Dr. S. M. Goel
SCHOOLING
A. School Education : - My schooling went on from 1947 to 1958 with some memorable moments / incidences (both bad & good).
1. Initiation: I was initiated to schooling in Pakistan at some school in Badami Bagh, Lahore in the early part of 1947: I vaguely remember that I used to go with Urdu Primer in my hand & sit in the corridor of a school on floor mats (Tappad) enclosed by a wire meshed iron grilled door.
2. Panchayti School Safidon Mandi, Punjab (Now in Haryana) - 1947-50: This school was located in a 'Dharamshala' in Safidon Mandi on railway road near railway station. Initially while going from home to the School I used to bunk & play with other friends in the Mandi area. .My teacher used to send other students in search of me. These guys will find me & carry me forcibly to the school sometimes even lifting physically by two to four persons & putting my 'basta' on my stomach. We were being taught Hindi. Interestingly in the beginning when Hindi dictation was being given, I used to mix this with Urdu as I had learnt some Urdu in pre-partitioned India. Pt Bal Mukund Ji - an old teacher used to teach us. We were also being taught Langri Hindi a language usually being used in business - the language used for writing Bahi Khatas by the businessmen. Interestingly after initial teething troubles, I stood first in my class & was awarded prize in the form of some stationary & books. But I do remember the prize of four Ladoos made of Besan Bundi (a sort of sweet) which I ate fully while going home. I completed class three from here & then went to the Primary section of R D J High School Safidon City. My favorite games were Guli Danda, Pithoo, Kanche, Kabbaddi, bouncing of Ball on wooden writing pad (Takhati) etc.
3. RDJ High School Safidon City, Punjab, (Now in Haryana) - 1950-55 & !956: - Although the school was located in a beautiful garden, primary classes used to be held in the Boarding House on the bank of Hansi Branch canal off taking from western Yamuna Canal. I used to traverse a distance between school & home (about 3 kilometers one way) on foot. Some times I even used to wade through canal to have a short cut for the school. On many occasions I encountered snakes both inside & outside the canal but with God's grace without any harm. One day when I was going to school in the morning I found numerous snakes dumb & unconscious lying all along the canal bank - a distance of about two kilometers. This reminds me the story of snake yagna performed in this city known as Sarp Daman in olden days to protect king Parikshat from death due to Snake bite on account of curse. Teacher Shri Sahib Ram ji will be remembered for his love , affection, & strictness which laid my base for future. After fourth class I shifted to senior section located in Garden campus. One incident about Sahib Ram ji which changed my life for the better is worth narrating. "Once I did not do my homework & thus in the class next day was not able to solve even a single problem. He first gave me punishment of standing in the class. Later not being satisfied, he starting giving beating with slaps, boxing, shoe beating (his shoes were carrying steel studs in the sole), rod & wooden writing pad. When tired he asked me to stand in Sun at the back of class. On returning home after the school when asked by my mother I narrated every thing to her probably to gain her sympathy. But to my astonishment my mother slapped me further & asked why I did not complete my home work. This incident changed me completely to remain regular in in my studies in future".
I completed eighth class from here & then shifted to Jind due to transfer of my mother from Safidon to Ramrai a village about seven kilometers from Jind.
Teachers S/Shri Jado Ram Jee, Ram Chander Jee & Pt Anant Ram ji Gautam for English, Shri Des Raj Ji for physical training are remembered very well for their good contribution in molding my career, whenever we used to commit a mistake Shri Jado ram ji used to give us punishment. His one sentence which he usually used each time is still remembered. 'Oh black man! Jameen per hugne wala!' Probably this was the sentence being used against him, being Indian, by his British teachers.
Class fellows such as Chander Mohan, Ramesh, Bakshi, Jai Bhagwan, Som Nath, Vinay kumar, Rajender Kumar, Pritam Singh- one tall boy & second shorter in height, Sham Sunder Goel, Kewal Krishan Bhatia, Naresh Kumar, Surti Parsad, Srinivas, Harjinder Singh, Madan mohan (Maddi), Lakhmi chand, Inder Singh, Nirmal Kumar, Tulsi Dass, Puran chand & Kushal Kumar are still remembered. Out of these Sham Sunder Goel, Kewal Krishan Bhatia & Ramesh are still in contact.
I used to have competition for first position with Bakshi. There is no other significant thing to remember except that I was naughty & intelligent but loved by the teachers..
I rejoined this school during 1956 in Xth class only to leave again in September 1956 to join Gov't high school Sunam for Xth class.
In this school I learnt Harmonium & became a member of group conducting prayer in the school in the morning. I also developed taste in singing & acting. But I could not develop these faculties properly due to stringent control of my mother.
4. Jat high School Jind, Punjab (Now in Haryana) - 1955: - My mother was transferred from Safidon to village Ramrai about seven kilometers from Jind. There was no high school in Ramrai. Hence I had to join some school in Jind. I joined Jat high school Jind as some of my companions used to come to this school. One Science teacher from Ikkas a village in between Jind & Ramrai & working in this school was instrumental in this. However the problem of transport from Ramrai & School was difficult. So I shifted from this school to Gov't high school Jind City. There is no significant development in this school.
5. Gov't High School Jind City, Punjab (Now in Haryana) - 1955-56: - I completed Class IXth from this school standing first. Initially I used to travel on foot or bus & later on bicycle for about 14 kilometers distance on both side for schooling. I made few friends in this class. mainly Yash Pal Goyal, Onkar Dass Garg, Khajanchi, Bigra ram & so on. During Summer months I used to stay, during noon, after school hours with Onkar & study at his residence. His father Shri Brijmohan Lal Jee was teaching us history & other subjects. Only significant thing based upon this friendship was that I was married in this family in 1965 with the younger sister Santosh of Onkar. The other teacher whom I remember with respect was Science teacher popularly known as 'M.Sc.' based upon his qualification. After IXth class once again due to transfers of my mother I shifted from this school in 1956 first to RDJ high school Safidon & then in September to Gov't high school Sunam. I am still in contact with Yash Paul Goyal - a medical practitioner & Khajanchi. Obviously Onkar - now my brother-in-law is very much in this list.
6. Gov't High School Sunam, Punjab - 1956-57: - I was going on well here but following instances are worth mentioning.
1. I fell short of attendance & was weeping bitterly in the class. The school condoned the shortage.
2. Our head master prescribed a book from a private party & it was alleged by others that he made money out it by way of commission. Students forced the strike against him & went even up to the higher district authorities. against him.
3. This is a very serious episode which has affected my whole life seriously. Every body was was waiting for the Xth class results. My class fellows & teachers as well were expecting something extra ordinary from me. A letter was received from Punjab University requiring my presence at university. My school felt as something good is likely to happen now. I also reached the university with good hopes. But to my utter astonishment I was informed that somebody sitting besides me in paper English - B has copied 20 marks portion of the paper from my answer book. How far I was responsible for this? In spite of my pleas that I being very new to the school do not even know the person sitting besides me. How I can permit such person to copy from me. University people gave no credence to these pleas & disqualified me for one year & the person besides me Mr. Baldev Singh for 3 years. This put me back by one year in my life & created hate in my mind for all those who copy during examinations. I lost one year & appeared again in Xth class examination during 1958 as private candidate from another center at Sangrur 10 kilometers away instead from the center of my own school. I passed matriculation in 1958 scoring 614 marks out of 850 marks but with a blot of 'private candidate' for the whole life.
I still remember the names of my class fellows such as 'Baldev Singh', Ram Shneshar, Ruldu ram, Jagan Nath, & so on. The teachers in my memory are Shri Sood, Shri Sashtri ji, & .Shri Kurl. Interestingly I checked answer books of English Paper -B with Shri Satpal Kurl & passed some students after correcting their papers but without any consideration & only out of sympathy & fun. .