teachers, irrespective of the subject they taught, there was always the “are they strict or lenient in marking test and exam scripts/ can you cheat”!
Somehow, many of my class teachers either taught English or Math – I was very good in one and rather weak in the other, so it was either a good year or a not so good one for me!
On the first day of school, one usually had a chance to meet most of the teachers. The known entities were greeted warmly and there was a sort of “hail fellow well met” atmosphere from the start. They would talk to the ones they were close to. They would look at the known troublemakers and use phrases like “not you again” or, OMG we meet again”. Often you would hear a teacher say, “how the hell did you manage to pass”. Then of course, there were their favourites, who would be greeted with “Good to see you – how is your mother / father”. Or “at least I have the same monitor”.
It was always fun when the known lenient ones entered the classroom on the first day- there was clapping, hooting & cheering while they tried their best to bring some sort of order to the chaos – one could almost hear a combined sigh of relief from the entire class, as we looked forward to a year of fun, at least in one period.
The strict teachers usually started with a lecture which went something like this: -
“You may have heard of me – I don’t fool around. I can be very good or very bad so do not try to play games with me as you will regret it. No noise in my class if not you will be out. Make sure my homework is completed and I do not want any excuses. If you do not study, you are sure to fail”.
Now, if they were old teachers in the school, this lecture was usually skipped as their reputation had preceded them. This was usually said by the newer lot or someone who had been told by other staff that this was a so called “wild class”.
Of course, there were the known “excellent teachers” and most boys hoped they would teach them – they were greeted warmly and with a lot of respect – parents too knew who these people were, and often requested the Principal to put their ward in that teachers’ class.
Next came the business of Monitors!
Being made a monitor in the Primary and middle school was something of an achievement and a Monitor was a coveted post. There was the class Monitor – Usually a tall, big made, tough guy who other boys feared, and who could keep the class in control when the teacher was not present. There was usually an assistant monitor too – equally big built – both were often friends.
I was short, thin and you could have referred to me as puny, so I was never made the class monitor. On a few occasions, I was made the Cupboard monitor, the Attendance Register monitor, or the Staffroom monitor.
The cupboard monitor kept the keys of the small class cupboard. In it were the various registers and above all, exercise books in which boys did the Subject tests. One was always warned never to lose or misplace the keys. The Attendance Register monitor handled the Attendance for the class, while the staff room monitor went to and from the staff room carrying books for the teacher. I forgot to mention the blackboard monitor- usually a tall boy who could reach the top of the blackboard which he had to clean after every period. He also kept the chalk and duster in his desk. If he chanced to leave his desk open, sticks of chalk were stolen within minutes, and a chalk fight ensued as soon as the teacher had left the class. Some brave lads popped pieces of chalk at each other during a lesson – a few tried their aim at the teacher and God forbid they got caught. A few enterprising teachers had Fan and Light monitors and Display board monitors too but they were not very coveted posts. I remember a boy was once punished for the whole day outside the class – He was the Fan and light monitor and he had not switched the fans and lights off after school the previous day.
When I joined Bishops in 1981, nothing much seemed to have changed from when I was in school.
Boys still waited to see who the class teacher was and who the various subjects’ teachers were. The lenient teachers were still welcomed with howling, cheering, and clapping and being a monitor was still much coveted. The strict teachers were given time to settle down and they hardly smiled – at least not during the first few weeks. Their lessons also began on day one. A brave boy or two would try and crack a wise joke or ask a stupid question but the retort would be crisp & everyone soon knew how far they could go.
I started as a Class teacher in 5A and surprise of surprises I still remember my two monitors – Mangnani and Vivek Sood. They were intelligent chaps and assisted me with various tasks.
I would like to add – being a monitor of any sort was usually a first lesson in Leadership, and innumerable boys have told me how it helped them build confidence, become reliable, focussed and task oriented.
Many monitors held similar posts in various classes throughout their school years and usually ended up as School Prefects and Captains – I never did.
I distinctly remember a master telling me that I lacked Leadership qualities! He was right at that time!
Were you ever a monitor or a Prefect? Would love to hear your story.
