While doing this Page some thoughts occoured to me ...

This Page may take a little time to come up, but hang in there, there is bound to be some sights you would treasure. The Borders of Big Dorm would recognise a view that was "out-of-bounds" for the day scholars, and where the borders could have spent many a night with a mid-night snack. Of course, the only one that had free access was "Futty" with his Roliflex camera, especially during Sports Day. On Sports Day 1997, I decided it's a now or never situation to get up and take some of the "bird's-eye" shots. The Figure Running was a very good tribute to "Lugan", and in the tradition, except for the "spears". I haven't seen a "dumbell" display in years, I wonder if they still have them stored some where in one of the dungeons of the school. You may also notice that the crowd is thinning as the years go by, the upper floor "prime 'wall' seats" in the Big and Middle Dorm passages do not have any visitors for Sports Day. Of course, there is the usual door that is locked in some passage, but the crowd is so thin that then cam be accommodated under the shamiana and in Neri's Bus Stand. I guess, that certain traditions of the deep rooted dedication that the teachers and masters of yesterday handed down to us by their lives is not to be found today. There is very little "tradition" dished out. The PTA (Parent Teacher Association) runs the whole thought process, and if the Parents and Teachers themselves never went through the portals of St. Joseph's how is it possible for them to understand the Glory of "Faith and Toil" that has become a beacon to thousands that are scattered over the world. You will also notice that there is a very small element of the "Young" Old Boy on Old Boy's Day. It is time that we who have experienced the Love, Affection, Dedication and Joy of our past Teachers and Masters pass it down to our younger generation, or at least lock it in a Time-Capsule (such as an OBA Site). By this I mean, if there are memories of Old Boys about their old teachers, some kind, some funny, some dedicated, etc, that has touched you while in School, please let Jimi Ankelsaria, Alan Saldanha know or send me an e-mail, or even Cary Thomas in the UK, and we will add it to an OBA Site. The other day I asked one of the OBA Committee Member's son who had just passed out if he knew who "Alan Macbride" was? He said he never heard of him!!. This made me very sad, and I am telling you this because there are some of you who will agree with me that there are those who served and gave their lives for the school who should never be forgotten. I am trying to gather an article on Alan Macbride, any help from you guys out there? What about on Luke, Papa Yates, Dick and Alvy, some would even remember Smiler (D'silva), Iyer (with his white dothi and glasses, always sitting infront of the pull-down wooden desk, and in the cyclostyling room - question papers .... shhh!) and so many teachers ..... someone help us before the memory gets too faded. Send in your reflections. I will be going slow on the inputs for some time as I have just invested in a scanner that hacked me quite a bit and I need to recover from the shock of the expense. That means the photos will get scanned and put up, but new ones will take time to come by, unless I can get a donor!! Ha! Also I do not have my own Net Connection (just can't afford it!) and have to rely on the good offices of some friends for uploading. But whatever I do, I always think of you guys out there, and your interest (I still hope) in St, Joseph's at Bangalore. There is a shot of the swimming pool taken through the hole in the door, and one will be surprised to see a filter in front of the door.

All the Best for 1998 to all Old Boy's, Friends and Supporters of St. Joseph's and the "Bangalore Walla",

Cheers, Ronnie Johnson

There are many requests from memory fading Old Boy's for their School Song, well, here goes ... I also understand from Fr. Furtado, that there is one more verse, that only he can sing ... and I think he did on OBA Day, I will try to get the verse sometime. Regarding the "last line", till today, it's with Faith and Toil, and a quiver that it's still sung!!

Return to The Old Boy's Page

Return to the Bangalore Walla Home Page

Thought for the Day:" Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man's sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, Fon in the manner their fathers did to the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, For you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full, For you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, For you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did they fathers to the false prophets." Holy Bible: Luke 6:20-26