A REAL LIFE STORY OF MY DADDY

During the year 1944, my father was a student of class X of Pyarimohan Academy School, Cuttack. Late Basant Kumar Das, was the then Head Master. My father was staying in the hostel. As he was an extraordinary brainy, all the teachers and Headmaster appreciated him. It may be noted here that late Headmaster Sri Das was an idealistic teacher who liked to maintain utmost discipline in his school for which he was rewarded by the then president of India. He was being admired by all the guardians and intellectuals of India too. During his tenure, some events that occurred on the school premises may be noted herewith.

One day's incident was when my father was attending his class in the presence of the Mathematics teacher. Late B. K. Das was so a perfect Headmaster that he was always secretly spying on all teachers' duties in the classroom by wearing canvass pump shoes. That day owing to some ailment the Headmaster could not go out of his chamber. My father was studying attentively as he was very particular in his study. In the meantime, he was very confused about a difficult math question and stood up from his bench and asked the teacher to clarify. Then he

did the needful. As it was quite difficult to be understood, again he asked the teacher for the second time, " Sir please clarify this mathematics question which I am quite unable to understand." After hearing this, the teacher turned red-hot and angrily scolded my father, "What nonsense you are doing in the class? Where is your attention while I am teaching? Am I a bonded laborer I will clarify this question twice or thrice quadruple to make you understand as many times you want as per your whims? I am not so as you think. It doesn't matter whether you understand or not. Only once I must teach you whatever may be. Ask your classmates they will clarify for you."

So under the circumstances, my father was very upset when the math teacher rebuked him. Then instantly he rushed into the cabin of the Headmaster and told him the fact whereby he became very furious. With his ailing condition, he went to the classroom with my father. At that time teacher was sitting on his chair. The HM scolded the teacher at the top of his voice, " Mind it Prakash babu you are a teacher, as well as a future builder of the students and their guardians, have a deep-rooted trust in you. Moreover, you have come here to teach wherefore you are being paid a salary by the institution management. Not only once but also you have to explain hundred times if your student is unable to understand a difficult lesson. Mind it always stupid!"

Then the HM tore off a piece of white paper from a student's rough khata and at once wrote down a Suspension Order for the math teacher. He handed it over to him and the unruly teacher was suspended for one month only as per the disciplinary action. Then the Headmaster himself explained the math question to my father thoroughly and came back to his chamber. ( A story that I had heard from my late father - to be continued )