By Danny Sinopoli Today's teachers must become the "saviours'' of a generation of students that has been led astray by television, a long-time educator who became the first Bermudian to be made a Dame of the British Empire said yesterday.

"Teachers who are dedicated and have given a commitment to their jobs should realise that they are moulding the lives of the children in their classrooms and not just taking charge of the their mental development,'' Dame Marjorie Bean told The Royal Gazette just days after she received her title in the Queen's New Year's Honours List.

"Although it is hard and we know they are not fully responsible, they must act like the saviours of these children, particularly where the parents have failed them.'' Dame Marjorie, an influential figure in local education circles for more than three decades, was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire last week in recognition of the many contributions she has made to Bermudian academics.

Yesterday, she reflected for The Royal Gazette on her history-making award, on the long road she has walked to get to this point and on the problems of modern education.

"I was overawed,'' she said, "that such an honour could be conferred on me.

It was beyond my imagination.

"When I was working in education, I never thought of results beyond the children doing well and the schools reaching their goals. I just loved teaching, and feel very happy when students of all ages come up to me and say: `There's my favourite geography teacher.'' Prior to retiring in 1974, Dame Marjorie's career had gone a long way beyond the corridors of the Berkeley Institute, where she began her work in education as the school's English and geography mistress.

In 1948, for example, she was the first black person to be appointed to an administrative position in the Department of Education when she took on the job of Supervisor of Schools.

Years later, she also became the first Bermudian woman to secure a seat on the former Legislative Council, the forerunner of Bermuda's Senate.

In the end, though, teaching remained Dame Marjorie's first love, and she has strong opinions on the state of education in Bermuda today.

"I am retired, so I can only comment on what teachers have told me. First of all, I don't think they are slack in disciplining the children. They just aren't succeeding because the children are so resistant. They (the children) are first in their own minds. I put this change in attitude on the influence of television, especially American television.'' Bemoaning the death of a more "literary'' past, she added: "In my day, we had the three Rs, but I also had the three Is, which were Instruct, Interest and Inspire. Those three Is should be the guiding principles in schools today.'' Subconsciously proving her point, Dame Marjorie laced the interview with quotations from Shakespeare and Wordsworth as she explained how she also taught her students manners, social skills and even the rudiments of a proper sandwich during the course of her geography lessons.

"I used to tell them to butter the bread all the way to the ends,'' she recalled with a smile.

She added that such little exercises went a long way to making school fun, building self-esteem and discipline and making up for parents who abrogated their responsibilities.

On the subject of becoming the first Bermudian to be made a DBE, Dame Marjorie said she regarded the award as more of a victory for all local women than a personal achievement.

She added that she is planning to travel to London to accept her honour from the Queen in person.

A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE -- Dame Marjorie Bean reflected yesterday on the state of modern education and her status as the first Bermudian to be made a DBE.