Mrs. Hilda Aranha given warm send off on her retirement as teacher of St. Lawrence High School, Mood

By Eugene DSouza
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi, 30 Aug 2014: After a long dedicated and fulfilling service of 39 years as a teacher in St. Lawrence Kannada Medium High School, Moodubelle, Mrs. Hilda Aranha who has been the Senior Teacher (Headmistress) since 2011, was given a warm send off in anticipation of her retirement from 1 September 2014 by the Management, Principal, staff and students of St. Lawrence PU College and St. Lawrence Kannada Medium High School on Saturday, 30 August 2014 at 11 am in St. Lawrence PU College Hall.

 

Rev. Fr. Joswey Fernandes, Correspondent of St. Lawrence Group of Educational Institutions presided over the send off function. Rev. Fr. Clement Mascarenhas-Secretary of the Catholic Education Society, Udupi (CESU) was the chief guest. Besides Mrs. Hilda Aranha, other dignitaries on the dais included Rev. Fr. Paul Sequeira-Principal of St. Lawrence PU College, Mrs. Sarojini Kamath-Senior Teacher of St. Lawrence Kannada Medium High School, J.B. Miranda-husband of Mrs. Hilda Aranha and Alphonse K. Alva-Vice President of Parish Pastoral Council.

 

Following the welcome address by Rev. Fr. Paul Sequeira, Prajwal Suvrna and Shiny Alva, representing the high school and PU college respectively spoke about their experience with Mrs. Hilda Aranha as their teacher. Mrs. Sarojini Kamath narrated her association with Mrs. Hilda Aranha since they used to attend the B.Ed. classes and as teachers in the school and neighbours in the Teachers’ Colony, Madikettu.

 

Rev. Fr. Joswey Fernandes and Rev. Fr. Clement Mascarenhas honoured Mrs. Hilda Aranha and her husband J.B. Miranda by draping shawl around their shoulders, offering garlands, fruit plate and memento along with the citation which was earlier read by Srinivas Ballal, senior teacher in St. Lawrence Kannada Medium High school.

 

Student representatives and teaching and non-teaching staff of both high school and PU College felicitated Mrs. Hilda Aranha by offering her flowers. On behalf of Rajendra Shetty-President of Belle Grama Panchayat, Charles Quadros offered a flower garland to Mrs. Hilda Aranha.

 

Following the felicitation song by the students of the high school, Mrs. Hilda Aranha in her response to the warm send off and felicitation, thanked Almighty God for his blessings. She recalled emotionally the role of her parents in educating her and making her worthy to be a teacher. Mrs. Hilda Aranha gratefully recalled as how she became the teacher in the very school in which she had studies up to PUC and remembered late Rev. Fr. VGF Rego who had given her appointment. She thanked all the Correspondents, Principals, teacher colleagues, non-teaching staff and students who cooperated with her in her teaching service. Mrs. Hilda Aranha also gave credit to her husband J.B. Miranda, two sons and daughter-in-law for being a strong support in her life. She expressed sadness on the fact that she will not be in the company of the teachers and students, however, she continued saying that a teacher is always a teacher even after her retirement.

 

 

Mrs. Hilda Aranha handed over a cheque to Rev. Fr. Joswey Fernandes and expressed her desire that from 2015, those students who score highest marks in the SSLC examinations in the subjects of English and Social Studies should be given cash prizes out of the interest accrued on that amount which would be kept in fixed deposit.

 

On this occasion, those students of the high school who had won prizes in the Cluster level Pratibha Karanji were given certificates.

 

In his message, Rev. Fr. Clement Mascarenhas conveyed best wishes from the Bishop of Udupi Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo to Mrs. Hilda Aranha on her retirement and appreciated the long teaching service that she had rendered in St. Lawrence Kannada Medium High School.

 

In his presidential address, Rev. Fr. Joswey Fernandes on behalf of the parish conveyed best wishes and fruitful retired life to Mrs. Hilda Aranha.  He greatly appreciated her dedicated and sincere service to the institution and said that thousands of students whom she had taught were fortunate of having had her as their teacher.

 

Devdas Hebbar-President of the Old Students Association, Rev. Fr. P. Raj-Principal of St. Lawrence English Medium High School,  Mrs. Ida Gibba D’Souza-member of the Udupi Zilla Panchayat, Manager of Syndicate Bank, Moodubelle Branch and Johnson Miranda-son of Mrs. Hilda Aranha were present for the farewell function.

 

John Castelino compeered the programme and Mrs.Alvina D’Souza proposed the vote of thanks.