NOSTALGIA –WEDNESDAY CLASS MEETING
Dear friends, Today morningsuddenly it came to my mind to make a posting about Wednesday class meetingwhen I was a student and later teacher in school. I had my Middle school education from 1954 to1956 at Pandalam Government middle school and High school education from 1957to 1959 at Pandalam NSS Model High school (Kerala). I feel the nostalgia would be interesting andenjoyable for members from Kerala state who had their school days during theperiod. Sincerely, GopalaKrishnan 15-2-2010 Re posted on 31-12-2020 after editing and updatinginformation. R. Gopala Krishnan. WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY NEW YEAR. 1. Wednesday last period class meeting For today’sstudents it may appear was such things were there on those days? Every Wednesday Last period was allotted forclass meeting. This was in the model of today’s meetings. There would be achairperson called President, a secretary, a treasurer and two or threemembers. It was the duty of the secretary to arrange for the function. Periodicallythe secretary, treasurer and members would be changed. President will beelected in a meeting for the next meeting. In someschools for every meeting all used to be changed. The meeting would be forabout an hour or more. 2. Arrangements for the meeting The classroomwill be well cleaned and benches and desks will be suitably rearranged so that anappearance of class room changed to a function room. This will be done by allstudents, especially the elected members use to ensure it. The teacher’s table and chair will be usedfor the chairperson. The front benchwill be used as seat for secretary, members and treasurer. The room will bedecorated with flowers. Some students use to bring good smelling flowers. (On those days schools too used tohave good gardens) On Wednesdayswe use to wear the best and fresh clothes. Some used to bring fresh clothes,exclusively for the meeting and wear on the occasion. It will be important thatall books of students will be kept in Last desks and ALL STUDENTS HAVE TO LISTEN THE MEETING. Thosebookworm students had no alternatives. Particularly the last benchers would takecare of meeting mostly. All would be fresh for the meeting with face wash,combing and make up like powder etc. Last Benchers used to be very smart. 3. Who conducts the meeting? The Wednesdaylast hour class meeting is participated by teacher who is class in charge.Sometimes his colleagues too used to come to enjoy the special talents of thestudents. These teachers will be taking the last benches and will talk in theend of the function. THE TEACHERS WILL APPEAR SPECIAL. Many times students willwonder whether these teacher would laugh so much? Does he so nice and good? Itwas actually presenting a different face of the teacher who used to be stricton attendance and payments of school fees and doing of home works etc. 4. Preparation for the meeting In fact thepreparation for the meeting start well before days by the scheduledparticipants. The chairperson should be able to conduct the function. He shouldbe able to make introductory speech called (Mukha prasangam) and his concludingspeech. (Adhyaksha prasangam). I do recollect my preparation in my home itself looking at shadow of my actions. The secretaryhas to arrange a student to speak on a subject not connected with hiscurriculum. His speech has to be supplemented by minimum four to five students.This subject and student who is to make the main talk and supplementary will benormally selected in the previous meeting itself for the next meeting. If thereis difficulty of subject it would be decided later. Many a time teachers used toassist in selecting the subject. 5. How the school meeting conducted? The secretarywill announce the name of the president for the meeting. To follow decorum ofmeetings two students will support in favour of the particular student to bethe president. HE WILL SIT IN THE CHAIR OF THE TEACHER DURING THE FUNCTION. The secretarywill give him the program list. In Malayalam it is called “Karya paripati”. This willinclude Prayer, Presidents initial talk, secretary’s speech about last meeting,calling for the Principal talker, calling for supplementary talkers, Presidentsmain talk, class teacher appreciation, visiting teacher’s appreciation,secretary’s vote of thanks and national anthem. The students will understandhow to address and how to behave and talk in public. On those days there wereno silent prayer. One person had to sing. ONLY THIS MUCHIN ROUTINE? No, No. After supplementary talk time is allotted for music, storytelling, mimicry, fancydress, quiz etc items. Sometimes the meeting period may go for morethan 1 ½ hours. In the meetingit next Principal speaker, supplementary speakers and president will beannounced .It will be ensured all these participating students are changed inthe next meeting till a cycle is completed. No student can escape on any reason without participation.No grounds for fever and such silly grounds. Regarding themusic, mimicry, fancy dress, quiz etc there were not much rigidity for change.However class teacher may desire for such a change in his talk and sometimesprompt the same person for his outstanding talent. 6. Parippuvada, coffee and tea Many a timesuch small snacks used to be there during the mimicry, music etc. time. It wasthe duty of the treasurer to see the finance is properly spent. Many a time class teacher used tocompliment for it on his birthday,increment, birth of children etc. Some schools had some small allocation of funds.It was not rare some wealthy students’ parents used to compliment some times. While I was working as teacherin 1964’s, it was funded by school management if I recollect. 7. Topic of talk It can be anythingnot related to class subject. It can be about national leaders, about fruits,about flowers, about new scientific development, about temples, churches ormosques, about historical topics, about animal behaviour, about saints etcetc. Normally library used to help studentsand sometimes learnt parents also. Supplementary talkers should be able todevelop the topic of talking. 8. Music and charm In mixedclasses it was girls who used to participate mostly for music. Instrumental musicalso uses to be there. Since all the classes were having meeting, it wascustomary to keep such items after Principal and complimentary talks. Many atime one-class students may listen even to next class if the performance was excellent!!! 9. Mimicry It was thebest occasion for mimicry. Many students used to imitate other students (especiallygirls or book worms), teachers and there would be only laugh and laugh!!! 10 Fancy dress The onlystudents who were exempted from sitting throughout in the meeting were thoselisted for fancy dress and their one or two assistants since they required time for preparation. Sometimes those withinstrumental music also were exempted. 11. Quiz, Pazhamchol and Anthakshari Normally thesewere all kept mostly secrets by participants so that interest is created in thestudents. Many a times the teachers used to get puzzled by the students. 12. Bala Pamkthi and Heroism. On those daysall magazines had a few pages for children and many students use to enroll asmembers. Their publications too used to find a part during these meetings. Thecartoons drawn, small poems written etc. were exhibited or read. Such studentswere VIPs. 13. Class teacher’s and other teacher’s speech In the meetingclass teacher will appreciate all the talents expressed by the students. There will not be advices or strict corrections. IF THERE ARE GRAVEMISTAKES IT WILL BE TOLD IN A SIMPLE MANNER. Normally participating teacherswill make maximum appreciation only. It was a prestige for students whilecertain teachers participate in their class meeting and appreciate. Since wewere all adolescents the mostly reciprocation was smiling while seeing them laterand they too smile and again appreciate for improvement. An appreciation was aBIG THING for students from teachers. It was a cherishing memory to them. Onthose days walking with teacher and talking to them were a fancy to students. 14. No sleep on meeting day Still I recollecton a meeting a day cherishing its memories either not reading on the day or notgetting sleep. This was special when I was participatingand I was applauded or admired- Probably a natural phenomenon. Icould never concentrate on the day at all. 15. Dilemma of after noon teachers I will concludethis write up with this. Though the meeting was scheduled for last hour, allstudents will be in the meeting mood from the afternoon. Hence it wasimpossible for many students for concentrating in lessons. Hence very lightsubjects or revision was done during the earlier periods. After mygraduation for a brief period I was a teacher at Devaswam Board Highersecondary school at Trikkariyur near Kothamangalam in 1964’s. I was in chargeof standard X. During the period I couldwell experience the nature of students and talents and well promoted them as Icould. Still I could recollect the seen my students crowding and telling “SarPokanda” (Sir, you don’t leave the school) when I received the appointment inTelecom department and they got intimation I am going to resign the job. Cherishing memories!!!! -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. 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