FATHER [FR] MURPHY Teacher PAR Excellance

FATHER [FR]   MURPHY 

Teacher   par   excellance

       

I studied  in a missionary school;   It was  the start of a new academic year, and I was in Std V;  
I think in Std V, the children start growing up to be boys.

The cane  gives way   to words of advice  or rebuke  from the teacher.  
The class was abuzz with each gossipping with his  bench  mate as to how he spent his long vacation.

In walked the Father; 

He briefly introduced himself  and stated he would be the class teacher for the year. 

Then he turned his back to the class, towards the blackboard. 

When the chatting in the class  among the boys resumed. 

The Father turned towards the class;  instead of scolding the boys, he smiled and stated _

"Well all of you have interesting stories to tell about your vacation, who will be the first to speak ?"  

Immediately a flurry of  hands  went  up.

The entire period was spent in the boys telling the class their experiences in vacation;

and this endeared the class to the Father.

Not that he was lenient to the boys; he was strict, where required;  

The text book lessons, he taught us where always supplemented by his  personal experiences in life;  

he discouraged    "byhearting" or rote learning;

rather he wanted the students to understand and write the answers in their own words.

He also encouraged class participation as I learnt  to my bitter cost !

For sometime  my father  was observing my performance in the class;  

One day  while signing my report card, he asked me bluntly,  as to why  I  didn't  get the first rank in the class;

I was taken aback , for I was a laid  back  boy  then, who studied only just before the exams !

Anyway I decided  to surprise my father;

in the  next exam.  I studied hard and sure enough I  got the most  number of total marks in the class; 

but alas !  when the marks were written in my  reporting  card,  I found the marks reduced  substantially!   

When I spoke to the Father about it, he told me that my class participation and discussion was below par and he had to deduct  marks;  

I dare not tell it to my father for obvious reasons;  

thus my father's scolding became more severe.

Once again I studied hard for the next exam; 

this time I took care to be more active in the class room discussions; 

 but as bad luck would have it  I did not do well in the written exam;  

The boy who usually stands first, got more total marks than I.  

I was resigned to another scolding from my father;  

but lo and behold !   

Father Murphy  had increased  my total marks substantially and I stood  first in the class for the first time !  

The Father was also a keen sportsman and he would play with us,  after school hours in any sport.  

All  in school respected and liked the Father.   

Many years later, after I graduated from school,  I learnt that the Father passed away while on duty!  

May his soul rest in eternal peace!


G.Venkatesh