The students were taught in the hospital premises. The boys were overcrowded in the Mess Quarters and Arjun was asked to send away the smaller boys to eliminate the congestion. The number of schoolchildren gradually diminished and only a few were left. Nevertheless, as the buildings at Meherabad were being torn down, Baba indicated that the teaching at the school should continue, though there were only a few students. Meanwhile, in addition to his other responsibilities, Rustom was assigned the duty of teaching the third and fourth grades as four of the teachers — Gaikwad, Pathak, Jhagirdar and Shinde — had left. Only three teachers — Dhake, Rajoop, and Mehendarge — were willing to work without wages and remained at Meherabad.
On 2 November 1926, the work of dismantling Sai Darbar began, and it was completed the following day. Two days later, Baba permitted the mandali to take rice and dal every other day for dinner, instead of bhakri and tea. This added to Bapu's burden as he had to cook rice and dal twice a day instead of once.
The problem of getting additional help for the kitchen staff was discussed. Sailor complained about his difficulties and asked for an additional man to help him draw water from the well. Several Hindus were approached to volunteer for this work, but none did so. Baba explained that though he was reluctant, he would be compelled to put a non-Brahmin on this duty and no objections from the Hindus would be allowed. Still no one responded. In the end, a Brahmin was appointed by Baba to help Bapu in the kitchen, and an Untouchable was to help Sailor in drawing water from the well.
As Chanji explained, "Only a few days ago, when an attempt was made to do away with caste restrictions, the Hindu mandali had created a strong opposition, which resulted in many heated discussions and which caused Baba to drop the idea. Now, thanks to Baba's masterful handling of the situation, the Hindu members themselves were willing parties to the same change, although under different circumstances. That is, if they now persisted to observe the restrictions [in the absence of paid laborers], they themselves had to bear the brunt of the troublesome arrangements of caste distinction!"
Nevertheless, at night a deputation from the Brahmin mandali was handed to Baba and explained that they personally had no serious objection to a non-Brahmin handling their water.