The New Building

THE FIRST FIVE YEARS

Where human weakness is recognised to be at its most obvious, there God, in His mysterious wisdom, delights to make known His strength. So runs one of the most persistent themes of Scripture and we at Lushington believe that there is copious evidence for its truth in the genesis and growth of this school.

The nineteen-fifties brought the education of British children in South India to a stage of doubt and crisis. Competition reached unprecedented levels in Britain for places in grammar schools at eleven-plus, in boarding schools at thirteen-plus and in universities. School-leavers found an increasing emphasis on qualifications in career requirements and, all the while, the English-medium curricula out here were undergoing inevitable and necessary changes from the full British course which had previously been followed in schools like Breeks. Finally, several alterations were proposed which affected the '0' level course and the idea took shape of an independent school to meet the needs of the situation.

Nineteen-sixty saw many families back in Britain to assure the education of their children and it also saw the proposals for the new school in Lushington Hall being variously received- with very real relief and appreciation in some quarters, and with equally sincere doubt in others.

There was good ground for doubt. Would the demand for such a school be sufficient to justify it? Would Government grants for boarding fees in Britain not meet the needs of most parents? Would there be staff? Would the new venture pay its way?

An enrolment of sixty (as against a hoped-for forty) and a sizeable 'fighting fund' already subscribed were encouragements. as the school opened its doors to boarders on February 9th, 1961. The enlarged playing pitch was still being levelled, and classrooms were tucked into all sorts of odd comers of the former Lushington hostel buildings-three in the Junior House dormitories and two in the main dormitory block. We had boys in Standards I to VIII and the time-table was made on a

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basis of four teaching groups at any one time: the twelve or more boys in the first four standards formed one group while the other four standards were arranged in three groups, V and VI combining while VI I and VII I were separate, and vice versa.

In that first term of growing pains there were three full-time teachers (two being men) and five part-time helpers. One of the latter was M r Fox, the Principal of Breeks, who taught English and History in exchange for Lushington help with the senior Science in Breeks. This link was a pleasant reminder of the past when the Lushington Hall hostel, though owned and run by the Hebron Council, was so closely keyed to Breeks and its needs that most people assumed that it belonged to Breeks. Another still-surviving link is the shared use of the swimming-pool at Lushington, and the two schools still maintain many fruitful contracts. In 1961, eight senior Lushington boarders then in Standards I X to X I still attended Breeks and this group, though diminishing, survived until the end of 1962.

I t is right that we should remember that the 'new' Lushington has deep roots in the past, and our present traditions have a large component drawn from the Breeks' hostel days. The buildings and amenities with which we started in 1961 stemmed largely from that time. T o those who laboured so fruitfully then we owe our grateful thanks. ,

One can also look right back to the eighteen-twenties and the decision of M r C. M. Lushington of the Civil Service (and brother of the then Governor of Madras) to site his new bungalow on this lovely hill-side, then only recently purchased by 'the man Johnston' from the Todas of Manjackalmund. There were the later owners, too, who planted the grounds extensively and ensured that it would be a wooded playground for the schoolboys of the nineteen-sixties. Then the Rev. Dr Pope, later head of Bishop Cotton's, Bangalore, ran a school in Lushington over a century ago: So we, in this day and generation, are in many ways not pioneers, but press on and thank God for those who, by His Providence, went before.

The middle of 1961 saw the arrival of two new junior teachers, but it brought an epidemic of hepatitis which laid low one third of the pupils and two of the staff. It also saw the decision, at a parents' meeting in May, to seek the definite establishment of the proposed senior school u p to Standard XI, and the adoption of

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this plan by the management was followed by work on the new building. Originally intended as four classrooms, the plans now rapidly grew to ten with, in addition, two music rooms, a cloak- room, a store-room, two dor with a linen-room and lavatories, and a staff flat.

With the virtual completion reject in 1965, it is humb- ling to look back and to see the way in which the Lord has led this school to its present situation. Numbers grew to about ninety in 1962, one hundred and ten the year after and one hundred and thirty in 1964. This last was the target figure proposed two years earlier, but another thirty have had to be added in 1965-and the trend still has signs of being upward, though time will tell.

As numbers grew, so did classes move out of dormitories to allow beds to move in (followed by occupants). The classes moved to sick-rooms (while we prayed for absence of serious epidemics, which prayer was answered), to staff bedrooms, to the old prep-room (sheeted into three but acoustically one sociable whole), to the gym. (which was two-thirds a builders' store) and, thankfully at last, to the new building. Even then this was not really a haven of peace. Teachers and pupils became accustomed to classes with noises, and sometimes drips of water, interrupting from building operations on the floor above. Senior classes helped hoist girders and roof trusses to their appointed heights, and staff members wielded paint-brushes as occasion demanded.

One standard was added each year until Standard XI, Frank Dewey no less (and no more, for he was the only member) sat the Indian School Certificate at the end of last year and gained four G.C.E. passes. Meanwhile negotiations for permission to enter the British G.C.E. bore fruit and our first entry is due in June 1966 (though these boys are having a last attempt at the I.S.C. in November as a trial run for June). The school year, in consequence, now runs from July to July-an inconvenience in many ways, as our residential year is climatically fixed on a February-November basis, but much more suitable for the boys going from here to schools in the northern countries, such boys being in the majority in Lushington. We are indebted to the Indian School Certificate Council for kindly making it possible, in the interim period, for our candidates to enter for

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this examination with its G.C.E. equivalence and status (and with even greater demands in some subjects).

T h e dormitory space of the old hostel lasted until 1963. Junior House-a small group of half a dozen or so-spent 1961 in the small wards of the school hospital and they moved back into their old haunts in 1962. I n 1963 one section of the parti- tioned prep-room became a small dormitory for Senior House. By 1964 the whole prep-room became Intermediate House, and 1965 numbers pushed Senior House across to the top of the new building (then in a distinctly unfinished state). Inter House filled the old senior dormitories and Gardens House filled the old prep-room. The boarding population is now over one hundred and forty and the new senior dormitories are more or less finished. Present numbers are barely possible m this accommodation- the dining hall has an overflow of juniors which fills the old staff bedroom opposite ('the room with five doors' as a 1942 house- master called it when he revisited it recently) and two lunch sittings are needed. The kitchen is now too small and the bath- house hot water system is not really big enough.

Just as the growth of the school has stretched accommodation to its limits, so has it taxed those who have had to make the school 'go'. Teachers have had very full time-tables and have sometimes had to teach 'rusty' or unfamiliar subjects. They have also carried a heavy load of duties outside class. Matrons, nurse and house- keeper have coped with constantly increasing numbers undsr trying conditions when all repairs and improvements except the most immediately urgent were postponed until a convenient 'sometime' to let the building go forward. Absence through sickness has been quite a frequent complication in the staffing history. Constant change and growth have exerted their inevit- able pressure on office work, administration and management, and plans and preparations for the immediate future have insistently competed for attention with the needs of the urgent present.

Finance, too, was taken to its limits. Building largely by direct labour, it was possible to build as and when funds (and cement) were available. This also allowed a fine building of three storeys to be erected most economically (possibly for two- thirds of the likely contract price, or less). Of the cost, which was well over a lakh and a half of rupees, almost three-quarters was provided from God's abundance in the shape of generous

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donations, both large and small. The remaining cost and that of the equipment and other development work (making the inclusive total altogether about two lakhs) represents the ruthless running down of the none-too-large balances of the old Hostel and equally

s done, even so inade to much that was outside human control. I t has been heartening to hear from boys who are fitting well into schools of standing back home and one can only give relieved thanks. Our games' programme, especially important in a boys' school, grew from small beginnings and still suffers from the fact that a small school cannot do everything: but it has not been insignificant. There are the highlights: the third place in the Inter-School Sports (with the Sub-junior individual championship gained by Andrew Webb), and the Junior hockey draw against Lawrence, together with other occasions when success came our way and seemed well-merited. (Success comes all too infrequently to the smallest school among those competing.) But, again, it has been good to hear of old boys going on, one with success in athletics and another in cricket. And there are many, who might not have reached a team in a big school, but who learned to face tough opposition in school sport here and to 'have a go'.

Then there is the aim of all true education, a faith which stems from personal conviction and committal, a faith which is active, obedient and steadfast, informed yet humble, and a faith which builds all upon the risen Lord, Who alone can make sense out of human life. How much of this has been taught, or caught, in Lushington is a question best left to God, but we staff, who are learners ourselves, have certainly had our own faith strengthened.

Looking at i t all, we are left with a sense of thankfulness to so many who have put so much into this work of precious time, devoted effort, and valuable money and equipment to mention only a few obvious things. Staff, parents, Committee and Council

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Mr. D. S. Fox

Mr. and Mrs. J. S. McNaught . 1961,64-5 and

Mr. and Mrs. D. B. Martin *Miss M. A. Matthews . 1962-5

: Dr. V. Rajagopalan : Dr. P. A. Johnson

eeks, seconded p

er person who enjoys digg' made his way round to m

ast students gave sixteen Illustrated Natural Science books. other people we received a full set of Chambers' Encvclo-

paedias, a full set of Biggles books, all Rudyard Kipling's books and H. V. Morton's series. We are very thankful for these and

when moved. The top of the cupboards which are about six feet above the floor are helpful when one is wanting to hide a book

Last time I went on furlough to Germany I saw the whole process of making wine. We arrived there in April when there was still frost. In the winter the people in our vilhge tied the vines to the ground and put straw on them to keep them from getting damaged by the snow. When spring came they took the straw off and tied the vines on to poles. Every evening they listened to the weather-forecast to see if there was any frost in the night. If there was they would take oil cans out to the fields and light stoves. The smoke which blew across the fields would warm the vines and keep them from getting frost-bite. These nights were very tiring and the farmers would sleep for the whole day.

During the summer the farmers would usually go out early in the morning and start digging up the earth" around the vines. Some did it with small ploughs with petrol engines. T h e high whine would be heard from a distance. I t was in summer also when the vines were sprayed with copper-sulphate solution. Towards the end of summer the grapes were getting bigger and some were already going red.

In autumn we went to pick the grapes and ate so many that our stomachs pained. The grapes were thrown into a barrel which you could hitch on to your back like a rucksack. In these barrels the grapes were taken down steep narrow steps going down the vineyard and put into a big tub on a tractor. The grapes were taken to the winepress and were trampled out. We also tried this, but our legs got tired too soon. The juice was put in barrels and put in the shed behind the house. Yeast and sugar were added and the juice was left to ferment. After about two weeks the smell was almost unbearable.

At the end of August a great fe wine was drunk. There was a f the work had been richly rewards

HELICOPTER AMBULANCE AT SEA

Two days before our arrival in Malta our Chief Steward,

a week from then

The Gully Gully man came on board at Port Said. He gave a show for the children in the morning. He called out a little boy and pulled chickens out of his nose, ears and eyes.

The Gully Gully man called out a little girl and pulled chickens out of her blouse. After a few more tricks he asked one of the sailors to come forward. The magician pulled a chicken out of the sailor's cap.

As we watched the Gully Gully man, he threw the chicken up into the air and it disappeared.

That night the Gully Gully man came back and had a show for older people. He asked who had a ten-pound note. Two people put up their hands but they would not give the money to him. After a lot of trouble he managed to get a ten-pound note. H e asked who had a wedding ring, but the ladies did not give them up. After a lot of trouble he managed to get a ring. The magician wrapped the ring in the ten pound note and threw it overboard. There was a scream from the owner of the ring.

Later on in the show the Gully Gully man walked over to the audience and took the money and the ring from the top pocket of one of the audience. Then he gave them back to the two worried passengers. When he wanted to end the show he told all of us to shout 'Gol' Every one shouted, 'Go!' and he went!

WALLACE MURISON, Std. VII

Imagine my surprise when I was invited down to the Belfast ship yards to see the launching of one of the largest ships built in Belfast, the 90,000 ton 'Texaco Maracaibo'.

As I reached the docks I heard the tugs hootiqg and knew the launching was soon to take place so I hurried along to No. 10

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Dock and was greeted by a massive prow and hundreds of spect- ators. I met my friend James who had invited me, and we went up some staging to have a good view.

We could see the men on board the ship working hard and just below u s was the Mayor giving a speech. H e thanked the dockers for working hard and building such a massive ship. Then the tugs gave a final hoot and the Mayor hurled a bottle of Champagne with all his might at the ship. The bottle exploded and the ship started towards the sea. As it gathered speed we all caught our breath for there, in the ship's path, was a huge piece of staging. There was no time to move it and the ship smashed it to smithereens.

Next instant the ship hit the water with a mighty splash that soaked everyone. The cables were drawn taught and the tugs put the ship into the shallow dock where the engines were to be

pie out Hallowe'en night and each does one part of the hrase repeated at each door, 'Trick or Treat?'

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When we reached home, we found a doll was missing. As it had not cost more than five shillings, we did not go back for it,

ot have found it.

e followed the river for a few miles unti stretch of bank on which to sleep for the night. A tent was not

the rabbits and We spent the rest of that morning gold-panning. With a dish

similar to a fryin'g-pan we scooped sand from a sheltered part of the stream and swirled this with water in a circular motion and let the top part of the sand gradually filter over the edge while the gold stayed at the bottom. When there was only a little sand

The tyre was changed and on we we anirnals-zebras, crocodiles, lions, lionesse tropical birds and lots of monkeys, especi

When it was time fot- lunch, we s food to be served out. Suddenly th roof of the car. A grey tail swung across the wind screen was a tail of a monkey. Then it disappeared. Giandad telling us to close the windows quickly, flashed a thin grey hsnd which grabbed and out it went again, as quickly as it had come.

We went around for about half an hour. Then we saw about ten cars chasing an animal.

As we drove closer we identified it as a lioness. Into the chase we joined. I t was great fun. There was the lioness leaping about the place, while we, in the car were gradually closing up. We formed a circle of cars, and all drove straight towards

sitting in the centre, staring at us whiie we

about ten yards away from the lioness. Many cameras were clicking when the lioness cooly got up and started walking out of the circle. I t walked between our car and another. If I had daring, I could have stretched my hand out of the window and touched the savage animal.

After we had had our tea, we found it was time to return home. What an exciting day I had had!

When the giant came they hid. But I said do not be afraid of him. I'll fight him and I'll kill him. I am brave enough. You all of you go behiid a big tree. I got my gun and I shot the giant right in his head and he fell to the earth. Then I called them back. I got my kniife and chopped him up and threw him into the river.

THOMAS SOMERWLL, Std. II

NORMAN REINIURDT, Std. ZZ

man got off and had his supper. I n the morning the man got up and went to the zoo. When the man came to the zoo. He went

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car came back and said why were you trying to catch me. So the man said then why did you run away. So the car said but I don't like you trying to catch me. So the man got up and started to run after it again. And then the car slowed down because it ran out of petrol and then it stopped and the driver got in. But when he tride to get in the car made magic. And when he made the magic the cas fl get in. And then the car turned into into a robin.

diver. I would go

PETER KIFF, Std. I l l

river. I will take Daddy to the

DOUGLAS WALSHE, Std. Ill

n I grow up, because you get a

Pete Brown saw his father's fleet-footed mare trip and she was down and the next moment t scrambled up and set off at would fall again, but she di

The fire had'been raging he was being left behind. 11 was lazy and needed a lesson. 'Come on, Bobcat!' urged Pete, but he wouldn't. Then a flaming stick hit Bobcat on the belly. That was enough. Bobcat lurched forward and shot off as an arrow from the bow and soon he ca burst past them. He wanted, to get that hot red thing.

At last, about fifteen minutes 1 Bobcat plunged in and swam across and the others followed. The water seemed so refreshing after the hot fire.

They sped again till they looked round and the fire was further behind them than before because the water had delayed it.

At last they came to the desert with Bobcat still in the lead. Then. the fire began to come right up to them so they hurried on further. Soon there was a loud rumble and a clash sounded as lightning struck a tree and it began to drizzle then a downpour and a cloudburst. Men and animals huddled together as the blinding flashes of lightning came dangerously near, and the fire went out as suddenly as it had started.

When the people and animals woke next morning they jouincyed across the desert to the nearest city where they were all given a farm of their own again and every July Bobcat and Pete go for thebig races and Bobcat has won many prizes. There is hardly a horse that can equal him. Pete is very proud of the cups that Bobcat has won but most of all of Bobcat who once saved his life.

d if I were a ca

wall which I never could have jumped in time without the dog reaching me. i

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The car pulled away along the Edgeware Road. As soon as the car had nosed its way into the stream of traffic all was well, for the chauffeur could move faster. After about five minutes the chauffeur took a turning to tlic left, and went down the road for a little way, then turned right and drove slowly to the end of the alley. Then he stopped tlie car suddenly, turned round quickly in the seat and drew his pistol and fired two shots. There was not much noise as he had put a silencer on the gun. Mr Maguire slumped over with blood oozing from his chest. The shots had opened up his chest near his heart, and had severed

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me, to his own car which was parked at the corner.

Mrs Jane Maguire who was twenty-five, had used her beauty to attract men, and was very flirtatious even after she was married. She was immaculate and kept her suburban house in Surrey very neatly, Everything had its place. There was not a thing out of place.

She was expecting her husband at his usual time, but when he failed to come home at seven o'clock, she began to feel uneasy. But as the time passed to eight o'clock she could stand it no longer, so she went over to the phone and called Donald's office. She found that he had left the office at 5.30 p.m. When she found this out she decided he must have been in a car accident, so she called Scotland Yard and asked them to check if there had been

find the car about a five minute drive off Edgeware Road. As soon as Jane heard this message she phoned the police and told them that the' car had been found and that everything was all right.

Meanwhile Jane had a friend go and pick up the car. On his arrival he opened the boot and to his surprise found the original chauffeur tied and gagged lying there. Jane's friend asked the chauffeur some questions and found that at about 5.00 o'clock a man had come to the car, asking for a light for his cigarette, and suddenly overpowered him taking his clothes, and manhandled him into the boot. He recognised the man as one of the friends' of the Maguires, although he was not sure just who i t w d s as he had made himself up. to look like the chauffeur.

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writing down some notes, he left the room to try to $olve the crime.

Before Jim left the house, he went into the garage to look at the car. In the course of his inspection he fomd a Turkish cigarette butt in the ashtray. After he found the butt he left to search the vicinity where the car had last been seen. He went from house to house asking people if they heard anything or saw the car, but their answers were all the same-negative.

But finally he found a Coclmey man who lived opposite the alley and asked him if he knew anything about the murder. He was reluctant to speak, but eventually told his tale. 'Yus, I see a man 'e was about five foot eleven, wearing a dark suit, I couldn't see his face, 'cause it were dark, but 'e left the alley and got in to a small Riiey 'Elf' that were waiting at the curb. 'E turned left, and went onto the Edgeware Road.'

The next morning the detective went back to the Maguire household. Jim asked some questions about Donald's acquaint- ances. After extensive questioning, Jim found that Jane was very friendly with one of Donald's friends. I n the end Jim had a list of all of Donald's friends, as well as their addresses. After a tiring morning of knocking on doors, Jim eventually found the man that smolced Turkish cigarettes. He found out that this man was a great friend of Mr and Mrs Maguire. He also found that he was a part time actor, having a good income, as well as a good and luxuriously furnished home.

Jim returned once more to the Maguire household. This time he asked Jane concerning her husband's will and, as he sus- pected, found that she would profit by her husband's death, and also by collecting his life insurance. So by Donald's beingkiled, there was plenty to gain. Jim, bearing this suspicion, began to sternly ask her why she had her husband murdered. At first $he denied it, but the more she denied it the more Jim asked her questions. After a quarter of an how, Jane broke down and told

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OF PAST PUPILS

ushington and attending emorial School

Standard from whic . 61 . 61-62 X I . 61 . 61 . 61-62 X ... 61 . 61-62 X I

Tank, H. H, G . ... 61

PAST PUPILS OF LUSHINGTON BOYS

(Including several boys now on furl who are likely to return)

Blow, J. W. Brandow, D. A.

T h e Hebion girls put in a p of the Lushy boys.

A nomad is a person who is not mad.

Exti iiinals have to warn them of danger.

e of the language riots, 'Perfume time is

in Giaminar--'Domino' is in the abusative case.

We ate supper b eat and baited beans.

Armistice is when they make the arms-to-cease.

Our Lab. has a vcrmicilli vacuum and an adenoid barometer.

Quadruple means four-thinged.

Cromwell's army worked like robots.. . . they wcie called Ironsides.

H c rushed for it, as an English master rushes to find a cliche in an essay.

Teacher: Why is it essential to have a leap year?

Std. V Boy: So that the ladies can choose their husbands!

Digging uith a will docs not mea (getting a will and digging with it) but they du

Suddenly I felt a piercing pain in my left