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Ghost of Hamlet's father by Zainul Abidin Khan

I was in my fifth standard when for the first time we saw the school drama. It was in the year 1980 when our school celebrated its hundredth year of foundation. I had never seen the backstage goings on for the drama and had no clue as to what lay in store for us in the school auditorium.
That year the play was Shakespeare's "Hamlet". I hardly remember the names of the boys who played the roles, as they were too senior to us while we were in the junior school. The show was in the afternoon and we were overjoyed as all the post lunch teaching periods were cancelled.
Some windows of the auditorium had the daylight peeping through and the stage was not as dark as it is in the evenings when the show is for outsiders. We sat there hushed in anticipation because we never had been to this particular auditorium that had a plush look and an extraordinary air about it.
I hardly remember the opening scenes and how the story went. I haven't, as yet, read or seen "Hamlet" elsewhere. The thing that I vividly remember was the scene where Hamlet's dead father appears as a ghost and strolls by fully covered in Armour. The backdrop of a fort wall, the rain and the thunder with background music were so well timed that it really gave me the jitters. Even though I very well knew that it's a play and they are all our schoolmates but the many times the ghost appeared on the stage I forgot everything else except the eerie look on the partly hidden pale face of the ghost.
Days, even months after that play the thought of the ghost sent a chill down my spine. Later when I also participated in the school drama in 9th and 10th classes, did I come to know what went behind the scenes.

Comments (0) 2007.09.09. 21:31

Mr J M Ray by Zainul Abidin Khan

I hope that whatever I write here does not belittle the greatness of a man in any sense. The passage below is only a small peep into his life and not meant to be taken as a life sketch. I also hope that somewhere he also will be reading this. If Tyndale Biscoe School had a soul it was Mr. J. M. Ray, our principal. The school and all its functions came alive with the mere presence of this man. He was the man we met every morning in the assembly hall with a Biblical Story to tell us and other regular school announcements.
The discipline in the school, may it be the academic performance of a class, an erring student or a hopeful parent wanting to admit his ward into the school, there was absolutely no compromise or adjustment. He symbolized discipline whatever he associated himself with.
When we were in 10th class, he left the position and went back to England. We all felt that it was the end of an era. I remember him teaching us moral science in 9th class, where he took up an anti-smoking session with us and other motivating things.
The tireless old man of Tyndale Biscoe School, we will always miss you ... sir!

Comments (2) 2007.09.09. 21:27