All of you Academites must be knowing Mrs. Bhal the teacher who has dedicated 34 years of her life in teaching the students of the S.X.B.A. You will also, I am sure, believe that she is a very strict disciplinarian; but under that iron exterior lies a heart of gold full of affection for the students. No wonder every single Academite loves and respects her. She mesmerizes the class with her wonderful teaching.
Follows a brief interview with our most beloved teacher........... Mrs. Bhal.
ABC: Which year did you join the Academy?
Mrs. B.: In 1957 - Mid-June. I was among a bath of young teachers chosen by our Founder, Rev. Fr. Solagran S.J. The building wasn't even ready when we welcomed our first batch of students. Today both the bulding and I are considerably older and more weathered!
ABC: Which subject do you like to teach?
Mrs. B: Both those which I teach today - English and History. I can't choose between them and love them both equally and enjoy them equally. I have been most fortunate that from the start I have been given these subjects to teach at the Academy.
ABC: Has you entire teaching career been spent at the Academy?
Mrs. B: Almost. I started teaching at St. Joseph's at Juhu. It was a poor parish school. I had to look after two classes simultaneously in one room Stds. V and VII, I think. We took all subjects including singing and P.T.! We'd wind up a gramophone and teach the kids singing. We had no free periods. It was exhausting work but most exhilarating. I still recall those kids. I taught two years there. The rest of my teaching career was at this school. So I may be called a one-school-teacher.
ABC: We feel from our experience that you have special interest in History. How do you know such small details not mentioned in the text-books?
Mrs. B: Well, I admit, I adore History. And I have read a lot. As you all bury your nose in thrillers and spy books, I bury mine in history books. There are wonderful books written - don't judge the subject by your text books which are dry as dust. When people like Will Durant, Kenneth Clark, Jadunath Sarkar, Natarajan and Ishwari Prasad and others write, history becomes interesting. And biographers like Irving Stone make history come alive. But reading history for enjoyment is one thing, and mugging the facts, for an examination is another. That is boring.
ABC: What is your opinion on the standard of English in our School?
Mrs. B: As in all other schools and colleges it is falling fast. There's nothing unusual in this. The times are changing and soon you will learn English at the same level as you learn French today. But it is an international language and you can't get away from that.
ABC: What developed your interest and intimate knowledge of Dramatics?
Mrs. B: I was always interested in dramatics even as a child and loved to act. When Adi Marzban started his group "Playbox" I was one of the lucky ones chosen by him to be his "Assistant Director". I was scared stiff! Besides, I liked to act, not to direct. What I have achieved to day in dramatics is mainly his work. He gave me the confidence I lacked. Then I got scholarships at the Indian Academy of Dramatic Arts and later at Natya Academy. Alyque Padamsee, Herbert Marshall, Sam Berkeley-Hill and other teachers then influenced me. I owe them a deep debt of gratitude for all they have done for me. Then my natural interest took over and I got experience at the Academy. My past students, among then Jiten Merchant, Ratan Batliwala and Manoj Choksi also taught me a hell of a lot.
ABC: What has bound you to this school for so many years?
Mrs. B: First of all, the boys themselves. I have very high regard for my students. I like the kind of people they are, and that made me stick to this school. Then there are my old colleagues like Miss Frank, Miss Monteriro, Miss Mansukhani and Miss Britto - they are a joy to work with. Most understanding and cooperative. We have had grand times together here, along with our old staff that has moved on. But we have never forgotten them or the old days. Then the Principals have been also very understanding and have made teaching a pleasure for me by not hemming me in, allowing me indepedence and having faith that I could do the job without their becoming James or Jane Bond and keeping me under surveillance.
ABC: Which is your most memorable incident in this school?
Mrs.B: I can't choose one - I recall many memorable times. To mention one - our first inspection of the school. We were scared silly with stories of "what absolute OGRES those inspectors are!". So all the lady teachers decided to dress in the same handloom sarees they had bought and confuse the Inspectors. The Inspectors found it difficult to tell us apart seeing the same colours over and over again in every class. I was the only teacher in whose class they never came. I guess I must have scared them! I remember our first Awards Day in the school hall. The teachers did a Garba for the audience. This time I was in the Garba costume, and difficult to recognize. But I had fun practicing.
ABC: Now that you are retiring, how are you going to fill in your time?
Mrs. B: That's tough to answer. Haven't thought about it much. It will be heavenly to have no more corrections to do, but still I will miss teaching which I love. Once a teacher, always a teacher - so I shall still teach on a more modest scale. I'd love to teach small private classes, stressing how to write and speak English correctly. But time alone will tell.
ABC: What advice would you like to give us?
Mrs. B: I have always believed that advice is the one thing which is better to give than to receive, so I won't thrust any advice on you. As long as you grow up to be a good man, you will be successful in my book.
ABC: One last question, What have you got from being a teacher?
Mrs. B: Everything. I have enjoyed my work and that makes for satisfaction in my life. It is a great resplonsibility to take live cvlay in your hands and mould it. That is what we teachers do. Today many people grumble that they get no reward from the teaching job. Where my reward is concerned, I would like to quote from one of my favourite poems by P. Seshadri:
"But then what guerdon do I seek for all
This work? If once, some pupil toiling hard
Will find the rapture of a Master's word,
And pausing gratefully my name recall,
Tracing his joy, in part, to what he heard
And learnt from me - It'll be rich reward."
This article has been taken from the Academy Boy's Chronicle of 1991.
(c) S.X.B.A. and BAPSA 2016
Follows a brief interview with our most beloved teacher........... Mrs. Bhal.
ABC: Which year did you join the Academy?
Mrs. B.: In 1957 - Mid-June. I was among a bath of young teachers chosen by our Founder, Rev. Fr. Solagran S.J. The building wasn't even ready when we welcomed our first batch of students. Today both the bulding and I are considerably older and more weathered!
ABC: Which subject do you like to teach?
Mrs. B: Both those which I teach today - English and History. I can't choose between them and love them both equally and enjoy them equally. I have been most fortunate that from the start I have been given these subjects to teach at the Academy.
ABC: Has you entire teaching career been spent at the Academy?
Mrs. B: Almost. I started teaching at St. Joseph's at Juhu. It was a poor parish school. I had to look after two classes simultaneously in one room Stds. V and VII, I think. We took all subjects including singing and P.T.! We'd wind up a gramophone and teach the kids singing. We had no free periods. It was exhausting work but most exhilarating. I still recall those kids. I taught two years there. The rest of my teaching career was at this school. So I may be called a one-school-teacher.
ABC: We feel from our experience that you have special interest in History. How do you know such small details not mentioned in the text-books?
Mrs. B: Well, I admit, I adore History. And I have read a lot. As you all bury your nose in thrillers and spy books, I bury mine in history books. There are wonderful books written - don't judge the subject by your text books which are dry as dust. When people like Will Durant, Kenneth Clark, Jadunath Sarkar, Natarajan and Ishwari Prasad and others write, history becomes interesting. And biographers like Irving Stone make history come alive. But reading history for enjoyment is one thing, and mugging the facts, for an examination is another. That is boring.
ABC: What is your opinion on the standard of English in our School?
Mrs. B: As in all other schools and colleges it is falling fast. There's nothing unusual in this. The times are changing and soon you will learn English at the same level as you learn French today. But it is an international language and you can't get away from that.
ABC: What developed your interest and intimate knowledge of Dramatics?
Mrs. B: I was always interested in dramatics even as a child and loved to act. When Adi Marzban started his group "Playbox" I was one of the lucky ones chosen by him to be his "Assistant Director". I was scared stiff! Besides, I liked to act, not to direct. What I have achieved to day in dramatics is mainly his work. He gave me the confidence I lacked. Then I got scholarships at the Indian Academy of Dramatic Arts and later at Natya Academy. Alyque Padamsee, Herbert Marshall, Sam Berkeley-Hill and other teachers then influenced me. I owe them a deep debt of gratitude for all they have done for me. Then my natural interest took over and I got experience at the Academy. My past students, among then Jiten Merchant, Ratan Batliwala and Manoj Choksi also taught me a hell of a lot.
ABC: What has bound you to this school for so many years?
Mrs. B: First of all, the boys themselves. I have very high regard for my students. I like the kind of people they are, and that made me stick to this school. Then there are my old colleagues like Miss Frank, Miss Monteriro, Miss Mansukhani and Miss Britto - they are a joy to work with. Most understanding and cooperative. We have had grand times together here, along with our old staff that has moved on. But we have never forgotten them or the old days. Then the Principals have been also very understanding and have made teaching a pleasure for me by not hemming me in, allowing me indepedence and having faith that I could do the job without their becoming James or Jane Bond and keeping me under surveillance.
ABC: Which is your most memorable incident in this school?
Mrs.B: I can't choose one - I recall many memorable times. To mention one - our first inspection of the school. We were scared silly with stories of "what absolute OGRES those inspectors are!". So all the lady teachers decided to dress in the same handloom sarees they had bought and confuse the Inspectors. The Inspectors found it difficult to tell us apart seeing the same colours over and over again in every class. I was the only teacher in whose class they never came. I guess I must have scared them! I remember our first Awards Day in the school hall. The teachers did a Garba for the audience. This time I was in the Garba costume, and difficult to recognize. But I had fun practicing.
ABC: Now that you are retiring, how are you going to fill in your time?
Mrs. B: That's tough to answer. Haven't thought about it much. It will be heavenly to have no more corrections to do, but still I will miss teaching which I love. Once a teacher, always a teacher - so I shall still teach on a more modest scale. I'd love to teach small private classes, stressing how to write and speak English correctly. But time alone will tell.
ABC: What advice would you like to give us?
Mrs. B: I have always believed that advice is the one thing which is better to give than to receive, so I won't thrust any advice on you. As long as you grow up to be a good man, you will be successful in my book.
ABC: One last question, What have you got from being a teacher?
Mrs. B: Everything. I have enjoyed my work and that makes for satisfaction in my life. It is a great resplonsibility to take live cvlay in your hands and mould it. That is what we teachers do. Today many people grumble that they get no reward from the teaching job. Where my reward is concerned, I would like to quote from one of my favourite poems by P. Seshadri:
"But then what guerdon do I seek for all
This work? If once, some pupil toiling hard
Will find the rapture of a Master's word,
And pausing gratefully my name recall,
Tracing his joy, in part, to what he heard
And learnt from me - It'll be rich reward."
This article has been taken from the Academy Boy's Chronicle of 1991.
(c) S.X.B.A. and BAPSA 2016
