Island of Calm.

For those in the share market, this is another article by Ajit Dayal from Equitymaster.
We should have been calm like the girl in the centre inspite of all the distractions around. But no, we had to invite all the American vices like Credit Cards, P-Notes, Hedgefunds, Derivitaries to shore up our bourses to give a boost to our egos.
We are paying for it now.
Our Indian system of buying only when you have the money brings more peace and serenity to the lives of the people.
On the other hand the American system of buy now and pay later and eat drink and be merry can only bring sorrow,
You choose which path you will follow.

Radheshyam

Email your friends, cousins, children in USA.
Ask them to walk around their homes and make a list of all the things that they own.
Request them to note down in which country that item was made.
And what that item cost them.
Add it up, get a total for all the “things” they have in their homes: the beds, the tables, the sofa, the chairs, the kitchen appliances, the TV, the stereo, their clothes, their shoes.
Now ask them: how much of these “things” they own have a “Made in India” tag.
If the people you sent the email to are of Indian origin, chances are that they have some Indian furniture, the pressure cooker to make rice, and a few Indian paintings on the wall.
The total value of “Made in India” products may be 5% of the value of all the things they have in their home.
If the people you sent the email to are not of Indian origin, the chances are that the total value of “Made in India” products is likely to be zero.
India, as a country, is not an export-led economy.
India had nothing to benefit from the massive build out in new home construction in USA.
India should have nothing to lose from the massive decline in new home construction.
A recession in USA should have little impact on India’s economy.
Yet, the Indian stock market swoons and twists to every piece of news on the condition and health of the US economy.
Blame our lust to Dance with the Devil for that. (Please read "Dance with the Devil")
India could have – and should have – been an island of sanity in an insane world.
But we chose to Dance with the Devils, we chose to be seen with the beautiful people.
As a thoughtful individual, would you build a house by borrowing short term money? Would you take a loan for this house from people you do not know, even if they were willing to give it to you? Even if they queued up at your door with a bucket of cash?
India needs to build – for a long time.
We have to find homes for some 500 million people. And improve the quality of life for maybe another 400 million people.
We need schools, colleges, hospitals, roads, power plants, airports, ports – the list is endless. The number of people to be helped in some way or the other seems countless. There is so much to do. So much building to be done.
It will take one generation of sacrifice and hard work for a future generation to enjoy the fruits.
All this building needs capital. A lot of capital. A lot of patient capital.
Long term capital that supports this sort of long term building.
But India took the easy way out.
India opened the door for the people in the queue.
The people willing to give us money while the going was good.
Now they want their money back. The times are not so good anymore.
And things will remain difficult for some time.
The world was overwhelmed by greed. Everyone was out there looking for the next free lunch. And they had a lot of free lunches. But nothing is really “free”. There is always a price to be paid. The bill finds its way to you - eventually.
Bear Stearns just got their bill. It is a big one.
One of Wall Street’s most well known firms has been hit by a series of write-offs. It was trouble at one of the funds of Bear Stearns that caused the August, 2007 sell-off in global stock markets.
The world got its first whiff of trouble that something was wrong with the business of lending money to people who can’t really afford to repay the loans they take. The sub-prime business had provided a free lunch to all the distributors and investment bankers who lived off the fees they got from creating these loans. Now the bills were coming home.
In October 2007 the Chinese stepped in to help.
China’s largest broking company, Citic Securities, agreed to buy a 6% equity stake in Bear Stearns for USD 1 billion. And Bear agreed to buy a 2% equity stake in CITIC for USD 1 billion. Since then, the share price of Bear Stearns has declined by 75% and the share price of Citic has declined by 45%.
The Indian stock markets should have been oblivious to all these events.
Yes, the Indian economy is influenced by the events in the US and the developed world.
The recession in USA and slowdown in Europe will mean less consumers shop. There will be less credit card activity and banking activity. There will be fewer bills to be processed. Not good for the call centre business.
Maybe tourism will be hit a bit.
Maybe fund inflows from persons of Indian origin will decline a bit.
Nothing dramatic.
Nothing scary.
Yet, the Indian markets are spooked by all these events and we wait like slaves for “global cues”.
The short term capital was the terrible bridge that India built.
We are paying the price for it.
An island of sanity surrendered to the temptation of the P-Notes.
India’s economy is not coupled to the US or the developed world but the Indian stock markets are very much coupled.
We are stuck in their insanity.
Stay calm. Stay sane.

Memories, Keith Hayward.

Keith & Richards with parents & Sylvia with daughters Yvette, Simone,Lindsay & Cassandra

Keith & Sylvia-Now
& Then




The photographs above are of one of my childhood friends, Keith Hayward.
With time, the photographs have become hazy and probably the memories too, but the love is still there.
Look how handsome Keith looked then.He still looks good although slightly balding.
Thanks for the photos, Keith

Radheshyam

Smileys

Hello friends,
To make your morning really pleasant I am sending you a bouquet of Jokes.
I don't claim they are my original. I am no Bob Hope who had a battery of Joke writers to feed him the wisecracks so that he could have his audiences in splits.
These jokes have been lifted from Sher Singh's Blog "Facts of Life", who also may have lifted it from somebody else. Actually when you think of it, most jokes just recirculate. If you hear it the first time you may burst out in laughter but subsequently when your rehear it your lips just curl a bit.
These jokes really tickeled me and so I thought they were worth sharing.
I do hope they brighten your morning.

Radheshyam

The local District Judge had given the defendant a lecture on the evils of drink. But in view of the fact that this was the first time the man had been drunk and incapable, the case was dismissed on payment of ten shillings costs.
"Now don't let me ever see your face again," said the Justice sternly as the defendant turned to go.
"I'm afraid I can't promise that, sir," said the released man.
"And why not?"
"Because I'm the barman at your regular pub!"


"Hey, Mom," asked Johnny "Can you give me twenty dollars?"
"Certainly not."
"If you do," he went on, "I'll tell you what dad said to the maid when you were at the beauty shop."
His mother's ears perked up and, grabbing her purse, she handed over the money. "Well? What did he say?"
"He said, 'Hey, Marie, make sure you wash my socks tomorrow


A friend of mine was a frequent user of a pay telephone at a popular truck stop, and was greatly inconvenienced when the phone went out of commission.
Repeated requests for repair brought only promises.After several days, the phone company was again contacted and told that there was no longer a rush.
The phone was now working fine--except that all money was being returned upon completion of each call.
A repairman arrived within the hour


A drunk who smelled like a brewery got on a subway one day. He sat down next to a priest. The drunk's shirt was stained, his face was full of bright red lipstick, and he had a half empty bottle of wine sticking out of his pocket.
He opened he opened his newspaper and started reading. A couple of minutes later he asked the priest, "Father what causes arthritis"?
"Mister, it's caused by loose living, being with cheap wicked women, too much alcohol and contempt for your fellow man."
"Geez, I'll be darned," uttered the drunk and returned to reading his paper.
The priest, thinking about what he said turned to the man and apologized.
"I'm sorry son, I didn't mean to come on so strong. How long have you had arthritis?"
"I don't, father. I was just reading in the paper that the Pope has arthritis.. "


Our local minister had all of his remaining teeth pulled and new dentures made a few weeks ago.
The first Sunday, his sermon lasted 10 minutes. The second Sunday, he preached only 20 minutes. But, on the third Sunday, he preached for an hour and a half.
I asked him about this. He then told me "well, John, that first Sunday, my gums were so sore it hurt to talk. The second Sunday, my dentures were still hurting a lot. Now the third Sunday, I accidentally grabbed my wife's denture and I couldn't stop talking.


Little Sonia was shouting her prayers. "Please God send me a new doll for my birthday."
Her mother, overhearing this, said, "Don't shout dear, God isn't deaf."
"No, but Grandad is, and he's in the next room," Sonia replied


A woman walked into the kitchen to find her husband stalking around with a flyswatter. "What are you doing?" She asked.
"Hunting Flies" He responded.
"Oh!, Killing any?" She asked.
"Yep, 3 males, 2 Females", he replied.
Intrigued, she asked. "How can you tell?"
"3 were on a beer can, 2 were on the phone". He responded


A police officer attempts to stop a car for speeding and the guy gradually increases his speed until he's topping 100 mph. He eventually realizes he can't escape and finally pulls over.
The cop approaches the car and says, "It's been a long day and my tour is almost over, so if you can give me a good excuse for your behavior, I'll let you go."
The guy thinks for a few seconds and then says, "My wife ran away with a cop about a week ago. I thought you might be that officer trying to give her back!"

"Mr. Goldblatt," announced little Joey, "there's something I can't figure out."
"What's that, Joey?" asked Goldblatt.
"Well, according to the Bible, the Children of Israel crossed the Red Sea, right?"
"Right.""And the Children of Israel beat up the Phillistines, right?"
"Er, right."
"And the Children of Israel built the Temple, right?"
"Again you're right."
"And the Children of Israel fought the Egyptians, and the Children of Israel fought the Romans, and the Children of Israel were always doing something important, right?"
"All that is right, too," agreed Goldblatt. "So what's your question?"
"What were all the grown-ups doing?"


A woman's husband had been slipping in and out of a coma for several months, yet she had stayed by his bedside every single day.
One day, he motioned for her to come nearer. As she sat by him, he whispered, eyes full of tears,
"You know what? You have been with me all through the bad times. When I got fired, you were there to support me. When my business failed, you were there. When I got shot, you were by my side. When we lost the house, you stayed right here. When my health started failing, you were still by my side.........You know what?"
"What dear?" she gently asked, smiling as her heart began to fill with warmth.
"I think you're bad luck!"

Messages from Old Boys 13

Msgs from Avijit Roy Re: Saibal’s request

Thanks Avijit,
Atul Chaturvedi and R K Singhi have already offered to help and I have forwarded their letters to Saibal.
Regards
Radheshyam

HI Radheshyam,
This is Avijit Roy from 1969 batch. I do receive your e-mails and read each and every one of them with a lot of interest.
I am in total agreement with you on this point of helping each other. I second your appeal to anyone who can help Saibal Basu. I wish someone would come up with a helping hand.
Regards,

Avijit Roy.

Msg from Saibal Basu

Excellent idea. I will do that
Thanks again
Saibal


No Saibal,
I did not pull their names from the Alumni database.
I had put your problem to all our boys in Kolkata.
I received replies from these two who offered their help.
Even if presently it is OK, since these two have offered to help, I would suggest you to drop a line or two to both of them
Radheshyam

Thank you for providing the two references. Both the names sound familiar to me. Since I passed my ICSE in November 1982 they were a few years senior to me. Are they (Singhi & Chaturvedi) both familiar with the nature of my request or did you pull their names from the Alumni database.

Right now everything seems to be going fine with my promoter but in the recent past he was pushing me into the ‘weeds’. Should a problem arise in the future (and we are not done yet) I would like consulting with somebody who is in this industry and who can provide me an unbiased opinion/suggestion

Hello Saibal

We have received the following offer from two of our boys. We should get more offers

lemme know the building name and the promoter. I will try and help

Atul Chaturved (1980)
Kolkata, India
atulchat@yahoo.com

IF the name and address of the promoter can be shared then may be we find if any one knows him.

R.K.Singhi (1979)
rksinghi@yahoo.co.uk
Could you give more details as asked and specify your problems, I think help should be at hand.

I am still going to office 3 times a week, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The balance days I am with my computer doing online trading in shares and updating our blog.

Radheshyam

Thanks for your prompt reply.
I have made a purchase of a flat in Kolkata. It is in the New Ballygunje area. The flat is still under construction thru a loan from ICICI bank.
Since I live outside the country and this is the first time buying a home in India I am not sure of the various formalities and paperwork involved. I am relying on the 'honesty' of my promoter which as you pointed out is perhaps an oxymoron. I am unable to decide how much of the advise I am receiving from the promoter is genuine and whether my interests are being adequately protected. If you need to deal with a 'criminal' better have one on my side. Hence my request for info. Like many people say here - We have a moron as the President but at least he is our moron!
So far, my wife is winning the schooling question. However, I do want to take both my sons (now 10 years and 18 months) to Goethals next time we visit India. Maybe a tour through my old school will make an impression.
Hope everything is going well with you.
Warm regards
Saibal
Hello Saibal,
Presently I do not think any of our boys are in that line.
Just as a politician's profession is dirty so also is the promoter' s. life filled with crime. I don't think any of our boys would follow that calling.
However, I'll try to find out and help you.
Are you having problem with an existing purchase or are you yet to decide on some purchase?
I hope you and your family are well.
Have you decided on your son, boarding or day school?
If you would have brought them to the centenary celebrations, they would all have chosen boarding school.
Radheshyam


Mr. Sharma

I was wondering since you are so much in touch with ex-Goethalites etc. thru your blog and maybe an interactive web-site in the future, would you be able to provide me with contact information about an ex-Goethalites who is a promoter/developer or in that line of business.

I am having some problems with the purchase of a flat in Kolkata so I thought maybe you or an ex-goethalites could help..

Thanks

Saibal Basu
1982 batch
Msg from Arjun Mohinta

Thanks for your kind invitation, sir. Will definitely call you up and come one of these days. Will call before coming.

Regards,

Arjun

Hello Arjun,
Yes, I have received your form.
Who are the other boys of 1996 batch? I do not seem to have received their forms.
Why don't you come to my home so that we can get to know each other?
You can bring your friends also.
I live at 188, Bangur Avenue, B-Block, Kolkata - 700 055 with my family.
My Cell no is 9331259878.
I am normally free and at home on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
On the other three days I go to office.
At my age I prefer to take it easy.
Our group of 5 boys of 1965 batch are having a small get together at the house of one of our boys at Dum Dum, Nager Bazar on the 16th.
For a bigger get-together. we'll have to find an occasion.
Lets see and talk to the other boys.
Do come.

Radheshyam

Hello Sir,

Your interest and enthusiasm in keeping the school spirit alive is awesome. Cheers to you!! I'm Arjun Mohinta from the batch of '96. I mailed you my Personal Data form a few days back, hope you received it. I'm in Cal for 2 weeks till 24th Mar. Am also in touch with 2 of my GMS classmates who are also working in Cal. In case you are planning a get-together or something till that time, please do let me know.

Thanks,
Arjun
Msg from Ralph Reeves

Thanks Radheshyam,
Appreciate the reply and I have written to Thondup. Another to add to my list of contacts. It is growing.
Keep up the good work. I had gone to a website by typing <> and a few photos came up, one of which I still have with me. This is with Ian Mason, Michael Rodrigues, Sunil Dikshit and Manual D'Gama in the background. It was great to see that. It was the time when I was in Cambridge(last year ) studying for the final exams. You know how it was walking across the third or fourth fields cramming Shakespeare etc etc for the finals. I just love reminiscing those days.
Anyway, you take care and we will talk to you soon.

Hi Ralph,

Thondup's Email ID is drukta11@yahoo.com.
I had given your E mail ID to him and he had sent a message to you.
You may have missed it.
He is waiting for news from you.
Good to hear of Nihar.

Radheshyam

Radheshyam.
Thondup Sherpa is waiting to hear from me. However, I do not have his contact number or email. Please give it to me if you have it or help me trace it from a database of old boys from GMS. It will be a pleasure to talk to him.
Till then keep up the good work Radheshyam. Got in touch with Nihar Sircar. He called me yesterday from BC. He is Chief Engineer with BC Ferries and is quite happy there.
B rgds,
Ralph
Msg from Amrit Narayan
Hi
To be very honest, I have been watching your progress for quite sometime and thus certainly believe that your son does have a point in expanding it to the fullest. At the same time, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks for taking so much pain and efforts for collecting this amount of data.

Well as a System Admin myself, I suggest we get ourselves a domain name registered and then using the ready made blogging applications like phpBB (http://www.phpbb.com/) or vbulletin (http://www.vbulletin.com/) we can get ourselves a better blog

Also, since this will be a blog site which can be a subdomain (ie forums.xyz.com) we can also have a nice master site with a nice picture of our dear old school with details etc and a hyperlink to the blogs so that any visitor can read but only users having log in id's can post.

For the time being, I suggest that you keep a copy of what ever you post on the blog with you as a backup, as there is a good chance of these free blog posts crashing or closing anytime.

Rest, please do let me know if I can be of any help. And if you can make out, yes, I am the younger brother of Lalit Narayan Prasad who has been contributing a lot.

Do let me know

regards

amRit
Msg from Richard Johnson

Dear Richard,
You don't have to be sorry.
In the initial stages there is always some problem. I was fortunate my son was there to help me.
Now I am there to help you.
An invitation had been sent earlier to your E mail address but it seems I did not save it and hence it probably did not go. I have sent it again. Now you should receive it.
You can act on the invitation.
However, you must have a Google account in g mail.
G mail is very good for emails. I have been using it for two years now and only 4% of my mail box is full. With a gmail account you can access all the other google functions like blogs, picasso etc etc. Open this site .https://www.blogger.com/start Use your google User ID and Password to enter the blog.
Then you can write and download pictures and videoclips also by clicking on the icons on top.
Let me know how it goes now.
Regards

Dear Radheshyam,

I am sorry to be a pain... I have tried to post a message with a picture on the blog ... without success! I am able to log in and even respond by putting a comment to messages, but I can't put my own - maybe it is a matter of you giving me permission ... I have attached what I have been trying to upload... Sorry to bother you with this - I would much rather do it myself. Your help would be appreciated.

Regards

Richard

Msg from Bisham Malkani

Hi Bisham,
It will be a pleasure to meet you.
Why don't you come home.
You see I am not much of a partying man. I am a thorough vegetarian and a teetotaller to boot. I suppose I am a misfit in this modern age but I feel satisfied that way.
Mr Lobo was with us for three days and he enjoyed his stay here so you could also come home.
We live just 6 Km from the airport at 188, Bangur Avenue, B-Block, Kolkata - 700055. My Cell no is 9331259878.
I go to office on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The rest of the days I am free.
Just let me know when you can come.
It would be a pleasure to receive you.
On the 16 th, five of us, ie A K Roy, D K Roy, S P Chatterjee, J K Ghosh and I are getting together at D K Roys place, in Nager bazar, near Dum Dum.We are all of the 1965 batch You could also come there and meet more of us.
Do come.
Regards
Radheshyam

Dear Radheshyam,
Thanks for your invitation. I will be passing your area on the 13th or 14th as I have to visit Texmaco and Tractors India Ltd. Pl send me your cell and land line numbers so that I can contact you and see how we can meet up.
Sunday will be impossible as I leave for Vizag...I would have loved to have caught up with the gang. Pl give them my regards.
Regards,
Bisham

Hi Bisham,
It will be a pleasure to meet you.
Why don't you come home.
You see I am not much of a partying man. I am a thorough vegetarian and a teetotaller to boot. I suppose I am a misfit in this modern age but I feel satisfied that way.
Mr Lobo was with us for three days and he enjoyed his stay here so you could also come home.
We live just 6 Km from the airport at 188, Bangur Avenue, B-Block, Kolkata - 700055. My Cell no is 9331259878.
I go to office on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The rest of the days I am free.
Just let me know when you can come.
It would be a pleasure to receive you.
On the 16 th, five of us, ie A K Roy, D K Roy, S P Chatterjee, J K Ghosh and I are getting together at D K Roys place, in Nager bazar, near Dum Dum.We are all of the 1965 batch You could also come there and meet more of us.
Do come.
Regards
Radheshyam

Msg from Keith Hayward

Hello Radheshyam,(1)my suggestion is, most Emails have a letter and attachments for Photos so us people can see and remember each other! Photos from our youth to today. Also SMS or Text Message each other which is instantly for Replies & Conversations. RECIPES shared with others of Interest around the World. Ex. Goethals Family photos of Wives & Children. How many of us from Goethals have met or never met each other again since Leaving India! Even though we live in different Countries of the World, most of us were Born in India. (2) I have a few old photos of my youth; Richard and me aged 6&8(1953) in Hastings Calcutta. With Mum, Dad, me & Richard aged 16&18(1963) in La Martinere College. Sylvia &I in England on our Marriage day(20th Jan.1970).Our 4 Daughters Yvette, Simone, Lindsay &Cassandra with Sylvia. Me &Sylvia to-day (Jan.1st.2008.I think an Interactive Website would be ideal! Just a few ideas. Bye, Keith.

HISTORY OF THE GOETHALS MEMORIAL SCHOOL: BEGINNINGS

We have all studied in Goethals at various times and different spans. But we were probably not inquisitive enough to find out how and when it was started.
Thanks to Mr. Lobo who had asked Bro. Frederick Fernandes to pen down the history, we now have this piece of marvel.
It really takes us through history and the diffculty our founders faced and makes us ponder in awe.

Radheshyam

The great earth-quake of 1897 caused so much damage to Cooper’s house, the lower storey of which for more than halt a century had served as St. Xavier’s chapel (Bow Bazaar, Calcutta) that the building of a new church became an immediate imperative. The ground floor of the new St. Joseph’s did duty as a chapel while the building of the present church, on which work was begun on the 19 January, 1898, was in progress. One of the last functions to be performed by Archbishop Dr. Paul Count Goethals, 1st Archbishop of Calcutta, was the blessing and laying of the foundation stone on the 12 April. Shortly after that he was ordered by his doctors to return to Belgium in the hope that his indifferent health might improve. However, it was soon obvious that he would not survive very long, and when he realized this he determined to return to Calcutta and die among the people for whom he had so long and zealously laboured. He returned to his diocese and lived for some months in his residence in Park Street until the Lord called him away on the 4 July, 1901. He died at his residence, 12 Park Street, Calcutta. His funeral was the most imposing that had been seen in the Capital of British India for years, attending as it was on the route to the Cathedral, by crowds of persons of all classes and creeds, Catholic and Protestant, Mussalman and Hindoo alike. He was succeeded by Most Rev. Dr Meulmann, S.J.

The Hon’ble Mr. James Woodroffe, Advocate General of the High Court, an Irishman and a convert, called on Archbishop Dr. Meulmann, S.J., soon after his consecration and told him that he wished to have a memorial erected to the late Archbishop Goethals and requested him to call a meeting of the principal Catholics in Calcutta to devise what shape that memorial might take.

Archbishop Meulmann agreed to Mr. Woodroffe’s proposal and the first meeting was called of all the priests in Calcutta and all the principal Catholic laymen. It was agreed that the nature of the memorial should depend on the amount of money collected; but first of all a marble tablet was to be erected in the Cathedral in Moorghihatta with a record of the life and works of the good Archbishop Goethals. Woodroffe was ready to put down Rs.5000. Collectors were appointed but very little money was coming in except what was collected by Woodroffe himself. At a subsequent meeting Woodroffe expressed the wish to get all the European boys out of Moorghihatta Orphanage and bring them into healthier surroundings. It was at this stage the Christian Brothers were consulted to see what they were prepared to do. Br Fabian Kenneally was prepared to back the project if the memorial selected were a school situated in a Hill Station. The Brothers had only one Hill Station in Nainital and that was not sufficient for their increasing numbers. Br Stanislaus O’Brien representing the Provincial attended the next meeting of the organizing committee and it was agreed that he with Mr. Woodroffe were to be the sole collectors. Both did very well among the gentry and merchants of Calcutta and a large sum of money was collected.


The Maharajah of Burdwan, who had sold to the Jesuit Fathers the land on which St. Mary’s Scholasticate stands at Kurseong, agreed to sell a large strip adjoining the Scholasticate grounds for the purpose of the Goethals Memorial School. The Government also agreed to lease us an area adjoining the Maharajah’s strip. The lease is for twenty five years renewable at the same rate as long as it will be required for a school. Thus, abundance of land was secured for the new venture.

In September, 1903, Brother Stanislaus O’Brien was sent to Kurseong for the building and equipping of the new establishment, and he became its first Superior. The tenant on both the Government land and the Maharajah’s had to be compensated. There was no trouble with the Government tenants as they were called together and paid off, the Government sending a man from Darjeeling to assist. It was different with the tenants of the Maharajah’s property. These held out a long time until the Superior invoked the assistance of a native lawyer named Bishambur of the town of Kurseong. Bishambur got them all out except the head-tenant, a lady whose name and titles were Hurka Maya Jemadarini Mondolini. This lady was the only tenant of the Maharajah, the others were her sub-tenants, and she held a vast stretch of the Maharajah’s land on these slopes of the Himalayas. The Jemadars are low-caste Indians who are employed as sweepers, but this lady, though she belonged to this caste, had become wealthy. Mondol means a landlord and the word are rendered feminine by the termination - ‘mi’. After a long struggle, Bishambur got her to go and take up her abode lower down on the slope on the other side of the main road to Darjeeling. Of course she had to get a considerable compensation for disturbance. Mount Carmel Novitiate stands on the ground she occupied for her own dwelling. The flat lower down on which Goethals was built had been occupied by a previous mondol. Br Stanislaus O’Brien was thus enabled to clear the site and make preparations for the erection of the building. The Archbishop came, blessed the site and turned the first sod. He also loaned us Br John Molitor, S.J., the builder of St.Francis Xavier’s Church in Bow Bazar for the building of Goethals Memorial.


The building now went ahead in right earnest. Sir Andrew Fraser the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal, gave us a building grant of 60,000 Rupees and promised another 60000 which we never got. When Sir Andrew’s time was up he invited Brother Stanislaus to his residence in Darjeeling and showed him his private file in which he had had recorded for his successor that the first 60,000 Rupees available should be given for Goethals school. Sir Edward Baker his successor, refused to give this further sum. He thought that too much had been given already-Later on in the progress of the building Brother Gilbert Cooney and Brother S. OBrien had an interview with Lord Michael, then Governor of Bengal, and induced him to give an additional 10.000 Rupees for the building. On account of the Government grant the plans had to be submitted to the engineers of the PWD. They came frequently to examine the work, good advice and expressed themselves well pleased with all they saw. When the g stage was reached Br Molitor suggested a Mansard roof which would give full dormitory accommodation on the top storey. When the Government engineers were consulted they said they knew nothing of the mansard style of roof but allowed it to up. Later one of them said that it was a tricky roof but that the work was well So on the work went, but it was not completed and the school furnished until the end of 1906. In the summer of that year all the Brothers in the plains with the Br. Provincial came up to Kurseong to spend their holidays in the new establishment. The Provincial decided that we must have a house warming, so the whole community of St.Mary’s priests and scholastics were invited as well as the priests of the Dacca and and those of Bettiah and Krishnagar who were on holidays in the neighbourood. All were greatly pleased with the new Catholic centre, and after a good tiffin returned happily to their homes.

In the following January, we opened the school with 100 boys. Later in that year when Sir Andrew and Lady Fraser were going to Darjeeling for the summer months they came for the official opening, leaving the special train on which they were traveling to their summer residence waiting for them at the Goethals siding. Sir Andrew examined the whole building and in his speech at the opening ceremony expressed himself well pleased with all he saw. Very soon we had 200 boarders and began to make our mark at the competitive examinations. A Two years’ engineering class started for the purpose of obtaining entrance into the Sibpur Engineering school for mining. Several of our boys became managers of mines. Unfortunately this course has now been closed to our students.
For many years a successful farm was worked at the Goethals which supplied the school with abundance of milk, butter, vegetables, and eggs and to a large extent with meat. However, because of the depredations of some of the local community, the farm had to be given up and the land is now under trees.

As the Hill Station of Kurseong is much nearer to Calcutta than that of Nainital, the Provincial, Brother Fabian Kenneally, determined to build a holiday house for the Brothers of the plains close to the Goethals. A journey of one night in the train brings the travelers from Calcutta to the foot of the hills below Kurseong, and a few hours climbing by motor or by train brings the wayfarer into the cooler atmosphere of the hills, 6000 feet above sea-level at the Goethals. Hurka Maya’s flat, a few hundred feet above the school was selected as the site of the vacation house which, when completed, gave accommodation for 36 Brothers and was fully utilized for many a mid-summer holiday by the communities from the houses in the plains. When Br Arsenius Ryan became Provincial (1914) he made it the Novitiate and called it Mount Carmel. On March 1st, 1915, the Novitiate was transferred from Asansol to Mt. Carmel. Br. Philip Studdert was the first Novice Master at Mount Carmel, and he was succeeded by Br Baptist Holland in his second term as Novice Master. When through old age he had to relinquish the post he was followed by Brother Luke Aherne. (Mount Carmel was closed in the ‘40’s for want of young men willing to join the Brothers. However it was re-opened in 1959 by the then Provincial Br. and the first Novice Master was Br.Slattery and Br. Barrett was his Assistant. Those who joined at that time finished their schooling in Goethals. Some might remember the names: Stanley Alvarez (Now Provincial of the Christian Brothers in India), Cedrick Fernandes (1961); Joe Pinto (now Congregation Consultor - Rome (1962); Suresh Pinto, Fredryck Fernandes (1963); Gordon Gale, and many others of more recent vintage, some of whom have left the Brothers)



Br. Freddy Martin Fernandes
July 8th, 2005

The Sharma Family

Radeshshyam invited me to spend a few days in his Home with his Family and it was a memorable experience.
I was no outsider but very much part of the family. Manju, his affable Wife, made certain I was never hungry and this carnivorous individual couldn't believe that meals prepared without onion and garlic could be that delicious and varied !!

This is a devout Family that prays together and live the day meaningfully and prayerfully.
There was a role reversal when Radesh became the "Guru" as I honed in on improving my computer skills and listened to tales from the Ramayana.

RS aka DS ( check his earlier blog listings and his profile) is amazing how he juggles his 'Shares' and maintains this terrific site without losing perspective.Their Home is "Open House" and his contemporaries often meet for old times sake.


Ajay, his elder Son, and Shalini are newly married. The other Son whom I did not meet, floats between Bangalore and Delhi.

Thank you Manju and Radheshyam

Matt Lobo

… it would not have happened had it not been for the reunion…

The text on the picture reads: “Karma Sonam Tobgay (from Sikkim, GMS 1974) and Richard Johnson (GMS 1963) Picture taken on Friday, March 7, 2008. K.S. was at Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia for his daughter’s enrolment into a Masters program. Please note the GMS Alumni tie which Richard wore just to impress…”

I briefly met K.S. when I attended the reunion in November 2007. He was on the Alumni Organising Committee along with Dorjee Dahdul (my friend from 1963 – we were in Bro. Moynahan’s class). However, meeting K.S. was like meeting an old friend – we seemed to have so much in common and so much to talk about. We had lunch at a nearby Malaysian Restaurant (chicken curry and rice with a beer of course) and chatted. It was great. Now, none of that would have been possible had it not been for the reunion. The effect of the reunion has been fantastic in connecting people. This blog is another example.