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The year was 1924. Education, especially formal education for the girl child, was almost unheard of, and definitely not encouraged. Mancherji Edulji Joshi strode onto the scene like a colossus and with his foresight and his vision brightened the lives of several girls, bestowing on them the gift of education.

The J. B. Vachha (JBV) High School for Parsi Girls and the Cowasjee Jehangir Primary & Infant School came into existence 100 years ago on June 24, 1924 under the auspices of the Parsi Central Association Co-operative Housing Society Limited, Parsi Colony, Dadar, thanks to the munificence and the efforts of Joshi. The institute started with 25 infants and Goolan Bulsara was its first principal. Blending in beautifully with the leafy environs of the Dadar Parsi Colony, the School abuts the Five Gardens.

As this writer had described in her poem Ode to JBV, built "brick by brick, thought by thought,” the School was aided and guided by visionary founders and philanthropists. Endowments and donations flowed in to meet expanding needs.   

In June 1927, a separate school building was constructed, thanks largely to the efforts of Lady Hirabai Cowasjee Jehangir. In 1936, Hirjee Colah, the sole trustee of the Seth Jehangirji Burjorji Vachha Trust donated the then substantial amount of Rs 2,84,000 (USD 3,420) to the School on the condition that the middle and high school be named the "Jehangirji Burjorji Vachha High School for Parsi Girls.” The ground floor of a new building was financed by Lady Hirabai along with the Sir Dorab Tata and Sir Ratan Tata Trusts. In 1937 an additional first floor was financed by A. D. Baria and the building named The Rohinton Baria Memorial Building. The trustees added a second floor in 1957.

Now in its centennial year the School which follows the ICSE curriculum ranks 10th in India and fourth in Bombay among day schools for girls. It has always been in the English medium but for a brief experiment with Gujarati which was soon discontinued. Originally meant only for Parsi girls, the School later became cosmopolitan. For some years boys were permitted in the primary school up to Std IV.

The School has four houses named after Iranian queens of yore:  Shernaaz (green), Faranakh (yellow), Godafarid (red) and Purandokht (blue).  

  Photos: Jasmine D. Driver

The centenary celebrations commenced with a variety program, "Memories, Yaadein,” on October 21, 2023 at the School’s packed Jehangir Memorial School Hall. Conceptualized by former teacher Shernaz Talati and produced and organized by the Vachha & C. J. School Ex-Students Association, it showcased the talents and achievements of former students.

After the ceremonial lamp was lit and the School flag unfurled by chief guest and trustee Hoshang Sinor, principal Banoo Dastur-Makoojina and president of the Ex-Students Association Jasmine Siganporia, tributes were paid to the founders, principals and teachers. The recital of Ode to JBV, written for the occasion, and the choir singing the School anthem followed. A variety program was a riot of color, song, dance and shayari (poetry). Honorable mention was made of former JBV students in the field of education who became principals and professors in reputed institutions. An old school hand, Changdev More, a loyal and hard-working staff member was felicitated on stage by the chief guest.

The slickly produced three-and-a-half-hour program evoked nostalgia among present day professionals, teachers, principals, writers, artists, singers and homemakers. They recalled their school days when they proudly wore the white and blue JBV uniform with the badge sporting the School motto "Laborare Est Orare (Work is Worship.)” Memories were revived of sitting in pairs on the benches, stifling giggles and whispers under the stern eyes of adept teachers with a passion for teaching and hearts of gold.

Apart from academic achievements, JBV ensured students acquired other skills. Cookery classes, taught in the big "cookery room” on the ground floor, with a stove and an oven were great fun. Having to eat what one cooked was a mixed blessing! Each student was allotted one dish about a week in advance of the examination. On the exam day we had to bring everything from home for the dish. My allotted dish was Bengali potatoes and parathas. I must have done something right because I got the highest marks! My grandmother refused to believe me, lamenting to my mother that since I did no cooking at home "what will this girl feed her husband? She has her head in a book all the time!”  

For embroidery we were taught stem stich, back stich, cross stich… I still have some small table mats and napkins embroidered from my school days. Craft classes were both fun and educational. For an exam we had to decorate lampshades using any medium of our choice. I recall embellishing mine with glass beads. Music and art were encouraged; we had excellent teachers for both Indian and Western music, dancing, and now even ballet.

In the first aid and mother-craft classes we learned to tie bandages, apply tourniquets, etc, practicing our skills on hapless fellow students. Religious instruction and moral values were inculcated. The School has science and computer laboratories and a well-stocked library.

  

  Photo: Jasmine D. Driver

Inter-class, inter-house and inter-school competitions were encouraged, with Vachhaites taking active part in essay writing, debating, elocution, music, dance and sports competitions.  

"Vachhaites, eyes right check!” That stentorian cry still resonates in my memory, reviving the thrilling times we marched to the bands, generally at the closing of inter-school sports days. Vachhaites excelled at both track and field events. The march-past was the impressive finale. We practiced on the playground, with music played by the bands from the nearby boys’ schools, the Dadar Parsee Youths Assembly (DPYA) or Don Bosco. Throwball and softball matches were held in the playshed which had gymnastics bars and other equipment.     

Students dined together at long tables in the lunch room, adjacent to the playshed. Tiffins were brought/sent from home or food supplied by the School at a reasonable rate. The latter was wholesome and delectable. My favorite desserts were boiled peanuts and mumra (puffed rice) chikki.

An issue preoccupying the School management currently is the introduction of the new education policy of the union government. This mandates, among other enhancements, the inclusion of the 11th and 12th grades within schools. Dastur-Makoojina, who has been principal since 2005, said, "We have the infrastructure to expand… We have the competent teachers required.” She spoke to us on December 18, in the midst of preparations for their forthcoming annual day. "Our students just a few weeks ago participated in the inter-school G20 organized by J. B. Petit (see "Thinking like diplomats,” Events and Personalities, Parsiana, January 7-20, 2024)… Students are free to speak their minds at every forum…We will continue to do activities that are intellectually exhilarating for our students.” Their extracurricular activities include gardening. "We also have the latest sports equipment,” she stated.  

JBV students excel because the teachers and principals are competent. I did not take any private tuitions; what was taught at school sufficed. "Our teachers constantly attend programs to upgrade their skills,” stated the principal.  

In the final year a farewell was given to the graduating class. When it was our turn, we had a compassionate and caring teacher who would inscribe a meaningful hand-written message for every student. Her message to me read: "Once when the golden bowl of hope/ Lay broken on the ground,/ I wept with bitter flowing tears till/ Afterwards I found/ That faith could reassemble it/ And love could make it glow/ With such a light that one who saw/ The bowl  would never know …/ But looking on its loveliness/ And whispering  a prayer,/ Would feel his own hope surge and sing/ Immeasurably fair.”