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Going strong at 99
IT was an unusual homecoming for Janali K. Hussain (Japanwala), a former student of St. Stanislaus High School, Bandra, Mumbai, now settled in London. In a first floor flat of a building, "Wilmar", at Bandra's 14th Road, he had a memorable meeting with his favourite school teacher who had taught him English, History and Maths, some 40 years back.
"It was my good fortune that I could be present at the 99th birthday of my favourite teacher, William D'Souza (Master Willie)," enthused Hussain. "We did have some other good teachers at Stanislaus High School in those days but Master Willie was someone special. I remember him teaching us Cardinal Newman's essay, `Everyone is a Gentleman'".
The 99th birthday, celebrated recently, was special for Master Willie. The Jesuits Alumni Association of India (JAAI) at its bi-annual meeting in Mumbai honoured him with a special award. Present at the function were many of the distinguished old students of Master Willie: Cardinal Ivan Dias, PR expert, Roger Pereira, former Olympian hockey goalkeeper, Leo Pinto and so on.
Honours sit well on the frail shoulders of Master Willie. He lives alone at "Wilmar" and moves around the flat freely. His hearing, eyesight and other faculties are good. Sons and daughters live close by and drop in regularly. The veteran schoolmaster spends his time playing the violin, watching sports events on TV and reading Reader's Digest in special large type. A special favourite TV show is "Kaun Banega Crorepati". "It is wonderful watching Amitabh Bachchan," enthused Master Willie.
As I watched the frail figure, I remembered James Hilton's legendary fictitious character, Mr. Chips (Goodbye, Mr. Chips) who taught generations of students at a British boarding school and looked after it during World War I when most of the masters were out on the battlefront. Hundred and twenty four-year-old St. Stanislaus High School was not a boarding school, but had kept up the best traditions in education, sports and character building. And Master Willie had contributed a lot to that.
In a halting voice, recollecting events from the past slowly, Master Willie recounted his life. His grandfather was a long-serving teacher at Dadar's Antonio D'Silva High School, where he was among the first batch of SSC students. William himself studied at Orlam, Malad, and Stanislaus and took a degree in History from St. Xavier's College where he also did well in sports. "I was the badminton champion and also excelled in darts, football and hockey."
A letter of recommendation from Father Heras of St. Xavier's College helped William enter St. Stanislaus in 1927 and he stayed on for the next 42 years, teaching History, English, Latin and Maths to students of the 7th and 8th standards. He took his law degree and in 1942, after a school inspector pointed out he was not a trained teacher, he took his B.Ed. degree too, topping the list of students.
In the drawing room of his small flat, where cupboards were full of sporting trophies, and walls with family photographs, Master Willie recounted details of his career. "Each class had about 30 students and there were no disciplinary problems. Errant students were caned, that was part of school life and the parents did not object. I was well prepared for my classes, always on time and did not miss a single school day". He did have a sense of humour but did not reveal it to the students. All his three sons studied under him and he was extra strict with them.
Once when he announced that all the students had to get their mark sheets signed by their respective parents, there was laughter in the class! Master Willie's involvement with sports helped because sport was a big factor in the school, which had continued its domination in school football, hockey and athletics.
Three senior teachers of St. Stanislaus, William, Oliver and Neff, the first letters of whose names spelt "WON" were highly lauded. Parents flocked to them. "You must teach our sons because you had taught us," they requested. Retiring from the school in 1969, Master Willie continued to teach at Durello Convent, Avabai Petit High School and St. Aloysius High School. He was active till the age of 85, bicycling all over Bandra, going to the bank and doing the family shopping.
What kept him going all those years? Certainly, it was not money. "My starting salary was Rs. 90 and when I retired, I was making around Rs. 265," he recollected. "This was not enough to support a family of seven (wife and five children) so I had to take tuitions. Individual tuitions, mind you, not in groups. I used to make around Rs. 10 to Rs. 20 each from these tuitions." He left home at Malad around 7 a.m., completed a couple of tuitions, boarded the suburban train and got down at Vile Parle for more tuitions. In the evenings, he had further tuitions and reached home generally after 8 p.m. There was seldom any time to interact with the children, two daughters and three sons. "But teaching was an honourable job and I never regretted my choice," he explained.
"I was fortunate in my married life, my wife Mary looked after the home and the upbringing of the children. She saw to it they went to the right schools and colleges, and saved money for a family flat at Bandra," sighed Master Willie. James Hilton's Mr. Chips married late and lost his beloved wife within three years. Master Willie was luckier. His blissful married life with Mary went on for 67 years. She died last year at the age of 90. The two daughters, Lilla and Shirley also became teachers, but the three sons went their different ways. One of them, Eustace, settled down in Australia.
It was difficult to drag myself from this remarkable family. I asked Master Willie if he followed any particular philosophy in life. He wrinkled his brows and slowly replied, "Accept life as it is. Whatever is bound to happen will happen. Trust in God and pray to him". I nodded and left.
V. GANGADHAR
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