goat grazing pdf
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A Goat Grazing: 1957 to 1963 By Richard Johnson, November 2006
For the uninitiated, Goethals Memorial School (GMS) is located in Kurseong at the foothills of theHimalayan mountains in India. Boys who attended Goethals were generally known as Goats or
Goethalites. In 2007 Goethals celebrates its Centenary which has brought about this reflection.
My connection with Goethals started in the
1940s my elder brother Maurice went to
Goethals (first row, third from the right).
Other well known identities in the photo-
graph are Matthew Lobo (GMS teacher
extraordinaire and mentor) Bro. Fitz-
patrick, well known to generations of Go-
ethalites. I can hear the voices of Mum andDad We must try to give Richard the
same opportunity as Maurice My fa-
ther worked in the Burmah-Shell Oil
Company and used to get transferred to
various parts of India every few years. In
true Anglo-Indians tradition, my parents
wanted me to have an education in a good
English school and they felt that not
changing schools would be desirable. So,
when my father was transferred to Muzaffarpur in 1956, they sent me to Goethals the following
year.
The toy train is an early memory being
sick the windy roads the fear the un-
knownThen arriving at the school being
overwhelmed by the size of it all the grand
main building waiting in the Parlour my
father left - the thought of sleeping in a dor-
mitory with so many others the lights went
off and there was a lot of crying. Then there
was another day it started with mass Iremember kneeling in front of the altar with
the mighty banner Thine Will Be Done.
Did that mean I would never see my mother again,
I thought sobbing!
A visit from family was few and far between - it
was just too expensive. My Mum and sister
Cynthias (pictured) visits were very special in
those early days. I remember giving my sister very
clear instructions and it was my only request -
Dont kiss me in front of the boys. A request sheduly ignored!
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The first sight of the school food was a strong memory the tuck room was visited on a regular ba-
sis and the contents of the personal tuck box brought from home lasted about a week then there
was a few weeks of starving then I ate the food served in the refectory, and I still eat everything!
There are also memories of someone at my table spitting in a tin of jam so that no one else would
want any at least from that tin! And the time when we were so fed-up of peanut butter that balls of
peanut butter were thrown on the ceiling and they stuck there. There were consequences.
St. Patricks day was memorable for the good grub
and so were those other special days. There were
also those special add-ons to the meals that people
paid extra for eggs and side dishes and things that
smelt good more because others had it. However,
you could get a swap done for doing some elses
homework at times! Then, there was the box man
Blackie. That must have been racist and I have
got to say, I feel funny saying the word now but
those days seem to have been so simple I think.
Any excuse to go to town or Darjeeling was
gobbled-up and so were the MoMos which were
cheap and delicious and ice creams at Keventors
(Pokie, Glenn, Lawrence and yours truly pictured)!
I often wonder why the nostalgia is so strong when it
comes to the GMS experience it must have to do
with being away, the separation, the isolation and
from that, the development of strong friendships. Istill (forty-six years later) identify smells, colours,
music, tastes, fears with those seven years of my life
the texture of stewed eggplant (brinjal) still gets to
me! Strong experiences are etched in my behaviour
though the source or the memory is fading.
I remember a bleak time I was being bullied and it
was relentless it went for about a year and a half.
The culture was well, youve got to do something
about it. I couldnt. Then, quite unexpectedly, a guy
by the name of Patrick Bland came up to me one day and gave me a strategy. Do you know how to hit? he asked No was the reply from this meek
and mild twelve year old. He taught me simple stuff dont hold your thumb under your fingers,
dont bend your wrist and now you have to do it What? Well, the next time he says any-
thing to you hit him just hit him and you must hit him in the face right on the nose. I did. He
was all but knocked out and things changed instantly I was never bullied again. In that very ma-
cho male environment, this was an important message and I can still hear it. It had an important
influence on me I took up boxing and developed a keen interest in physical exercise and weight-
lifting. As I write this piece now, I am 60 years old, I go to the gym five days a week and I can still
bench press 80 Kg.
Those bonds of friendship were so important and they still feel important to this day they are the
special people who helped me through as friends and confidants Babs (aka Arun Gazi, Glenn,
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Lawrence, Mohan, Pon Mei, Tony, Eugene, S.K.,
Patrick, Bruce, Jeff and many more.
Croker was an interesting wilderness- close -
full of stinging nettle and leeches I have early
memories of gangs having hiding spots
camps I suppose and sometimes you capturedsomeone from an opposing gang and took them
in and tortured them with stinging nettle sounds
awful and dangerous now, but it was all innocent
fun. The other visit to Croker was when the
football went over the fence on first field and cry
went out Fishers! Then the team of nominated
fishers went down to fetch the ball or rather to
find the ball. Some used this as a great opportunity for a smoke. I never took to smoking maybe I
was just a goody-two-shoes I just hated the taste I still remember it Charminar I recall. The
gangs were serious business I remember being involved in a gang fight ( I cant believe Im writ-
ing this it seems like an out of body experience) it came to a head and a fight was arranged a
particular time and the place was on second field I was in the same gang as Glenn (Storey) and
Archie (Scott) and I can only remember the one I had to fight it was Thorpe (I cant recall his first
name) who was with us for a short time, he did regular push-ups and was very strong I dont
know why I scored him! I was certainly not the strongest in our gang. I must have lost the fight be-
cause I cant remember it!
It was sometimes hard to appreciate the work of the teachers and I now find my-
self taking a very critical view as I have been immersed in teacher education for
the past twenty six years. But it all must be put in context. I do reflect on a safe
and caring environment. Sr. Felix (pictured) was soft and caring when you neededit most when you were unwell and then there was the trip to the infirmary for
Horlicks many spoons in a mug with a drop of water and mixed into a thick
paste if there was any left it was made into a drink. That Flu epidemic in 1957
was a fearful time for all when one of the students lost his life.
Then, there were the brothers and lay-teachers memories flood back
of all shades the rules, the enforcement, the strappings for my bath-
ing shorts being on the wrong line the inspections with a clean
handkerchief and shining shoes I dont have inspections any more,
but I always have a clean handkerchief and shining shoes I wonder
why! I also always hold a cup by the handle, quite elegantly, peoplehave remarked thanks to Bro. Kyle who ac-
cidentally bumped into me and spilled my hot
coffee all over me with a comment referring to
the incorrect way I was holding my coffee cup!
Bro. Moynahan (pictured in his office and with
his class of 63) has a special space in the
memory bank as my teacher for the last two
years and as a mentor and great person. While I
believe that all my friends and teachers had an
impact on my life probably none more than
Bro. Morrow (pictured with the prefects of
1963).
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The annual play was a leading feature of the year. Yes, I remember the Mikado of 57 and A
Royal Jester (pictured) in 1962 with Mohan as King
Ortensis, R.Johnson as the Chancellor of the Excheq-
uer, Basant Lama as the Prime Minister, Babs Gazi as
the Commander in ChiefIn 1963 we were doing
The New Boy the teacher who was directing theplay took ill. Mohan Shivdasani and I decided that we
could direct the play and conveyed that to the broth-
ers. We were allowed and could not help but notice
Bro. Morrow, down the back of the hall with his
usual very red face and arms folded, just watching.
As usual he didnt say much. Then one day he asked
to see me after rehearsal. I shivered. Johnson, he said if you decide to take up teaching next year,
we will pay for you. Then he turned around and walked away. This was the most influential line
anyone has ever said to me. I was not a high academic achiever, I was always around the middle of
the class and in my earlier years I had experienced the bottom ranks and yellow cards. I never
imagined myself doing further studies and suddenly some-
body (and not just anyone) had planted a seed and offered
me a scholarship and in return I would be required to teach
with the Christian Brothers for a few years. As circum-
stances would have it, I didnt take up the offer but I did do
a Commerce degree (St. Xaviers, Calcutta) and gave pri-
vate tuition to test if I was interested in teaching. I have
taught since then and I now have six degrees in Education,
my last being a Doctorate (PhD). The fact that I finished
my schooling in Goethals was through the generosity of
the Brothers. In 1961 my father had just retired and couldnot afford to re-enrol me. We were then living in Calcutta
and very near Calcutta Boys School where I was enrolled
till my father received a letter from the Principal, Bro. Ponise (I still have the letter) offering to
waive the fees for my final two years. This is the kind of concern and compassion I recall behind
those tough exteriors.
Other memories of staff members are of tough Tunu and Khuttoo and Rassick (I was never sure
why we called him that) and I also remember umbrellas going up in the front row when Bro. For-
eign spoke the front row had to protect themselves from the spray! I remember Mr. Chakraberti
(Chemistry teacher), I didnt do Chemistry, but he had that special ability to relate to students. Mr.
Roy, our Physics teacher got a raw deal from a group of us. We had an uncomplimentary name forhim relating to his laugh. It must have made life so
difficult for his son, a fellow student and an out-
standing one at that. The result: I dropped Physics
and academically, to this day, I have an embarrass-
ing lack of knowledge in the sciences, particularly
Physics. You had the last laugh Mr. Roy! Matthew
Lobo was one of those inspiring teachers. It was
Matthew Lobo who arranged that memorable trip to
Darjeeling which included the Mountaineering In-
stitute and us meeting the famous Tenzing Norgay
(pictured). I also recall the name of a student Avari
facilitating that meeting.
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I have fond memories of
him and Mr Pascall, our
Hindi teacher (pictured
wither Bro. Morrow) for
some reason. I remember
Bro. Rowe (pictured super-
vising his favourite MazeDrill) his first joke to start
his Mathematics lesson was
always about the cowboy
who took his son to be en-
rolled in school. He saw Trigonometry on the Mathematics curriculum Give him plenty of that,
said the cowboy, hes the worst shot in the family. We always laughed heartily but is was more at
the image of Bro. Rowe telling the joke and the crimson face that followed! I have strong memories
of Mr. McKenzie - tweed jacket - meticulous writing of copious notes on the chalkboard. He broke
his right arm and we were delighted - no more copying of notes, we thought. He appeared in class,
right arm in plaster and proceeded to write on the board with his left!
St. Marys, the Jesuit Noviciate was an important place and the source of in-
spiration through the regular visits of luminaries such as Fr. Summerton, Fr.
Reilly the great Spanish footballer, Fr. Arroyo (pictured) and so many others.
The Crusaders and Sodality were significant organizations run by the priests.
Fr. Summerton (a glimpse of him in the photo below) in particular was inspira-
tional supportive and nurturing. Like many others I am sure, I reacted to the
compulsion of attending daily mass and the other religious commitments by
not attending mass or having much to do with the formal
church for some years. However, I have gone the full circle
and I am back to being a fully paid-up Catholic. My favour-ite song (hymn really) isAve Maria I have four versions
on my MP3 collection but that all started when I first heard
it being sung by Cecil Gibbons I can still hear that mag-
nificent soprano voice.
I call myself a Catholic with Buddhist leanings and this
could also be attributed to that great multicultural environ-
ment that was Goethals. The environment offered me
friends from diverse cultures and religious backgrounds.
There were never any religious or cultural tensions except
for the duration of the match when the non-vegetarian refectory played the vegetarians! I also re-member S. Khan, a friend and colleague who played full back - a fierce competitor and one who
gave me a lot of confidence when I kept goal. He was of course Muslim and I recall a deep and
meaningful conversation with him about girls of course and I was curious to know how a Muslim
would know whether a girl was beautiful under that full cover. His answer came promptly and was
clearly well studied it was from observing her ankles of course!
There were two years when the Shakespearianas visited. They performed the Shakespeare plays on
our book lists on the stage and stayed for a few days. We enjoyed the performances but took them
for granted little did we know that they were to be so famous the famous Kendall family with
the beautiful Felicity (we all wanted to help back-stage) Sashi Kapoor did a stint with them and
Felicity. I cant believe how lucky we were to have that experience.
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A recurring theme of my recollections is simplicity
the wonderful naivety that seems to be lost today.
What would we have thought of a Television show
likeBig Brother! I remember those autograph books
they were so important. In mine there was a picture
of Elvis and Pat Boon on opposite pages and friends
were invited to sign under who ever they supported.So, heres my opening page and then a sample from
Mohan (middle) and Archie Scott (pictured third).
Archie became quite famous with a recording he did
in the UK Move it baby I recall. He used to
use this photograph in the UK and tell people that it
(the Victoria Mimorial in the background) was his
home in India. A real character he was I love the
verses that preceded the autograph representing the
importance of the friendship bonding that was so
much a part of the boarding school life for me
anyway.
I remember Chungeeand hanging around the kitchen when the chickens were being beheaded in
preparation for those good grub days we would then descend and rip those long, floppy feathers
off and all that was needed then was a washer and piece of leather.
Another game I have not heard of since is
Salts a great game and BabyCricket. Those special picnics to Kettle
Valley (pictured) and the winning team
got to go to Constantia(pictured it
was Bro. Hughess team). The paper and
chalk chases were a special event again,
often used as an excuse. I remember the
sunshine holiday negotiating/begging
for it just before inspection and then the
chalk chase that followed. The proper
group of serious players went off and a
splinter group made their way to St Hel-ens. I was in the splinter group we only
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managed a glimpse and a few words with
the girls but the thrill was exhilarating.
Those St Helens memories
will always remain. I remem-
ber being with Richard Hay-
ward at the St Helens Fete
sweet shop and Richard pull-
ing out a snake from his
pocket (he did have a pen-
chant for reptiles) and putting
it on the counter when one of
the girls came to serve him
needless to say, we had the
shop to ourselves in seconds!
The deeper memories were ofGita Sharma, my girlfriend
for two years whom I sadly
last saw in 1963. While there
was an inevitability about the
end, in Gitas wisdom, she
shared that with me through a book Im sure it was called Bitter Sweet
Autumnand towards the end there was reference to two ships that passed
in the night years later, a metaphor for the possibility of us meeting again.
Im still hopeful for that possi-
ble moment isnt it amazing
after all the years I some-times have that feeling
wouldnt it be wonderful to be
able to turn on the monitor and
select Gita Sharma or Margaret
Sargent or Meena Narula or
Rakha Sarkar and just say Hi.
The fact that I feel that way
must be because those fine
friends meant so much in those
formative years. That theme of simplicity again comes
to mind I think Gita and I may have held hands am I
imagining that it certainly was nothing more. The thrill
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of walking to town and passing the St Helens playing field with the girls looking down from be-
hind the wrought iron fence the waves or the occasional meeting on Hill Cart Road! All commu-
nication was special and in particular the school socials. Gita Sharma started and was the first Edi-
tor of The Highlights, the St. Helens paper and I was the Editor of the Goethals Madonna in
1962 (front page copies shown) - Romantic, dont you think? I thought so!
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The major events were special. The athletics meets I
remember N.C. Karr (RIP), and Pon Mei Son, Eugene
Roberio, Arun Gazi, the Wallaces we had some real
stars. The competition with Victoria was intense. The
Inter-school relay was a feature.
Football, Hockey, Cricket and Athletics were all im-portant and we certainly had stars in each code. The
very special thrill was to win in Darjeeling and come
home singing in the jeep.
I have strong recollections of the football finals I got
into the first XI football team by default in 1962 that
was a great moment in developing my self confidence
and sense of identity. Seems incredible to think about all that now, but there it was I was a goal-
keeper one who tried hard, but fairly average, I thought.
I was playing a late game against the novices from Mount
Carmel there were such names as Freddie Fernandes and
Pinto and Co. those games were played after the formal
sport time and one of the added benefits was that you were
able to have a longer shower an important privilege.
Arun (Babs) Ghazi was our First X1 goal-keeper he had
a fairly serious finger injury there was a game coming up
against North Point but that didnt occupy any space in my mind as N.K. Sargar (Nakatoo) was the
second-eleven keeper courageous and daring and an automatic (I thought) replacement. It was a
good game against the Carmelites, wet, but it was good when you knew you could have a good hot
shower games against the Carme-
lites were always played in good spir-its fair and hard though. Bro.
Hughes (Sports Master and selector of
the First X1) was watching it didnt
matter, but you did care just by vir-
tue of the fact that he was around! So,
after getting cleaned up and following
all the rituals, I was lying in bed (sen-
ior dormitory) listening to Cliff Rich-
ards, when Bro. Hughes came to my
bed (I shuddered) Johnson, you are
in the First X1 for the game againstNorth Point and off he went. You
couldnt ask but what about N.K. or
why me or anything like that. By the
way, N.K. was a bit of a lad he must
have annoyed Bro. Hughes but I went
on to play that game and hold my place for the rest of the season (Babs was injured for all that
time). I will never forget that first game against North Point the nerves we had GMS old boys
like Adrain Alphonso and company (Mel Brown) supporting us. We won! The first picture is of the
return match at GMS we won that too and the second photo is with the famous C.S. Gurung
(Olympic Hockey Gold) as coach.
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But the dream was to go home and all goas
knew the lines:
Going home day has come at last
Do Dah, Do Dah
Going home day has come at last
Do Dah Do Dah Day
... More days and where shall we be?Out of the gates of GMP!
The final night bonfire used to be a feature.
The pea-shooters used to be going as if there
was no tomorrow final grudges were sorted
out and there were many stories of bravado
that didnt quite come to fruition the myths
were perpetuated none the less. The Last
Bend (pictured) was a legendary landmark
after which the school was no more in view - and still I crave to take that bend now and have the
school come into view. I did call into the school some years ago, just briefly and unannounced. The
taxi pulled-up just outside the main building
(pictured). A few boys sat at the bench over-
looking First Field bit slack I thought, that
used to be our of bounds with a few excep-
tions I sat with the boys for a minute and then
asked Whats the school like? Its a very
good school Sir. Are the brothers and teach-
ers cruel. An emphatic No Sir. Is the food
good? Yes Sir. How many days are left to go
home? As quick as a flash Seventy Two days
Sir! Thankfully, nothing has changed, Ithought.
My relationship with Goethals and Kurseong never really ended. After seven great years at Go-
ethals, the relationships continued with families such as the Knights (Jeff, Patsie, Susan, Steven) the
Alphonsos (Adrian, Darryl (RIP), Andre), Dolly, Nat and Dick Campbell, the Rufuss, and the Wal-
laces (Sydney, Patrick, Bruce and Alice) of Kurseong. I married Alice Wallace in Kurseong in
1968. We left for Australia in 1969. Kevin (named after Sr Kevin from St Helens) was born in Mel-
bourne in 1972. Alice and I were divorced some years later.
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I took Bro. Morrows advice and took up secondary teaching when I left school. I have taught ever
since St. Marys Orphanage (Christian Brothers), Dum Dum, in Australian schools (St. Josephs,
Christian Brothers College) and since 1980 I have been teaching in tertiary education, currently at
Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia. I guess I could say that in true Goethals spirit I chose
Australia because they had and have a good cricket team. But seriously, so much of what I do and
choices I make can be traced back to those formative years at GMS. When I reflect on traces of
GMS in me now, I have to acknowledge genetics, other experiences and places but I do see influ-ences. My wife Evelyn (pictured on the
right, then theres the goat, my grand-
son Lewis, son Kevin and grandson
Finley), has a saying: Watch that
Christian Brother in you Richard!
Thats when there is the potential for
me getting fired-up. Like the time I
went into work with the intention If
he utters a word, Im going to belt the
. out of him! My son Kevin (now
34) reminds me that the advice I gave
him to cope with bullying wasnt really
appropriate. What and how I eat and I
suppose the fact that I dont waste food
is also linked. My clearest lesson from
the GMS experience is a fierce sense of
independence and perhaps resilience.
The notion that using your own re-
sources to survive is strongly reminiscent of lessons I learned when I was young.
I hope I have not offended anyone with my ramblings or with the images I have used, the intentionwas to celebrate. It seems indulgent when I read over what I have written and I have to say, I do so
with a smile on my face. The overall feeling is, those were great days, thanks for the memories to
GMS to those great friends I had and to whom I am thankful, to the Christian Brothers so far away
from home, looking after a group of boys, not angels, to those Priests and lay teachers who did their
jobs so diligently and found time and energy to inspire and care, to the support staff who did just
that. Cheers for Goethals, cheers for Goethals, keep those colours high
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We cant re-heat a souffle but can we examine the notion of reunion some forty-four years later?
We could re-unite online, by telling our story and we may also be able to meet at Goethals in No-
vember 2007 (http://www.goethalscentenary.com). But can we meet like we last met on first field,
in our dungaree sports uniforms - the great equaliser - without pre dispositions of race, colour,
wealth, class, caste, religion or sexuality? Can we redefine what success means all these years later?
So often reunions are haunted by notions of success to do with career, wealth, marriage, position
and the rest...
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Friendsfrom1963...
Where arethey now?
Contact: Dr. Rich-ard Johnson
email:[email protected]
Post: Deakin Uni-versity, 221 Bur-wood Highway,Burwood, 3125,
Victoria, Australia
JigmeTshering,
when you put thispicture of yourselfin my AutographBook, did you thinkyou would see itagain?
[15]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]