Personal: Memories as a Class Monitor

I have been appointed as a class representative in most of my schools and colleges. I think it was because I was always a more sincere student than most others. In school, my important role was limited to maintaining the attendance register and making some announcements. But in the high school, perhaps my role reached a pinnacle. I remember the days very well.
 

That was first year of my high school days, means I was in class 8th. I had done best in the exams and that made my teachers appoint me as the class monitor. In those days very less things interested me apart from studies. I was a serious student, exceptional for others, very introvert, very well mannered and these qualities definitely make us favourite of teachers. In those days whenever a teacher was late to report for the class, the class would become a pitched fish-market and the noise would reach even the Head Master’s cabin. So our class teacher fixed my major role as maintaining discipline in the class. In between two classes, no one would make a noise and if one does I would note his (it was all boys’ school) name on the blackboard. The next teacher who comes to the class would punish those guys. I came out as a very strict monitor. I didn’t allow anyone even to make a minute noise. For example, no one could even ask another for a pencil. The boys asked me to allow them to chat with each other in the lowest of voice possible, but I won’t accede. Some guys threatened me but I won’t budge. In those days it was not uncommon for some guys to even beat up opponents. But what came to my support was that I myself was always high on moral sense and always practiced what I preached. But for sheer sympathy towards the guilty, some times I would erase all the names before the teacher came. But many times I won’t show mercy and the guys would be punished, mostly by being made to keep standing up in front of the class. I can feel the silence that prevailed in the recess.
 

I now remember those days and can laugh at myself. I had taken the role so severely which my class mates didn’t deserve. If I allowed them to talk in whispers or to move around a bit by asking permissions, no great indiscipline would have happened. And I feel it was important to allow them to unwind in between the classes. What I did was to discipline them at the cost of them losing their humour and fun. And I now wonder at the patience of my class too – why they never revolted!