------------------------------------------------------------------------
* G * O * A * N * E * T **** C * L * A * S * S * I * F * I * E * D * S *
------------------------------------------------------------------------
GARCA BRANCA
VACATION ACCOMMODATION
LOUTULIM, SOUTH GOA.
For R&R; modern/clean amenities; serene, healthy and wholesome location
Visit http://www.garcabranca.com for details/booking/confirmation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
My name is Tony Fernandes. I was a student of St. Anthony's Hight School, Monte
de Guirim. I would
like to submit the following article for publishing in the E-book by Goa
Sudharop.
A TRIBUTE TO MY ALMA MATER (996 words)
St. Anthony's High School, Monte de Guirim, Bardez, Goa.
Title of Article : The Friars and The Boys
Nestled on an idyllic hilltop known as Monte de Guirim, St. Anthonys High
School still sits
firmly perched on it, in all its glory. It has been a model institution
imparting education in the
English medium for more than half a century.
The school was well-known its academic excellence as well in sports like
football, field hockey,
volley ball and basketball. Run competently by the Capuchin Friars of the Order
of Franciscan
Minor, it had its own bakery and power generator and a friar well-known for his
cure from snake
bites. It had excellent teaching staff and produced high ranking results in the
final examinations
at the higher secondary level.
At one time it had over 800 boarders. Other students, called day-scholars,
walked up the hill to
the school from the nearby villages of Guirim, Sangolda, Parra, Saligao,
Porvorim, Succorro,
Perxet and Bastora attended this school. Others commuted on cycles from as far
away as Anjuna and
Siolim.
Day-scholars usually carried their packed lunch with them, known locally as
buthi and kept them
in a special lunch room.
For many year it was solely a boys school. Co-education was introduced much
later. As I recall my
days as a student there from the mid-fifties to the mid-sixties, this school
had classes beginning
from Preparatory Junior, Prep Senior, followed by Standard I to XVIII. The high
secondary
examination passing class was then known as Matric.
The scholastic year began on June 6, ending the last term in early April. The
day began with an
early dawn Angelus followed by Mass at the Chapel of St. Francis of Assisi on
the top of the hill.
After breakfast the classes began with the assembly in the corridor of the main
building.
One of the students would lead in singing of the school hymn Come Holy Ghost
with all the boys
joining in. After the assembly the boys then quickly proceeded to the
respective classes. The
subjects taught were English, History, Geography, Physics, Chemistry, General
Science and
Religion.
After lunch the boys carried on with various extra-curricular activities some
of which included
playing table-tennis and carom. One of the fine moments that I remember is the
record-changer that
was connected to the public address system and classical music was played at
this time. This
sound system was also used for reciting the Holy Rosary in Konkani at eight
oclock in the night
over the loudspeakers. This could be clearly heard in the stillness of the
night for over a
distance more than two kilometers.
A group of boys gathered and sang songs, playing the guitar on the benches
under the famed
gigantic nunerca tree. Other students could be seen practicing on the piano
and violin in the
music parlour. Incidentally this room also served as a waiting room for the
parents of students
who visited the boarders. The Friars saw that they would always be offered a
lunch. At this time
of the afternoon we would on some days be interestingly distracted with the
trucks supplying
firewood as their engines whined climbing up the steep hill. Also the
occasional BSA or Florette
motor-cycle that revved up the hill was a novelty.
I still treasure the moment when the Volkswagen Beetle first made its debut
appearance at Monte in
the late fifties. Everyone spoke about its engine being at the rear. It was my
first fascinating
look at the VW Beetle up close, inside and outside.
With the afternoon school session drawing to a close it would be tea time.
After that the boys
would run down the steps or take a winding path to the playing grounds on the
west side of the
hill. Football and hockey being a major sports a second ground was later added
which also served
as the main venue for the annual sports and special events days. I still
reminisce about our
bathing time, soon after playing at those grounds when students were tossed
with buckets full of
water drawn from the well near the grounds.
I remember being fascinated by the pump house with its engine turning a long
belt that in turn
pumped the water from the square shaped well a remarkable engineering feat
those days. At young
boys we would put our ear on the pipe that ran up the hill to hear the faint
murmur of the engine
and the water gushing through it.
The long walk to see the football or hockey game that our school participated
in at the famed
Duler grounds was a unique experience those days. A couple of four-anna coins
in our pockets would
see us through a soda and an ice-fruit, quenching our thirst after a long trek
up and down the
Mapusa hill, returning to the school at dusk. One of the greatest highlights
was the annual
concert, with the Portuguese Governor General as the chief guest. It was held
for two consecutive
days. The first day was for the school students. The second day was especially
for the parents of
the students and the general public.
I still remember Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves as one the best plays acted out
by the students,
besides other items of songs in English, Portuguese and Konkani. The school was
also well known
for its gymnastics that were held on the annual sports day with the exciting
cycle race as a grand
finale.
One of the proud moments of the school was acquiring a brand new four-wheel
drive Land-Rover, an
automotive marvel, in the late fifties. Prior to that the school used be a
brown coloured Austin
Van that was used to get food supplies and other necessities for the boarders.
It also served as a
mode of transportation for the foot-ball and hockey teams to Mapusa and Panjim
during tournaments.
Perhaps through the verdant fields and up the hill I will once more trudge as
an encore. In the
cool shade I will pause just as I had done as a young student long ago.
Tony Felix Fernandes, class of 1964, later studied commercial art at Mumbai. He
is presently based
in Mississuaga, Ontario, Canada. He is part of the Guirim old-boys network on
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MonteDeGuirimSchool/
----Original Message Follows----
Goa Sudharop, a USA-based non-profit, volunteer NGO working for the betterment
of Goa and Goans
worldwide, is celebrating 2008 as the YEAR OF EDUCATION. In anticipation, we
intend to publish an
E-Book on Goan Education next year. The E-book will be divided into four
categories:
"Reminiscences of my Goan education", "Tribute to my Goan
School/College/University", "Tribute to
my Goan teacher", "The Future of Goan education".
In accordance with these themes, Goa Sudharop invites essays from Goans based
anywhere in the
world. Your entry should be approximately 1000 words. You can share your
experiences in any part
of the world under one of the categories above. You may submit multiple essays
if you wish.
Entries can be sent by e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] or mailed to IBONIO D'SOUZA
at 'SUYASH
GARDENS", 1st FLOOR, FLATS AF3 & AF4, SWAMI CHINMAYA MARG, GOGOL, MARGAO, GOA,
INDIA, 403601.
Please mention your name and complete address. Selected essays will be
published next year in an
E-book by Goa Sudharop with due credit to each writer.
Goa Sudharop reserves complete rights of publication. The Goa Sudharop Board's
decision with
respect to publication is final.
Please forward this message to your friends, family, e-groups, and
organizations and their
members. Thank you in advance for your support.
Goa Sudharop
www.goasudharop.org
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
**** http://www.GOANET.org ****
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Follow the online presence of the Museum of Christian Art, Old Goa
Contacts: Tel: +91 832 2285299 Email:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://christianartmuseum.goa-india.org/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
