Thursday, March 11, 2010

Alma Mater's-St.Joseph's Girls Matriculatio Golden Jubilee reflections

It is hard for me to believe that four and a half decades have passed since I crossed the portals of my beloved Alma Mater! How fast does time fly! Venturing out of that cosy nest as an eager fledgeling my tender feathers gradually grew strong and I flew across the blue skies of life traveling far and wide enjoying the fruits of groves that came my way.

Now my wings are old and weary. Having entered the last season of winter, it is now my pleasure and privilege to chew the ‘honeyed cud’ of my youthful past as Keats has aptly described in his poem on Human seasons.

On looking back I now realize how the seeds of my future development were carefully sown in my fertile mind by my school and my dreams tenderly nurtured by my learned and loving teachers. They prepared the soil with utmost devotion and dedication.

My school was not just an academic institution. It was much more than that. It laid the foundation for the all-round growth of my body and spirit. It channelised our youthful energies –physical, mental and emotional -into constructive, creative and disciplined activities.

Our day started with a brisk drill done to music played in the assembly before entering the classrooms. A very proper start it was for an interesting, enlightening day at school. Those were lucky days with no tension about cut-off marks or admission into professional colleges. We studied and excelled with pure joy and enthusiasm.

Lunch breaks were for relaxation alone and not for non-stop plodding with studies. We had weekly classes for handicraft giving scope for the development of our imaginative, creative skills.

I got introduced into the world of books during the library hours and the magic of attraction books have for me has not faded a wee bit to this day!

Our school insisted on decent dressing – not even a millimeter of our waist was to be seen exposed between our jacket, skirt and half-sari which was our standard attire. Today I am saddened by all the baring and daring I see around me.

The most important aspect of my school education is the moral science classes. The moral stories and lectures were very impressive at that crucial phase of our life. As young maidens in the making we were taught about the nobility of womanhood, the true feminine virtues of modesty, chastity, loyalty and dignity. The loving teachers made sure we grew up to be respectable ladies. It was the beautiful process of a bud opening into a fantastic blossom. If only the schools continue such moral instruction to their wards much of the world’s maladies today might be eradicated!

I am very, very grateful to the school for having given us this wonderful preparation to face the wide world. In spite of cultural tsunamis we have stood like rock. We are positive in our outlook, purposeful in our activities and hopeful of good results. I feel the school background is responsible for what we are today- sincere senior citizens!

The first and last emotion I feel whenever I think of my school is pride – immense pride at having been the student of a noble institution of academic excellence and spiritually healthy environment. And its ambience was just right to inspire, motivate and thrill young minds in their pursuit of knowledge and enlightenment.

May the good Lord bless and keep my Alma Mater in its sterling goodness and bring many, many more happy jubilees!

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