St. Anthony's High School, Monte de Guirim, Bardez, Goa.

 Photo to Watercolour Rendition

St. Francis of Assisi Chapel, Monte de Guirim

 

Triangular Oil Painting by Bro. Vitalis, OFM.Cap. -  Great Art Teacher at Monte de Guirim during the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's. and a brilliant artist himself.

St. Anthony's High School, Monte de Guirim

St. Anthony's High School - Monte de Guirim

Rendering in Photo-Editor by Tony Fernandes 

S.A.H.S. Monte de Guirim Yellow School Bus

 

School Bus, St. Anthony's High School, Monte de Guirim

 

St. Francis of Assisi & the Greek Cross

As I was going through a box of old photos, I came across a postcard with the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi that my friend had sent to my son from Assisi in Italy dated 18th April 1989. The prayer has a large ‘T’, which you may know, is the Greek alphabet ‘Tau’. It also represents the Greek Cross and a symbol adopted by St. Francis of Assisi and the order of the Franciscans Minor. Incidentally, this symbol adorns the outer wall of the visitors parlour attached to Chapel of St. Francis of Assisi at my Alma Mater - St. Anthony’s High School, Monte de Guirim.

The Chapel of St. Francis of Assisi is located on the crest of the hill, known as Monte de Guirim, Guirim, Bardez Goa.

Photo by Tony Fernandes

The Prayer of St. Francis

A dedication to Pope Francis.

The touching hymn,’ Make me a channel of your peace’ and otherwise known as ‘Prayer for St. Francis’ was written by Sebastian Temple (1928-1997) who grew up in South Africa and later moved to London, where he worked on news broadcast relating to South Africa. After converting to Catholicism and adopting the Franciscan lifestyle, Sebastian became a Secular Franciscan and spent much of his time composing music for worship. 

He is best remembered for “The Prayer of St. Francis”. 

This is one of my favourite hymns.

Lyrics

Make me a channel of your peace

Where there is hatred let me bring your love

Where there is injury, your pardon Lord

And where there is doubt true faith in You

Make me a channel of your peace

Where there is despair in life let me bring hope

Where there is darkness only light

And where there's sadness ever joy

Oh, Master grant that I may never seek

So much to be consoled as to console

To be understood as to understand

To be loved as to love with all my soul

Make me a channel of your peace

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned

It is in giving to all men that we receive

And in dying that we are born to eternal life

Oh, Master grant that I may never seek

So much to be consoled as to console

To be understood as to understand

To be loved as to love with all my soul

Make me a channel of your peace

Where there's despair in life let me bring hope

Where there is darkness only light

And where there's sadness ever joy

St. Anthony & Child Jesus

There are many more legends that prevail about St. Anthony

in our beautiful land, Goa.

The most well known is one of Saint Anthony and Child Jesus playing on his prayer book, as portrayed both in statues and in holy pictures. The account of this legend is that Saint Anthony was once passing through the region of Limoges in France, and as night fell, a rich businessman in that area had offered hospitality, rest and silence to Saint Anthony in his country estate. He was given a separate room to meditate and pray in peace. But it is believed that during the night his host passed by his lighted window. There in a brilliant light he saw a little infant of great beauty playing on a prayer book that the Saint was reading. The witness trembled at the sight, and in the morning Saint Anthony, to whom it had been disclosed that his host had seen the visitation, called him and requested him not to disclose it to anyone as long as he lived. That little infant was Child Jesus. Appropriately so, there is a very touching hymn in our very own Konkani language that is sung and dedicated to him. Here is it below.

Sant Antoni ochoreanchea Santa,

Portugal tuzo onod vortouta,

Tujea livrar ballok khelta,

Menin Jezu Razancho Raza. 

(Miraculous St. Anthony,

Portugal is proud of your glory,

On your prayer book plays

Child Jesus King of Kings)

Music notation by Auggie Pereira, Founder & President, Ex-students Association of St. Anthony's High School, Monte de Guirim, Toronto Chapter, Ontario, Canada. 1994.

Monte de Guirim

AUTOMOTIVE MARVELS OF MONTE OF LONG AGO

AUTOMOTIVE MARVELS OF MONTE OF LONG AGO 

One of the proud moments of the school was acquiring a brand new four-wheel drive Land-Rover in the late fifties. As a young student at Monte I remember admiring this automotive marvel with extreme awe and wonder with its 4WD drive power train ideal for the hills. Prior to that the school had a brown-colour Austin Van. These vehicles were mainly used to get food supplies and other necessities for the school on a daily basis from the Mapuça Market and for other general administrative work and emergencies. It also served as a mode of transportation for the foot-ball and hockey teams to Mapuca and Panjim during school tournaments besides hiring local buses. On a lighter and humorous note the old brown van was fondly known as “gongurlo" in Konkani (meaning beetle in English), probably referring to its brown colour, revving engine and slow motion up the hill. It had perhaps seen better days in its past and hard days in its later life trying to make it up and down the hill. It was easily recognized by the distinct drone of its engine. Towards its final days before being put into retirement it was not an uncommon sight to see the very football or hockey team that it provided transport for in its hey day, pushing it up the hill. Also many a time the “Matric Class Big Boys” would quickly be summoned up at very short notice, even when class was in session, to help it up on its way or put a stone to chock the rear wheels and prevent it from rolling down. The big boys would always be proud of having been called to try their strength. Those were indeed the days.

Both of the vehicles mentioned above looked similar to the ones posted here, although not exactly the same models. Bro. Salvador, drove them both. Transportation Guru & Music Director/Very Good Driver / Swimmer. Tough and bold Music Director. Could sense and pinpoint a false note from 50 ft. away! Standing in the wings, unseen by the audience, conducted the entire presentation of the School Drama for two consecutive days. A combination of Yehudi Menuhin and Sterling Moss of Monte de Guirim. Fastest driver on the Western Coast : Monte to Mapusa in 5 minutes!

Tony Fernandes (Ex-student - Class of 1964)

MONTE TIMES - The Fifties & Sixties Remembered

FOR THE GOOD TIMES

(The Fifties and Sixties Remembered)

An interesting and nostalgic moment at Monte was being fascinated by the pump house next to the old football field at ground level and the large rectangular well below it. The Blackstone engine turned a broad v-belt that in turn pumped the water to the storage tank on the hill. It was a remarkable and impressive engineering feat for its time. We would often rest our ears on the exposed part of the water pipe in order to hear the faint murmur of the engine and the water gushing through it.


The electrical work and water supply system was maintained by the dedicated and hard-working Bro.Titus who did most of the work himself. He was an unassuming technical wizard and an unsung genius. He knew the power generator, everything electrical, mechanical and the water-pump system inside out. Tube lights were first installed in the chapel in the late fifties - a great novelty of the time. The generator, or dynamo as it was popularly known then, was used only in the night up to 11 pm. and sometimes in the daytime when the skies darkened during the rainy season. A new “dynamo” with more wattage was installed in the late fifties to cater to the additional demand created by newly added classrooms and other buildings. The old generator, being no longer able to generate enough power for the growing school, was then put on stand-by in case of an emergency.

The school also had a lightning conductor installed on the side of the steeple of the chapel in the early 1950's. This provided safety and protection from lightning strikes not only for the school premises, but also for a 2 mile radius of surrounding villages.

The Fathers saw that the students were physically fit and healthy. Periodic compulsory inoculations were done and records of height, weight and general health of students were strictly kept. General hygiene and cleanliness was maintained to the highest possible level. Inspectors from from the SSCE Board were very pleased with the overall standard of the school and met their criteria and expectations on their annual inspections. The boys were well instructed, well looked after, well-fed and passed as being robust and in general good health. Students lined up for the “drill” for physical training exercise under the giant nunerca tree. This tree was a wonder and a legend in its life time. It was like a mother that sheltered, shouldered and protected her children under her huge arms from the hot sun and rain covering a large shaded area. Its own hanging branch roots were very cleverly nurtured back into the earth with soil around it in tin pipes, thereby providing support for itself. This was another fine and unique Monte innovation. However, though botanists tried their best to save it, the good old tree did not survive. In its memory a new one that was immediately planted in its place soon grew to its full size and provided a nostalgic reminiscence to the visiting scholar of the previous years.

Some Inter-School Football Tournament matches were held at the school grounds. Students who watched the games cheered their chosen sides. Although the years seem to have drifted away I do still remember the bathing time for some boarders after playing on the western side of the hill in the evening of a full school day. The “Boarding Father” (Fr. Ephrem) assisted by volunteer senior students would shower the boys with buckets of water drawn from the rectangular reservoir near the grounds. This was more akin to accepting several modern day splash bucket challenges all in one go. Additional showers were provided up on the hill. Then upwards on the winding path through the clusters of cashew fruit trees the boarders trudged again after a busy day.. This went on for days, months and years on end during the schooling years. Though life might not have been easy the students took it in stride during difficult situations. Nevertheless, we miss those days.

Nearby in the fields, village folks tended to their vegetable patches and other crops in the fields till late in the evening. The sun cast its twilight glow over the Parra/Arpora hills. Bringing to an end of yet another school day, it was time for Felicio the day-scholar to head for home as it would soon get dark. It was late than usual, he thought. And mother would get worried! Walking home alone through other wards between some houses, and somewhere in the vicinity of the winding path, the voice of Pat Boone singing 'Speedy Gonsales' - a great hit of the time - pierced through the evening air on the once popular evening request program of English songs broadcast from Radio Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).

Fond memories of our days at Monte willl ever remain in our minds and hearts. Till we meet again.


Incidentally, the vast and sprawling football and hockey grounds, proved to be a  very convenient place for the Indian Army soldiers to pitch their tents for a period of about one month, during takeover from the Portuguese in 1961, complete with the added benefit of water facilities et al, all on the house while the school had no option but to remain closed during that time.

UNFORGETTABLE DAYS

 OF A BYGONE ERA

by Tony Felicio Fernandes

Those were the days when this famous educational institution was a boys’ school only. 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 Higher Secondary School Certificate Examination Passing Class was then known as Matric.

As I admire and reminisce its glory today far away from home, it seems as though it was just yesterday and memories still remain undiminished. In retrospect, schooling seemed to have been fun and hard work too at the same time. The school year began on the 6th of June, the last term ending in early April with Michaelmas and Christmas holidays in between. A typical school day began with an early dawn Angelus prayers followed by Holy Mass at the Chapel of St. Francis of Assisi at the apex of the peaceful and sylvan surroundings at the hillock. After breakfast the classes began with the students 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. The boys then quickly proceeded to the respective classes, the first subject period invariably being English. Mild amusement and distraction was provided by the rare and unusual late appearance of day-scholar Felicio who arrived panting for breath, with a school bag slung over his shoulder and a valid excuse if required.

With the usual subject periods of English, History, Geography, Physics, Chemistry, General Science and Religion, it was soon time for the midday recess with lunch in the refectory, followed by recreation time. I recall the clatter of cutlery created during the lunch-hour by over 500 boarders all dining at one time! The din produced by this clash of utensils could be heard as far away as the classrooms on the eastern side of the temporary classrooms. The day-scholars who brought lunch in tiffin boxes (or 'buthi' as the boxes were fondly called) went to the "Buthi Room" to retrieve their stored lunch boxes from there and then proceeded to have their meas under the shade of cashew trees. During this time, 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 still remember is the stackable six 12-inch LP record-changer, that was connected to the public address system and classical music was played at this time. Familiar tunes heard at this hour were 'The Blue Danube', 'Tiritomba' and 'Funiculi Funicula'. This system was also used for reciting the Holy Rosary in Konkani at eight o’clock 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.

Recess time was also the time for music and other activities like quick sketching drawing and painting still life for the art students under the guidance of the amazingly brilliant artist Brother Vitalis known for his phenomenal masterpieces adorning the walls of the chapel and the sacristy. At this time of the afternoon break some boys gathered and sang songs, playing the guitar on the benches under the famous and gigantic nunerca tree in front of the chapel overlooking the huge expanse of fields extending to the borders of the villages of Calangute, Arpora and Parra, with a panoramic view of the Arabian Sea, the hills of Arpora, Parra and in the distance northwest the hills of Anjuna, while the music students would be 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. Prior to the after-noon session there was study time. Total silence reigned during this time as the “Boarding Father” constantly patrolled the corridor with his downcast gaze probably reading and concentrating on the Holy Book, but at the same time not losing any track of the odd erring student either! At this time of the after-noon 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 Floret 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. On the spur of the moment and in a sudden show of energy, a bunch of robust boys lifted the front end of this car about a foot of the ground! (I believe those boys were later reprimanded for their behaviour!) This car drew great admiration for its novel engine placement at the rear and its aerodynamic and compact design that was considered as a great German achievement and innovation of its time. It was my first fascinating look at the VW Beetle up close, inside and outside. Unforgettable indeed.

Tony Felicio Fernandes, Ex-student.

The long trek to school

THE LONG TREK TO SCHOOL

During the late 1950's there were 12 students, from our small ward of Cumbiem Morod in Guirim, who were day-scholars. Early in the morning we met at the cross-paths in the centre of the village opposite the chapel. We then started our long walk, single-file, passing through other wards and fields all the way up the slope to St. Anthony’s at Monte de Guirim. The big boys led the way starting at 7.30 am sharp and I was the last one to trudge in that long line. We met other day-scholars along the way, and as we passed through other villages, we could hear the BBC News and music relayed by Radio Ceylon, now Sri Lanka. By the time we reached the hill-top we knew what was happening in the outside world - news conveyed by other students. There are a few instances of tragic news we heard during the 1960's on our way to school. One such moment was about the shocking assassination of President John F. Kennedy and exciting news about the Soviet Union's Sputnik satellite and Yuri Gagarin orbiting earth

Our village, though small, was a vibrant one. My best friends lived barely a wave, a gentle shout or a stone’s throw away, ever ready to help in any situation. Others friends were my classmates from surrounding villages. During the monsoon season the incessant rains flooded our usual winding paths through the fields. It was then sheer joy and fun to take the long way to school and back home.

We rushed home after school, had tea, expecting some sweet dish that grandma would make and then played football in the improvised grounds on the outskirts of our little village. These were actually rice fields cultivated by our neighbours. We waited patiently till the water and earth dried after the monsoon harvest and temporarily turned the fields into play grounds. We played till the village chapel bell rang for Angelus at dusk when everybody was expected to return home for prayers.

Time passed on and soon the older boys passed their Matric exams. The younger boys took their place to become into senior boys in turn. Some ex-students boys found jobs as teachers in the School at Monte, some worked in nearby towns, while others went to Bombay and elsewhere to pursue further education, and a few went abroad for employment. Then finally it was my turn to be a big boy. I was soon to lead the rest of the younger boys in the village. I missed the big boys especially Miki, my brother Jack, Cosme, Johnny - the stalwarts of the fifties that led the way through the monsoon season, carrying the youngest ones over their shoulders while crossing the flooded streams, keeping us close to them when strong gusts of wind threatened to take away our umbrellas, and lending us a helping hand to climb up the steep slopes of Monte. I tried to help and impart the same leadership of my predecessors through the years up to my SSCE. Oh, how I miss those days! Until the next time!

Feast Day of St. Anthony

Today, June 13, is the feast of St. Anthony of Padua, the patron saint of my alma mater, St. Anthony's High School, Monte de Guirim, Bardez, Goa. 
There are firm beliefs in the power of prayer to St. Anthony and how prayers have been helpful to them. It’s wonderful that we celebrate his feast.

Today, Anthony is one of the most popular Catholic saints in the liturgical calendar. People often ask his help when they lose things. I do that myself. Even when I don’t find what I lost, it is my experience that just praying and asking the saint’s help has a positive spiritual effect on me. Also, devotions dedicated to him have provided comfort and solace to people everywhere. 

Message from Father Dan, Franciscan Media.

As the day closes on this Feast of St. Anthony, let us recall a verse from Si Quaeris Miracula, a chant written for this day that some of you may remember. The particular verse I am thinking of is "cessat et necessitas," necessity is no more. In a more accessible language, our needs fall away. 

Our lives can seem like a constant stream of needs. We struggle to meet them, and we're sure that happiness is right around the corner. St. Anthony, if he were alive today, would encourage us to choose God's way and to seek God's wisdom. Isn't it comforting to think of our needs falling away? It is to me and I hope it is to you.

Finally, as we close the day, we want to share this prayer with you.

Saint Anthony,

champion of the poor and comforter of the needy,

I thank you for having come to my aid

and consoled me so abundantly.

Help me now to grow in love

of our merciful Father so that,

as you said, the King of Kings

 may reign in my heart and purify it.

May I live with you the gospel of Christ

and grow with you in Him, who is the Lord.

Amen.

TREKKING THE MONTE DE GUIRIM HILL

The trek route to school

from the village of Cumbiem Morod (in Guirim) 

to Monte de Guirim.

Way back in the late 1950's there were 12 students, from our ward - Cumbiem Morod - in Guirim, who were day-scholars. We walked single-file through other wards and fields all the way to school, trekking up the slope to St. Anthony’s High School every morning. We gathered at the cross-paths in the centre of our village opposite the gleaming white-washed Chapel. The big boys led the way starting. We commenced our walk at 7.30 am sharp and Joseph (Bella's brother) and myself were the last in line. 

Time passed on and soon bigger boys turned into young men who then passed their Matric exams. The young boys took their place to become into big boys in turn. Some bigger boys found jobs as teachers in the School at Monte, some found jobs in nearby towns, some went to Bombay to pursue further education and others went abroad to work. 

Then it was my turn to be a big boy. I was soon the next in line to lead the rest of the smaller boys in the village. I missed the big boys especially Miki, my brother Jack, Cosme, Johnny, the stalwarts of the fifties that led the way through the monsoon season, carrying me over their shoulders while crossing the flooded streams, keeping me close to them when strong gusts of wind threatened to take away our umbrellas, and lending me their helping hand to climb up the steep slopes of Monte. I tried to help and impart the same leadership of my predecessors through the years up to my SSCE. Oh, how I miss those days! Until the next time! Remembering those who formed a part of a long line include Gabru the ace photographer, Felix, Martin, Remedios from neighbouring Canca village and Custodio by classmate from neighbouring Sorvem Vaddo.

Today in sharp contrast, Monte de Guirim School bus picks up and drops students to and from school.

St. Anthony's High School Monte de Guirim Toronto Chapter Presidents over the years

~ OVER THE CREST OF MONTE - Our great Alma Mater ~ Distant view of Mapusa Town.

~ OVER THE CREST OF MONTE - Our great Alma Mater ~ 

Distant view of Mapusa Town.

Once upon a time during the early1950's there was a flat wooden covered bridge that joined the senior dormitory to the refectory and junior dormitory buildings. But whenever a delivery truck loaded with firewood or other supplies came up it could not pass under it to drop the load off on the upper terrace. So brilliant were the fathers of Monte – they were architects too and never ran out of ideas – that they had an arched RCC bridge constructed. But still somehow it seemed to be difficult for some trucks to pass under. Nothing could pose a challenge. So then they made a slight dip in the road at that point. And the trucks passed through happily ever after. Living up to the school’s motto: “Ad Ardua”, the Fathers, Brothers, Teachers, workers and students met with the challenges before them.

Standing at the point where this picture was taken from, we could clearly hear the blasts at the iron-ore mines in Sirigao during the afternoon break. Also at this time, making a rare and entertaining appearance to the school during noon was the highly erudite and entertaining Sacrula de Saligao who provided us with his astonishing speeches. Most students gathered around him to hear him. His trademark was his cycle, a Franciscan habit and an umbrella with an insignia. He was never afraid of heights. He liked to stand above the rest when his delivered one of his amazing speeches, and the parapet facing the school refectory posed no challenge for the extraordinary and unforgettable man.

Fr. Godwin Lobo - My classmate and friend of long ago

REST IN ETERNAL PEACE

FR. GODWIN LOBO

~ Friar of our times ~

Great scholar and orator,

clear and precise preacher,

adventurous, dedicated,

humble social worker,
active with Indian Red Cross Society - Goa,
one of the finest human beings,

a good friend and helpful classmate.

His passing away has definitely left a void in the hearts of the people

not only of Yecora in Sonora, Mexico - a Mission he held dear and close to his own heart - but also deeply in the hearts of his classmates, students, teachers, Fathers, Brothers, friends from all walks of life and all those who have heard him deliver beautiful, meaningful and simple Sunday homilies at Mass which were a joy to listen to. 

The Clamour of Typewriters

asdf ;lkj
and
The Clamour of Typewriters

The Clamour of Typewriters

&

ASDF ;lkj

During the late 1950's and early 1960's 'Typewriting' was considered as a subject that any student at St. Anthony's High School, Monte de Guirim, Bardez, Goa, could appear in the Secondary School Certificate Examinations.

Although the minimum number of subjects required was seven, one could appear in additional subjects as well. Many students took 'Typewriting' to increase the passing average marks, while others did it to opt out of Hindi or Math as a subject for SSCE.

The typing classroom was located behind the Laboratory, next to the Headmaster's Office. A well-thought out timing was arranged to meet with this additional facility for students. It would be very disturbing if the type-writing classes were held during regular class hours. So the typing classes were held during the afternoon lunch break as 10 to 12 students who went on practicing, created a clamour, a loud clatter that could be heard some distance away, as if each one was trying to outdo the other student. 

The vintage typewriters of the era were manual and quite unique in their appearance than the later electric models. It was a  wonderful and innovative machine of its time. The most popular brands were the 'Remington' and 'Underwood' which were provided by the school. A mechanic also visited the school to repair the typewriters that sometimes broke down. One could also use one's personal or private typewriter to learn or practice.

Among the various keys of the Underwood typewriter that I remember, the most remarkable keys that were larger than the all the others were the 'shift' keys on the both ends of the keyboard. These keys needed little more pressure to hold down by 'pinkie' fingers.

Typewriter ribbons came wound on metal or plastic spools. The eyelets on either end of the ribbons, automatically reversed the ribbon. They were available in black or dual red/black split combinations. Almost all manual typewriters used half-inch-wide ribbons. 'Black only' ribbons were not discarded when the ink got lighter as they could be re-inked and re-used. Every typewriter had one main ribbon and one take-up spool. New ribbons were available in stationery shops like Bhobe's in Mapusa town.

In the March 1964 batch of students taking Typewriting as a subject in SSCE Exams, Poona Board, carried the typewriters on their laps in the transport provided by the school to St. Britto’s High School, which was the Examination Center for North Goa, chosen by the Board. 


An average typing speed is between 38 and 40 words per minute or roughly between 190 and 200 characters per minute. However, professional typists type a lot faster on average - upwards of 65 to 75 WPM.

For starters, the first letters that one typed were: asdf;lkj and then proceeding to the upper and lower keys, as prescribed in the course, by maintaining the starter keys asdf;lkj as the home keys at all times. The timeless phrase "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" was one of the first sentences used in practice as it contains all of the letters of the alphabet.

St. Anthony's High School, Monte de Guirim, Bardez, Goa

SHEER DETERMINATION

The school building on the right was constructed in the early 1960's under the tenure of Fr. Pacificus who poured his heart, mind, time, diligence, care and determination into this massive project of that great era along with the efforts of all those involved in achieving its completion. I have seen this structure come up during my schooling years at Monte de Guirim.

St. Anthony's High School, Monte de Guirim, Bardez, Goa

During my time at the school during the late 1950's and early 1960's the trucks with firewood arrived and unloaded their stuff on the concrete paved area in the foreground. Seen in the center of the picture are the stairs leading to the play area below the refectory and the Junior dormitory above it. The rear of this building led to the teachers quarters and the chapel. This area was our stomping ground throughout our scholastic years - a favourite spot for everything that defines recreation.

I remember the famous Sacrula de Saligao, dressed in a brown tunic, standing on the parapet on right side of the stairs leading to the refectory and delivering his speech with an umbrella. The building on  the right side of the refectory consisted of an art classroom run by the well-known and legendary Capuchin Brother Vitalis who was my art teacher. Next to it was the Infirmary, and the Music Room that had a LP Record Changer, a microphone and a PA Amplifier.

This sound system was used for playing instrumental music during the afternoon recess and music from Radio Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in the evening before the recitation of the Holy Rosary in Konkani by two boarders at 8 pm. One horn loud speaker was placed on the top of the school building steeple facing the Guirim side and another on the side of the refectory directed towards the Sangolda side. Families living down the hill and beyond could hear and join in the Rosary in the stillness of those nights of long ago, perhaps even more than a mile away.

Incidentally and interestingly, a bell that consisted of a 2 feet length of a railway track and an iron bar was used to call students to dinner and studies. It was suspended on the horizontal beam of the roof near the stairs leading to the right of the refectory building. The covered garage and service station for the school Land-Rover was located to the left of this picture taken from the spot where stood the mango tree.