The First Day In My New School

    After my father’s transfer to Amravati, I joined Saraswati Vidyalaya, Amravati Formerly I had studies for eight long years in school at Nagpur. It was 1stjuly, ’97 when I made a maiden entry in the premises of school. It has a larger built-up area and a bigger playground than my former school. There was a swarming flood of students on the ground. I found myself among strange faces. While joy was overflowing through their speech and action. I was steeped in nervousness. I stood as a stone and surveyed the spectacle at 10.30 A.M. a long bell rang and terminated my tension. Students promptly stood in rows for Saraswati Stavan -a hymn to goddess Saraswati before the commencement of classes.

    As it was the first day of the academic session, students did not go to their respective classrooms after the recitation of the prayer. A teacher, who appeared to be the senior-most of the lot, took possession of the mike and declared that the principal would address the students and advise them.Soon the principal came on the mike. His dress and address made an indelible impression on my mind. He appeared to be an embodiment of ‘simple living and high thinking’. He has put on the traditional Indian dress. His voice was soft but clear. The tone and tune of his voice indicated his ardent affection for all of us.

   At the outset he accorded us a warm welcome. He asked us to be particular about studies and punctual in attendance. He advised us to remember that student life is a period of preparation, not of action. During the period of education, a student must equip himself with knowledge received from teacher, parents and society.

The principal pointed out that the school had provision for feeding both mind and body. While it endeavour to make a student mentally alert, it encourages physical fitness also. He directed the boys to derive rich dividends form the facilities available for studies, games and sports.

   Before wishing us all the best in our educational endeavors and future life, he reproduces the sentences Napoleon uttered when he visited his school in France, years after he had left it.

    “Boys, remembers. Every hour wasted at school is a chance of misfortune in your afterlife”.

   

  After this the senior-most teacher took over from the principal. He announced that the regular classes would begin with effect from the next days. As I was happily pondering about the principal’s peroration, someone patted me on the back. As I turned back, I was simply surprised. This ‘someone’ was no other than my partner in the opening pair of cricket-team of my former school. I was happy to learn that he had joined the same class and the school as mine.

   My first day in the school began with suspense and tension. On account of the principal’s speech and the meeting with my mate, the day ended on a very happy note.