티마루 보이스 하이스쿨의 기숙사 사감선생님들의 이야기...

티마루 보이스 하이스쿨 보딩에서 지난 45년동안 학생들의 어머니의 역할을 해 오셨던 Judith Vercoe and Jeanette Davis가 보딩에 대해서 이야기를 한것이 티마루 해럴드에 실렸네요.

내년부터는 기숙사에서 아이들과 함께 생활하는 기숙사감제를 운영하게 되어서 은퇴아닌 은퇴를 하시게 되었는데, 지난 45년동안 남자학생들이 문제가 있을때마다 언제든지 해결해 주시는 역할을 하였던 분들입니다.

 

이 두분이 말씀을 하시기를 9학년에 보딩에 오는 아이들은 매우 쾌할하고 행복한 아이들이며, 10학년은 매우 쾌활하지는 않지만11학년은 매우 Horrible하며, 12학년에는 이 정도가 좀더 나아지며 13학년에는 완벽한 학생이라고 말씀을 하시네요. 아마도 혈기 왕성한 아이들을 볼도시다보니 이런 부분에 대해서 많이 아실것 같네요.

"They come in as delightful little boys in year 9, are not so delightful in year 10, are horrible in year 11, better in year 12 and are perfect by year 13," Mrs Vercoe said of the changes she sees in the boys.

 

보딩에 갈때는 모든 옷에 택을 달라는 충고와 아이들에게 보딩학교에 가는것이 벌이 아니라, 좋은 경험이라고 미리 알려주는것 역시 아이들이 보딩에서 적응을 잘 하는 좋은 방법이라고 합니다. 요즘아이들은 예전의 학생들보다 Homesick등은 거의 없어졌다고 하는데아마도 핸드폰이나, 인터넷으로 가족들과 연락을 자주하기때문이라고 하네요.

 

남자보딩학교에서의 엄마와 같은 역할-Marton으로의 역할...45년이면 참 긴 기간아닌가요????

 

Judith Vercoe and Jeanette Davis are the last two women who will ever hold the title of matron at Timaru Boys' High School's Thomas House hostel.

With next year's change in staff duties, the boarders will be cared for by a residential manager, a change in title, but still someone who can provide a motherly touch.

Between them, the women have given the hostel more than 45 years of service and have helped care for at least 500 boys.

Ask them about their role, and it is obvious how they have substituted for the boys' mothers whenever necessary. The matrons say there have been boarders who have been terribly homesick and the everyday things that annoyed them will sound familiar to mothers – clothes lying on the floor, beds not made properly and clean washing not put away.

More serious misdemeanours were for the housemasters to deal with.

With their official title being matron, Mrs Vercoe wonders whether some boys knew their proper names. She once put a note on the board asking a boy to come and see "Mrs Vercoe", but he did not arrive. A message to see Matron would have got a quicker response.

Ask about the ratbags they have known, Mrs Davis said matrons probably only get to know 30 per cent of the students well – the very good or very bad.

Most of the boarders come from "good solid farming backgrounds", Mrs Vercoe said, and such boys had often known for years they would go to boarding school. Not-so-perfect students were those who had been placed in the hostel as a "babysitting service".

"They come in as delightful little boys in year 9, are not so delightful in year 10, are horrible in year 11, better in year 12 and are perfect by year 13," Mrs Vercoe said of the changes she sees in the boys.

The boys seem less homesick these days, thanks, they suspect, to having cellphones and being able to ring home as often as they like. They also come for a night and a day at the end of year 8 which helps familiarise them with the hostel.

Having dealt with so many boarders, the matrons can offer some simple advice to parents to ensure their son gets off to a good start at boarding school.

Make sure he knows he is going to boarding school long before it happens.

Make it clear that boarding school is not a punishment.

Tag all his clothes. Each year bags of nameless clothing are taken to the opportunity shop.

 

-티마루 해럴드 12/10-