Brother Cassian Pappu FSC1927-2009

by Br Vincent Corkery fsc La Salle Centre St Michaels Institution 30000 Ipoh, Malaysia June 2010

1

Cover Design: Br Matthew Bay fsc

AcknowledgementsBrothers Thomas Lavin, Matthew Liew, Harold Reynolds, Ms Irene Tan, Hilary DCruz, Sisters Monica Newman & Mary Louise Byrne, Br Antony Samy, Pearl Schumacher, Ms Flora O.Go, Aaron Nicholas

Brother Cassian Pappu FSC1927-2009Brother Cassian comes from Taiping in Perak where he was born 20 January 1927 into a family of five, he being the youngest of three boys. His father Sinnapan Pappu worked on the railways as a train driver. His mother was Anamal John. At baptism at St Louis Church he was named Paul Sebastian Arockiasamy. Growing up in Taiping was a special experience. This charming town with its uniquely beautiful natural setting was among the earliest to develop in the state of Perak following the 19th Century tin rush. It was still the state capital, the centre of state government. Cassian remembered the lovely hills and the millions of bats emerging at sundown. Later the liberal use of chemicals in farming would decimate their numbers. The family had close contacts with the Brothers at St Georges and with the Infant Jesus Convent. So it was inevitable that he had his early schooling at St Georges Institution. His education was interrupted by the war years. He was 14 when the Japanese forces occupied Taiping. He retained vivid memories of those dreadful days and we find the following among his memoirs: I was then just a teenager in Taiping. I remember that as students we were brought to see an exhibition where instruments of war were displayed and how the British were prepared for any invasion by an outside military force. Meanwhile, volunteers were being recruited and trained to serve as Air-Raid Wardens (ARPs). During the practices they were seen wearing gas-masks and donning steel helmets and arm bands with the initials ARP. The ARPs were given lessons how they were to dispose of unexploded bombs in the case of an enemy bombardment. Looking back at the preparations for an impending war, the preparations to defend the country were very unrealistic and simplistic. However, such preparedness gave the much needed confidence that there was nothing to fear. Hence, the people went about their business without paying much attention to war preparations. The British were confident that they were prepared to meet any form of military aggression from outside. The Convent School next to the Parish Church in Kota was closed and converted into a Military Hospital and the Nuns and the students were moved to their former Convent buildings in Klian Pau. We also saw the building of army barracks on available grounds close to the former Convent. The families living close to the Convent were ordered out to other areas or to new homes assigned by the army. My family was one of those affected by this move. We were housed in a bungalow not too far from the Military Hospital. It was rumoured at that time that after their successful conquest of China and neighbouring countries like Vietnam, the Japanese had set their eyes on conquering3

the rest of South East Asia. The British who knew the intentions of the Japanese were quite content and complacent that the Japanese would not be able to breach the defences in Malaya and especially those of Singapore. The local newspapers printed maps of the country and circled areas which had been so strongly fortified that those areas could not be penetrated by any enemy force. The Invasion The Japanese had planned a two-pronged attack - one was directed to Thailand and the other to Malaya. Japanese troops landed in Signora, Thailand 8 December 1941 and brushed aside the feeble defences of that country. Unable to defend itself against a well prepared and powerful advancing army, Thailand made a pact with the enemy troops giving them complete freedom of movement about in the country. This arrangement permitted the Japanese easy access to the common Malayan-Thai border from where the Japanese entered the northern States of Perak and Kedah. Meanwhile, Japanese battleships and landing crafts from the Gulf of Tonkin braved the monsoon rains and hit the beaches of Kota Baru, the north East Coast State of Kelantan. Battle Fronts It was on the night of 7 December 1941 that Japanese warships and transport ships carrying some 5,000 soldiers headed towards Kota Baru. Just around midnight on 8 December the Japanese landed on the beaches of Kelantan. Thousands of British and Australian troops which were positioned along the beach put up strong resistance against the advancing troops. Unfortunately, the British were not able to resist the onslaught of the Japanese and thousands of British troops were killed on the beaches of Kota Baru. The casualties on the Japanese side were equally high and ran into thousands. At the face of the aggressive and determined advancing enemy forces the British troops had no choice but to retreat from the beaches of Kota Baru. Meanwhile, the Japanese troops from Thailand found strong resistance from British troops in north Perak. One of the bloodiest battles was fought in Jitra where the battle raged for two days. There were numberless casualties among the British troops which were made up of English, Ghurkha, Indian, Australian and Malayan forces. The British troops made a tactical retreat southward to set up another battle front in Trolah-Slim in Perak. The British were totally convinced that the Japanese would not be able to break through the well fortified defences in central Perak. The Japanese who knew the terrain of the country better than the British, often surprised the British troops by wading through swamps and crocodile-infested waters to attack British troops in small groups of eight or ten. The British were no match against the invaders and once again they retreated to the south. The invasion of Kota Baru corresponded to the time of the bombing of Pearl Harbour also on 8 December 1941. There was more disturbing news! The MHS Prince of Wales and the MHS Repulse,

the two British warships which were commissioned to the East to defend Malaya and Singapore had been sunk by the Japanese on 10 December in the South China Sea and the entire crew was reported to have perished. With the sinking of the two battleships, which were billed as unsinkable, together with news of the retreating British troops soon gave way to panic and the fear among the people. The fear that the country would fall into the hands of the Japanese became more and more real as days went by. War comes closer to home Following the battles in the north, wounded British soldiers were brought by rail and road to the former Convent in Taiping that had been converted into a Military Hospital. This was when the people began to realize the seriousness of the invasion by the Japanese. The frequent wailing of the air-raid sirens during the day began to tell that advancing Japanese troops may not be far away from where we lived. People were advised to evacuate from their homes in the town and seek places in the country side. They were also advised to bring along only the basic necessities with them. Luckily, my parents had some good friends in the country some three miles away from Taiping who were happy to welcome us. Taiping was not spared. Japanese warplanes made a number of sorties in the days following the battle in Jitra. By now we had become quite accustomed to hearing the wailing of the sirens. Then one day the sirens began to wail over and over again warning the people of an impending air raid. Then around 2.00 p.m. we heard the sound of approaching planes. Then all of a sudden we heard the frightening sounds of the explosion of bombs in the direction of the town. Not knowing what to do during the bombardment we fell to the ground with fear. By now we were screaming with fear and calling out for each other parents looking for their children and children looking for their loved ones. Then someone shouted that we should cover our mouths and noses with wet cloth to prevent inhaling dangerous gases. The Japanese had the mastery of the sky! Their planes flew all over the sky and dropped bombs everywhere. They targeted army positions, military barracks and the buildings in the town. Responding to the bombing the British troops fired at the invading planes with small arms and anti-aircraft guns. The planes came in droves and did as much damage as they could to life and property. Then finally, we heard the all clear signal and we rose from the ground to witness the billowing black smoke covering the sky in the direction of the town. We saw more bombardments during the following days. The sirens had gone silent and there were no more warnings. The ARP wardens and the members of the Department of Civil Defence as well as the Volunteer Forces had been disbanded. Expecting the worst, we dug trenches and covered them with branches of coconut trees. These were our air-raid shelters. From under the cover of the coconut leaves we could hear the bombing and machine gun fire.5

We as teenagers were assigned to the job of scanning approaching enemy aircraft. We were eyes and ears! On hearing the sound of planes we gave the signal and everyone rushed to the trenches. Those who had been working in the kitchen put out the fire and left the partly cooked food on the stove and rushed for cover. Although we screamed at every explosion of bombs or the firing of the machine gun, we generally felt safe in the trenches. We also found comfort in saying the rosary aloud. When the planes finally left the sky we emerged from our shelters and thanked God that we were still alive and well. After a number of days of bombardment the anti-aircraft guns fell silent indicating that the British troops were moving south, not before blowing up the bridges and railway lines and other public installations to prevent them from falling into the hands of the enemy. Japanese Soldiers For a couple of days there was no bombardment although the warplanes made their regular sorties. The people began to feel that the worst was over. By then the British troops had already moved south taking with them the wounded soldiers victims of the war. The Military Hospital was cleared and the army camps were left in total disarray. Meanwhile, people began to come out of their hiding and started to loot shops and even houses of those who had earlier evacuated who had left town for safety reasons. Our house was also broken into and looted. There was no doubt that the Japanese had done long term planning for the invasion of Malaya. While posing as photographers, dentists and artists, the Japanese who lived in Malaya for years prior to the invasion, had the country well mapped out. This was indeed a great help for the invading forces. The British who had expected the Japanese army to pass through main roads and conventional routes had set up strong defences at strategic locations to meet the enemy. The Japanese who knew the terrain of the country well fooled the British by sending their advancing troops on bicycles and bypassed British defences and attacked them from behind the lines. First Encounter One evening while we were at play we noticed soldiers in battle gear passing by riding on bicycles along the narrow country path. We immediately recognized them as Japanese soldiers. The soldiers wore green camouflaged uniforms and had branches of leaves attached to their helmets, which merged well with the jungle surrounding. They also wore rubber boots which had cleft toe-caps, which allowed them to climb trees without problem from where they could have a birds eye view of the movement of British troops. Not knowing what to do or say when we faced the Japanese soldiers, we stood still and said nothing. To our surprise the soldiers raised their hand in an army style salute as they passed by. A few days later the two Japanese Officers came by the village where we were. They were accompanied by three local men. The Officers did not carry any arms,

but carried the samurai swords with them. One of them had drawn his sword and was literally playing with it while the other spoke to us through the interpreters asking us if we knew anyone around who possessed a gun. By now a small group had already gathered to see what was in store for us. Meanwhile another soldier and a few informants were seen coming with a local hunter bringing along his shot gun. While one of the Officers was questioning through the interpreter about the gun, the other Officer suddenly pounced on the hunter and started beating him. He threw the hunter to the ground, picked him up and threw him again and again while hitting him with his fist. Seeing her husband being so pitilessly beaten by the Japanese, the hunters wife fell at the feet of the first Officer and pleaded with tears to spare her husband since he had done nothing wrong. By then the hunter had been seriously wounded and was unable to get up from the ground where he lay. The soldier and the interpreters then dragged the poor hunter and forced him into the vehicle which had been parked close by. We never saw the hunter again! The Occupation The Japanese continued their advance southward. The British troops put up some resistance at a number of places while retreating towards Singapore. The Japanese wasted no time convincing the people that they meant business. In order to put fear among the people they beheaded some people and placed their frightening heads at street corners and at the entrances to the market. Horror stories were also in circulation about the arrest of people who under mere suspicion and they had them beheaded. A reign of terror had just begun. The beheading continued throughout the Occupation. La Salle Brothers The La Salle Brothers who were holidaying on Maxwell Hills before the arrival of the Japanese troops to Taiping were rudely awakened on New Years Eve 1942. They were arrested, their hands were bound behind their back and they were escorted downhill in the dark. The Brothers and a few others who were brought down from Maxwell Hills were assembled at the field of King Edward Vll School. Here the Brothers witnessed the gruesome beheading of a number of Chinese victims. The Brothers felt that they were in for the same treatment, when by an act of Divine Providence the Brothers were spared and instead were taken to the prison. Having lost all their worldly possessions, the Brothers, when released from prison were given a mattress, a blanket and a pillow each to restart their life. It was at this time that some Catholic families came to the assistance of the Brothers by providing them with food. In spite of our limited resources my parents also assisted the Brothers with food on a regular basis until the Brothers were able to fend for themselves. The Brothers did their part in raising whatever money they could through giving private tuition. They also ventured into the jungle to cut down forest trees and7

packed small bundles for sale as firewood. This was hard work for those who had not been accustomed to this form of labour. It was a matter of survival! Scarcity of Food Even after life became regulated during the Occupation food was always in short supply. Rice, the staple food, was scarce. The Japanese encouraged the people to grow their own vegetables. Alternative forms of food was the order of the day, such as tapioca, sweet potatoes. People were willing to experiment with all kinds of edible greens as food supplements. The people were issued with ration cards for the purchase of rice and some essential food items at designated shops. Adults were given 4.8 kg. of rice per month and the child received an allocation of 2.4 kg. Other controlled items included sugar, salt, oil and bread. As a result of malnutrition many suffered from beri-beri and other diseases. Malaria was a common ailment and large numbers of people suffered from this common sickness which sapped all energy and made the sufferer weak. Medicine was in short supply. Hospitals were overcrowded and understaffed. Japanese currency notes, generally known as Banana Notes, replaced Malayan Dollars. It was common knowledge that the Banana notes were not supported by the Bank and therefore had no international value. Easter Sunday It was just before dawn when Japanese soldiers started to pound on the doors of houses with the butt of their rifles to wake up the sleeping occupants. After checking that no one was left behind in the house, the soldiers marched the people to nearby fields and open places. This exercise was conducted throughout the country on Easter Sunday of 1942. The people who had been rounded up were mostly in their night clothes. One can imagine what transpired in the minds of people and the fear of what may befall them at the hands of the cruel Japanese. Hours passed as we stood there under the merciless sun in the open field on a sunny day. The soldiers stood guard with fixed bayonets around the field where we were assembled to prevent anyone from escaping. Meanwhile, we also noticed that some soldiers mingled among the people and picked up some for investigation. The selected ones were moved to a nearby building for questioning. We were not sure whether these people were finally released or whether they suffered the fate of hundreds of others who were beheaded. We heaved a sigh of relief when around three in the afternoon we were allowed to return home. Japanese Classes The Japanese set up centers for the learning of Nippon Go (Japanese Language). The lessons were free and given mostly by soldiers. Many of my friends followed these lessons. Soon, the former English medium schools were converted to Japanese schools and regular lessons were given in that language. Somehow, I stayed away from these schools, although I was able to pick up some very simple Japanese words

and phrases from those who attended school. I was particularly attracted by Japanese songs. Those who attended classes and passed the tests were amply rewarded with extra rations of rice and cigarettes to supplement the family income. Intensive lessons were given to those willing to become teachers of Japanese. The courses began with the phonetic script known as Katakana used mostly for foreign words. This was followed by a cursive style of writing known as Heragana, having the same phonetic sounds and used for Japanese language. The more complicated script was Kanji, the Chinese characters which the Japanese had modified for their use. Kitchen Hand Getting a job under the Japanese was not difficult, especially for teenagers like me. My brother found a job with the post and telegraph office in Taiping. I worked at an army camp and helped in the kitchen. The work was not demanding, but the returns were good. At a time when food was scarce and people had to live on one meal a day, often eating tapioca and sweet potatoes, I had the luxury of having three meals of rice a day and also received a weekly salary and the usual incentives of rice and packs of cigarettes. These Japanese cigarettes fetched handsome prices in the black market. On occasion, I served at the Officers Mess mostly clearing the tables. I particularly liked one of the Officers who was in charge of the kitchen. He was a Christian. Occasionally, he would sit with us (workers) in the kitchen and would tell stories and sing hymns. Although I had no formal schooling in the Japanese language, I could gather much of what he was telling us. The soldier who ran the kitchen was strict and we didnt quite like him. He was demanding and often yelled at us. The Japanese meals consisted of rice, soup, vegetables, fish or meat. Sashumi (fresh fish), the Japanese delicacy, was served only on very special occasions. Resistance Movement An underground resistance movement against the Japanese began to surface during the War years. The Malaysian Peoples Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA) was led by the Communist Party of Malaya. Although the British were not for communism, they supported this movement as they recognized the value of the MPAJA and trained them in the use of arms and skills of sabotage against the Japanese. August 15 1945 marked the end of World War II in East Asia with the surrender of the Japanese following the dropping of the Atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Soon we saw British troops returning to the joy of the people. Dissatisfied with the continuing role of the British in Malaya, the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) began its efforts to de-stabilise the country by the use of force. The killing of British planters in the estates finally triggered an all out war against the Communists and a national Emergency was declared. There were incidents of derailments caused by the members of the CPM and other acts of violence that caused the loss of life. End of Hostilities9

The British did not waste time in getting the country into good working order. My father who was a pensioner prior and who had been deprived of his pension during the Occupation began to receive his monthly pension. He was also paid arrears for the years he did not receive his pension. This was paid out by instalments. On receiving his first pension at the hands of the British Military Administration my father dispatched my brother and me to the local market to buy something special to celebrate the occasion. Inexperienced as we were we could not decide as to what the family would appreciate for a good meal. On seeing two turkeys that were on sale we bought them and took them home. We relished the first good meal of turkey after having been deprived of good food for years during the Japanese Occupation. Soon the English medium schools were reopened and I was back in the classroom once again to complete my secondary education. He does not mention the important role played by his father working on the railways and commuting regularly between Penang and Taiping, in assisting communication with Penang headquarters for the La Salle Brothers and IJ Sisters in Taiping, often delivering parcels and other items at a time when such communication had become difficult, even dangerous. Back in school at St Georges it took some time for the school to return to full working order. The building had been taken over by the Japanese and used for different purposes, finally as an officers hotel. Br Denis Hyland resumed his role as director and the teachers reported promptly for duty, together with a gifted team of Brothers, all determined to get the school under way without delay. St Georges was the first in town to begin functioning. When the students from the rival Methodist school came seeking admission, Br Denis accepted them all thus effectively shutting down the Methodist school. In those preecumenical days, this gave Br Denis high delight. Cassian was now 19 and was admitted to standard seven, the equivalent to form three. Like most of his companions he was overage, and this made for greater maturity. There was much catching up and by 1948 he passed the Cambridge School Certificate Examination, the highest level examination at this time, which was a jumping off point for teacher training and university, as well as for a wide choice of employment in the private sector. There was eagerness to learn as can be gauged from the fact that in 1947 26 passed out of 33, with 13 obtaining Grade 1. A total of 13 went on to become teachers while 2 were admitted to the Medical College and 3 to Raffles College. On Becoming a La Salle Brother Br Cassian writes: At the end of the Japanese Occupation when St. George's Institution reopened, I enrolled in the school to complete my studies under the Brothers. My daily contact with them slowly began to attract my interest in their way of life. The prospect of a life-long commitment as a Brother (which meant the loss of freedom and independence) didn't however quite appeal to me. But after more than a year of soul-searching', and with encouragement from my father, 1 finally joined the Brothers in 1950 - a decision I never regretted. In January 1950 he joined the recently opened Brothers novitiate at St Josephs Training

College in Pulau Tikus, Penang. Two years later he joined the scholasticate programme and obtained his teachers certificate, following which he was posted to teach at St Xaviers Institution in Penang. At the same time he registered for the normal classes and obtained the Normal Class Teaching Certificate from the Ministry of Education. St Xaviers Institution As a young Brother apart from being a Form Teacher, he was also given other responsibilities which included school photographer and the one who screened movies during weekends for the students. Being a house master he had to attend regular practices for sports and games. He enjoyed being a member of the school orchestra as well as the "stand~in" organist at the Cathedral next door. Sometimes he found that even the waking hours didn't seem to be long enough to attend to all these duties, although he woke up at 4.30 in the morning with the other Brothers. St Xaviers had a large community of Brothers at that time and the daily routine was demanding. Weekends they were able to take their work up Penang Hill secure from the heat and noise in the town below. Br Harold Reynolds recalls those years: Bro Cassian was the young Brother with the camera when their paths first crossed in SXI way back in 1952. At any school or Brothers gathering, there he was, snapping away with expertise and enthusiasm. Posting to India All these activities came to an abrupt end with his posting to India at the beginning of 1962. He describes the challenging experience in some detail: One evening in October 1961 1 was asked to see Bro. Fintan Blake, Provincial Visitor of the Brothers. I met him in his office in Pulau Tikus and he told me I was being considered to be a member of a pioneering community in India to work for homeless and destitute children. My imagination began to run wild and I began to visualise the kind of life I would lead in India! After the initial "shock" had passed I was able to give a reply. Bro. Fintan had allowed me some time to consider the offer. "I am to be a missionary in India - the land of my forefathers! Why not give it a try", I thought! Of course, I wouldn't be a photographer, a musician, a cinema man, a form teacher or house master in India. Of course, I'd miss my friends, my hobbies and my life style would radically change. Such thoughts began to cloud my mind and yet a certain joy began to well up too. 1 felt happy at the prospect of being a pioneer and a missionary! Moments passed, they seemed like hours and then I gave my reply. 'tBro. Visitor, I accept the transfer to work in Madurai, India!" On returning to the community the Brothers were keen to know what had transpired at the meeting with the Visitor. Was I going to be transferred? The Brothers had no inkling that I was to become a missionary/social worker in India. But when I told them what had transpired between me and Brother Fintan, they recalled that the La Salles had been in India about a hundred years earlier. Unfortunately, due to many factors beyond their control the mission venture at that time failed. The Brothers then turned their attention to Sri Lanka (Ceylon) where they were very successful in11

establishing schools. The abandoning of the schools in India had always remained as a sore point in the history of the Brothers. In contrast to conducting schools as they had a century previously, the Boys' Town project was intended to serve the poor and the marginalised. Would the new venture succeed? That was to be seen! Sri Lanka Connection A renewed attempt to set up La Sallian foundations in India was made by the Brothers of Sri Lanka in 1961. After years of negotiations between the Brothers and the Archbishop of Madurai, an agreement was reached and, with the approval of the Brother Superior General and his Council, the Brothers first community began with just two Brothers - Bro. Alban Patrick, a retired Principal from Sri Lanka and Bro. Joseph Homan from the London District who had volunteered to serve in the District of Sri Lanka. They were the first two Brothers to arrive at the St. Pius X Boys' Town in Madurai in late 1961. In early February I joined them. The arrival of an elderly Bro. Francis of Paula from Sri Lanka at the age of 80 increased the pioneering community at the Boys' Town to four Brothers Before being posted to the Boys' Town after his retirement, Bro. Alban, who had a "distinguished career as Director and Principal" in several Brothers' schools in Sri Lanka was made the Superior of the newly formed community. India! Here I come! Months passed and India was very much on my mind. Meanwhile the Brother Visitor of Sri Lanka sent me a list of things to bring along with me to India. Among the more notable ones was a request to bring a double-barrelled shot gun and a radio that would work on a car battery for the Boys' Town where I was expected to serve. Getting a certificate to export a double-barrelled shot-gun from the Penang Police went without a hitch. However, bringing a shot-gun into India gave me endless trouble! The day finally dawned when I had to leave the shores of Penang. I boarded "Cathay", a P. & 0 cruise ship, with my precious cargo of a gun, the radio and other personal effects. I shared a cabin with an Indian gentleman. The four day cruise was most interesting. On the first evening on board ship, there were crowds and crowds of people on deck. During the first meal I noticed that we were being served by English waiters. I really felt that I was a VIP at that moment. Being served by an English waiter was not a common sight in Malaysia in those days. Malaysia had just received its independence some four years earlier~ English administrators and businessmen were still around. The idea that they were the colonialists was still in the mind. But to have English waiters serving you at all the meals was something very novel for me at that time! I really enjoyed the cruise and spent much time on deck. I also noticed that after the first evening of our departure from Penang, the number of people on deck dwindled day by day. Even those whom I befriended slowly disappeared from the decks... as they spent more time in their cabins. They ate and slept in their cabins. All these

people suffered from sea-sickness - a regular feature with sea travellers. Except for some discomfort that I experienced on some occasions I relished the few days travel in a luxury liner. Colombo The ship anchored in the "roads" and we were transferred to the terminal building for immigration and baggage clearance. A Brother Patrick, whom I had known earlier in Penang came on board the ship to welcome me. We had to make a decision whether to bring the shot-gun and the radio with us or leave them with the customs until I left the country. We hit on the plan of leaving these items at the customs storage and picking them up when I finally left Colombo for India. The two weeks I spent in Colombo were very exciting. I was treated marvellously by the Brothers and visited most to the Brothers' communities and schools in and around Colombo. I enjoyed, too, the cool climate of Batuela and visited the famous Buddhist Temple in Kandy and the Parathenia Gardens. All in all it was a worthwhile holiday for someone who had spent seven years in the classroom. Mannar It was now time for me to leave Colombo. I travelled by train to the town of Mannar where the Brothers had a school. I picked up my luggage, the shot-gun and the radio, from the customs and arrived in Mannar where I spent a couple of days Bro.Hilary was the Director of the small community of four. Unlike the schools in Colombo, where the language of instruction was Singhalese, the schools in Mannar and the northern territories of Sri Lanka used Tamil. Political tensions already existed in those days between the majority Singhalese and the minority Tamils. At the end of my stay in Mannar I boarded the boat train for Talaimmanar still holding on to my precious cargo - the shot gun and the radio. The captain of the vessel, who noticed that I was a religious, invited me to the captain's deck for the duration of the crossing of the narrow straits that separate Sri Lanka from South India. That was really a very kind act in contrast to the treatment that I was to face with the Immigration and Customs Officers at the "southern gateway" to India - Dhanaskodi.

Dhanaskodi Dhanaskodi on Pamban Island was served by rail from Manamadurai on the Indian mainland. This was the only connection between the mainland and Pamban island. There was much trade between Sri Lanka and India in those days, and Dhasnaskodi was the entry point from the north of Sri Lanka to South lndia. The customs shed consisted of a large metal roofed shed. The customs officers were strict and demanding. I declared all my belongings including the shot gun, the radio.13

Then came the ordeal. After my passport was checked I was told that I couldnt be considered as a passenger in "transit" and so did not enjoy certain privileges that were reserved for such passengers.. Since I 'seemed' to have 'overstayed' in Sri Lanka for more than two weeks I was to be treated as "resident" and would need clearance from the Director of the Collector of Customs in Madras for the import of the shot-gun and the radio. These items, I was told, would also be released only after 1 had obtained the necessary licenses from the authorities in Madras. No amount of explanation would satisfy the customs officer. The one and only link to Pamban lsland was by a railway bridge. According to my schedule I was expected to travel by the boat-train from Dhanaskodi at 11.00 a.m. and arrive at Manamadurai around 2.00pm to be met by my new Superior, Bro.Alban Patrick.. Unfortunately, owing to the problems I faced with the Customs officials, I had to miss the boat train. I also missed the second train which left Dhanaskodi at 2.00 p.m. for the same reason. By then I was already exhausted and frustrated over the delays at the Customs, I was thirsty and hungry. I looked around for a restaurant. There was none within sight. My last meal was breakfast in Mannar sometime around 6.00 a.m. The last train for Manamadurai was at 6.00 p.m. At least I would be able to travel on that train and get away from the troublesome misadventure I faced on Pamban Island. Storm in a Coffee cup! At a distance I spied a thatched shed where I hoped to find something to eat. As I walked towards the hut I was greeted by a sari clad lady, an officer of some kind. She addressed me, "Father". At last, I thought, I had found someone who was sympathetic to me - the first sign of friendship on Indian soil. I told her my problems and asked her to take me where I could break my "fast". She took me to a thatched shed and asked for coffee and some Indian cakes. Those who have been to Indian restaurants in Malaysia, would have noticed that tea or coffee is served at boiling temperatures in aluminum tumblers with no handles. With hardly any practice in handling a tumbler full of hot coffee I immediately dropped the tumbler and the contents on the table. The cup went crashing to the floor but thank God the contents did not spill on my white robe. I was really humiliated as the customers at the restaurant turned their eyes at my incompetence in handling a cup of coffee. I called for another cup of coffee and requested that it should be cooled before handing it to me. Refreshed by the coffee I returned to the railway station. The train had just arrived from the mainland. Excitedly I carried by belongings (minus the shot-gun and the radio) and boarded the train and settled down with a mighty sigh of relief, thinking that my troubles were over for the day. As I was nicely settling down, I saw an Indian railway officer entering the railway compartment. He told me in no uncertain terms that the seat I was occupying was reserved for him and that I would have to look for another place.

In normal times I would have asked the guard to find me a place in the train. But not on the first day of my first entry to India after the kind of treatment I had been subjected to. It was like piling insult on injury. I stood my ground and told the officer that I was not prepared for a compromise. The officer studied my reaction and accepted to move away and apologized for the inconveniences that I had been put through during the course of the day. Manamadurai My future superior, Bro. Alban Patrick who had come all the way from Madurai expected to see me in Manamadurai at around 2.00pm. The train arrived at the scheduled time and left. Not seeing me on the train, he waited patiently for the next train which was due to arrive at 5.00 p.m. I was not on that train either. He was told that the last train would arrive at around 10.30 p.m. There was no way we could travel to Madurai at that time of night, so he went to a nearby Catholic church to find out whether there would be any accommodation for the night for the two of us.. The parish priest, who lived in the attic of the church was kind. Unfortunately, the best he could offer was two collapsible canvas "beds' and had them laid out on the open verandah of the church for our use. Finally, I arrived by the last train around 10.30 p.m. exhausted from the stress and strain of the day. Bro. Alban met me and I poured out my encounters of the day, before we said "Good night" and retired in a true missionary spirit. There was a basin of water, in case we needed to wash. There was however no sign of a toilet. Soon, I fell asleep! The next morning as I woke up I became aware of the sounds and smells of India! It was also Ash Wednesday, the day ashes are imposed on the forehead as a sign of repentance and the beginning of the season of Lent. Having received the ashes and after a typical Indian breakfast of thosai we set out to Madurai, a three hour journey by road to my final destination - the Pius X Boys' Town, where I was to spend three of the five years I spent in India. Madurai The Boys' Town is situated 13 km from the city of Madurai, the second largest city in Tamil Nadu. Madurai has also been the centre of Tamil culture, sponsoring literature, art, music and dance over the centuries. The Meenachi Amman Temple dominates the city, and is dedicated to both Goddess Meenachi and Lord Shiva. Boys' Town On our way to Boys' Town we crossed the Vaigai River which cuts across the city from the northwest to the southwest. Access to the Boys' Town is by a dirt track from the main road, towards the low lying barren rocky Nagamalai bills. We passed through very fertile rice fields, coconut palms and banana plantations. On the left I saw mostly women working with bare hands preparing bricks from the soft clay for the nearby brick kiln. The road to the Boys' Town was bumpy with pot holes and you got really shaken up. We crossed a small bridge and the scenery changed. The15

fertile lands gave way to thorn bushes, cactus plants and stony infertile ground. By now we had entered the grounds of the Boys' Town - a most uninviting piece of land which stood in sharp contrast to the fertile land we had passed through earlier. The barren rocky hills formed the back-drop while the cactus plants and thorny bushes provided the props. The scene looked like a chapter taken from some good old Wild Wild West movie! We passed by four mud huts where the workers lived. Then we turned to the left and then I saw a small garage and I was told that it was the Chapel and then a little further was a thatched structure where some orphans lived. The Brothers residence, in contrast to the mud huts, was a small neat single storey three roomed house with an all purpose room. There was some kind of reception for me in keeping with the environment of the place. The few inmates who lived at the Boys' Town were happy that an additional person had joined the "institution". I was glad that at long last I had arrived at my final destination. When asked which room I was to occupy the Director was very apologetic. He told me that there "was no room" yet for me and that they were about to construct an additional room soon. Until such time I was to live in the all purpose room which measured 12 feet by 10 feet and served as the office, the community room, parlour, dining room, as well as my bed room. The Director had already provided a collapsible canvas bed that stood against the wall. I noticed that there was no running water. The nearby well supplied all our water needs. The unfiltered water taken directly from the well was the only source of our drinking water. Washing clothes and bathing were also common activities around the well. A thatched mud walled structure with a very low entrance and a couple of small windows served as the main kitchen for the boys and the Brothers. Rice and vegetables were served once a day. We had fish on certain days and some meat on Sundays. For many of the morning and evening meals we depended on the "gifts" of crushed wheat, milk powder (and on some occasions, cheese) that we received from Catholic Charities of America. The sudden change from the more comfortable life I had been accustomed to in Penang began to tell on me. No wonder that after a couple of days at the Boys' Town 1 was down with a high fever. A few days after my recovery I planned to go to Madras (Chennai) to get the clearance from the Collector of Madras for the shot gun and the bulky radio that I had left behind with the customs in Dhanaskodi. Madras (Chennai) After a journey of twelve hours by train I arrived in Madras at day break at the Egmore Railway Station. This was my first visit to the capital city of Madras State. I had been given an address close to the Egmore Railway Station where I could get help to get to the Collectors' Office of Madras or the Malayan High Commission. Although I didn't get the needed information I was however advised to visit the

British Council in Madras which might provide the needed assistance. I took a ride on an Auto, a three-wheeler motorised vehicle, to the British Council which was situated on Mount Road, the main street of Madras. Here I got the address of the Malayan High Commission which was situated at Gandhi Nager. I put my full trust in the driver who accepted to take me to the Consulate of the Malayan High Commission. My trust was not in vain. He was quite an honest man and he brought me safely to the front door of the Malayan Consulate. At last I was able to relate to someone the frustrations of my first few days in India. I really appreciated the concern shown by the Second Secretary of the Consulate who even invited me to join him for tea. Loyola College Again I was on my way to meet the Collector of Madras. This office was situated a long way from where I was and I had to go there by another Auto again. By the time I arrived it was close to noon and there was already a long queue waiting to see the Collector. When my turn finally came, the Collector left his office for lunch. It was going to be a long wait and I was prepared to wait, even if I had to sacrifice lunch. It was at this point that a young Anglo-Indian lady from the office approached me and asked me if I wanted to have some refreshments while I waited. She was extremely kind and. told me that she would get me something from the canteen. I was very grateful and offered to pay. She refused to accept any payment. Another gesture of hospitality from a complete stranger! During our conversation she referred to Loyola College where some Malayan students were studying. This place, she said, was not all that far from the Collectors' Office. I kept this information in mind, just in case I needed any assistance. After an hour or so the Collector was back in his office and sent for me. I told him my story and the reason I had to come to Madras. He understood my problem and asked one of his officers to attend to me. Finally, a letter addressed to the Chief Customs Officer in Dahnaskodi was handed to me, for clearance of my precious cargo - the shotgun and the radio - awaiting me on Pamban Island. Greatly relieved, happy and grateful that things had finally worked out well I walked in the direction of the famous Loyola College of the Jesuits. In about thirty minutes I passed through the main entrance of the College. To my amazement and total surprise there stood one of the past students from St. Xavier's Institution, Penang. He too was taken aback and equally happy to meet me. After the initial formalities of meeting someone whom we did not expect to see, I was introduced to a number of other Malaysian students who were also studying at Loyola. They even offered to speak to the College authorities about staying with them for a few days. However, when I told them that I was returning by the night train to Madurai, they persuaded me to join them for a special meal which was on the menu for that evening. Strangely, this was the first time that I tasted ice water since my arrival in India. It was a great gathering. By now I had forgotten my problems. I enjoyed the meal.17

We talked and laughed. The students began to relate the pranks they played on their teachers when they were at St. Xavier's Institution, Penang. They spoke of teachers they liked and those they disliked and recalled certain strange personal characteristics of some of the teachers who had taught them. Everything had to come to an end. The students accompanied me to the railway station to see me off. The next morning I was back in Madurai Boys' Town. At Long Last After a few days rest at Boys' Town, I once again boarded the train for Dhanaskodi. This was also a night long journey. On my arrival at Dhanaskodi I handed the document from the Collector of Madras to the Customs' Officers. Things were quite different and everything moved smoothly in contrast to my first experience. There was no import tax for the articles and I was asked to pay just the storage fees. There was no other problem. I collected the shot gun and the radio and was on my way 'home'. On arriving in Madurai, I surrendered the shot-gun to the Police and. was told that the process of getting a license for the gun would take some time and that they would inform me when to collect the gun. After a month or so, we were informed that the licence was ready and that we could collect the gun from the Station. No one in the community knew how to use a gun. However, we bought some cartridges- a controlled item - and kept both the gun and cartridges ready for use someday. There were nights when we'd hear the howling of foxes coming from the neighbouring bush land. They were a threat to the chicken farm. During the day we had to keep a close watch on kites which used to hover over the chicken coops. From time to time they would swoop down and in a flash pick up a stray chicken which had escaped from the coops. On these occasions we wished that we had the shot gun in our hands. What prevented us from using the gun was the cost of cartridges. "Sharp Shooter" During the fruit season when a number of flying foxes invaded the nearby mango plantation (not part of the Boys' Town property), Brother Joseph and I decided to try out the gun. Joseph aimed and fired and there was a big bang which broke the silence of the night. He missed. He fired a second time but by then there were no more flying foxes in the tree. Brother Alban who had heard the two bangs of the gun greeted us when we returned to the house. Brother Alban looked disappointed that we came back empty handed. He had expected us to bring in two flying foxes and had already planned to have them for the meal next day. Since cartridges were expensive we couldn't use the gun often as this was considered a waste of money and. a luxury! On another occasion we were able to shoot down a kite which had just picked up a stray chicken. It was a good shot! We tied the unfortunate kite to a pole over the chicken coops as a "warning" to other kites coming close. Some Hindus who passed

by and noticed the kite hanging from the pole were deeply disturbed. The Hindus regard the kites as sacred. There were also some religious overtones over this incident at not being sensitive to the Hindu faith and beliefs. On hearing this we took down the kite and had it buried and forgot the whole matter. Brother Cassian Appointed First La Salle Recruiter On Christmas day, the Police Inspector from our District accompanied by a couple of Police Constables made a surprise visit to the Boys' Town. Since we had no other visitors on Christmas Day we were happy to see the Inspector and the other two with him. At last someone had come to greet us for Christmas! The Inspector had another reason for his visit. It was not to greet us for Christmas but to warn us that hanging the kite as we did some time ago was not acceptable to the Hindus. Any further such practices of this nature, he warned, would result in the removal of the shot gun from the Boys Town. The shot-gun which had given so many problems from the day it was brought to the Boys' Town was finally sold to a hunter. That was the end of the episode of the shot gun. Fr. Visuvasem Boys' Town was the brain-child of Fr. Visuvasem, a talented Indian priest of the Archdiocese of Madurai. During his studies in Rome where he obtained a Doctorate in Theology, Fr. Visuvasem began to be concerned about the plight of so many poor and destitute youth living In India. With the consent of the Archbishop of Madurai, Fr. Visuvasem left for the USA to seek financial assistance for a project in favour of the poor and destitute. On his return from the States, he began to plan the proposed Boys' Town. With the help of friends he acquired pieces of land near the Nagamalai Hills and eventually he had an extended piece of land measuring about one hundred and thirty acres. Of the one hundred acres only about two acres were under rice cultivation and the rest of the grounds were covered with cactus plants and thorn bushes. The soil was hard gravel and rock - unsuited for cultivation. There was a small spring which gushed out from the rocky Nagamalai Hill (Dragon Hill). This spring supplied fresh water throughout the year and flowed through the Boys' Town property. Adjoining the spring (Pulluthu or Grass Spring) there was a tiny Hindu Shrine which attracted Hindu devotees who came to pray and perform some Hindu rituals. Some others visited Pulluthu to enjoy a "bath" in the fresh clean spring water. Some even claimed that the water had some medicinal qualities for healthy living. The spring water had been tested and was found to have no harmful elements. Community Life During one of his visits Brother Vincent Gottwald began to wonder whether a "brown Robe" might be more suitable for Brothers working at Boys' Town than the19

white Robe they normally wore. Accordingly, he had "brown" robes made in Sri Lanka and had them sent to us for our use. The "brown" robes were reminiscent of days gone by when the "Serving Brothers" were distinguished by the colour of the robe they wore! Brother Alban who was always seen in his robe, welcomed the idea of using a "brown" robe. Brother Joseph and I on the other hand did not fancy the brown robe at all. Soon the practice of wearing the brown robe disappeared, except in the case of Brother Alban. Community life was quite simple. Brought up under the "old" strict rule and strongly bound by the 'coutumier' Brother Alban would not compromise on the time of rising or the time for community prayers. Rising was at 5.00 a.m. every morning. On waking up we fumbled around to get the hurricane lamp in our rooms and did the needful before leaving for the chapel. The ritual was to walk with a hurricane lamp in hand accompanied with our dogs to "shoo off' any snakes lurking around or coiled up on the path way to the chapel. Brother Joseph and I would have preferred a more acceptable time for morning prayer and afternoon Vespers. Brother Alban having been an SO (strict observer of the Rule) rather than a MO (mediocre observer) - expressions coined by Brother Lawrence O'Toole during his earlier visits to Malaysia, continued the practice of early rising and morning prayers and the recitation of the Vespers at 3.00 p.m. inside the overheated chapel, where even the candles on the altar wilted under the heat of the afternoon sun. There wasn't much we could do after sunset. Brother Joseph used to sit down at his typewriter to write appeal letters or answer letters that he had received. The hurricane lamps did not however encourage much reading. We did some supervision of the boys and encouraged them in their English lessons. On moonlit nights Brother Joseph and I would take a walk down the dirt track and talk of our dreams for the future of the Boys' Town. Recruiter The Brothers felt that without the recruitment and formation of local Indians the future of the work of the Brothers would be in jeopardy and assigned me to the important post of La Salle Recruiter in India. This was a top priority for the Brothers! But how in the name of goodness one would begin recruiting for the Brotherhood when the La Salle Brothers were not even known by the enlightened clergy not to mention the ignorance of the laity! In a country where the caste system features prominently at all levels of the social structure and life (even among Catholics), the vocation of the Brother was regarded somewhat as a "second choice" vocation fit for those who could not make it to the priesthood. This was understandable since most Religious Orders in India had lay Brothers who were generally considered only good for non-clerical jobs including menial work such as gardening, cooking, washing dishes etc. in the monastery.

With my limited knowledge of Tamil and my inability to address any congregation about the vocation of the Brother, I proceeded by advertising the work of the Brothers in the Katholiku Sevai, a Catholic monthly published by the Archdiocese. To make the advertisement more attractive I placed my own photograph taken with the black robe and the distinguishing white rabat, and with the words "WANTED". Soon there were some good responses. My personal appearance - dressed in my black robe and with the distinctive white rabat and the large map of the "Lasallian World" mounted on the wall may have done the trick. On one occasion when I stayed in the parish of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church I was invited to attend a special High Mass in a nearby Convent belonging to the same rite. The liturgy was Greek to me! The singing resembled Muslim chants and the ritual was completely foreign. After Mass the priest and. I were invited to a breakfast of steamed bananas and Indian delights. At the end of breakfast when the priest and I were leaving the Rev. Mother came with some gifts. She had with her a few handkerchiefs and a couple of pillow cases and handed them to me. The Priest teasingly asked the Rev. Mother why she had no gifts for him who had taken much trouble to come to say the Mass for the good Sisters. The reply was quite simple. The Rev. Mother pointed to the "bib" on my white robe and told the priest, " Father, please look at the poor Brother's robe. He even has two patches right on the front of his white robe" (referring to my "rabat") and asked why I shouldn't be given a small gift to make me happy? Quietly, we had a good laugh over the Rev. Mother's observation and returned to the parish house. On another occasion when I was visiting parishes in the car belonging to the Boys' Town, the bonnet of the car suddenly burst open and the steaming water from the radiator shot up into the air. It was a question of overheating and happened on a remote road. The driver and I stopped the car and jumped out for safety. Luckily there was a small flowing stream close by. After waiting for some time to allow the engine to cool off we slowly poured fresh water into the radiator. As the temperature was still high in the radiator and the water started boiling right away. We continued this operation for some time until the engine was cool enough to continue our journey. By then night had set in. Intending not to take any further risks we decided that we'd stay the night in a village that we had passed earlier. This was a typical Indian village with hardly any sort of accommodation for visitors. We asked if there was a Church. The people directed us to one. On reaching the Church we saw the parish house and knocked at the door. By then it was around 9.30 p.m. and all had gone to sleep. Lights came on. The lady of the house opened the door. A few teenaged girls also showed up who had just jumped out of bed, curious to know what was happening. They could have been the lady's daughters, I thought. And suddenly I realised that I was at the home of the pastor of the Church and not at a presbytery of a Catholic Church. I told the21

lady that I was looking for a Catholic Church and we were given the direction we needed. We arrived at the gates of the Church grounds and after sounding the horn for some time a man came to open the gate to let us in. The parish priest who had also gone to sleep woke up and welcomed us, gave us something to eat and a place to sleep. After Mass the following morning we left the village and returned safely to Boys Town. Visit of the Brother Superior General The Boys' Town was honoured by the visit of the Brother Nicet Joseph, Superior General in 1962. He was accompanied by Brother Lawrence O'Toole, Assistant General and Brother Vincent Gottwald, Visitor. Their visit was a source of encouragement and a sign of appreciation for the work being done at Boys' Town. There was hardly any fanfare to welcome the VIP visitors, except that they were garlanded as it is customary among Indians during a very modest reception. That was all that we could offer! Although the Superior was impressed with the future plans for the Boys' Town, he, as well as Brother Lawrence O'Toole was rather apprehensive about the success of the Boys' Town and the sub-normal conditions under which the Brothers lived and worked. Rooms for the Visitors At the time of the visit of the Brother Superior there were just three small rooms which were occupied by Brother Francis, Brother Joseph and me. The larger room was occupied by Brother Alban, which also served as his office. We offered. the large room to the Brother Superior. Two other rooms were assigned to Brother Lawrence O'Toole and Brother Vincent Gottwald. The elderly Brother Francis was allowed to keep his room. The rooms for the visitors were provided with a basin of water, a hurricane lamp and a towel. After night fall when the visitors retired to their rooms, the three of us found some place to sleep. Brother Alban slept on the all purpose table which also served as the dining table. Brother Joseph and 1 found a narrow veranda outside the room occupied by Brother Lawrence O'Toole. Here we stretched ourselves on a sheet of cloth on the hard cement floor without the comfort of even a mat or a pillow. Our two dogs slept close to us as if watching over us. Accustomed to waking up early at 4.30 am. (according to the old Rule) and wanting to be in the 'chapel' on time for meditation and morning prayer, Brother Lawrence stepped out of his room with a hurricane lamp in his hand and almost stumbled over the two lying forms on the floor. After a moment's hesitation he soon realised who we were. We were not vagrants as he had initially thought - but Brothers! On realising the situation and feeling rather embarrassed, Brother Lawrence turned round and re-entered his room and stayed indoors until day break to join the community in the chapel. An event of some significance at the Boys' Town was the laying of a 'foundation stone' by the Brother Superior General in an area designated for the future

development of the Boy's Town. This simple function was witnessed by those living at the Boys' Town -- the Chaplain, the Brothers, the boys and workers. As expected the Superiors also visited the Archbishop of Madurai to pay their respects. A casual visit was also arranged to see famous Madurai Meenachiamal Temple in Madurai City.

Misgivings Speaking about the Boys' Town years later, Brother Lawrence O'Toole, had this to say:" I eagerly longed for the opportunity to re-establish the Institute in that land (India) so that it was with alacrity that in 1961, 1 welcomed the proposition of Brother Vincent Joseph Gottwald to take over the direction of the Boys Town, Nagamalai." However, after seeing the problems and difficulties faced by the Brothers during his visit to the Boys' Town with the Brother Superior, he began to doubt whether it was a good decision to venture into India. "At one stage it looked as though we might have to quit India again." However, he was happy that the Brothers persevered and made a success of the venture. Life at the Boys' Town - Initial Disappointments Among those who replied to the recruiting advertisement there were those who wanted to take advantage of joining the Brothers with hardly any basic qualifications for the aspirancy programme. Thank God, there were also those who were genuinely interested in becoming Brothers. Among them there were two promising young men, one was a teacher and the other was a school clerk. Both had good credentials. These two were sent to Penang for their Novitiate and we received excellent reports about them for their maturity and commitment to their vocation.. On their return from Penang they were placed at Boys' Town while arrangements were being made to send them to the States for further studies. Having completed their degrees the two returned and found the life at the Boys' Town too austere compared to the kind of life they had experienced in the States. After a few years with us these two left the Brothers, (and possibly returned to the States for a better life). This was indeed a bitter lesson for the Brothers and we began to question the wisdom of sending young Indian Brothers abroad for studies. "Vaugirard" The recruits who joined us at Boys' Town were generally housed in a building which we had completed to be used as a store. This building was located half way down the property of the Boys' Town and lacked even the basic conveniences of life except for a bed to sleep on. For prayers and meals they joined the Brothers. These recruits were given regular English lessons and were initiated into the history of the Institute. Whenever their services were needed on the farm they were most willing23

to give a helping hand. After nightfall the recruits brought their hurricane lamps with them leaving for and returning to Vaugirard to frighten the foxes and jackals which started their nightly prowls after sun down. Around this time Brother Thomas Xavier, aged 64, was posted to the Boys' Town. to look after the aspirants. Brother Xavier, a native of Tuticorin (India) became a Brother when studying at the Brothers' school and had spent his Religious life entirely in Sri Lanka until his posting to India. Having worked with junior Novices in Sri Lanka for a good part of his life he had no difficu4 in setting up a programme for the recruits at "Vaugirard" with a view to preparing the youngsters for the Novitiate which was to be set up in Tuticorin. Among them was Brother Arulsamy, the present Principal of La Salle Ornella High School. Brother Yesudasan Chinnappan We were delighted to have an application from a mature and experienced teacher with a university degree in science in the person of Yesudasen from Nagercoll. He had taught in Goa before leaving to take a teaching post at the Brothers' school, St. Xavier's College, in Nuereliya, Sri Lanka. With the prospect of nationalisation of schools in 1961, Yesudasan resigned and returned to India. Before leaving Sri Lanka Yesudasen was told about the Brothers' new foundation at the Boys' Town and he was even encouraged to join the Brothers. Yesudasan spent a few months at the Boys' Town before leaving for the Novitiate in Penang where he edified everyone in spite of his age, experience and qualifications. On his return to India after completing his Novitiate arrangements were made for him to attend the Thiyagarajor College of Preceptors for the degree of Bachelor of Teaching while staying at the Boys Town. Without the convenience of public transport from the Boys' Town, Brother Yesu had to walk for a couple of miles before he could take a bus to the College. At the end of the clay he also did the same - getting off the bus and walking back the two kilometres to the community. This didn't give him much rest nor sufficient time for studies! However, he did this for a whole year without complaint. Any work that he had to do at night was under the hurricane lamp. Having been a teacher Brother Yesu had no problem in coping with the college course. He was not however lucky in having enough time to work on his visual aids and projects demanded by the College. A week before the inspection day for the visual aids and projects Brother Yesu was furiously preparing charts and other aids to meet the target date. Those of us who had been through such inspections were almost sure that the projects Brother Yesu had in hand would not satisfy the inspectors. Hoping against hope and with prayers from all of us Brother Yesu left for College with whatever visual aids he had for the final inspection. Power of Prayer The graduating teachers who were well prepared for the inspection lined up behind

their impressive projects and visual aids.. Brother Yesu also stood in line with his limited visual aids with a thumping heart and reciting his rosary for heavenly assistance to get over the ordeal. His prayers were answered! On recognising that Brother Yesu was a Religious by his white robe, the Inspectors greeted him warmly and said that there was no need to check his projects, since by tradition the Religious produced excellent work and then moved on to check the projects of the candidate next to him. Greatly relieved and with expressions of gratitude to God and to his patron saints over the unexpected turn of events, Brother Yesu returned to the Boys' Town to be congratulated by the Brothers. Brother Yesu was later posted as the first La Salle Brother Principal of the P. M. Ornella High School in Tuticorin. Building Plans Situated some 13 km away from the City of Madurai, the Boys Town did not come under the jurisdiction of the Town Board. The Brothers found this situation very comfortable as far as the freedom to construct buildings without the prior approval from the housing authorities was concerned. Luckily, there was Brother Charles, the Director of our school in Grand Pass in Sri Lanka who had the proficiency of an architect and the skills of a civil engineer who helped with the designing of the buildings of the Boys' Town. The rocky nature of the grounds of the Boys' Town did not require much piling for most of the buildings. The cottages were to be self-contained - with rooms, dormitories, washing area, toilets ... except for the common dining room. The design was to include a flat roof which would also serve as a 'dormitory' during the hot season. These cottages were planned to accommodate just sixteen boys so as to give them a sense of belonging. Match Factory Boys' Town undertook a strange project - the setting up of a Match Factory. This was intended to give employment to the women in the neighbouring villages. A modest building was erected and a local man was engaged to coordinate the functions of the Match Factory. The Brothers were not aware what this project would entail in terms of getting a licence and the cost for the purchase and transport of inflammable substances from one District to another. This needed prior approval of the Police. These problems surfaced only after the setting up of the Factory. The Factory also became a centre of controversy between the Brothers and the new Chaplain who replaced Fr. Visuvasem, the founder of the Boys Town., and later the Bishop of Coimbatore Diocese. On a Saturday the man-in-charge of the Match Factory sought the assistance of the boys to pack the match sticks into boxes to prevent any accident by friction during the long week-end. The boys were told that they should stop work before midnight so that they could observe the Sunday rest! Work stopped by 11.00 p.m. as directed. Having completed the work the boys however chose to sleep in the Factory itself,25

for a change. Exploration for Water Careful planning was needed in attempting to dig wells. From the past experiences of other farms we learned that digging wells for water could also meet with failure. We had also seen half completed wells which had been abandoned after having spent considerable sums of money and not finding sufficient supply of water. To determine the existence of underground streams people normally sought the help of 'water diviners'. There seems to be some affinity between the water diviners and underground streams of water which could be more than ten feet below ground level. The diviners either used a forked twig or a chain with a metal object (like a pocket watch) over the location of the proposed well. The intensity of the "pull" on the forked twig or the metal object would indicate the strength of the flow of the underground stream. There is no hard and fast rule. Sometimes even the best predictions could turn out to be total failure. However one had to take a chance! We were successful in digging several wells in the grounds of the Boys' Town. The most important one of these was drilled to a depth of 100 feet. This bore-well was really an asset and we didnt need any further digging for wells. There was now a sufficient supply of water which would help us bring more land under cultivation as well supply needed water of the entire Boys Town. Dealing with Officials Not having grown up within the Indian system of administration, and being assigned to deal with official business, 1 had my moments of frustration dealing with Government Officials. 1 found that things did not move smoothly and it could take months before anything could be achieved. The Government offices opened at around 10.00 a.m. and before lunch time at around 1.2.30 p.m. there was also a tea break. If you couldn't meet the officer before lunch or the queue was too long, then you had to hold on till after lunch. This was most inconvenient for us since we had to come all the way from the Boys' Town some 13 km away, and 1 often returned to the Boys' Town late in the evening. This would be a whole day's work. It was not uncommon to be told, "Come next week" and when you went the following week you might be told that it would take another "two weeks". This sort of delay could carry on for weeks or even months. By some luck 1 came across a gentleman and a close friend of the Collector of Madurai who promised to bring me to meet the Collector himself. This meeting was a God send! 1 poured out my frustrations to the Collector and he heard me patiently, and then directed the officers to attend to my applications and clear them as soon as possible. The matter in question which had taken months of delay was cleared in a matter of just three days! TUTICORIN - NEW MISSION By the end of my third year our attention was drawn to the setting up of a Juniorate and Novitiate.. By then there was already a positive offer by the Bishop of Tuticorin

to hand over the Middle School located at the Parish of Our Lady of Snows to the Brothers. This was a God sent offer not to be refused! Tuticorin is located about 130 km south east of Madurai on the coast facing the Indian Ocean. It was here that St. Francis Xavier preached and made converts to the Catholic faith among the fisher folks in the sixteenth century. The work of the Saint is still much alive along the coast. Although the followers of St. Francis Xavier were mere fishermen they were able to build some magnificent churches in the villages and have been proud of their Catholic faith. Even to this day the Catholics descended from of the early converts use Portuguese surnames, such as Fernando, Pereira, Motha. It is also said that St. Francis would walk along the coast ringing a bell to invite children for catechism lessons. There is still a small cave close to the sea in Manapad, some forty km from Tuticorm, where the Saint used to live. Father S. M. D'Almeida With a view to taking over the P.M. Ornellas School (P.M. stands for Portuguese Mission), I was directed to move to Tuticorin with Brother Jesudasen after his graduation in 1964 to head the school. Since the school was located at the parish Church of Our Lady of Snows, Fr. D'Almeda, the saintly Parish Priest was prepared to go to any length to make the Brothers comfortable. He gave up his own comfortable residence on the first floor his house to make way for the Brothers community, and moved to a less attractive ground floor in the parish house. We couldn't have wished for anything better in terms of comfort and convenience at our new residence in Tuticorin, coming from the austere setting of the Boys' Town. We already had a ready made house with comfortable rooms, a reception hall, a dining room, and kitchen. The large unfurnished hall became the dormitory for the Juniors. The entire first floor of our residence faced the Indian Ocean. One could only give thanks for the large hearted generosity of Fr. D'Almeida. P. M. Ornellas School - First La Salle Secondary School My instructions when coming to Tuticorin was to make the final arrangements to install Brother Yesu as the new Principal of the Ornella's School. A few days before the beginning of the academic year Fr. D'Almeida came over to tell us that we were seeing the 'retiring' headmaster after which he would introduce Brother Yesu to the staff of the school. We expected everything to work out fine. When Fr. D'Almeida returned after some considerable delay we were told that Brother Yesu couldn't be appointed as the new Principal of the school according to the headmaster. The headmaster seemed to have argued that he was the rightful head of the school and that he had the right of succession to be posted as the Principal of the upgraded Middle School. As a solution the headmaster offered a kind. of compromise. He wanted to be the Principal of the High School 'In the eyes of the Government' and enjoy the Principal's salary and other benefits while he wanted Brother Yesu to be the Principal of the school 'in the eyes of the public'. One of the arguments to support27

his right to remain as the headmaster was that Brother Yesu had only recently received his teaching qualification and that he needed several years of experience before he could be considered as head of a school. We however had no doubt that with years and years of teaching experience both in India and in Sri Lanka Brother Yesu was fully qualified to take on the headship of the school. We had just a few days to make a decision before the beginning of the new academic year. 1 told Fr. D'Almeida that the proposal of the headmaster was not acceptable and since we could not contact our Provincial in Colombo on this matter we would not move into the school when the new school year began. Meanwhile, 1 checked with the secretary of Catholic Schools who also happened to be a priest whether there was any truth in the claim made by the headmaster. He told me that there was no such regulation. 1 also consulted some other authorities including Fr. S. V. Mattam, S. J., Principal of the Jesuit run High School. He had the same answer. 1 reported back these findings to Fr. D'Almeida and told him that there was no substance in the claim by the headmaster. After further contact with the headmaster, Fr. D'almeida informed us that it was a matter of dollars and cents that made the headmaster want to hold on to his post and that he'd stand to lose his present salary and perks. Realising the predicament of the headmaster Fr. D'Almeida promised to compensate him for his impending financial loss. With this matter settled Brother Yesu became the Principal of P. M. Ornellas High School with the opening of the new school year. (Years later the name of the school was changed to P.M.0. La Salle Higher Secondary School). Br Antony Arulsamy recalls: In 1964 a new community was formed in Tuticorin. When the Brothers took over the animation of the Parish school Bro. Cassian upgraded it into a high school. He was a cheerful, active and dynamic personality, which permeated and pervaded the whole school with his meticulous presence and teaching. Brother Lawrence Robless Having solved the position of the Principalship of P.M. Ornellas High School we went ahead with the setting up of the Juniorate. Meanwhile, we received news that Brother Lawrence Robless (65) who had just retired from St. Josephs Institution, Singapore, had been posted to Tuticorin to become the first Director of Juniors. One would have thought that after years of heading one of the highly revered institutions in Singapore Brother Lawrence would have been given some lighter administrative work in the same country. The appointment to Tuticorin must have come as a shock to Brother Lawrence. We were sure of that! However as a good Religious Brother Lawrence accepted his posting to Tuticonn without any complaints. A strange story was passed around among the Brothers that Brother Lawrence Robless seemed to have impressed Brother Lawrence O'Toole by giving instructions to the workers in 'Tamil' during one of his official visits to Singapore. This seemed to have prompted Brother Lawrence O'Toole to post Brother Lawrence Robless to

Tuticorin, probably thinking that Brother Robless had a good command of Tamil. But this was far from the truth. Brother Lawrence never spoke Tamil, but only knew some words in Tamil like most of us who can say a few words in some foreign languages. Juniorate and Novitiate in Tuticorin Brother Lawrence Robless - Director of Juniors Although 1 had known Brother Lawrence Robless for many years 1 didn't have the happiness of living in his community. We in Tuticonn really looked forward to his coming. 1 was in Madras to receive him when he landed by the S. S. Rajula, a steamship which plied between Singapore and Malaysia to the Ports of Nagapatnam and Madras. He seemed to have enjoyed his trip. 1 went on board the ship to receive him. Apart from his personal belongings he also brought some gifts which included some classical music records. Unfortunately we didn't have a player to listen to these musical gems. Juniorate Soon after the arrival of Brother Lawrence we invited the Juniors (who had already been selected) to live with us at the parish house. In spite of his age Brother Lawrence was very accommodating and friendly to his wards. The Juniors really liked him and enjoyed his English lessons. Brother Lawrence also made it a rule that the Juniors should only speak in English in the Juniorate so that they could develop proficiency in that language. The youngest Junior at that time was just 12 years old. His is none other than Brother Joseph Fernando, later to be Director of St. Joseph's Boys' Village, Brother President of the Indian Delegation and even Institute Formation Director. Having undergone surgery on one of his legs because of an accident, Brother Lawrence used to lift weights attached to his legs as a form of physiotherapy. This was usually done after his regular walk in his white robe and a 'topi' on his head to shield him from the sun and with a walking stick in hand along the main roads of Tuticorin. He became quite a familiar figure in town. Having come from a family of musicians, Brother Lawrence also took a keen interest in teaching songs to the Juniors. All in all he was an ideal man for the job as the Director of Juniors. To give some status to P.M. Ornellas High School, and with the consent of Brother Lawrence, I started a fife, bugles and drum band. Brother Lawrence was helpful in raising the needed funds. Among the locals who supported this band was Dr. A. Augustine who eventually turned out to be one of my special friends in Tuticonn. Both the Doctor and Mrs. Augustine were closely connected with St. Anthony's Church. He was the choirmaster and Mrs. Augustine was the organist in the same Church. Being the first school band in Tuticorin we couldn't get a music instructor. Hearing that the Police Force in Turunelvelli, some 50 km away, had a similar band, Dr. Augustine and I approached the Officer in charge of the Tirunelvelli Police Headquarters if he could allow one of his musicians to come to the school from time29

to time to train our students. The Officer was more than obliging. As a matter of fact he actually posted a police constable who was competent to teach the bugle and fife to the local police contingent to Tuticorin so that we could give daily lessons for our boys. The constable was not given any other duties while he was in Tuticorin. With regular practice and encouragement the band began to shape up. Soon P. M. Ornellas High School Band became the talk of the town! J. M. B. Roche The people of Tuticorin being seafarers have had close links with Sri Lanka through trade and family ties. With only limited educational opportunities available in Tuticonn, some wealthy parents normally sent their children across to Sri Lanka to continue their studies. Those who had attended La Salle schools in Sri Lanka knew the Brothers and their reputation for conducting schools and had always wanted the Brothers to come to Tuticorin to set up schools for their children. With the prospect of the La Salle Brothers taking over the management of P.M. Omellas Elementary School, Mr. J.M.B. Roche a generous benefactor who was also a past pupil of St. Benedict's College, Colombo, came forward to offer three acres of land to the Brothers for the proposed Novitiate. The land offered by Mr. J. M. B. Roche was at Mangalagiri, some fifteen kilometres away from Tuticorin and adjacent to the country house of the Roches. The property offered to the Brothers had a private Chapel and some run-down buildings that had once been used as a Social Centre for "cottage industry" training for the poor by Roche's grandfather. The buildings just needed a face lift. This was attended to when Brother Xavier was posted to Tuticonn. Both Brother Xavier and I worked hand in hand to see that the main building was suitably renovated and furnished to turn it into a Novitiate building. The first four postulants who had been living at the Boys' Town soon arrived to begin their Novitiate life at Mangalagiri. The official opening was done by the Rt. Rev. Thomas Fernando, the Bishop of Tuticorin. Brother Austin - the Novice Master The last to arrive to take charge of the Novitiate was Brother Austin Dee, who had been the Director and Principal of a number of La Salle Schools in Sri. Lanka. Brother Austin's teaching career began in 1928 when he arrived from England after completing his Novitiate and Scholasticate in Dover. Much has been said about his personal qualities as a Brother, Principal and Director of Communities. I had the good fortune to meet him in Malaysia in the 50's when he brought with him a number of young men from Sri Lanka to enter the common Novitiate in Penang. Even then Brother Austin didnt fail to impress those with whom he came in contact. He carried his refinement throughout his entire life which warranted the following words of appreciation from one of his admirers: "He was all things to all his formees. Rare are such dedicated mentors found today. Brother Austin, the perfect gentleman, a super product of Britain, the La Sallian, peerless and purified through a generous living of his La Sallian vocation... " We were indeed blessed to have such a dedicated Lasallian to be the first novice master in India.

Being his first visit to India, I was dispatched to receive him at the Manamadurai Railway Station where years before Brother Alban, Director of the Boys' Town had waited and waited for my arrival from Sri Lanka, the first time I landed in India. Fortunately, Brother Austin did not carry a shot-gun and so there was no difficulty in passing through the Customs and Immigration at Dhanuskodi! The boat train arrived on time and I accompanied him first to the Boys' Town for an 'orientation'. After a few days we left together for Tuticonn where Brother Xavier and his four postulants were waiting at the Novitiate. Progress and Consolidation It had taken some five years before the Brothers began to realise that their mission in India might finally succeed. There was no time however for complacency. There was still much work to be done at the Boys' Town which would take several more years and much more investment of money, equipment and personnel. By now a number of cottages had already been constructed and there was a big increase in the nurnber of poor and destitute students at the Boys Town. The boys were already receiving training at the workshops. Parts of the grounds had also seen much transformation. More land had also come under cultivation. In other words, things were looking better and better and very hopeful for the future. We had already set up the Juniorate and Novitiate in Tuticorin to ensure the continuity and extension of the work of the Brothers. The number of young Indian Brothers was on the increase. Life was more pleasant in Tuticorin than it had been at the Boys' Town in Madurai. The Juniors attended class at P. M. Ornellas High School. Brother Yesudasan was a committed Principal. He worked very hard to achieve good academic results and had a tender spot for poor students. Brother Yesu would normally come late for lunch after we had finished our meal so that he could share his meal and the left-over food with some poor unfortunate student who had come to school on an empty stomach. It was also said that he'd even give away the shirt of his back if that became necessary. His deep interest in the welfare of the poor was not always appreciated and sometimes became a source of conflict. This did not however change his commitment for the poor. The three elderly Brothers - Brother Lawrence Robless, the Director of the Juniorate, Brother Austin, Director of the Novitiate and Brother Xavier Corera, sub-Director of the Novitiate who had distinguished themselves in their own set-up in Sri Lanka and in Singapore, respectively, now brought to their new responsibilities the same dedication and singled-mindedness in building up the Lasallian mission in India. One must acknowledge that without the generous financial support given by international charitable bodies and by individuals, the Brothers could not have achieved much for the physical growth and development that took place in the Boys' Town or in Tuticorin.

31

Sporting Facilities Pupils who attended P. M. Omellas High School came generally from poor families, unlike those who attended St. Xavier's High School, run by the Jesuit Fathers. The pupils at St. Xavier's High School were better dressed, wore shoes and looked smart compared to those from P.M. Omellas who couldn't afford smart clothing and generally moved around barefoot. This did not prevent the boys of Omellas from competing with other schools in studies and in games. Situated within the Church area, P. M. Ornellas did not have any play ground. This did not deter Brother Yesu from using any open space close to the beach. His favourite area for training his football team was the hard grassless ground used by the fishermen to unload their catch. Having been accustomed to moving around without any kind of footwear, the students did not find difficulty playing on hard ground. Meanwhile, the Bishop of Tuticorin had already assigned an old unused cemetery close to the school for future expansion of the school. Brother Yesu did not waste time in getting the cemetery grounds cleared with the help of his pupils so that he could have a sizeable football field. Brother Yesu personally supervised the removal of the remaining 'monuments' for the dead and had them re-buried with due respect and propriety. Once the field at the old cemetery became useable Brother Yesu began to coach his football team. Time and again his school emerged champions in the local and District football competitions. Their unprecedented success in football led to their travel to other Districts in Tamil Nadu, and many years later, they reached the State Finals which were held in Chennai (Madras). Here again they beat their rival teams and for the first time emerged the Football Champions of the State of Madras. State Champions There was much excitement and rejoicing when news reached Tuticorin of the success of our football team in Chermai (Madras). The Chairman together with leading officials were at the Tuticorun Railway Station to receive the victorious team. Parents of the students and well-wishers were also gathered to congratulate the boys. The P.M. Ornellas High School band of fifes, bugles and drums displayed its talent at the Railway Station to welcome the Champions. This was indeed a great honour for our boys. All in all it was also a victory for Tuticorin and its people. People were overjoyed at seeing that the boys of P.M. Omellas High School had put Tuticorin on the sporting map of Tamil Nadu. After the preliminary greetings and congratulations offered by the Chairman of Tuticorin Municipality and those gathered a