Originally published in the Motif of September 11, 2006.

(Fr. Hess is an eminent educationist who has spent more than half a century setting up schools, colleges and centres for vocational training in Jharkhand, Bihar and Orissa.)

The teaching staff of Loyola School was small when I entered its portals as Principal in 1953. 285 students were enrolled. Classes ranged from Std. I to Std. Xl. Among the teachers facing me at the assembly was the smiling face of a young man, Reynold D’Souza. His smile was noteworthy because of its omnipresence and because it carried a genuine interest in those whom he taught.

Loyola had a class termed Special English in those days. All classes were small. English-speaking students came to Ski. III from Sacred Heart Convent which took boys up to Std. II only. There were applicants for the higher classes from some of the Hindi-medium schools of Jamshedpur. They were admitted to the Special English class after they had completed classes Std. II up to Std. V in the Hindi medium. It was the task of the Special English teacher to carry them through all of their previous studies once again, this time in English so that they would be prepared to fit into the proper English- medium classes at the end of the year.

Reynold D’ Souza was assigned to Special English. His was the task of handling 40 boys of various ages and various stages of education in all the school subjects. In one year he accomplished this with aplomb. The boys joined regular classes a year later, without losing a year of studies, with a fine appreciation of English and with an excellent accent.

Special English was assigned to a classroom which had a roof but no side walls. Later it became the school’s cycle shed and still later it made way for newer construction.

The reason for the classroom assignment was that in the early days the boys chanted words, poetry and also songs in the class. This they did with great enthusiasm, so much so that no other classes could be held in the same area.

That class was phased out when there were no longer vacancies in the classes to which they aspired.

After that phase-out, Reynold moved easily into the regular classes of the school. He was noted for his superb command of the language, his refined accent, and his noteworthy singing voice.

As a teacher he stood out for his willingness to undertake unusual assignments and for the enthusiasm which he displayed in working with the students. He had exhibited a genuine interest in their welfare. This was displayed not only in the classroom subjects, but in all their interests. Such an attitude is the mark of the born-teacher. Unfortunately, it is not the mark of all who enter the classroom. A school is fortunate in having such a man on its staff for his attitude can convey itself to others of the staff.

Reynold was always prepared for his classes, not only in knowledge but in the means which he thought out ahead of time for use in the classroom.

He sought the help of others with problems. One such remains in my mind. He spoke with me about two boys in a Std. V class, They always lagged behind others. He tried to talk with them singly and by other means. When nothing worked he began to sit with each of them for some time during a class writing exercise while praising every smallest improvement. He came to me later with a big smile to tell me that it had worked, that they were now up to the level of the rest of the class.

During my ten years of enjoyable association with Loyola we had a happy and talented teaching staff. Reynold was one of those who contributed to the professional and congenial atmosphere.

As did some others, he went on to assume the responsibility of Principal. He is remembered fondly and gratefully by those who had the opportunity of sitting in his classroom and absorbing a zest for knowledge.