Looking Back Detail Page

01 Apr

From the Archives

This School year opened with Rev. Fr. E F Moore our Principal attending the Headmasters conference at Bangalore. He was back at Campion to receive the new admissions on January 7th and the opening of the year’s register was full to capacity with nearly 200 students. In matters of staff it was thus: Mr. Sidney Brown Std VII sadly wished us sianaro before the end of February having to leave for further studies. In his place came Mrs. M M Grant. Miss Y Carvalho Standard VI; Miss H Murzban, Std V; Miss J Athaide Std III; Mrs. Michael Hindi; Miss M Rodricks Drawing; and Mr. Theodore Lobo Secretary. A special innovation for every close of month was the students report with de tailed subject marks; this supplanted the ambiguous system of remarks. Another January commenced project was the daily glass of Fresh Whole Milk Service. Te big event of January was Indian Republic Day the Scouts and Cubs attending the Flag Ceremony at Campion and later reviewing the Parade of the Forces at the Brabourne Stadium. A welcome little soufflé serve in January was the magic shoe our boys responding with a rapt and hushed attention. Alas! If teachers had but theses wondrous powers, what halcyon hours the class room would unfold!
On February 6th flashed the news that England had lost her beloved Monarch Geogre VI. and Campion School hoisted its flag half mast and remained closed on the 7th as a mark of respect to the memory of one so great and good. On February 8th Princess Elizabeth was proclaimed Queen of England. By the end of February the Principal sent his first official letter to the parents; a really comprehensive missive, exhorting parents to co-operate I furthering the progress of their children. He put particular stress on the pupils taking a more lively interest in Hindi. The attention of the parents was drawn to the School Calendar items ‘Absence Record’ and ‘Leave Record’ which pages should always be entered in the event of a pupil requiring leave. An important intimation was the fixing of sports day for the 15th March at the Brabourne Stadium.
March opened and the excitement of the Sports Heats filled the air. Our Principal gave generously of his time and strength; certainly a magnum undertaking, when considered together with his other multifarious responsibilities. He had to personally conduct the Sports Committee meetings the electing of officials and the collecting of the Sports Funds. (collections being Rs. 588 in donations and Rs. 220 in entry fees. Khan Bahadur .HB Dhalla very graciously donated Rs 100for the Junior Shield. Memorable March 15th at last dawned and at 4 p.m. at the Brabourne Stadium the Campionites held their 5th Annual Sports Meet. Khan Bahadur Dhalla presided and Mrs. Dhalla gave away the pries. Individual honors were bore by Garth Grimer Std VII and Saul Ezra Std V. The much converted collective trophy went to the White House. The Principal thanked the friends of Campion for their great help and made happy mention that he was putting all his efforts to creating Campion HIGH School by its TENTH ANNIVERSARY. In this spots comment particular mention should be made of our Ace Sportsman Surender Mittal, who had a most unfortunate accident just two hours before the show.
We feel sure that every Campionite strove vicariously to make up for his absent polished performance. In April thanks to Fr. More’s unswerving purpose Campion had its own school bus at the great cost of Rs 13,000 plus several renovation charges. Through the term the Scouts and Cubs enjoyed their regular monthly meetings added to which our Principal ever indefatigable took the far a week end to Jogeshwari and again on a hike to Khandala. In the sports section the boys had enjoyed a few hockey and cricket matches. Lastly but a paramount place Rev. Fr. More with Shri Nahalal Parikh called on the Hon’ able Shri Morarji Desai to ask his consideration in making Campion a full fledged High School. During May Fr. More like a happy ‘pater familas’ with twelve ebullient boy scout charges spent a beautiful month in Kashmir. Their joyful experiences were unraveled before us on many feet of celluloid. The new term brought in our impressive red and white school bus and among our Campionites ‘breathes none so dead who never then to himself said: ’this is our own our own School Bus’
End of June the school took its inspection. Mr. Budhrani the Inspector very affably stayed o tea with the Principal and Staff. Such a pedagogic symposium untied many educational Gordian knots and a unanimous point was the necessity of Campion turning High School. Only July 21st birthday bouquets arrived for our Principal. Every Campionite heartily joined in felicitating Fr. More who had so selflessly labored on behalf of Campion. The school walls resounded the birthday refrain; Mr. Theodore Lobo delivered the address which was followed by the presenting of a purse of Rs. 265 from the boys. Rev Fr. More was greatly appreciative and after distributing sweets to the pupils he delighted them with a screen show of Abbot and Costello. To complete a wonderful morning he invited the staff to a really happy lunch party. Mrs. Grimmer and Mrs. McQuade were also present. Before the completion of July a special Hindi Tutorial class to be conducted by Mrs. Michael was announced.
September 6th was Parents Day. Specimens of the boys’ work were on exhibition and some of the exhibits did boast a wonderful saga. This almost begs the idea that next time we should exhibit the ‘processing’ rather tan the ‘processed’ The ‘piece de resistance’ of the day was the Scouts Investiture at 4:30 p.m. in the garden behind the school. The décor was grand with pennants fair which undertaking was courageous seeing we were still under monsoon clouds but the Principal took his courage in both hands and was richly rewarded with a day of sparking sunshine. Fourteen recruits were in vested by Dist Com. Shri J D Surti, who encouraged parents to enroll their sons in the movement. Rev. Fr. More both by speech and appearance (for he was attired in all the Scouts regalia made an impressive appeal emphasizing the sterling benefits of scouting the particular one being the making of citizens  ‘sans peur et sans reproche’. The term closed with Rev. Fr. More and the Scouts leaving for Dahanu on a training camp. Incidentally the Scouts Diary Jottings for the term ran as Follows: - An early July hike to Lonavala; two hikes in August the earlier one to Poona and the end of month trip to Karjat; just over mid August was the Cubs outing to Powai Lakes and shortly before the September terminal the Scouts and Cubs together attended the Camp Fire at Bandra.
October the 10th opened the Third Term, which as is its custom sped on wings. Rev. Fr. More and his happy Scout party came fresh from their camp at Dahanu. Our Campion Scouts are certainly ‘the children of predilection’ for again in November they enjoyed the sweet air of Matheran even if it was for just a brief two day tasting. November found our Principal sparing no effort in securing additional accommodation for our Standard VIII. It really looked like a lost cause but out of the nebula gradually came a sign of great promise. The first floor was to be vacated at the close of 1952 and Fr. More who all through had so gallantly lead ‘his Israelites through the desert’ was ready to plant the flag of his well won extension. Our sincerest encomiums to his steadfast optimism due to which Campion School will proudly add a Std VIII to its rolls of 1953. The close of term arrived almost Hey Preato! And our Patron’s Feast was again with us. In the morning Fr. More said Mass in the School and gave First Holy Communion and a very sweet talk to our Catholic seven year olds.
In the evening our Prize Distribution which was held in Saint Xavier’s College was performed with éclat. The Principals report was a sincere unfolding of a very successful school year climaxing with the guarantee of a higher class for 1953. The chief Guest of Honour Commander Nanda delivered a suave speech stirring our young Campionites to equip themselves with the shining ideal of Integrity. He especially complemented our smart scouts. Mrs. Nanda gave away the prizes. Our guest were treated to a little variety stage show by our young students and remarkable among its features was the play ‘Champion of Campion’ written and directed by Miss Hylla Murzban some polished piano performance by our ‘Campion Mozart’ Minoo Mehta and a lovely rendering of the Ave Mria by John Nailer. The X’mas vacation started on December 2nd but our happy holiday mood was not so happy when we sadly wished Miss Carvalho good-bye. She had been with us for five years and it was hard for Campion School that she must go but we wish her real happiness in her new estate of marriage.