Tearful recall, Ferguson High School days, 1946.

 

It was in the year of 1946. We were still a British Colony, with two years to go before getting our Independence as a nation. I was boarded in the primary school hostel, at the Ferguson High School, Rathnapura, Ceylon. The school was managed by the Baptist Mission. The entrance to the hall of the school was emblazoned with the logo ‘B. M. S’. Children newly admitted learnt the legend stood for ‘Buth, Mus, Ischola’ meaning – ‘rice with meat school’. The meat was usually beef which was anathema to the children of the locals.

     The morning started with an assembly of the staff and students in the hall at 8am. Two British Missionary ladies, the short stout Miss Allsopp the Principal and the lean, tall Miss Brooke the vice-principal, managed the school. Miss Allsopp, would mount the podium and announce the hymn to be sung to start the day.  The most popular hymns were ‘Land of our birth…’ and ‘Morning has broken…’. The pianist would play the introduction and Miss Allsopp would wave her hands and conduct the singing, standing up on the[DV1]  podium.

 Joseph Rudyard Kipling was born in Bombay in British India, on December 30, 1865

 

“Land of Our Birth” was originally called “The Children’s Song.” It appeared as a hymn in Kipling’s book “Puck of Pook’s Hill“. Here are the lyrics. The words  moved me as a youngster of 7 years and moves me to tears even now, in my 84^th year.

 

Land of our Birth, we pledge to thee

Our love and toil in the years to be;

When we are grown and take our place

As men and women with our race.

 

Father in Heaven who lovest all,

Oh, help Thy children when they call;

That they may build from age to age

An undefiled heritage.

 

Teach us to bear the yoke in youth,

With steadfastness and careful truth;

That, in our time, Thy Grace may give

The Truth whereby the Nations live.

 

Teach us to rule ourselves alway,

Controlled and cleanly night and day;

That we may bring, if need arise,

No maimed or worthless sacrifice.

 

Teach us to look in all our ends

On Thee for judge, and not our friends;

That we, with Thee, may walk uncowed

By fear or favor of the crowd.

 

Teach us the Strength that cannot seek,

By deed or thought, to hurt the weak;

That, under Thee, we may possess

Man's strength to comfort man's distress.

 

Teach us Delight in simple things,

And Mirth that has no bitter springs;

Forgiveness free of evil done,

And Love to all men 'neath the sun!

 

Land of our Birth, our faith, our pride,

For whose dear sake our fathers died;

Oh, Motherland, we pledge to thee

Head, heart and hand through the years to be

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