JOYS AND SORROWS OF SCHOOL LIFE
Outline: Introduction – My first film – stable friendships – boredom and hard work – punishments in schools – heartening experience – scenes during the school recess – tour - dreadful experience - prize distribution – conclusion.
Like everything else, school life has its fund of joys and sorrows. However, it is, on the whole, one of the most delightful experiences one can possibly have.
When I was a tiny tot, I happened to see for the first time an interesting film in the big hall of my school. I was literally in the seventh heaven during the film-show ! Right from my early years in school, I came across boys and girls of my age. I formed stable friendships with them, we shared common interests, likes and dislikes. We met in the class-room, on the play-ground and in fact wherever we could. Meeting my friends was and is one of the greatest sources of pleasure for me.
Apart from my schoolmates, I consider each and every teacher who taught me as my true guide and most reliable friends. It gives me immense pleasure to meet them by chance on the streets. It gives me great pleasure to show them respect and be of service to them. Their dedicated and selfless service is what has shaped a lot of my strongest convictions.
Then there is the question of punishments in schools. Fortunately we are living in an age when corporal punishment does not prevail in schools. I, therefore, ignored the minor hardships that sometimes fell to my lot in the school.
When I was in the fourth standard, I topped the list in the annual examination. This was indeed a heartening experience. It has so far played an important part in shaping my career. Right from those days I burnt the midnight oil and I have rarely lost my rank.
I vividly remember the scenes during the school recess. As soon as the bell rang at ten o'clock, there would be hustle and bustle, and jostle and tussle, and hurry and scurry. Boys and girls would plunge headlong into quick games on the school-corridors. A few would sit in the school hall, open their tiffin-boxes, eat and chat and laugh. Some would crowd around the school canteen. There would be great noise and confusion at the watercooler. However, studious pupils, after having had their lunch, would go back into their classrooms.
Last year, our class arranged a tour. I joined it. It was the most exciting event of my school-life. I saw many places of historical and industrial importance. We had a real rollicking time during the tour. I shall never forget those wonderful days.
Thinking of my school days, a dreadful experience leaps into my mind. I was in the fifth standard in those days. One of the school prefects, a big bully, caught me unawares and shoved me into a dirty pond. Down I went with a loud splash. I should surely have been drowned, had not our P. T. Instructor luckily turned up on the spot. He dived after me and the culprit was at once expelled from the school.
Every year my school gives away prizes to pupils of excellence and merit. This is done on the Prize Distribution Day. Last year, a famous cricketer was the chief guest and he also distributed the prizes. Mr. Amin, our Principal, received him and welcomed him in our midst. The school orchestra struck up a heart-warming tune. The Chief Guest made a delightful speech and gave away the prizes. All of us gave him an ear-deafening applause when he took his seat. During the prize distribution, I went up the stage to receive my prizes. My parents were among those present. They felt justly proud of me!
Indeed, these are all the joys and sorrows of my school life. They enable me to relive those bittersweet days.
Difficult Words: Monotony - dullness. prescribed - ordered the use of-e.g., a book, grinding mill - very, very hard work (idiom), corporal - physical. burnt the midnight oil - worked very hard till of the night (idiom) the late hours. hustle - act of pushing roughly against. bustle - noisy movement. jostle - act of knocking against. tussle - disorderly fight. hurry - state of great excitement, prefects - an older girl or boy in a school who has special duties and responsibilities. Prefects often help to make sure that the younger school children behave properly. drown - to die in water because it is not possible to breathe; to make somebody die in this way. midst - the interior or central part or point, middle in the midst of the forest, a position of proximity to the members of a group and a traitor in our midst. rollicking - noisy and merry. vendor - person who sells. splash - noise made by something falling into water. culprit - wrongdoer. applause - act of praising loudly by clapping, shouting or other noises.