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HOW I ALMOST SAVED THE CLASS |
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By samwrite
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26 July 2006 |
An interesting story of how a young man tries to create change in a class of stubborn students I love to study during the break when most students go out to get lunch, the lecture schedule of the senior classes do not give time for frequent library visits and so I like to make the best use of my time. Another reason why I decided to stay back was to avoid the gazing eyes that embarrassed those cadet corps members who were clad in their camouflage uniforms in midweek.
As the students walked in, I quickly completed some of the assignments that we had been given during the morning lectures. An extrovert and out spoken classmate of mine Sarah screams when she comes in. “This classroom looks too beautiful to be inhabited” as she raises an alarm over the untidiness of the classroom. A strong affirmation comes immediately “ it’s the boys who bring in these things, we girls rarely litter the class.” Keep quite and listen to yourself” replies George who stares at the girls with an intimidating look. Jim throws his weight behind George and adds, “Only girls buy snacks and bring into the classroom unlike boys who do not care about staying in the school eatery. “ I interrupted the argument in attempt to reduce the noise “ okay, okay that’s enough. Can we refer to those whose duty it to sweep today?
The class captain walks up to the left hand side of the board to check the duty rooster and is caught up quickly in a frightening mood as she looks open the other sheet on the wall. “ What” Victoria screams looking back at the class? “ I really don’t think you know the next teacher to come in now, “says Victoria as she addresses the class. Immediately, her words and gesture tells us all that Mr. Paul our form master and also our language instructor will be coming in soon. The guest must be right.
The last time he found the classroom this way, we all went back home with our back swollen as a result of the severe flogging. He never bothers about those on the duty rooster. He just makes sure we all get to take part in the punishment. On this very day, I will be an exception because I was on my cadet uniform. But I noticed that everyone became quite and realized the need for a resolution that must be quick and effective. Eyes began to meet in suggestive gestures and no one was willing to bell the cat.
I stood up and walked to the corner of the classroom to grab the long broom. It seemed like a dream to the class until I bent a little and began to sweep. They were all humbled at first and then began to taunt me. “Wow, this is great. I never really knew you were this good at cleaning up”. “Maybe you should take up a similar job at the federal service, “said Jim” “who knows you could be promoted to the rank of a lieutenant when you may now have to use a machine to sweep” Sarah added. I never cared about what they were saying but just went ahead.
I then picked up the waste bin to empty it outside the classroom and at this point the noise level had moved up so much so that I could hear the voices from my class at the other end of the school corridor. As I walked past the other classes, I also saw some students turning their heads wondering what was happening in the classrooms behind them. All this noise became deadened on my way back when only a few steps away to my classroom, I still didn’t hear a voice. At first, it didn’t occur to me that Mr. Paul had walked in until I saw the class kneeling with their hands in the air.
Mr. Paul went directly to his desk and I definitely knew what he was about to pull out. He was so furious he didn’t even respond well to my greeting. You are welcome sir, “ I said in a voice that didn’t show that I was afraid in anyway. I knew these students were in trouble and would definitely desire a quick return to the last few minutes of their lives to correct the wrongs. They wouldn’t mind burying their heads in their book as the teacher walked in. But then it was already too late and I could see the hearts of some tugging their shirts in fear of what was to come.
Please sir, I beg on their behalf. Please forgive them. “All of my pleadings with Mr. Paul fell on deaf ears as he called out the class captain to receive the first set of strokes. “Victoria, come here quickly” She jumps up as though she had been kneeling on red-hot iron. I felt I could have done more to save the class but sometimes your best is never enough except it is complemented by the best of others.
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