Thursday, June 8, 2017

FR. LEO CARVALHO'S DREAM by Mr. Arun D'Souza

FR.  LEO  CARVALHO’S  DREAM

It was 1945.  The World was trying to extricate itself from the conflagration of a horrifying War.  Not just thousands, but millions, had died, and countless other millions were struggling to cope with the famine, devastation and loss of mutual trust that had resulted.

In a quiet corner of Mysore State, Fr. Leo Carvalho agonized over a problem that may have seemed minor by comparison, but in fact was just as vexing.  He had inherited a Higher Primary school as part of his parish.  Together with Little Flower Higher Primary School, they had been educating the students of Bajpe and the surrounding villages since as far back as  1893  -  but only as far as class 7.  It was now clear that a High School was needed :  but how was he to find the resources  -  both material and personnel ?

He put it to the parishioners, and their response was immediate and enthusiastic.  Within a short period of time, in those difficult times, St. Joseph’s High School came into being, with Mary Mabel D’Souza as Headmistress, and teachers who made up for their lack of experience with a determination to learn, and give what was best for the students.  Fr. Leo Carvalho remained the Correspondent until 1967, when the Catholic Board of Education of Mangalore Diocese picked up the baton.  The progress of the school had been led by Mr. John B. Monteiro, Mr. S.D. Lobo and Mr. Thomas E. Sequeira.  In 1967 itself, St. Joseph’s acquired the status of a Higher Secondary institution ;  and in 1970, that of a Pre-University College, when Fr. Aveline D’Silva was Correspondent.

Fr. Bernard L. D’Souza  brought another level of energy to the enterprise.  As Principal, and later as Correspondent, he built buildings wherever the need arose, and a printing press to give practical training towards employability, as well as to produce printed matter that was in short supply.  He organized coaching classes for students getting ready for the final examinations  -  and so it was no surprise to those in the know, that some of St. Joseph’s students had now been  honoured with high ranks at state level.  The dream of Fr. Leo Carvalho had now become a bustling enterprise.  Besides becoming a temple of academic learning, St. Joseph’s was turning into a place that students loved to come to, for co-curricular activities, for games and sports, and to meet teachers who matched their excitement with encouragement and continual challenge.

When the Christian Brothers appeared on the horizon in 1976, Fr. Bernard spared no effort to make Bajpe their choice of destination.  Br. Wilfred D’Souza and Br. Jus Harrison had no difficulty deciding that Bajpe was where they would put down anchor.  They, and the Brothers after them, brought with them their formidable qualifications and experience in running institutions all over the world.  They brought with them, too, the spirit of a Founder who had turned grief into compassion, a man who could not bear to see children deprived of the joy of education, no matter what the reason (or excuse).

There was a minor crisis when the Brothers discovered that St. Joseph’s was a co-educational institution :  the Christian Brothers had hitherto never ventured into the education of girls.  And so a special permission had to be obtained from the headquarters of the Christian Brothers, which had then just moved to Rome.  And the Christian Brothers never looked back.  Education for them never meant just teaching in class.  Sports and games were an integral part of the educational process.  The team spirit engendered there complemented the theory imparted in the classroom ;  students who were unable to produce brilliance in academics could rejoice that their prowess on the field was just as valuable to the world ;  and  mens sana in corpore sano  was not just a difficult Latin quotation, but an essential feature of the learning enterprise for every human being

The power of the reading habit had always been part of the Brothers’ teaching method.  In order to build up the library, Br. Wilfred and his successors at the Principal’s desk scoured bookstores, studied the libraries of other schools, and pleaded with their managements to help with funds.  The emphasis they placed was clear in the set-up of the library and the Librarian employed on a permanent basis.  In addition, the Brothers themselves worked with the students to improve their speaking and handwriting :  skills that would propel them ahead in life when the  “marks”  were not enough to get them lucrative positions !   Elocution, quiz, extempore speaking, debating, singing  were some of the tools.  On their part, the local tradition of Yakshagana was something the Brothers had to learn.  Now and then a musical extravaganza was organized :  these were massive undertakings, and students learned not only music, but speaking, stagecraft, blending of one with the other, costuming, backstage props, lighting, sound systems, funding, advertizing, protocol  -  even  20 years later, many students who had been swept up in these whirlwinds confessed that they had forgotten most of what they had learned in class, but they could relate dozens of incidents during  “opera practice”  as if they had happened the day before !   Many friendships formed in those happy days ;  and in fact, some of them blossomed into marriage !

But, far away from the centre stage, there was also a quiet revolution taking place in Bajpe that most people were hardly aware of.  In  1945  people of Bajpe had gladly described themselves as  “villagers”  -  with all the derogatory connotations that went with it.  By and large they saw themselves as inferior to those in places  “with the bright lights”.  Most of their ambitions were directed to the big cities in India, and the Gulf, and the West.  There is a perceptible change now.  As one looks at the staff that keeps the wheels of St. Joseph’s turning today, it is clear that they think differently.  Many of them have had the opportunity to be elsewhere  -  and instead have chosen, definitively, to give back to St. Joseph’s what they got from dedicated people in their own lives.  For the last twenty years, their Principal has been a native of the locality ;  most of the teachers come from walking distance.   Fr. Leo Carvalho could not have dreamed of a nobler form of empowerment !

The Brothers have been a part of the story of St. Joseph’s for the last forty years.  They will be missed in Bajpe :  of that there is no doubt.  Personal relationships have been formed and strengthened over the years  -  there has to be a sense of loss and grief as the Brothers move away.  But the people on whom the mantle of leadership has fallen are well able to step up and take over.  The students of the next generation will lose nothing of the dedication and care that have been the characteristics of St. Joseph’s.  All it takes is the same kind of support that the parish gave to their vicar in  1945.

Fr. Leo Carvalho’s dream continues .. ..


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