A Field Trip To Somewhere.

Some of the best field trips that I remember was during my school days.I had to get permission from my parents for those trips convincing them that it was absolutely necessary that I go.Fortuantely for me my father was of the opinion that children should know how to live elsewhere and trained to do so whenever possible.So he used to allow me to go of course checking that the trip is accomapanied by school teachers and are never more than a day.This means the trip used to be of only of daytime duration and one had to be back by latest 9pm.He used to leave me at the premises where the school children are asked to assemble and also take me back when a night tired we all reach at 9 pm.

Most of these field trips used to be to dam sites and I have during my school days seen not less than four dams at least.The trips usually make us collect in the name of learning biology leaves. feathers and flowers and some nuts too and later usually a write up had to be done with the paraphernalia collected.I used to bring trivias as gifts to my siblings too.Some shells and even sands of various hues are brought home and treasured.

The trips done during my college days were rather more important acacdemically as assessment marks were there.Especially during teacher's training camps when I was doing my B.ed.there used to be acamp of fifteen days duartion during which we are asked to cook, entertain and generally conduct the camp applying learnt principles in coopeartive living.Being aknown slogger and hard worker it fell to my lot to arrange these things and I remember making my team mates wake up at early morning to ensure that we make dosa's for 70 campers.Evening entertainment was planned as a dance programme ,as fortuantely I had two dancers in my group.Then ensuring neatness and beauty in premises with decorations I had real work.But the reward came too.My group was decalred the best group, and I still remember a tired looking me with my group in a photograph taken then.The decorative piece in front of us was ,my flowervase on my box covered with an embroidered cloth and kept sideways to accentuate the photo.

Later the same dance had to be done during our teacher's day celebration and we also did a drama with the theme'Education Yesterday,Today & Tomorrow'.The river Ganges flowed with trooping dancers and on the shore Rishis and yogis taught in gurukul style, along with doctors and engineers holding deep discussions, holding equipments that are modern gadgetary. I was dressed in Gujarati style and someone else in some other dress indicating universal studenthood with freedom of expressions.

I remember all those teachers who instilled in us a confidence and who devoted their knowledge and time to us.This piece is a compliment to those teachers ,who were some times strict but because of them Iam disciplined and I have no complaints.

Jayamala.