It was on a cold winter morning in January 1952 that I alighted from the train at Lucknow railway station. We were a group of 25 students who formed the ‘Calcutta batch’ studying at La Martiniere. I was a new entrant admitted to Standard 3, the junior-most class. It was my first tonga ride from the station to the school campus, and conjured up images of cowboy heroes at a fast gallop through town. The school had a sprawling campus, and the buildings were of solid stone, rather foreboding at the first sight.
I made my way, with some trepidation, to the third dormitory, to be greeted by Harrison, the junior sergeant of the school, who had the reputation of striking terror in the hearts of puny, scared boys like myself.. I was assigned to Cornwallis House (green), one of thefour houses. Each House was denoted by an insignia – Cornwallis House by a huge black iron cannon – mounted on the top of the main steps of the school, facing a tall pillar (The Lart) built in the middle of a lake. It was a majestic setting for a school, established by Major General Claude Martin, dating back to 1845. My first day in school saw me dressed in the school uniform with an air of smartness about me. My class teacher, Emily King, was kind and affectionate, and her smiling face put all of us at ease. She taught us all the subjects, being particularly articulate in English and Geography. Although my ranking in all subjects was at the top, my skills in drawing – with pencil or crayons – left a lot to be desired, much to her disappointment. Great emphasis was stressed on English grammar, which continued all the way to the higher classes. The following year saw us with a new teacher, Betty Dignum, who spoke with a clipped accent and was meticulous about pronounciation. She had a charming disposition which endeared her to all of us. Besides being an excellent teacher in all subjects, she was adept at artwork. She took great pains in helping us improve our skills in drawing. The most difficult assignment given to us was to sketch the five fingers of our left hand, held aloft at eye level.
Latin was a compulsory subject for three years. I got so engrossed in Latin, wanting to offer it as a subject in the Senior Cambridge examination of 1958, but was dissuaded by our Principal.
Games were compulsory – cricket, hockey, boxing, swimming, football, and later, rugby – and formed an integral part of the school curriculum. Heavy punishment was meted out for any absence from sports. My 7-year stay at La Martiniere Lucknow thus played a significant role in shaping the attitudes and thinking of a young, impressionable mind. I have always been gripped with nostalgic feelings whenever I have had the chance to re-visit the school.
(mkmahanti@gmail.com)