Discussion continues....

Memories are something that play a lot of tricks on the brain.

In his recent submission, 68er Ravi Nangia asks a question about where we got those school belts and ties.

This raised another big gap in my memory.

I fail to remember how I was given my Prefect's tie.

Somewhere at the back of my mind I seem to recall that it was given to me in front of the school at Assembly. The actual event has faded completely from my memory.

Also, did the Head Boy get some form of identification other than the tie at a public event. And when was the annoucement made - at the end of the year or the beginning of the year?

Also, did Prefects's have a differet School Badge for the blazer?

Also was the election of the House Captain made at the House Meetings and the announcement made in the Assembly.

Do any of these traditions continue or have they been changed?

Ubi informed me that the access to the belfry was not through the "Stairway to Heaven" but through a trap door in the stationary room.



Looking at this picture of the school in 1890, Ubi must be right as the belfry tower is the one on the far left of this picture.

Here is the most recent submission by Ravi:

My apologies to all for not responding earlier, but things got very hectic ahead of my trip back to Manila.

Ubi -- I posted a photocopy of Ollie's article on the 13th to you and hope you have received it by now. Actually, I suspect you may already have a copy of the entire magazine as you are mentioned in it as a committee member of COBA.

J.P D'Souza was the history teacher and, if memory serves me right, he was in Barham, not Palmer.

Ranchod, who rang the school bell (or rather, a section of railway track after the bell was nicked), was also the hamal for the Biology Laboratory. Poor chap, constantly being compelled to chloroform frogs and catch cockroaches for dissection by students. Nonetheless, a cheerful person, always ready to oblige everyone who asked him for help.

Zahid, my memory is not a patch on yours -- put it down to the fact that I am a whole year older than you (though the fact that I haven't been back to School since our re-exam of January/February 1969, might, I hope, also have something to do with it).

I remember Chand and the accounts office, though not the name of the person in the stationary office. Am I correct in thinking that School items -- belts (with the snake shaped buckle) and ties were sold, not in the stationary office, but near the Principal's Office and next to the old IIIB classroom?

Ubi, there were a couple of Uberoi kids, one in our grade and the second a year ahead initially. I recall sitting next to Swarandeep Uberoi, in the fifth, right at the very back of the classroom! Were/are they related to you?

Best wishes,

Ravi Nangia

My memory puts Ranchod as the hamal in the Physics Laboratory during our time. We did not have biology as a subject during our days!

When was the bell nicked? Was the bell nicked before or after our time in school. Mind is blank even though I passed that way every single day I was in school!

And Mr. D'Souza in Baghram or Palmer? The only Cock House picture I have of Palmer is from 1976. It is so unclear that I cannot make out any of the staff, except Headmaster Kuruvilla Jacob.


Kuruvilla Jacob in 1977

That brings me to another subject - an email from 54er Sadhana Madhusadan (née Shah) who sent me details of the "KURUVILA JACOB INITIATIVE FOR PROMOTION OF EXCELLENCE IN SCHOOL EDUCATION".

He was my landlord for many years when we lived in Chennai. He was also related (through marriage). But he was also a great friend having known our family all through his life.

If anyone wants details of this initiative, please contact me and I will send it to you.