During my Secondary school days, I used to be the Head Prefect. And accordingly, I had to be very strict and disciplined in order to be a role model for the students. But how do I teach my fellow prefects to behave themselves too?
One of my prefects, Jas, who was also my friend in the same class, was a real havoc girl then, with a punkish hair style and quite kinky dress sense. Some of us would remember that in the 1980s there was such a trend among teens; wearing colourful ties, weird looking shoes, and sticking a big hair brush behind the pants, attending afternoon tea dances and visiting Zouk. Anyway, I had "helluva-time" keeping Jas under control. My form teacher, Mrs June, who happened to be the discipline mistress, naturally had a bad impression of her and actually made things difficult for me because I was supposed to watch Jas' behaviour.
Once in class, Mrs June conducted a spot check on our attire. Jas was ordered into the toilet. One side of Jas' hair was very short and the other side was a very long fringe. She had prepared herself, she had gelled up her fringe so that it won't fall off. Mrs June knew her trick, and asked Jas to jump on the spot a few times. Of course all her gelled up hair came crumbling down. Mrs June then took the scissors and snipped off her "oh-so-stylish" fringe. Jas was so furious that she complained and complained. And I got scolded by both for nothing!
At that time, I couldn't help but sympathised with Jas for Mrs June was indeed quite unreasonable and ridiculous. I was amazed at the things teachers in those days would do to prove that they were right. So although I was supposed to be on the "right side of the law", I really didn't approved of the way Mrs June had handled the situation.
Anyway, Jas is still one of my best friends today. The moral of the story is....no matter how big an authority we are, we can be wrong sometimes, and sometimes, when we're wrong, we should not be ashamed to admit it. As they say.....
When I am right, nobody remembers!
When I am wrong, nobody forgets!
One of my prefects, Jas, who was also my friend in the same class, was a real havoc girl then, with a punkish hair style and quite kinky dress sense. Some of us would remember that in the 1980s there was such a trend among teens; wearing colourful ties, weird looking shoes, and sticking a big hair brush behind the pants, attending afternoon tea dances and visiting Zouk. Anyway, I had "helluva-time" keeping Jas under control. My form teacher, Mrs June, who happened to be the discipline mistress, naturally had a bad impression of her and actually made things difficult for me because I was supposed to watch Jas' behaviour.
Once in class, Mrs June conducted a spot check on our attire. Jas was ordered into the toilet. One side of Jas' hair was very short and the other side was a very long fringe. She had prepared herself, she had gelled up her fringe so that it won't fall off. Mrs June knew her trick, and asked Jas to jump on the spot a few times. Of course all her gelled up hair came crumbling down. Mrs June then took the scissors and snipped off her "oh-so-stylish" fringe. Jas was so furious that she complained and complained. And I got scolded by both for nothing!
At that time, I couldn't help but sympathised with Jas for Mrs June was indeed quite unreasonable and ridiculous. I was amazed at the things teachers in those days would do to prove that they were right. So although I was supposed to be on the "right side of the law", I really didn't approved of the way Mrs June had handled the situation.
Anyway, Jas is still one of my best friends today. The moral of the story is....no matter how big an authority we are, we can be wrong sometimes, and sometimes, when we're wrong, we should not be ashamed to admit it. As they say.....
When I am right, nobody remembers!
When I am wrong, nobody forgets!
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