School Souviner Final Draft

BHPV SCHOOL
MEGA REUNION
1978-1993 Batches
Childhood Then
and Now!
lthough it wasn't as popular as “Malgudi
ADays, I bet most of us would agree that
the 'B.H.P.V Days' were just as much if
not more fun-filled and adventurous. A freeroaming,
campus that seemed endless but yet
secure with boundaries and security uncles
keeping watch.
We all know the kind of beautiful childhood we
had. Everything taught us life skills. Walking to
school and running back home for lunch and to
be back at school on time taught us time
management. Going to Krishna store or to
Kanna Rao's for grocery/vegetables and doing
the transaction in cash taught us trade and
money management in its small way. The
neighbors, celebrating every festival of every
faith and sharing the joy of that festival together,
taught us how to live in communal harmony.
This was our community – all parents worked
together in some shape or form, mostly all
siblings went to the same school, all parents
knew all teachers, all parents knew all parents –
Gosh, there was no escape! For those among us
that liked to be challenging, we didn't get much
far because, the teachers would get to us before
it went to our parents. We were given what we
called then 'punishments' right there, which
taught us discipline and that there is always
consequences. We didn't have to pay to play a
sport or be in any extra-curricular activity. I
remember Subbaraidu sir teaching us to play
football. He let all the girls form 2 teams and play
against each other. I at least never realized that
gender discrimination was a thing, at least not in
our school.
Well some of us were excellent students, some
of us average students, some were what they
1988 Batch
Dr. Glory Janes
called 'poor' students, and some of us were
considered useless students. No matter where
we were on this spectrum, we all turned out as
successful adults. And I'm definitely not
measuring success by material achievements.
Most of us have never been accused of criminal
activity or been in jail. Isn't that enough now to
be called successful in today's world? If we're
responsible adults, and trying to do the best for
our children, spouses, parents and to the society,
that's a successful adult. What we learn in
childhood seldom brings results in childhood.
The fruits of a good and healthy childhood are
seen in the adult years. So yes, thanks to a
wonderful, free-spirited, boundary-less,
physically active, mentally strong, and culturally
diverse childhood. Now think about the
childhood our children have on those arameters.
Hmm, yeah. Not quite the same isn't it. And this
is not just our children, but the children as a
whole in this era are missing a vital part of
childhood.
Outdoor play and activity aren't safe anymore.
Not unless we know who they are playing with,
and they be in our sight. Electronics have taken
over outdoor activities. They are so much well
informed and smarter than I ever was at that
age. They don't walk to school or take a bus and
buy a ticket. Not that they should go through the
same stuff we did, but I wonder if they are
missing out on learning some essential life skills.
Just a thought. And not that we can do anything
to change it either. The society and the family
setting has changed and like we all know,
change is inevitable.
Some of us might sometimes feel that our
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