allAfrica.com: Mauritius: "Those were the days " (Page 1 of 1)

"I cannot single out one teacher out of the many I had both in primary and secondary school to highlight as my favourite. I have reminiscences of qualities, which many teachers had altogether in different ways and which prompted in me feelings of respect and consideration. Those qualities are a mix of harshness and softness, discipline and sweet affection.

Many of my teachers from St Jean Bosco R.C in Curepipe Road, very often strutted along with a stick and a box of chalk and the unavoidable duster in hand. This is no way prevented them from being fatherly and motherly melting them all into "papa/mama/gato". The stick, the box of chalk and duster often gave way to lifted sleeves, untied shirts, and feet off shoes for volley-ball big break matches or traditional outings and picnics. These events in our eyes turned all our teachers into affectionate heroes and made us feel, deep inside, how the teaching profession is a very special family affair.

At St Joseph's College, for my secondary schooling, again, no teacher struck my mind in a special way. They were all striking in their own ways. All the French and Irish Christian Brothers were dedicated educationists. Not only did they all master their subjects but they were polyvalent in their concerns and commitments. Brother Martial Lauret was a brilliant Physics teacher and a second to none woodworker. He made with his own hands all the college everlasting benches and desks in many classes and laboratories. Br. Dermott was excellent in teaching English but a master of the trade as a high jump coach. He shifted from Shakespeare to high-jump poles and mattresses as easily as he dropped his religious gown for his athlete sports short and jersey for the big recess and afternoon training. Br. Alphonsus trained the college basket-ball team with players in the national 1st division selection and was a second to none General Paper teacher. Br. Aiden was for his part a very able organist and listening to him put us all under the same spell as when he delivered the intricacies of Social Sciences and Environmental Studies in classes. Brother Anthony was a remarkable administrator, an excellent chemistry teacher coupled with a strong passion for boxing. All afternoon detainees and pupils on Saturday arrests were taken to the college gymnasium on the rings to puff off their fumes. Brother Joseph had not his equal in the teaching of British history and he was excellent in gardening. He cultivated beautiful flowers and vegetables in the college backyard and showed them to members of staff.

There were also a few laymen, namely Luc Leguen, Cyril Dalais, Prof. Lambert, B. Gokulsing who were all dedicated educationists and far from being penned in their syllabi only. Luc Leguen bore in his mind, so to say, a whole collection of Unversalis Encyclopaedia and left us all, as VI-Formers in awe, by the extent of his knowledge and his capability to pass it on. Never again have I met such an erudite. Cyril Dalais was impressive as a more than six-footer and this was not in the least a problem for him to bring himself to the level of all pupils, irrespective of their heights and kinds. He held them all so affectionately in his heart and mind. He ended up as an international child psychologist and he is still rendering unique services to the national community.

All my teachers held their duties and responsibilities with total commitment. They lived up to them with a sense of global dedication, enlightening to one and all. In my eyes of primary school boy and secondary school pupil, my teachers were at all times at their best. They always were. I can only revert to those days for enlightenment and inspiration."

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