The Bristol Daily Courier from Bristol, Pennsylvania • Page 9

India: Principal Works With Ex-Student When science teacher Joe Xickolas sits in the classroom listening to Principal William S. Praul explain approaches to current school problems, it must bring back memories. Xickolas. one of the eight teachers new to Carl Sandburg Junior High School, Lev it town, this term, sat in the classroom 11 years ago and listened to Praul explain scientific wonders. At the time, Praul was teaching seventh grade at the Pine St.

School, Langhsrne. Among the pupils to whom he taught science as well as mathematics and geography was Xickolas. More than a decade has gone by. Praul is now principal of the Sandburg School, having formerly served as assistant principal, and then principal of Neshaminy Junior High School. During the time that Praul was moving up the administrative ladder, Xickolas was going to school.

After attending eighth grade at the old Langhorne-Midd 1 etown High School, he completed the final four years of his secondary school education at the new Neshaminy High School. Stroudsburg Graduate In June, 19H1. he was graduated from East Stroudsburg State College. Last year, he taught eighth grade general science in the Paulsboro, X.J. school system.

It is perhaps a natural happening that Joe. who had lived at W. Lincoln Highway, Parkland, since he was six, would return to his own school system to teach. But, what caused him to be a science teacher? Pondering the question for a moment, the enthusiastic newcomer said, was always interested in animals and in science at least since seventh grade." Continuing, ho added, Praul provided the real initial interests in science for me. His seventh grade course was actually the first exposure I had to organized science.

It was interesting, and been studying it ever Praul remembers Xickolas an outstanding student." was a student whom I taught in my initial year of teaching, and first year occurrences are easily recalled." Both remember a science experiment that work as planned. But nevertheless, a lesson was learned. Seoul Counselor Since 1953, Joe has been working summers as a counselor at a Boy Scout camp. For the past two years, he served as assistant camp director of Camp Ockanicon. always enjoyed working with youth; guess that my interest in science combined with this to lead me to my present After a few weeks at Carl Sandburg, Joe commented, working conditions are conducive to doing a good job; the faculty is congenial and things are generally Praul expects Xickolas to be a fine addition to the faculty.

lie demonstrates the same determination and drive that marked him as a student, teaching career should be as successful as his learning career At the moment, he has many students enthu- sisasticallv learning the habits of various animals. In addition to snakes, turtles, and other animals, there are many rabbits in the outdoor laboratory at the school. KOGEK KOHN Courier Times Staff Writer For a young Bucks County woman, 1930 was a year of decision. She had to decide whether to go to India and many a student she had met in New York, or to stay in her native land. She chose India her decision meant hope to thounsands of Indians who otherwise would have been condemned to a life of misery and This week, Mrs.

Kamala V. Ximbkar, is back in Newtown, staying with her father J. Wilmer Lundy at his home 23 S. Chancellor St. But her visit is more than just a is also here as an expert on occupational therapy, a cause to which she has devoted much of her life.

Mrs. Nimbkar, who graduated from George School in 1918, first met her husband Vishnu R. Nimbkar, at the International House in New York. But before they married, he insisted that she should go to India, to make sure that she would be happy living in a country so different from her own. Decided To Stay She went in after touring much of the country, living in large cities and small villages all over the sub-continent, she decided to stay.

Within a few months she was married, and while many other Europeans were content to live in virtual isolation from the native population, she dedicated her life to India and its millions of people. Almost from the first day she arrived, she adopted the Indian national dress, the graceful Then she set about the difficult task of learning the language. was a hard job at she recalls, I often had amusing misunderstandings with the Indians because of it. But gradually I picked up Hindi, the main language, and soon the strange customs of the country became more familiar to Started Greatest Task In 1933 she went to England to undergo a course of kindergarten training, but it was not until after the war that she began her greatest task in India. By then, she and her husband, who was a representative for the Consolidated Tool Co.

of London, were living in Bombay, and at the age of 45. she returned to America, to study occupational therapy. With her she brought her son, Bon Behari Y. Ximbkar. who also attended George School, and graduated in 1947.

After completing her studies. Mrs. Ximbkar returned to her adopted in 1950 she founded the first school of occupational therapy ever opened in India. She and her husband gave the school its building, and much of its equipment she then set about iiv uogi KOHN Courier-Times Staff Writer For several weeks now a group of enthusiasts has been meeting at the William Penn Center. Fallsington, to sing traditional folk songs, many of which are older than the United States itself.

The group which lias neither name nor leader consists of about 12 persons. Most of them began guitar playing at a course held at the cen- Dressed in the Indian sari which she has adopted since going to live in India, Kamala V. kar prepares the talk she will deliver at a conference in Philadelphia this month. Born in Newtown, the task of training occupational therapists. From this center in Bombay she established that branch of treatment in India virtually single handed.

In 1957 she retired from actively running the school, but in the following year founded another one at Xadpur, in Maharashtra State. 100 Have Been Trained the schools have trained 150 Indian students and also two Burmese, four from Ceylon, three from Malaya, and one from Mrs. Ximbkar said. Each school qualifies an average of 25 students a year. While she was 1 raining students for this vital work, Mrs.

Ximbkar also became interested in the plight of those who suffer from leprosy. ranks with cancer in its damage to the human being and in the lack of adequate knowledge about it. And on top of the physical harm it does, it also has a stigma attached to she said. Developed Spoon Working among the lepers herself, she and her assistants have designed tools for them to work with, and equipment, which though simple in itself. can have a great effect on the state of mind.

leper had lost the use of her fingers, and seemed to 'nave no interest in life, because she felt ter in the o' this year, which conducted by Mrs. Yvonne Aronson. liked it so much that we decided to carry on playing togeilv. a'ter the course finished in June," said Mrs. Mari Lombardi, a member of the group.

Another member, Mrs. Jan Duckett went to the center and ined a of ail those who had taken the guitar course in the past. Then they sent off letters the formation of a group for Mrs. Nimbkar is presently staying with her father J. Wilmer Lundy at his home S.

Chancellor St. (Courier-Times Photo By VI Zidock) so helpless. Her main worry was that she could not even feed we designed a special spoon with a handle that fitted over her hand. Her whole attitude was because she could now feed said Mrs. Nimbkar.

Since Mrs. Ximbkar began her work, she has won recognition not only from her patients and professional colleagues, but also from the government. Her list of titles is an impressive one. She is an advisor of rehabilitation to the government of Maharashtra State, and a member of the Central Advisory Council of the Indian Ministry of Education. She has recently written a book for the ministry entitled a Fuller which will be published shortly.

She is also president of the All-India Occupational Therapists Association. Will Return Although Mrs. Ximbkar is now temporarily back in her native land, most of her life has been devoted to Indian, and at the end of next month she will be returning, after attending another conference in Manila, in the Philippines. But her house at least would not seem too unfamiliar to many Americans. The kitchen is as modern as any in Levittown, and the name of the house, should make it dear that Mrs.

Ximbkar has not forgotten the United States. those who liked guitar playing and folk singing. Other people joined as a result of the letters, and now the group meets on Thursdays at the William Penn Center to play and sing folk songs. The group is now independent of the William Penn Center, although would-be guitarists can join the guitar course offered by the Community Art Workshop at the center. I he repertoire is a varied one.

The songs are sometimes of social protest, born of the bread lines in the Negro spirituals, or perhaps an old ballad sung by Scottish crofters as they crossed the ocean to the new world 200 years ago. Others are love songs, or tell the story of little known heroes of obscure historical episodes in American history that would be forgotten but for the song. Teaches Math The group includes businessmen, and housewives and teachers like Bob King, who teaches math at Council Rock High School, Xewtown. got a group up when 1 was at said Bob, who plays guitar, we did quite a few functions together. Then we left and the group broke Xovv back playing.

Salesman Dick Steward is another who played guitar when he was a boy, and decided to go along to the center to take it up again. Dan Winsor, who plucks a washtub bass, is art director for a toy firm in Xew York. He only moved to Levittown a few weeks ago, and commutes daily to Xew York. used to play drums professionally before the he said, I got rid of them years Others have varied vocations. But whatever they do, their chief idea is to have a ball and they certainly do that.

The only requirement for would-be members is that they join the William Penn Center. Traditional Folk Songs Make Comeback Brings Hark Memories periodic table of William S. Praul, Carl Sandburg Junior High School principal, demonstrates an experiment that brings back memories to science teacher Joe Xickolas. Praul taught Xickolas seventh grade science. Nicholas is a new member of faculty.

He science. Sfilili Members of the folk song group which meets at the William Penn Center on Thursday nights sing the blues, while Mrs. Jan Duckett, one of the founders of the group, listens. On the left is guitarist lrv Young, while Dan Winsor keeps the rhythm going on the wash tub bass. From the left the others are Joe Stutland, Mrs.

Marion Lombardi, and Leonard Meyem. (Courier-Times Photo).