page 3 ( 86) Pre - degree IInd Year - continue memories

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     A speciality in our hostel which I forgot to mention is this - some blind students.   I think there were about four or five blind ones in our hostel.   The seniormost was Thresia, who was the classmate of my roommate,  Merlin.   Ms Merlin would everyday go to college with Thresia,  holding her hands and make her sit in the first bench of the class.   Sethu,  another blind student, was very sad in her condition and would always ask us what was the purpose of living as a blind woman in this world.  There was a special room for blind students, to record their lessons and later, hearing it occasionally and learn it by heart.   One day,  Sethu invited me to sing a song and she also added that she would record it in order to hear it at the intervals.   At first,  I was wondered and I asked her who told her that I could sing.   There was a story behind it.
     When I joined hostel for the first time,  in the first week itself,  my roommates asked me whether I could do any performances like music,  dance,  mimicry or recitation.   Then I found that I could sing a song because I had the experience of singing group songs in Sunday School.   So,  I sang a song.   From that moment  onwards, I was known as a singer.   The news was spread in the hostel and that was the reason why Sethu invited me to her study room and asked me to sing a song.   After singing,  she played my recorded song.   Wow !    I shamefully covered my face with my hands.   Till that moment,  I had thought that my sound was very sweet.   But,  when  I heard my recorded sound ! Alas ! I realised that it was better not to sing.   But there is a story behind the song which I selected.

     Each year, our Sunday School Association would conduct a Camp in a selected Church for two days.   There would be an intimation that at least two of Sunday School students should participate in the Camp.   Each year,  two students from 10th Std would attend the Camp - that was the usual practice.   When I was in 10th Std,  I don't remember how many boys were there in our class.   One boy was there,  I'm sure.  But others ...I can't remember any of them.   In the girl's side,  there were five or six ones in our class.   In that circumstances,  representing our parish Church,  I & Laila participated in the Camp.   If my memory is correct,  the Camp was in the Church situated in Mulanthuruthy.   There were different sessions,  but I don't remember anything except the teaching of a song.   Fr Stephen,  who was a well known singer,  taught us a song.   I want to say one thing.   Though all sessions were good,  I didn't like toilet facilities.   I wonder how could they conduct such a Camp, inviting all the students from different Churches without having basic facilities.   Nevertheless,  I could learn a heartrending Christian devotional song and I remember it even today.

     In that year,  an event occurred which was the sad demise of our Principal, Mr T S Mammen.   Some people in our village reacted that the college's discipline & dignity had gone because of his death.   When the next Principal was selected, some students ridiculed and laughed when they talked about him.  He was short and no one would think that he was a Principal of a College.   When I heard the other student's remarks,  I remembered some portions in my textbooks from Std I to Std X in which it was described how would we respect our Teachers.   It is one of the main speciality of Indian culture to respect Teachers.   Therefore,  I couldn't join with them when they criticise not only the Principal but the other Professors too.