My First School : Sipra Roy.
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My father who was in Railway service, transferred to a cute town of Bihar named Madhupur .My father got accommodation in the 53J.KLGuard Bunglow.The Railway station and its colony was like a piece of wealthy British neighbourhood. It was the year of 1950 .India just won freedom from the British rule. Most of our neighbors were still pure British in Railway officers' colony . Our bungalow was divided in four parts .In one half we two Indian families shared while the other half ,up and down stairs were shared by two British families. There was a broad wooden stairs which separated the building into two halves . In front of our building was a church-building , a piece of art, from where the sweet musical sound of bell entertained my ears time to time. From the corner of our long balcony ,looking at the church ,I asked my sister what was that building ,was it school? Because I noticed kids in sky-blue skirts or shorts and white check shirts. playing within the church-boundary . Perhaps it was their play-time or tiffin-time.
Quarter-part of the long balcony was allotted to me as for my doll's empire. But I. used to wait for the bell and watch the cheerful screaming of playful white kids in church and cherished in my mind to be a part of it soon , as I heard discussion that my father. would take me soon for admission.
My sister ,busy with her knitting ,answered, "It is a church which is similar as our temple of Lord Shiva or Kali! But it also runs the school for the Christians ."
Though it was not clear thoroughly to me but after all, the word "school " consoled me .At last the day came . My sister made me ready with dress to go with father for the school. On the way my father met the pastor giving instruction to the gardener .The pastor in courtsy came near the gate to greet my father They talked a while ;then my father resumed onward . I asked "where are you going?"
"School".I said ,"Isn't this my school?"
"No, this is English medium school meant only for the Christians."
At last walking little far my father entered through an opened-gate school premise named "Anchidevi Girls' school." which was my first school An old white colored building in the middle of an open space with high -boundary wall . My excitement evaporated to see the appearance of the school ! My father entered the office room . There was a table with several wooden chairs and a bench in one corner of the wall. A tall man whose complexion was dark and distorted face stood up and greeted my father (and me too!) with broad smile which made me comfortable and shook my nervousness .
He gave me some spelling and arithmetic for admission - test for grade -1. I learnt add, subtract , multiplication ,division ; I learnt a lot than needed for grade one at home .The teacher was impressed and asked my father to admit me directly in grade 2 as I was quite advanced. Perhaps age was not a bar at that time .So I came back home with my father like a victor within half an hour .ON my way back I looked at the Church with sad heart and contempt and just released a sigh silently.
Friends of neighbor -hood came running to me at the entrance of the stairs to ask"Done?"
My sisters and elder brothers looked at me with bright face and admiration! Same with the neighbours too ! Some of the neighbors threw opinion that I would be in problem later for studying at under age .
My two elder brothers ( named Ujjwal and Bimal. )already had admission in the Boys' High School. which was a large yellow-color L-type building with big low-walled compound. Bimal was very responsible and affectionate type from boyhood. On the very first day ,my sister asked my brothers to escort me up to my school. Boys' school started at 10:30PM while mine was 1t 10:45 with a prayer song . It was a day of mixture of fear and excitement .
.....Bimal asked me to walk fast with him , holding my hands firmly while Ujjwal ran away leaving us. behind ; I nodded head silently .The Boys 'school was situated nearer than the Girls' School. Between the two schools there was a large orchard . Coming near to the corner of the orchard ,Bimal told me "can you see your school with green gate ? I am late .Will you be able to go alone now?"
"yes,sure . Came running to the green gate of school, I couldn't enter as the gate was locked from inside. I pushed with force but failed to bulge it Then I turned back to call my brother for help and saw none but the school building of the boys' stood , as lifeless as the dead ; I was chilled with fear ! what would happen to me! Pushed the green gate again. Then I saw a girl smartly entered inside, by bending and unlatching a small window like opening in the big green gate. By instinct, I too, instantly pushed myself behind her back just like a calf. It came to my sight that all girls stood in several lines according to class-wise row on the long veranda , in front of the five /six class-rooms for prayer song . As I was about to run to join the row I felt a sharp pinch like almost injection on my heap ; turning head I saw the girl (I followed) : "Hssh, with one finger on her lips but closed eyes warned me, and then again two palms near her chest like a great devotee, and standing like statue. Prayer song started .....the girl threw glance from the corner of only one eye to me.
"Be like a statue until the prayer ends."
I obeyed her but kept my eyes opened, perhaps in fear of getting another injection-pinch p! At the end of the prayer a lady teacher said something , might be some notice , but I couldn't hear. Then the row moved in a serpentine course to corresponding classes. I tried to stand behind a girl moving towards grade 2. But a girl nudged me hard with her elbow; she dragged me towards her saying "you belong to this line : grade -2 . I know you ! I am Bithu .You are from the rail-bungalow, right? Our dads are good friends."
I saw a strong built bobbed-hair smart girl with sharp. eyes and feature . Then she ordered ,"Listen, stop talking with any girl of the colony .From tomorrow you will come with me together in school ,O.K?
She finished her speech in a military order ,and with another push of elbow before entering the class .room ; no sooner another girl pulled her in the corner and whispered something in her ear .
Bithu, like an eagle threw glance to other corner and said ,"I will see in tiffin time !"
The teacher entered with a long copy which was registry copy or "Call-book".
All girls took seats except me.
The teacher greeted me with broad smile and asked my name .She pointed an empty desk as my seat.
I felt comfortable at the broad smile .of the teacher.: a skinny lady with a green printed cotton sari ; image of her broad smile displaying the set of big teeth which were yellowish with moss-green border like fencing between teeth. which guarded the identity of each teeth. It was a wonder to me how teeth could grow green lining; was it due to long time dirt ?
The teacher announced me," your roll number is 11 grade -2" .and put a sticker # 11 on my desk. There were another set of several desks on the left side of the table which was marked as grade -1. There were only 5/6 girls leaving few desks empty .
In grade -2 also had few empty desks . Perhaps those desks were for the absentees. That male teacher who took my admission test entered the class and said something to the teacher ,( might be about me!) Then before leaving he patted me on back in encouraging voice ,"hope you are fine?" I nodded my head . My class teacher gave me treat again with that awesome dental smile !
First week of school went peacefully. Bithu, that bully guy, was absent in the class all these days. I was very shy .I took admission late, in the mid-session; the rest old students were friendly in small groups; nobody called me to play ; also all were much older than me; I felt alone. Though I was quite advanced but I could not follow the instruction of the teacher some times .One day she asked to write tables of 8,and 9. I noticed the girl sitting next to me writing in a different way. Suddenly the girl saw me watching her copy, asked "don't you know tables"? I stared at her speechless. She immediately stood and complained to the teacher, "Miss ,She is'nt writing "The teacher came to me and on seeing the blank page asked me "don't you learn tables of 9?" Though I learnt by heart up to 20, I nodded my head.
Teacher: "Do you know tables up to 5?"
I nodded my head again. Because no sound came from my dry throat. I felt all the girls were staring at me. Then the teacher took my bag and held my hand and made me sit in the row of grade- 1.
Teacher "You are too young for grade 2". Grade 1 and 2 were in the same room and under same teacher .Because number of less students or scarcity of teachers ,I didn't know.
I felt terrible insult to think that it is a great insult as well as demotion. With heavy heart I came home but didn't disclose to anybody of the house. Perhaps I continued about one month in grade one.
Then one day ,the male teacher entered the class angrily with the roll call book and crossed the class teacher why she changed my name from grade -2 to grade -1. To my astonishment , my class teacher flatly denied that she did it .They began to argue bitterly . My class teacher who appeared soft and benign, shouted against the male teacher for accusing her . He left the class room but came back again with the registry book . By the time my class teacher promoted me to previous grade -2 again.
The male teacher told to sit hence forward regularly in grade -2. I nodded my head with gratitude. I was relieved from pressure, as if , a mountain melted from my chest. But my young mind was shrouded about the image of a teacher to think how a teacher could lie!
(CONTINUE)
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