THE PATH - II

 The Path continues...   

I begin narrating from my earliest school days till my days at The Madura College. The piece has to be viewed as my tribute all persons mentioned here in.

The earliest days I remember of my schooling are from II standard. It was at Corporation School, Raja Thottam, Chennai. The area was the property of Rajah Sir. Annamalai chettiar and it was an expansive coconut grove of acres with a small school. My teacher at II std. was Miss Jasmine. She was an able teacher with all the nuances of elegant teaching to kids. It was a grand initiation for our studies. At III std. in the same school it was Mrs. Emily who instilled fear by looking through her thin-rimmed glasses. She spent more time for mathematics much to our chagrin. After some 5 months in this class, my father took me from my grandma’s Chennai residence. He was posted at Chengalpattu.

I was put in IV std at St. Joseph’s school, Chengalpattu. The class teacher was one Mr. Azhagia singam. He was a tough person who insisted on checking note books daily. He had no mercy. He was methodic in every thing. Half way through this class my father had a transfer to Karaikkudi. My younger brother and I were put under a small school rather a one-man show by one Mr. Ponniah Pillai in Railway colony He was a very enthusiastic person ensuring both discipline and studies by personal care. At the beginning of the next academic year, with a declaration from Mr. Ponniah Pillai, I was admitted in VI std. [ I form] at Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Vidyasala, Karaikkudi..  For the first time I came to know that different teachers taught different subjects at high school.  Also it was a strange revelation that teachers could be nick-named by students. Our class teacher was Mr. Somasundaram who taught English from the alphabets. Science was taught by Mr. S.S. Others I am unable to recall except Drawing master Ramakrisna Iyer and PT master Mr. Subbiah. By the time the academic year came to an end, my father’s office was shifted to Sivaganga.[ Old undivided Ramnad district]. 

Here I joined the Rajah’s High School where the head master was Mr. Narayanan Servai who was honoured by ‘Ananda Vikatan’ as a gem of a teacher under the title “Aasiriya Rathnangal”. At VII std it was K.V. Krishna Iyer- our class teacher who taught English especially Grammar. I person, II person, III person, singular and plural verbs in relation to person, plurality and tenses were taught to us by physical force. One stroke of KVK Iyer was powerful enough to drive grammar in to any one including the most recalcitrant Karmegam of our class. Fearing him we learnt grammar very quickly. Quickly he rubbed into us the tenses, present continuous, past perfect and participles in 30 days. Mr. KVK WAS THE FIRST EVER “Learn English grammar in 30 days” way back in 1956-57 or was it Teach grammar in 30 days? Either way it helped me pick up grammar quite early and firm. Later it proved an asset all my life and some teachers in my later schooling did ask me as to from where I picked up my grammar. Mr. KVK did real wonder in the tiny Sivaganga school making us learn right grammar at 7^th std. Once this happened, I enjoyed learning English and was always at home with it. Then in the same school, I did my VIII std with R.P.Aasirvadham as the class teacher who taught English and Mathematics with ease and comfort, but not very particular of every one learning them. Another person I remember of that stage is Mr. Sethu the Tamil teacher, fresh from College. Soon he became a popular person. The craft teacher Mr. Lourdusamy was a lovable person who taught us various crafts with zeal. Two years in the same school!                                                                                                                                                   My father felt it wiser to leave me under my maternal grandfather’s care, fearing unforeseen transfers during higher classes. One more shift to my school.  It was to the Boys’ High School, Srirangam for 3 consecutive years. It was here that I came across teachers- good, bad and indifferent.

Goes on further...    please wait                                    Prof. K. Raman