The core group of the school's alumni has been doing its bit at the annual Teachers Day event at school these past years. So when Jacklin of the group shared the info and I found time on Thursday ( Sept.5) I drove down to Egmore this morning.
I live in Adyar, the south side of this city so the easy way to get to Egmore is to swing down the Marina Beach road and get across Chintadripet.
It is always a pleasure to set your eyes on the beachside in the morning and Chintadripet, another hub for St Anthony's alumni is as maddening as ever - you cannot escape the famed fish market here but it is crumbling.
Waves of cheers greeted us as we entered school. The kids were all sitting on the ground, in semi circle format while the corridor of the main building had been turned into a viewing gallery of sorts!
All eyes were fixed on the stage where a string of dance, skit and dance pieces by the students made the most of the Teachers Day event. As expected, the hit Tamil film dance numbers grabbed everybody's ears and even the kids of Std.4 went into a frenzy when they played ' Kasu..Panam...' from the film ' Soodhu Kavam'.....and as it rocked the campus some of us alumni rewond to our days at St Anthony's when anything loud and filmi was quietly sidelined and when wild dances set to film songs were 'no-no'.
Times have changed, so have tastes and fancies. And eve a school community lives by the times, I suppose.
What impressed us was the energy that student leaders brought to the day's events which included fun games for teachers.
This as a rather stuffy morning and as the sweat began to trickle fast, the finale was called - all the teachers led by Sr. Jayarani assembled on stage and a large cake was cut and pieces shared.
Quickly, the teachers adjourned to the cool Staff Room, which is on the ground floor of the main building where I guess Std.VIII once functioned.
Asha and her group had arranged for a pack of sweets and karam and a small gift for all the teachers ( 26 I am told) and non teaching staff too. Portraits of a few teachers who are no more adorn the wall. We suggested that one of Ms Devotta who passed away recently be mounted too.
The teachers were in their best Kanjeevaram saris and seem to have enjoyed the event of the day. On the sidelines I got to know that Ms Evonne ( did I get the name right?) who teaches Std.IV now is the seniormost - in service for about 23 years and there are 2 others who have been around for 20 plus years.
Perhaps, it is time to document a St Anthonys Teachers Listing from as far as we can possibly go.
I live in Adyar, the south side of this city so the easy way to get to Egmore is to swing down the Marina Beach road and get across Chintadripet.
It is always a pleasure to set your eyes on the beachside in the morning and Chintadripet, another hub for St Anthony's alumni is as maddening as ever - you cannot escape the famed fish market here but it is crumbling.
Waves of cheers greeted us as we entered school. The kids were all sitting on the ground, in semi circle format while the corridor of the main building had been turned into a viewing gallery of sorts!
All eyes were fixed on the stage where a string of dance, skit and dance pieces by the students made the most of the Teachers Day event. As expected, the hit Tamil film dance numbers grabbed everybody's ears and even the kids of Std.4 went into a frenzy when they played ' Kasu..Panam...' from the film ' Soodhu Kavam'.....and as it rocked the campus some of us alumni rewond to our days at St Anthony's when anything loud and filmi was quietly sidelined and when wild dances set to film songs were 'no-no'.
Times have changed, so have tastes and fancies. And eve a school community lives by the times, I suppose.
What impressed us was the energy that student leaders brought to the day's events which included fun games for teachers.
This as a rather stuffy morning and as the sweat began to trickle fast, the finale was called - all the teachers led by Sr. Jayarani assembled on stage and a large cake was cut and pieces shared.
Quickly, the teachers adjourned to the cool Staff Room, which is on the ground floor of the main building where I guess Std.VIII once functioned.
Asha and her group had arranged for a pack of sweets and karam and a small gift for all the teachers ( 26 I am told) and non teaching staff too. Portraits of a few teachers who are no more adorn the wall. We suggested that one of Ms Devotta who passed away recently be mounted too.
The teachers were in their best Kanjeevaram saris and seem to have enjoyed the event of the day. On the sidelines I got to know that Ms Evonne ( did I get the name right?) who teaches Std.IV now is the seniormost - in service for about 23 years and there are 2 others who have been around for 20 plus years.
Perhaps, it is time to document a St Anthonys Teachers Listing from as far as we can possibly go.
Its Yvonne
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