FLASH NEWS BULLETIN DAILY : Our Beautiful School Days

St.Joseph Boys High School, General Hospital Jn Thiruvananthapuram

After my father's service in the Southern Railway in Madras and the northern districts of Kerala, he was transferred and appointed to a high position at Thampanoor Central Railway Station in his hometown, Thiruvananthapuram. The school and college admissions of his children became a major concern.

That's how we searched for admissions in the top colleges of the capital city. My sister had very high marks, so she got admission for 'Pre-University' at the famous His Highness Maharaja's Women's College in Vazhuthacaud. Nasir Mama's (film actor Prem Nazir) recommendation also played a part in it. Later, my father searched for my school admission. In those days, there were only two schools in the state where the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rank holders of SSLC would get their photos and interviews published in the front page of newspapers. One was St. Joseph's Boys High School, a boarding school near the General Hospital junction, and the other was Holy Angels Convent Girls High School next to it. I needed admission to high school classes. The school had a competitive written test. The list of successful candidates would be put up on the board. Based on that, the Principal Father would call for an interview. A large amount had to be donated to the building fund, in addition to the fees. At that time, Father Paul Kunnankal, a Jesuit priest, was the school principal. He would only speak English. He knew Malayalam, but he would speak in English even to children who didn't know English at all.

With a stern face, he always carried a cane. He would enter each class during class hours and punish any mischief he noticed. The school uniform was khaki shorts and a white shirt. If the uniform was not clean, you would surely get beaten. After passing the exam and performing well in the interview, I got admission after my father paid a large donation. The school had classes from 6th to 10th standard. I got admission to 8th standard. During that period, I was the only student with glasses in the school. So, children who didn't know my name were eager to call me 'Kannadi' (glasses). I would report them to the principal. He would ask such students to place their hands on the table and beat them on their calves ten or fifteen times, and then ask them to bring their fathers to the next class. The fathers would get a good scolding during the assembly. He would talk about the importance of teaching children manners, mutual respect, and culture from a young age. Finally, he would ask the father a single question: 'Should I give your son the TC?' That would stop everyone from calling me names. Both the father and the son would learn what manners are.

During that time, Father George Muricken, a young teacher who had received his priesthood from Rome, was my class teacher for three years. We used to call him 'Father'. Other teachers who didn't wear cassocks were called 'Sir'. Father Muricken, who was the class teacher, taught us English for three years. He would only speak English in the English class. He had a special skill in explaining difficult English words in simple English. He would always call my name in a special drawn-out tone... NEEEEEEEEZAAAAAAAAR AHAMED. He would take attendance by calling each student's name, not by calling roll numbers. Students had to stand up when their names were called and say 'Present'. Students who delayed this process would get a good beating on their palms. Now, only the class teacher gets beaten, that's the only difference. After school life, I used to see him many times on the road and after church. When I greeted him with 'Good morning, Father', he would respond warmly and with affection. I tell all students that respecting teachers will bring all goodness and progress. Many years later, when he was the principal, I went to see him at school for an admission-related matter.

He immediately recognized me and called my name in that old drawn-out tone. He immediately fulfilled my request. My cousin, my uncle's daughter, was studying in 7th standard at the nearby Holy Angels Convent. Her younger brother, Abdul Nazer Sain, was also studying in 6th standard at my school. During the school's lunch interval, we two would regularly go to Holy Angels Convent to see her. In those days, we would say that we were going to see our cousin sister. But it was actually to see our sweetheart, our close cousin. As Prem Nazir was a close relative, I was famous as a scholar among the school, teachers, and even distant relatives. I had a good reputation. In literary associations and school anniversaries, my class teacher, Father Muricken, would always put my name first for speeches, essay writing, and singing. I could sing reasonably well. During that time, I sang the song 'Karayunno puzha chirikkunno, kanneerumolippichu kai vazhikal piriyumpol' from the movie 'Murappennu' starring Nasir Mama, and made the whole school silent with sorrow. I received thunderous applause. My classmates who met me later would still remember and talk about it. If I have been able to acquire any skills, it was because of my study period at St. Joseph's School, Thiruvananthapuram.

That school life was definitely very beautiful. All students had to sing the prayer strictly at the beginning of the class and at the end of the evening. The energy from those prayers helped in studying. I can write that prayer. Tell your children too. You can sing it anywhere:

'Father, we thank thee for the night, and for the pleasant morning light. For rest and food and loving care, and all that makes the day so fair. Help us to do the things we should, to be to others kind and good. In all we do, in work or play, to grow more loving every day.'"