Learning with the Mother

MAINTENANCE OF ATTENDANCE REGISTER & DISCIPLINE BADGES

A page from the attendance notebook

A sample of Discipline badges

The Mother encouraged us to maintain the attendance register. From 1950 onwards, She would see the register at the end of every month. In the beginning she would Herself write the names of all those children who had been punctual and present throughout the month and sign the notebook and give them a hand embroidered badge with Mother’s symbol.

These hand embroidered badges came to be known as Discipline badges and were made in Mother’s embroidery department. A small badge for a month of discipline which had to be returned at the end of the month and a special bigger discipline badge at the end of three months which could be retained by the child. Finally if a child maintained discipline for one year, he was awarded a discipline vest with one star along with the Mother’s symbol. The following year, if they maintained the regularity they would get another star added. At the end of the third year, one would get a vest with three stars. For every point lost for lack of discipline, the child would have to start all over again, right from the beginning.

These were very coveted prizes as they came from the Mother. Almost all the children made a keen effort to acquire the discipline badges from her hands, thus instilling into themselves the value of self-discipline which helped them also in their studies and other activities. This continued for quite some time.