Looking Back Detail Page

01 Apr

- Mrs. MILDRED GRANT

By the end of January the school register recorded 122 boys. Rev Fr. Savall introduced a new teacher to the staff- Miss J Labouchardiere. Also before the end of February Miss Deatker took over from Miss Wilson who was proceeding to Europe. Then again the Hindi was temporarily by Mrs. Pandya as Mrs Jayaker could not resume due to ill-health. Before the end of the year Mrs. Michael came in as a permanent Hindi Teacher.

An early and rather special event was our first cricket match against St. Xavier’s and of our valiant team this can be said: ‘Their prowess slightly minus perhaps but their sprit s decided plus’. Before the first term closed that perfect little Vade Mecum of Jesuitic institutions the school calendar announced itself in 150 crisp copies fresh from Examiner Press.

On the opening of the second term we shared the joy attending the awarding of the Kaiser Hindi Gold Medal to His Grace; in sad contrast we mourned the sudden loss of rev. Fr. Orobit SJ who died so tragically as the result of a motor accident. July found our Principal Rev Fr. Savall taking up the cudgels again in obtaining the Wellesley House premises for Campion School. As in all such matters it was an exercise of patience but being assured of help by Mr. Kher Assistant DPL who personally recommended the case to Mr. Morarji Desai the Home Minister the advised legal but stressing did finally effect a review of the decision passed by the previous collector. This was a real step forward.

The year’s prize distribution was presided over by his Lordship Bishop Gracias and of worthy mention would be the concluding and pertinent item ‘Bombay’s First Indian Bishop’ which event had taken place in June. The Dr. (Mrs.) Myrtle Noronha Scholarship was awarded to master Daved Baldwin standard IV.

And so the year closed but this time sadly bidding farewell to three teachers Miss Mullen, Miss Mchugh and Miss Deatker. Reading back through the 1946 register the sporadic attendance through various months told the poignant story of the city riots. This was a sad year full of communal disturbances and of great distress to the city’s citizens.