By Naba Bhattacharjee
I was invited to St. Mary’s College recently for a seminar on environment. During the recess, curiosity took me at one the end of the hall from where Don Bosco square was clearly visible. The place where my alma mater St. Anthony’s College once stood is replaced by the School section. The view flooded my thoughts with memories of the square during the late seventies. The time was 2.30 pm a time when students from St Mary’s College and St Anthony’s college converged at the Square. Most classes gave over at this time barring a few science subjects that lingered on. This time of day invariably resulted in a significant drop of attendance – a phenomenon overlooked at times by teachers too. This was a regular ritual bereft of nuisance or cat calls.
The twitch of an eyebrow, a nod or even the slightest hint of a smile was enough to justify the sustained vigil. However, boys being boy’s hiccups did take place. On one occasion the issue was brought to the notice of our principal – the legendary and iconic Father Joseph, by his counterpart across the road. He was dreaded. His name sent a shiver down our spines. But so did the girls across the road fear their Principal. Both were strict disciplinarians! Fr Joseph’s connection with most students was through his neat hand written notice – each of which was a masterpiece in humour, authority over the language and perfect clarity. This time the notice concluded with …. “attendance on this side of the fence, shall from now on determine your further continuance in the college”. None dared to venture out thereafter in the afternoon, no matter how tempting the visuals.
But within a couple of days another missive came from the Mother Anne, Principal, St Mary’s College, reiterating that the situation remained unchanged. Fr. Joseph was livid as he was certain that his students would not violate his diktat. He shot back a reply which from hearsay reads thus, “My writ runs over my boys only, without prying on students of other neighbouring institutes. It seems your girls are already missing the guard of honour presented by my boys It would be better for all if your girls stopped prying and sending inviting glances.” A truce between the two stalwarts was called, reportedly after a Sunday Mass. It was business as usual from the following Monday. Those glorious days remain as fond, priceless memories worth more than all the goodies of life.