A Tribute
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Late Mr. Terence Ernest Monteiro Date of joining : 27 July 1963 Classes taught : English Language and Literature in Class
VIII Special Interests : Dramatics, Direction of Spouse Name : Yvonne Joan Names of children : Christine, Della,
Richard, Charmaine & Neil. |
My work was mainly in the Jr. School and I worked under
the headships of Mrs. Brooks, Mrs. Minto and Mr. Cleophas, till I eventually took over the department in
1976. I also taught English Language and Literature in class VIII for about
twelve years. On a number of occasions I have also officiated as
Headmaster and have had a wonderful working relationship with all the staff.Yet, it is with the Jr. School staff and students
that I have been most comfortable with. The early years were turbulent ones as we had just got
over the Chinese incursion of 1962. Many staff had left and the School had to
be evacuated to Gopalpur on Sea for a while. In
1965 there was the Pakistani threat of war from North-West. School work was frequently disrupted and plans for
evacuation were always in progress during those troubled times. Then came the disaster of 1968, which I have covered at length
in an article in Simon Mainwaring’s book, ‘A
Century of Children’. The natural calamity caused immense suffering and it
took a very long time for normalcy to return. The War for the liberation of In the midst of all this we carried on with classes
(whenever we could), co-curricular activities, music and drama which are very
part of life on the compound. The Staff Plays were a real scream in those days and
still are. The townsfolk made it a point to stay back after an exhausting day
at the May Fair to witness the plays. My main interest has been in direction
and I have enjoyed directing plays with the staff and the senior students for
the last twenty years. In my long association with the Homes, I have naturally
worked under several Principals, Headmaster and with numerous colleagues. It
has been a wonderful experience and I have cherished every moment. I have
found immense satisfaction in working among the underprivileged and less
fortunate children and I know that the Homes will grow from strength to
strength. A Century of Caring for Children will go on for Centuries
to come. Long live Homes!!! Late T.E. Monteiro Head of Jr. School
excerpt
from Thorough magazine 2000 |
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My long association with Dr.
Graham’s Homes, started out on the 27th of July 1963. I arrived on
the compound on a very wet and misty afternoon. The fog was so dense that
visibility was very poor.Being my first visit to
the hills, I was a bit disillusioned as to whether I
had made the correct decision in coming to work up here. I was met at the Main Office by then Cottage
Superintendent, Miss Daisy Fowles, who handed me
over to a young, impeccably dressed gentleman, Bernard Brooks, who
immediately put me at ease with his friendly approach. One question kept
bothering me as to what sort of a person the principal was. I put this
question to my escort and was surprised and much relieved to know that he was
indeed the Acting Principal, as Dr. Minto (then Mr.
J.R. Minto) was away in That first evening I had tea at Graham House with Mr.
Brooks. I was briefed about the school and the backgrounds from which many of
our less fortunate children came.I was also told in
no uncertain terms that I was never to humiliate a child and never to refer
to a child’s background. If ever I was found wanting in this, I should be
prepared to leave in twenty-four hours. Having been given the eleventh and
twelfth commandment I braced myself to face the challenge before me. The following day was bright and clear and as I made my
way along the winding paths to the School buildings and some of the cottages
I was truly amazed at the scenic beauty which began to unfold before my very
eyes. This setting amidst the majestic grandeur of the There are so many fond memories of this place that it is
difficult to pin-point a few. The homely atmosphere has to be experienced to
be believed. The rapport between the Staff and the Students is such that the
students never hesitate to confide in or to seek guidance and counseling
where necessary. The
Cottage System, I found to be a real ‘home away from home’.Children
of all castes and creeds coming from different backgrounds life in perfect
harmony with each other and no distinction has ever been made between those
who have and those who do not |
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