Will You Walk With Me? - II

varalotti · Apr 12, 2008

My Dear GFs,

Sorry for keeping you waiting in front of Sadguru Sangeetha Samajam and Penniquick Complex for more than a week. Come, let’s go.

We go down the same road to reach the main junction at Alagarkoil Road.This is one of the longest roads in <st1lace>North Madurai</st1lace>. We turn right in the junction and resume our walk.

Within a minute’s walk you will see towards your right, a sprawling campus – and that belongs to my Alma Mater, The American College, <st1:city><st1lace>Madurai</st1lace></st1:city>, one of the two best men’s college in the city. We need to rest here for a while and go down the memory lane, some three decades back.

The finest four years of my life were spent in this campus. Professor DGR introduced me to Accounting and lit the fire in me for that subject.

Thankfully, the fire is burning till now. I expressed my gratitude to him by making him come alive as Professor Malathi who teaches my heroine Shalini in the novel SHE and driving her to do the CA course.

I need to mention another Professor, John Sahayam, who introduced me not only to Shakespeare in my Advanced English class, but also to the wonderful world of literature.

When he explained the nuances of the characters in a Shakespeare’s drama and contrasted them with the characters in a typical MGR film, unknown to me, the seeds of writing were skillfully sown.

When I walked into the campus as an uncouth, raw school student, afraid of brutal ragging methods, my seniors gave me a chocolate and welcomed me into their fold. I was not that special; all PUC students were welcomed liked that for a day long orientation programme conducted by our Professors and senior students.

The atmosphere was truly American. Students talked back to the Professors and did not think twice for interrupting a lecture to voice their opinions.

In my third year when the professor was teaching income tax, I found that he was misinterpreting the provisions of the tax law. I stood up and told him on his face, “Sir, what you are doing is not correct.”

“Shut up and sit down” was what he said. He worked out the problem for another ten minutes, referred the book and then called me.

“I’m sorry, Sridhar. You’re right and I am wrong.”

There could be thousands of students who can tell that their teachers are wrong. But a teacher who accepts it in an open class and even apologising to the student is quite rare. And that can happen only in <st1lace><st1lacename>American</st1lacename> <st1lacetype>College</st1lacetype></st1lace>.

The strange friendship between a teacher and a student that started then continues till today. <st1lace><st1:city>Prof</st1:city> <st1:state>AS</st1:state></st1lace> has been a true friend and a good human being. I accepted the tedious and unremunerative job of being an external examiner only for the pleasure of working with <st1lace><st1:city>Prof</st1:city> <st1:state>AS</st1:state></st1lace> two times in a year, at the end of each Semester.

varalotti · Apr 12, 2008

One of my classmates, let’s call him R, was a real genius. It is really pathetic that we lost his genius to the inhumanness of the system. He hailed from a very poor family. We have been together from our 6<sup>th</sup> class to B.Com.Second year.

While in school his father could not even afford to buy the text books. The Tamil Teacher in school would insist that every one should read a paragraph from the text book. While others would be struggling to read from the open book, R would fold his hands and without even glancing the book, repeat the entire paragraph from his memory. He would have gone to his friend’s place and would have memorised the whole lesson the previous day.

He expected too much in a college education and like a typical genius was bitterly disillusioned. He did not like our approach of mugging up lessons focussing on the marks rather than on knowledge. So his grades started climbing downwards.

And he got a clerical job in a nationalised bank, a pipe dream in those days, when he was doing his second year. I begged him not to accept the job. But he did not listen. Once he got the job he wanted to complete his B.Com. Course.

He thought that he could just write the third year exams and get a degree. There was a problem. <st1lace><st1lacename>American</st1lacename> <st1lacetype>College</st1lacetype></st1lace> was one of the 16 colleges in the University area to switch over to the Semester System that year. Correspondence courses were technically under the non-semester system. So there was no way he could complete the course.

‘Tell me what should I do? I want to be a graduate.’

The University Clerk told him in a frivolous tone,

‘You will have to write the exams in all the 22 papers taught in the entire 3 years of B.Com. course. I think you can do it in 3 years from now.’

R told him that he was ready to write all the 22 exams that year itself. And write, he did. He cleared all the exams, passed with distinction and got the University’s First Rank.

And again the University brought in a technical rule saying that people who wrote all the exams in one go would not be issued Rank Certificate. Idiots! They should have given him a Special Rank certificate printed in letters of gold. I cursed the system. Honestly, we do not deserve such geniuses. We deserve only mediocrity.

The only problem with R, as it is the case with every genius, was his sharp tongue. He used to stand first in the class during the first year. But in the second year his grades started slipping.

The problem was that his answers were original and were much better than the answers in the prescribed texts. But our Professors could not understand what they have not taught in the class.

In one of the Internal Assessment tests he scored very high marks, which was not expected at all. I was there with R when the Professor who valued our papers walked past us.

“R, What happened to you? Suddenly you have started getting good marks. Tell me what did you do for that?”

“Nothing Professor. I have not changed. The standards of valuation have improved.”

I tell you, only in <st1lace><st1lacename>American</st1lacename> <st1lacetype>College</st1lacetype></st1lace>, you can get away with a statement like that. The Professor’s face fell but he did not bear any grudge against R.

Imagine a genius like R caught in the bureaucratic set-up of a nationalised bank! The nation lost a real genius, R lost his happiness and peace. When I met him recently it was like seeing the delapidated Golconda Fort, once majestic and towering, but now in ruins.

Had the IT revolution happened a few decades earlier R would have now been the CEO of a company like Infosys or Wipro.

Well, my heart is heavy and I don’t think I can walk any further. So let’s rest for some time in the cool campus of my alma mater.

Will you stay with me for a while, dears?

Devika Menon · Apr 12, 2008

Dear Varalotti Sir,

That was again a wonderful write up!
I guess we have the best alumni or should I say bench marks of American college amidst us.The one and only Varalotti Sir and the one and only Chithra Ma'am!
Well Sir I enjoyed reading about your friend in Child and the uphill task.I guess its the same friend ,Right Sir??
Yes sometimes the education system comes up with its own protocol .No wonder there was that very famous song :We dont need no education!
Yes but in your instances its very nice to know that your professors were humble enough to own up to thier mistakes. Your prof admitted to his accounting mistakes and R's prof admitted to the improved valuation system.
Very often I see that if the students so much as point out to the mistakes of the teachers or do not produce the answers in the specified manner , even though their answers may have all the content the prof do not accept it . Infact you can feel that they probably think you are intimidating them, which is definitely not the case but yet who's to argue. Yes one thing I appreciate if your American college promotes a teacher -student friendly environment then we can have very successful people because i feel that it is a very important aspect of growth.
I personally owe a lot to my teachers and just as you were reminiscing their names ,I do so too and feel good that they are still so close to my heart , I hope I am somewhere near their minds , ofcourse names are difficult for them to remember(though their names are etched in gold in my mind) but I hope my achievements in life will make them realise that this is a fruit of thier efforts.
But I am really sorry to hear about R now? Yes its very sad to see potentials wasted away when it could be used so constructively.
Wonderful write up Sir ! Went up and down memory laneBow

Love,
Devika

srinivasan_vanaja · Apr 12, 2008

Dear Varalotti Sir,

Genius may come in a variety of forms, such as mathematical genius, literary genius, or poetic genius, musical genius etc. Artistic genius may show itself in early childhood as a prodigy or later in life; either way.

Intellectual geniuses often have crisp, clear-eyed visions of given situations. They build or act on the basis of those facts, usually with tremendous energy. They are basically gifted with superior memory or understanding. Your friend "R" is of this kind.

I feel, each one of us is a Genius in one way or another. But unfortunately the skills I am mentioning here are not considered under Genius category.

When you see people doing their "Kula Thozhil", you would see them extremely skillful in their work. Their Genius is very well exposed in their creations. I prefer to call them Genius than a skilled labourer. Let me list out -

1) Cook - These kind of Genius will never go wrong in their dishes. Their measurements are always by the hand and they do not depend on measuring cups.
2) Gardener
3) An animal trainer. For example one who tames elephants, Tigers, Lions, Snakes, Monkeys etc.
4) One who makes musical instruments - Veena, Mrudangam, Flute, Gatam etc.
5) A potter - I would call him a "Brahma" as he brings out lively pots and dolls out of "clay" which is often compared to dull human brains.
6) Weavers - They bring out colours and designs
7) Farmers
8) An actor - Do we not call late Sivaji Ganesan a Genius in acting?
9) Carpenter, Goldsmith
10) Sports - For example Sachin Tendulkar. Now he is being called a Genius. Like him many are there.
11) Spiritualist - For example Krishna Premi - He has tremendous flow of knowledge and language in his discourses.

and the list goes on. The above people act on the facts of their work.

Though these people are Geniuses they lack in something or other.

The same way the so called Geniuses according to us lack few things. Should I mention - Albert Einstein - he had dyslexia.

How can we study a Genius is like this -

1) Systematic and orderly approaches to problem solving.
2) Sense of wonder, ability to look at things in a fresh, almost childlike way. They keep an open mind and a flexible attitude on all subjects.
3) Ability to concentrate with greater depth and intensity than the average person.

Some are not successful in their life (financially) because they take a lot of time to analyze situations or may be their field of work is not familiar with common people.

But still they will be loved and respected by their near and dear ones. It is the same with "Mr.R".

I tell you, Mr.R would not feel like you feel for him. You are feeling for his status in the society. But he would only feel for the reformation of society.

I have made this reply a lecture than an interactive reply, sorry. Shall continue walking....

Chitvish · Apr 12, 2008

Dear Sridhar,
Last monday I walked in & am just coming out of the Main Gates of our Alma Mater; but am entering in again with you for a second round!

The concept of Orientation programme started only after I finished B Sc.
Needless to say, the initial days in AC started a little "nightmarish" for me with
Boys, boys, everywhere
having just come out of a girls' convent.
Ragging was also not common in colleges. But the boys loved to do it to the lady students (we were referred that way & not as girl-students!).
Many of my chemistry & maths lecturers were young, dashing, intelligent..... etc.
So there were a handful of my friends who were forever falling in love with or out of love, every week, with each by turn!
Chemistry labs were fun, with demonstrators & junior lecturers, elder to us by just one or two years.A few "pairs" of lady students-demonstrators would "continue to experiment" in the lab (or under the guise??!!) for late hours till evening and there will be a lot of "hush-hush" talks about who is whose friend (please understand!).
Needless to say I was the most "innocent" of the whole lot!!

Now, Sridhar, let me blow my trumpet a wee-bit!
Though not pretty or attractive, I was given love letters by many boys and a few lecturers as well (!) in the college regularly! All the other girls had some connection or other with the boys and I was always the “unattached“ one. The boys used to write to me that my “dignified aloofness” was, what attracted them to me! Madurai was and still continues to be a conservative place. Anyway I had made up my mind (given my strict upbringing ) not to get distracted by boys or affairs. I got the best compliment when my young chemistry lecturer (he was the apple of all ladies’ eyes!) wrote in my autograph book that I was the only girl in whom he saw a combination of beauty (?), brain, magnetism and “radio activity”( I am sure you would be laughing at his taste!!) That message in my autograph book created a sensation in the whole college, to put it mildly. Well, as you can all imagine, my ego just zoomed up!
Ofcourse with 20 lady students, it must have been
ஆலை இல்லா ஊருக்கு இலுப்பப்பூ சக்கரை!

There was a boy in my class called Mithra! So as soon as I entered college, hooting will start! He will purposely walk by my side, enjoying the fun & I would run to the ladies' room hurriedly!!:hide:
My father's best friend's son was my stiff competitor in studies for getting the first rank! So I had the additional responsibility of not letting down Appa Witsend
- now it all looks so childish!
You will be surprised to know that many of the "respected citizens" of Madurai today, were all my batchmates & a few of them "sight-mannans" as well, in our Madurai lingo!! You can do the guess-work!!:idea

You have written about the academic part & I have written about the "non-academic" part, for a variety!! But, one of the most memorable & enjoyable phases of my Madurai days!
Love,
Chithra.

Vidya24 · Apr 12, 2008

Sridhara,Keshava,Raghava,Vishno,

(NB: The address issue on which we both are fixated, I cannot do better than this exalted version )

I enjoy reading this 'Will you walk with me?' series. You are leading us on quite a heritage walk, what more can we want than to mentally walk on the streets on the most cultural city in Tamilagam, beside a knowledgeable guide who carries the soul of Madurai?? Thanks for taking us on this hike. GKC had written about the joys of walking, solitude in trekking etc. Much as I love that essay, yours is even more interesting since the milieu is easier to relate to.

I enjoyed reading about the merits of American college. And amazing that such an institution exists in India, where students can actually answer back meaningfully (yet with a bubble of impertinence) and not get hauled on hot coals. And I appreciate what you have to say about mediocrity being accepted with reverence while true genius languishes in grief. From Salierie to Mozart, this contest has always ended with genius dooming itself to less of everything.

As a child, we often travelled to Karaikudi via Madurai. And the brief halt in Madurai would be the highlight of our trip, we coming all sore from country TVM. The fragrance of the malli enchanted us that we refused to take the strands off long after they had wilted. We would shop for a sungudi saree or pavadi piece, snack on masala dosai and badam milk in College House, worship in awe and longing at the Meenakshi temple and come home laden with memories. Your piece brought out the simple joys of those days back to mind.

Great piece, Sridhar and loving to read more of it.

regards
Vidya

Malathijagan · Apr 12, 2008

Hello Sridhar!
The walk is indeed mesmerising! Now, you have made our lovable Chithra nostalgic and I too would love to travel back down memory lane and narrate some interesting incidents that took place when I was in school and college!
I too was a type who did not believe in memorising lessons.My second son has taken after me and feels that if given a chance he would love to be a college drop out! He is quite disillusioned with the system where students with practically no knowledge in computer programming get better marks than him who is very skilled at this! I keep giving him moral support saying that a university degree does have some intrinsic value, at least to get into a job! I said,"once you get into a job, prove your skill." I am thankful he has heeded to it for now but he has two more years to go!
My elder son was good at both-memorising skills as well as application part.
I do feel sorry for your friend who had to suffer for no fault of his though he could have taken a decision to complete his studies before taking up a job. But may be his family situation forced him to go seeking a job.

It is really pathetic that we lost his genius to the inhumanness of the system.
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It is very sad that this inhumanness continues even to this day.
I am loving every bit of this walk! Waiting for you to get over your tiredness so that we can continue the walk!
Regards,
Malathi

Cheeniya · Apr 12, 2008

Dear Vidya
For the sake of form and correctness, let me tell you that the order should be
Sridhara, Hrishikesa, Padmanabha and Damodhara!
I am reading my brother's walk down the memory lane and am surprised to see that campus life is the same everywhere, be it Presidency College, Chennai or the AC in Madurai. People always say, 'Boys will be boys' Now we can add, 'Colleges will be colleges'!
And Sridhar, I should say that you are quite a cult figure in IL! How you keep your readers mesmerised is truly amazing!
Sri
.

varalotti · Apr 13, 2008

Dear Vidya,
I am skipping the line to repost the reply you posted here. It was so good that as soon as I read it I told Indhu that my long term goal will be to write like this some day. I enjoyed the way you snubbed all of us menfolk in less than two lines.

Dear Cheeniyasir,

Sridhar and I have this long standing tiff over 'being addressed' appropriately. He has demonstrated to me that he will reply to my posts if and only if he is addressed with his name/s. So, I decided to use the most exalted version from Narasimha Mahamantram to address him (should it be Him??)?? I am sure your lil brother will come back with a fitting jibe for me.

Nice to read the last refuge of most men,'boys will be boys'. Well, thank God, girls mature into ladies to make up for the universal immaturity of the male species.

As for keeping his readers mesmerised, Sridhar equals his most illustrious elder brother.

regards
Vidya

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varalotti · Apr 13, 2008

Dear Devika,

Thanks for being the first to give fb on this thread. In fact my wife was chiding me that I was not walking but dragging my feet towards the destination which is still a good two miles away.

You are right. This was the friend I wrote about in the Child and uphill task in Sundays with Varalotti. I salute your memory.

Our professors were good in spite of the fact that they were holding our future in their hands. They had our internal marks with us. I remember another touching incident.

My third year internal marks on Accountancy were to be finalised. The Professor (the same person involved with the standards of valuation jibe) called me to the college's spacious faculty room.

He told me, "Sridhar, you have done well in Accountancy. I was about to give you 25 out 25 for the whole semester. But my colleagues are a little skeptical. If you don't get matching marks in external, then I might be suspected. This is the first year in the Semester system and whatever I do will be closely scrutinised."
I was moved by his love and impressed by his transparency.
I told him, "Sir, it's your call. Do whatever you think is right. But I assure you that if you give me full marks in the internal, I'll give my life to score my best in the external. But right now I can't tell because there are so many factors involved."

He looked at me for a while. Then shook hands with me. "Congratulations, you are the first student to score 25 out of 25 in Accountancy in the Semester System."

I really gave my life to preparing myself for the Accountancy Paper. There were many special prarthanais. And I bought several other books and worked out almost all the possible problems that can come up in the paper.

A few days before the results were to be published, I met DJ, the Professor in the Campus.
"Sridhar, Congratulations. I can't tell you what it is for. You'll know that soon. Thanks for all the hard work"

Two days later I got my mark sheets. The University had given me 73 out of 75 in the final paper. This man had been spending sleepless nights till he found out the marks.

On another level I can say that most of my professors (barring one or two) were not good teachers. Many of them had communication problems. But they were the finest specimens of human beings.
By their example they taught me much more valuable lessons than what they spoke in the classes.
R's life is still tragic. Well, that is the subject matter for a 500 page book.

Wonderful write up Sir ! Went up and down memory laneBow
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Thanks, Devika.

love,