Looking Back Detail Page

01 Apr

- By An Old Boy

"God gave all men all earth to love, But, since man's heart is small
Ordained for each, one spot should prove Beloved over all".
Thus wrote Kipling. They are moving lines, are they not? It was what most of us felt about Campion School. . . that it was "beloved over all". Probably many in the school still feel it, and that is how it should be AL WAYS. We were last year's Seventh.  .. and a merry band were we . . . .. but we were not many on this day, the day on which we were to hold our farewell party to the Staff and the Sixth Standard our successors. It was an occasion of festivity and for the last time the boys of the Seventh worked together as a team to organize the party, and make it "a success". The exams were just over and the atmo¬sphere was filled with a relief from ten¬sion as we bustled about the class-room in which the party was being held.
Vashi - dear Vashi. now in Java"-:'" was in charge of the cakes; he was ar¬ranging them on cardboard plates. The air was bitter-sweet with nostalgia, as I watched his nimble fingers. Then the guests began to arrive and David switched on the gramophone; its clarion note resounded through the School; boys dashed in and out on last minute arrangements. The Staff sat on the Teachers' platform, in a semi-circle, before the table, with the boys before them; the orders were given and the party began. There was a scuffle for trays among us and then the first batch of servers rushed out. Panic began when the ice-candy did not arrive. . . but it did, eventually . . . and, at last, the blare of the gramo¬phone stilled, a representative of the Seventh made a speech, thanking the staff for their kindness and requesting the new class too carry on the traditions of its predecessors.
In reply, the Principal made a moving speech congratulating us and wishing us and our successors the best of luck. He did also ask those who were leaving to try always to keep up the reputation of the School. Now the serious business over, the class was darkened and we were treated to  an exhibition of comic films. But while they rocked in their seats, some of us, grave and sad, spoke to each other perhaps for the last time. . . then the guests, one by one departed and. . . Now came a period of busy washing and tidying.
Just before we left the old School. so dear to us, we went into the Principal's office and placed the gramophone there and for the LAST TIME, AS BOYS OF CAMPION SCHOOL, we said our good¬nights and moved slowly away.
. .. It was dark outside. . . .