Students of Patha Bhavan practise for a cultural event. Picture by Sanat Kumar Sinha

We used to begin our days by singing Rabindrasangeet and regularly took part in literary meets and tree planting ceremonies. But the best part of our school life was the unique student-teacher camaraderie that we enjoyed,” recollects former student Siddhartha Chatterjee who played Tapesh Mitter in Satyajit Ray’s Sonar Kella.

Time has not tarnished the spirit of Patha Bhavan, though some of its traditions are lost now. Queuing up for the morning assembly, the students still begin their day with a Rabindrasangeet.

They also have a ‘sahitya sabha’, before the school closes for vacations. However, its current batch of students are unable to hold regular tree-planting sessions.

“We make portraits of Tagore and also decorate the classrooms before any literary discussion,” says Class XII student Srejoni Banerjee. The students also write their own essays, poems, stories and read them out at these soirees. Tagore’s birth and death anniversaries are also observed in style.

Founded on June 28, 1965, Patha Bhavan is in many ways a model school. It has done away with examinations till Class IV. The students are assessed on their class performance. “There is no point detaining students at the preliminary stage because it has a demoralising effect on them,” says maths teacher Dipankar Sarkar, who has been with the school for 40 years.

The school does not believe in ranking its students either. “They are only given prizes for extra-curricular activities like singing, creative writing, elocution and debates,” he adds.

“The school encourages a mix of tradition and modernity. Singing Rabindrasangeet does not mean that our students are not allowed to sing band songs, but they definitely cannot forget their roots,” asserts history teacher Urmi Chaudhuri.

“We had an excellent rapport with our teachers, not just within the class but also outside. We could share our problems with them as well,” says Arijit Ganguly, an ex student. “We at Patha Bhavan do not organise farewells as they symbolise an end to the everlasting teacher-student relationship,” chips in another student Mukulika Sen Roy.

But many teachers prefer the old times. “Earlier the number of students were less and thus they could be given greater attention,” rues Sarkar.

A number of illustrious people like educationists Sushobhan Sarkar, Dr Amiya Bose, Justice Tarun Kumar Bose and filmmaker Satyajit Ray were associated with the school in its formative years. Just like Santiniketan, here too art and craft is given a special thrust with the students being taught clay modelling, puppet making, tie and dye and calligraphy.

Jhinuk Mazumdar

A glimpse of sea life

Students take a boatride during a five-day course on marine awareness

Last month, a group of LTSers from St Xavier’s College joined students of Ballygunge Shiksha Sadan for a five-day course on marine awareness at Sea Explorers’ Institute in Babughat.

On the first day, Pranabesh Sanyal, former additional chief conservator of forests, spoke to the group of 20 about different regions of a sea, killer whales, turtles, fatal jelly fishes, coral reefs.

In the second half, students were taught the basics of rowing.

The second day, with life jackets firmly strapped, the participants tried their hand at kayaking. They also received instructions on many life saving techniques, in case of mishaps. A doctor conducted a session on first aid on the third day with live demonstrations. The day was topped off with a speedboat ride along the Hooghly, a first time experience for many.

On the fourth day, Kaustuv Chaudhury of Kolkata Atronomy Centre gave a lecture on navigational astronomy. Students learnt how celestial bodies affect the sea and the way they are used for navigational purposes.

In the second half, in a session on environment analysis, the rampant pollution on the Ganga was discussed.

The instructor also demonstrated how samples of water are tested for polluting elements like arsenic and other industrial chemicals.

On the last day, they were taken to a 108 year-old ship, named Holland. The students were taught how various parts of a ship functioned. They also saw the tidebook, called the mariner’s bible and used for predicting the movement of tides.

Ankit Baranwal, an LTS member from St Augustine’s School, Ripon Street, who also attended the course, found the session on first aid useful: “I realised how necessary it is to know how to administer first aid. No one can say where we might find ourselves in future.”

Priti Chhabra,
Second year, B.Com
St Xavier’s College

Shout out loud

What’s on your mind this week

No concession

This year’s railway budget had allowed female students, on their way to school/college, to travel on local trains for free. My friends and I welcomed this concession as we travel everyday from Madhyamgram to our college in Majherhat. Recently we approached the Sealdah station Enquiry to obtain the free cards. But we were told that our college identity card would serve the purpose. Another railway official at Majherhat confirmed it. Thus we began travelling with only our id cards. However, a ticket checker at Sealdah station demanded a fine of Rs 250 from my friend for not carrying a ticket. When she explained, he denied being informed about such a provision. Whom do we trust now? Was the ticket checker wrong or is it one of the many concessions are announced but never comes into effect?

Moumita Mazumder