Gurrinder [Indi] Singh Khanna wrote, and sent this photo:
How well I remember Mrs Goss.
Motherly and so very caring.
Ma’am, just want to thank you for seeing me the other tykes like me through my first two years (59/60) in your care.

I am not sure how many of you remember Adam Drobot. I have just located him on the net (30) Education | Adam Drobot | LinkedIn

I have downloaded a picture of him from the net. He is an accomplished techy !! His biodata mentions the years at BCS from 1956-1959

Dear Adam,

Yesterday, prior to my mails below, I had written to your corporate address which seemed to have a Adam Drobot as a their CEO on their website. It actually turned out, as I subsequently discovered, to be the you I was attempting to locate !

The correspondence, different colours for better readability, is appended further down in this note.

You, were one of the two Polish boys at BCS during our time, the other being W Kubaseweiz (Curzon, class of 1961), who was a strong swimmer and not the kind you tangled with !!

Accompanying this mail, as attachments, are photographs for Rivaz House for the years from 1956-59 and one for the staff members in 1959 which was the year of our Centenary. You may recognise more than a few of your teachers most of them now gone with the exception of Mr & Mrs Goss !!

I have been able to locate you in all the Rivaz house photographs, except for the house picture for 1959.

1956 –Second row from the top,  Seventh from the right,

1957 – Second row from the top,  Ninth from the left,

1958 – Second row, behind the seated, Fifth from the left

1959 – Unable to locate Adam

[click for larger view of each photo]

I recall you being initially shy and unsure but like other new boys you soon found your footing and were friendly, even easy going. The Adam, I recall was a good student, always in the top five, with a strong disposition to mathematics and chemistry. You loved painting.

The School Art Master, Mr Sasim DasGupta, once commented on your method of heavy and flat brush strokes being somewhat similar to the technique used by Van Gogh ! That year he sent one of your paintings to an institution in London along with those of other boys whose art he felt stood out. In return these boys received certificates of merit. I do not know the name of the institution but Mr DasGupta encouraged talent all the time.

Mr DasGupta was also the Warden of the Remove dormitory where you spent your initial years at BCS. Mr DasGupta, who moved to Toronto and passed away a few years ago, would ask you to spell “Polish” and mildly teased you that that was the spelling for the shoe “polish”. You would deliver a weak smile with a degree of obvious embarrassment.

A small idiosyncratic habit. You were not a sports person but had this habit of often chewing the collar of your Rivaz house jersey! You did not like the marathon and boxing was never your forte

I have never forgotten but you once mentioned that snails were a speciality and a great delicacy in Poland. I have never had the temerity to verify that assertion and hold that belief most firmly because Adam was always a credible source of information. I obviously  never felt desire nor the need to check any further.

The reason why I remember you so well has to do with a little incident and the ensuing moral dilemma

Most of  us were limited by the pocket money that we received at the end of the week from the Housemaster. It was 12 annas (75 paise) or Rs 1 & 4 annas (125 paise) depending on the dormitory you belonged to. When we went out of School on town leave, Rs 5 would get you a movie ticket, a plate of finger chips, an ice cream cone, a Coke and a comic or two! That was luxury.

In 1959 in III Form, you and I sat in the last row along the wall that faced the entrance to the class room from the corridor. You sat on the desk in front of me. These were wooden desks, if you recall, with a sloping lid, lifted at the hinge to offer a cavity space for the storage of books with the provision for a lock. The desk was fixed to the seat with a wooden bar at the bottom that connected the desk with the seat. Often the previous occupant had etched his name on the desk with the use of a compass. There was small space on the desk for an ink pot and we all used fountain pens, the ball point had yet to be invented

One day, I observed a piece of paper what seemed like a Rs 10 note, stained with ink, lodged between the wall and the desk. I dragged the paper using my foot ruler since it was  closer to your desk. Sure enough it was 10 bucks. You were rarely short of money and I felt it, perhaps, belonged to you. Relatively, you were at that time more cash rich and solvent than most of us. So I asked you if that note was yours. “No, it is not mine,” was the response  in your strong heavily accented tone, relieving me, temporarily, of any moral obligation. You are the only one I asked about the note because you were the only likely one who could be its owner in that class room.

I promptly went to the Tuck Shop and deposited that heavily ink stained note (no one else would have taken it!) with Chippu indicating that the credit to my account was now, well, brim-full. For the next few days I enjoyed the best the Tuck Shop had to offer from puris, samosas and chips, all that could satiate an always hungry boy. Days of rapture and contentedness.  A few days later, you came up to me and declared that that Rs 10 note did indeed belong to you. I was non plussed and taken aback. Disaster was about to strike. I froze for a few seconds and then sheepishly informed you that the funds stood extinguished. I had fed, pretty well, a soul in great need. To your credit, you said not a word in rebuke nor did you seek a return of the money. Any other twelve year old would have demanded even an ink stained note. I have always recalled your generosity and understanding.  I have not forgotten though, in my defence, that I had been honest in my declaration and the lack of knowledge was honest though I did speculate, maybe even knew, you were the original owner. No one else was that solvent those days !!

Apart from you, the only other Catholics at that time were Mr & Mrs Goss and a boy named Benjamin (Lefroy, he won the Junior Reading Prize that year! ) who would have finished with the Class of 1964. This group did, on occasion, attend the Catholic service in town with you always turned out in a light grey, well-tailored suit. You were always  well dressed on such occasions but otherwise presentation mattered little.

Adam, you may not remember too many boys from your class during those years at BCS but I reckon you may recall the names of Rishi Rana, the Joshi brothers, Manjit Sibia, all from Rivaz and in your class, and, possibly, Govinder Singh who lived in Delhi at Wellesley Road not far from the Drobot house in Sunder Nagar.

I faintly recall, that you had a sister and your parents on one occasion drove up all the way from Delhi to celebrate his birthday with a lovely cake. A few days prior to that event, the circle of your best friends had increased rather exponentially in anticipation of a party in the making. The School had arranged a special table outside the Dining Hall in the corridor leading up to the Staff Common Room for the occasion. We wished you wished you “Happy Birthday” with a delightful eye on the spread on that table! . We gorged !!

It has been  65 years in all since we last met. So many memories stand revived and I am sure there will be more inputs from those on this mailing list. Adam will have probably more to add !!

Warmly

Vijay

V K Khurana

Incidentally, the large number on this mailing list includes guys from the classes of 1961-63, some from 1964, Mr Goss, a few others who have shown an interest in all things BCS and the Old Cottonian

Adam replied:

VK,

This is a very pleasant surprise. Thank you for reaching out. A lot of the names on the email list and a lot of the faces in the class and staff pictures still look familiar. Your writeup brings back a lot of memories. Life at BCS had its paces and I appreciate your recounting some of the events even though my recollection might be a bit different. If I look at 1956 I find myself in the first row as fifth from left – and definitely not seventh from right in the second row from the back!

When your email reached me, I was frantically preparing talks for a couple of events this coming week. Once I am back from these you should get a much longer reply. Over the years I have managed to visit India on multiple occasions, including a trip to Shimla. On one of the trips I followed Manmohan Singh as a speaker – that was for Telecom India 2009, in New Delhi.

I currently live in Wayne, Pennsylvania, just outside Philadelphia.  The best email address to reach me is: adam.drobot@gmail.com.

With best regards,

Adam Drobot

Hi Adam,

Truly lovely to hear from you. My thanks.

 While, I will check again, the image you sent is certainly not of you. It is one of the Stokes boys. Most of them migrated to the US. Brilliance was in their genes and they went on to do well in different fields including IT, medicine and laser technology!

 Will wait to hear from you and, yes, different interpretations may occur of incidents in each one’s mind. After 65 years, brain cell degradation at different levels and such other aspect change the perception or imagination of events completely !

 Warmly,

 Vijay

May 3rd 2023

My dear Mr Goss,

Warm and sincere wishes on this your 94th (Ninety Fourth) birthday. My friends, I and our respective families wish you a wonderful day. May the years ahead, and may there be many, many more, continue to bring you good health, great happiness and tons of laughter.

Looking back and from my collection, I am sending as attachments to this mail a few photographs of the way we still remember you. The change, which has surely occurred over these long years, does not register in our mind’s eye. You are still the spritely young man we knew who walked in briskly into the class and went about the assignment without much ado. What was enormously enjoyable was your introducing us to Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes. Those class sessions were inevitably the most enjoyable and certainly the most remembered. It certainly did inculcate the reading habit in so many of us. Sometimes I wish we had started with P G Wodehouse though Conan Doyle is a class apart in an entirely different genre. In those mostly quiet corridors, peals of laughter generated by a Jeeves incident may have had other consequences, I suspect !!

I will not recount your fearful and stern marking record but I think it was all well-meant. No blemishes ever attached to us but it was a good inkling, a warning lesson, perhaps, of how tough life can be. It all began with red ink in the classroom !!

Thank you, Mr Goss.

With great warmth and affectionate wishes from us all, once again

Vijay

Vijay Khurana

My dear Mr Goss,

A very Happy Birthday to you.
I recall our Geography lessons, 39 Steps,  and your being our Housemaster !
Many Happy Returns !
Our best regards to your family.

Govinder Singh
Ibbetson 1952-1963

Hi Mr Goss: I wish you a very happy birthday. May all your wishes come true. Best regards also to your charming wife.
Joe Joshi 1
Rivaz 1954 – 1963
Commercial airline / combat pilot and war correspondent in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
Senior editor of print and broadcast news with worldwide experience.

Joe Joshi

Dear Mr. Goss,
Wishing you a most wonderful and a very happy birthday with all my heart.
Respectfully yours,
NP Pawa

Dear Mr.Goss
Wishing you a very Happy Birthday.
May God give you good health and happiness.Warm regards to Mrs Goss.
With lots of love.
K.Vijay Singh
Lefroy.1958-’66.

Dear All,

I received the following message from Mr Ronald Goss

I regret to inform you. that Mr. Das Gupta‘s daughter phoned me several months ago to inform me that he had died.  I was sorry to get the news, although it came as no surprise – he sounded very feeble the last time he spoke to me.  He was my neighbour in Remove my first two years in BCS, and we met a couple of times in Toronto.  He was a gentle man and a gifted artist   We spoke on the phone at least once a year, as was the case with Desmond and Colleen deYoung.  Mrs. Maud Williams informed me that they had both passed away but gave no details

I am forwarding two photographs from RS Sodhi’s collection sent as attachments to this mail which be of interest to those who remember them.

Warmly

Vijay
Vijay Khurana

16th Dec 2022

Dear family and friends.
Ron and I found the isolation over the past three years very tough. Especially Ron who felt that three years of his travelling life was taken away. Ron is 93 and a half, and I turned 83 last month. We did take a short cruise from Vancouver to Alaska on Sep14th, hoping the worst was over.  We welcomed the trip, but found that things were not the same. Almost everyone was dining alone, so one couldn’t meet new friends.  We returned on Sep.26th. The next day Ron went down with Covid, and I followed a few days later. Ron got a mild attack, but I had a high fever for a few days, lost my sense of taste and smell, and was left tired for quite a while. We are both on the mend but unfortunately old age is taking its toll, and Ron has been suffering with spasms in the neck and pains in his thumbs due to calcification and degeneration.
However, isolation also had its blessings: Ron really appreciated the online prayer services conducted by the Rev Tim and his assistants every weekday, a true source of peace and inspiration. Ron was also able to read some excellent books, best of all “The Other Side of Morning” written by Stephen, his first novel which is doing well in the book stores and has garnered some excellent reviews.
We are looking forward to spending Christmas with both our children Stephen and Cheryl, the grandchildren, and great- grandchildren.
We would like to take this opportunity to wish each one of you a very Happy Christmas, and a New year filled with God’s blessings for good health, Peace, and happiness.

Ronald and Yvonne, Mum and Dad, Grandpa and Gammy

21st Dec

My dear Mr & Mrs Goss,

My thanks for your mail and your Christmas Greetings. Warmly reciprocate the sentiments and on behalf of us Old Cottonians, my family and I we wish you a very happy Christmas and all the very best of health and happiness in the Coming Year.

I am truly sorry to learn that the Covid virus interrupted so much of your lives with illness and its attendant side effects.

I recall that you are inveterate and long established cruise travellers. The last figure was over 90 cruises or so which is a certainly a number not many of us have the stamina and / or the funds to undertake. Remarkably active for your respective ages and we now begin to discover what the years do to you as 70 year olds. You are well over that number !! You have kept yourselves in excellent shape and I will not attribute that to the genes alone. A well measured active life makes all the difference as so many of us are now discovering. The frequent complaints you encounter from friends these days is knee aches, arthritis, gastro changes, damaged lungs, cardiac ailments and most don’t even know about memory loss until you realise that he is using the wrong name to address you !!  I have often been called, “Vinay” instead of ‘Vijay” by nameless old friends !!

I had the pleasure of reading Stephen’s book. It was a pleasure and this writer is gifted. My compliments.

May I please request you to send us some of your latest photographs. Speaking of photographs, Mrs Goss you will probably have overseen the largest number of children for any matron of Linlithgow given the long years you spent there. The number of boys who remember you is particularly large. Incidentally did you know that Kanhaiya Lal fell to an incurable case of syphilis and Jaktu died of a cardiac arrest ?

It will also interest you to know that Linlithgow has been disbanded and children are inducted into School in a higher age category. During the 1950’s boys as young as 4 and 5 years old joined School and were parked at the Linlithgow dormitory under the care of some of the finest matrons who played mother with huge success. They are still remembered with a great deal of affection – and love.

Warm and sincere wishes for a Merry Christmas and a laughter filled and happy 2023. Add another cruise!!

Very sincerely

Vijay

Vijay Khurana

22nd Dec

Dear Vijay
Thanks for sharing the email from Mrs Goss. Teaching, I think, is a noble profession, as the teacher inspires and influences the lives of hundreds of youngsters.
I take this opportunity to wish all OCs and Mrs and Mr Goss, a Very Merry Xmas.
I hope it brings love and cheer to all your families, and spreads goodness all around.
Warm regards from warm Singapore
SM Singh
Curzon 57-64

—
Best Regards
SM Singh

Thank you Vijay for sharing Mr.and Mrs. Goss’s email with the warm Christmas greetings.

Many good wishes and greetings for Christmas and the coming year to you ,Mr. and Mrs. Goss
all OC’s current Cottonians , Teachers and staff..

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
traditional Gaelic blessing

Warmly
N.K.Akers

My dear Mr & Mrs Goss,

Thank you for your quick reply.

I am taking the liberty of circulating your mail. There is so much about the Goss family in your mail. There is, at the same time, a large body of interested former students who are eager to learn, “Where and what are Mr & Mrs Goss doing these days “ !! Some have already sent you individually addressed greetings for the Season.

You certainly chose one of the colder countries to migrate to but climate has hardly been a deterrent for those choosing Canada. It would appear that it is the preferred choice still and now a more welcoming destination than the United States. All I can say is please keep yourselves warm!!

Jagtu died of a cardiac arrest and this is a well known medical issue with hill folks. I did not know Kidaru and I daresay he is unlikely to be around. Changes take place all the time. Those who journey back to School with a certain feeling of familiarity and even ownership find it hard to assimilate the changes that have occurred. It goes against the grain, as it were, to their entire system. The patronising cry of agony is, “ How dare they do this, it was never the case when I was here!!”

I have not been able to retain any kind of contact with Mr Das Gupta  and I fear he may have passed on. He was in a fairly fragile state when I last contacted him which is a long while ago.

Finally, we wish you a lovely and pleasant cruise, free from the mundane daily chores of cooking and cleaning. You deserve the break and you have found an outlet that you are familiar with. Besides, you seem to enjoy it enormously.

I will write to you separately about the wedding.

Once again, good wishes for Christmas and the very best in the Coming Year.

Warm regards

Very sincerely

Vijay

Vijay Khurana

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all .

sudhir kashyap

Merry Christmas mr mrs Goss R S Sodhi

Dear Vijay
Thanks for sharing the email from Mrs Goss. Teaching, I think, is a noble profession, as the teacher inspires and influences the lives of hundreds of youngsters.
I take this opportunity to wish all OCs and Mrs and Mr Goss, a Very Merry Xmas.
I hope it brings love and cheer to all your families, and spreads goodness all around.
Warm regards from warm Singapore
SM Singh
Curzon 57-64

—
Best Regards
SM Singh

My dear Mr Goss,

On behalf of my friends, the Old Cottonians, and myself, we wish you every happiness and good health on your 90^th birthday. Congratulations.

You were instrumental in affecting the lives of so many of us. You taught us a lot of valuable lessons and those we have not forgotten with gratitude and appreciation. You have our profuse thanks

I have never forgotten your versatility as a teacher. One of the few, perhaps the only one, I know who taught us such diverse subjects as English and Mathematics with admirable ease. You introduced us to Sherlock Holmes with those reading sessions during class hours fostered an interest that led us to reading so many more of the “classics”. You showed us the light and developed the interest in reading.

You encouraged us to conduct debates in the classroom and it led to some of my peers turning out to be wonderful orators whose presence in the law courts is remembered to this day. Rajive Sawhney was one of them.

We trembled at your marking system. It then seemed harsh but it goaded us to do better and this was apparent in the marks that most of us obtained at the Board exams, more than what you ever gave us !! Thank you, again.

On the games field you coached many soccer players and the boys enjoyed the process never to have forgotten the game they played and won against Sanawar.

Thank you, Mr Goss for being the wonderful guide for so many of us.

We wish you well and we wish you every happiness.

With our love and good wishes to Mrs Goss, the family and you.

Very affectionately

The Old Cottonians & Vijay

From: Ronald Goss
Sent: 08 May 2019 23:37
To: Vijay Khurana
Subject: Thank You.

Dear Vijay:

My sincere thanks to you and the OCs on whose behalf you have sent me such a beautiful letter.  How can I tell you what it means to a 90- year-old retired school teacher whose greatest reward in life lies in the remarkable achievements and successes of his students?  It is indeed gratifying to know that so many of you have attained such heights in your careers and brought such honour to your families and to your old school.  My congratulations to every one of you. 

 

Thank you so much for your generous birthday wishes.  My 90^th birthday celebration was an occasion to remember, and Mrs. Goss has my undying love and appreciation for all the hard work she put into planning such a wonderful party.  It was held here in our condo party room, and all my family were present, a rare occasion indeed.  Also present were many old friends from Vermilion (our home for 41 years), our condo friends, and friends from my church.  Yvonne’s brother and his wife came all the way from Australia, and another brother-in-law, who has just been declared cancer-free after his many months of sheer agony, was present much to our relief and delight.  It was a grand reunion.  Regretfully missing were two Old Cottonians, Dilip Tinani and Inderjit Singh Gill, who were going to drive  from Calgary but were deterred by the snow fall that morning.  We look forward to their visit in the near furure.

Mrs. Goss and all my family send their regards.  Thank you, one and all, for your good wishes (your words were music to my ears) and for remembering me in my old age.

Good health and happiness to you all.  “Overcome Evil with Good”.

Ron Goss

BCS 1956-64

Letter from Rishi Rana to Mr Goss:

Dear Sir,

 

Congratulations to you and Mrs. Goss on this great milestone.

 

As you were aware of my privileged background, I really had no role models. Among the teachers I would definitely consider you as one who shaped the course of my future where I have been able to break away from my feudal past.

 

It is obvious you have been blessed by a great family. Wishing you many more happy years with your family in the future. 

 

With Respect and Affection

 

Rishi Rana

 

Thanks Vijay for keeping us Cottonians connected

15th May 2019 UPDATE:

My dear Sir,

Thank you for your mail.

Davinder Singh Jaaj, popularly known as D Singh is the person you refer to. His e-mail address is […masked by Editor…]

To facilitate recognition, I am attaching a photograph of the prefects in 1962 where D Singh is seen sitting on the extreme right. The current version of the man appears in the other picture taken in 2012 when the batch went up to Simla for their 50 year reunion. Incidentally, R S Sodhi, the gentleman in the blue turban retired as a judge of the Delhi High Court.

“Santa Lucia” was sung by N P Pawa at one of the Rivaz House concerts. His brother Vijay and their cousins T R (Tilak Raj) and Vinod formed the singing quartet that was hugely popular in School if you recall.

N P Pawa lives in New York where he manages a store marketing jewellery at one of the up market stores on Fifth Avenue. Vijay passed away many years ago in Bangkok which is where the family came from. TR passed away just a over a year ago from a tumor in the brain which he suffered with for many years leaving him towards the end completely blind. Terribly unfortunate. Vinod retired as a professor from Singapore University where he continues to reside. His wife passed away about 10 years, a cancer victim. Vinod had lunch with me a few months ago.

My warm regards to Mrs Goss and you.

Sincerely

Vijay

Vijay Khurana

From: Ronald Goss < >
Sent: 14 May 2019 23:50
To: Vijay <  >
Subject: Re: MZ in 1959 at BCS and with his family

Dear Vijay:

The address you have for us is correct.  < >

Vijay, I don’t have an email address for D. Singh.  Kindly contact him on my behalf and do me the favour of telling him how much I appreciate his good wishes.  If my memory serves me right, he was the lad with the golden voice and led the bhangra team as well.  Who was it who sang “Santa Lucia” on the stage in one of those house concerts? 

Just reminiscing.

Thank you,

Ron Goss 

On Mon, May 13, 2019 at 10:24 PM Vijay < . > wrote:

Dear Mr Goss,Thank you for your mail.

I now recall I had scanned this photograph from Mr Zachariah’s book. Lovely memories of another day.

I have the following  address for you:

<….>

May I please request for an update to include your phone numbers as well. My thanks

Warm regards

Sincerely

Vijay

Vijay Khurana

From: Ronald Goss <  >
Sent: 14 May 2019 07:22
To: Vijay < . >
Subject: Re: MZ in 1959 at BCS and with his family

Dear Vijay:

It is nice to see this picture again.  Mr. Zachariah sent me a copy some years ago and also included it in his book.  It was an honour indeed to be introduced to Dr. Rajendra Prasad, President of India, on that auspicious occasion in 1959, I think it was. 

Thank you so much.

Ron Goss

On Sun, May 12, 2019 at 10:03 PM Vijay < > wrote:

  Dear Mr Goss

Here is picture for your collection unless you already possess it! Please
forgive the description as it appears in my collection

Warmly

Vijay

A background introduction is given to lend the correspondence a perspective

The intervening mail from Badal inducts a spot of fun in this exchange.
Badal is a gentleman-at-large and a mining baron in a day and age where this breed is currently under siege. He has a puckish and provocative sense of humour which is well meaning and really innocuous.

Joe  Joshi is the elder brother of Dr. Jai Hind Joshi. Joe is a News Editor with Al Jazeera in Doha, Qatar. He was in Vietnam during the years of turmoil in that country.

Jai Joshi is an eminent doctor and lives in Houston. Both these brothers, originally from Burma, did well and made their mark in society)

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Goss,

Rishi Rana may be the only other person who recalls this.

Do you recall a young boy who found a little white rabbit in the hills near school, brought it with him and then asked you to look after his little pet. He was not expecting you to agree but was thrilled when you did. For weeks the little boy dreamt about his rabbit, wrote home to his parents, and planed on how he would try and take his rabbit back home to Burma, a thousand miles away, at the end of the school year

And do you recall that a few weeks later when that boy came to visit and asked if he could see and play with his rabbit, the both of you laughed and said that you had enjoyed that rabbit for dinner weeks before.

I wonder whether you recall, also, that many years later, when that boy graduated, and would come visit school with his brother; you said something about how a bad penny was sure to always come back.

That was more than fifty years ago.

I was happy to hear that you have done well as I was to hear about Mr. and Mrs. Williams. I remember Ms Gardner (who later became Mrs. Williams) with the fondest of affection as our KG home room teacher and Mr. Williams was my house master. I have always held them in very high esteem, and hope Mrs. Williams is part of this mailing list

Regards to you both
Jai Joshi, MD

---

Sent: Sat, Mar 31, 2012 9:02 pm
Subject: RE: Memories from a long time ago

Hey Mr Goss…… you can Run But you can’t Hide…… This lil burmese boy is hot on yr tail…. and like the elephants in burma he dosnt forget anything……suggest you go to australia next… hear theres lots rabbits there . maybe you can send him one..or like the proverbial bad penny he might show up at yr door one day…. last i heard … his bro Joe was joining  him in the hunt …. whoa.. he has had some really wild experiences as a gunfighter in vietnam…. near death stuff… he’s a real bounty hunter… i was you id be scared …..REAL scared….your sins are catching up on you mr goss…….LOW MARKS…. RABBIT KILLING…. JUGGED HARES…. We don’t even know whether you preferred sherwood to BCS …….. so tomorrow by Sundown you better be outta town boy….. (as we say in the deep south uf the United States)…. ADIOS AMIGO.

Inderjit Singh Badal

---

Date: Sun, 1 Apr 2012 17:32:39 -0400

Badal – you are just too nicely funny. Am sure Mr. Goss will take it all in good sport. He did reply to my story, by the way – and very pleasantly, too. As for crossing the river, again: the situation now is a lot different, with texicans not gringos as border patrol men, the coyotes are now gringos and the river at El Passo is all dried up, so your swimming prowess will not help- you will have to walk
Joshi 2

Jai Joshi, MD 

---

Dear Jai
Thank you for your letter.  You will forgive me if after all these years I cannot recall looking after your pet, but I can assure you we did not have him for dinner as neither my wife nor I have ever acquired a taste for rabbit stew.   Telling you that we had feasted on your pet was probably our way of letting you know that the rabbit had escsaped to be reunited with his family in ithe hills despite our vigilance.

Surely I didn’t refer to you as a “bad penny”!  My sincere apologies, although 50 years too late.

Tell me more about yourself.

With kind regards,
Ronald Goss

---

From: vk@devats.com
To: rygoss@hotmail.com;
Subject: I am a Cottonian – class of 1963
Date: Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:36:43 +0530

Dear Mr Goss, 

I am taking the liberty of introducing myself as former student of yours from BCS. I was a boarder and finished with the class of  1963. I owe your e-mail address to Mr Sasim Das Gupta, who has my profuse thanks.

You taught us English in Shell and then educated us in the less complicated Mathematics for those that opted for the Arts or the humanity subjects.  Your readings during class periods of Sherlock Holmes is an event I recall because it eventually encouraged me to buy the entire volumes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s books. The Sherlock series was offered in two volumes by an Indian publisher.

What I also recall is the devastatingly frugal marks that you dished out for our English tests. Govinder, who was a good student of the subject, on that occasion obtained for the form order a decent 46 when most of us barely hovered just above the pass mark of 40 and more particularly in the region of 41-43. I was awarded a low 38, the only time I ever failed in the language. It caused me much anguish and I thankfully obtained a 43 at the end of year final examination, sufficient enough to proceed to the next class!!  I recall collecting that detail before heading to the railway station. I then knew that the impending holidays would be more cheerful!

I also recall your disarming honesty. While preparing for our final board examinations we tested ourselves against the previous years exam papers. One winter evening you were passing by when you popped in to where Rishi and I were attempting to solve an old paper. Rishi asked you the meaning of the word “bottleneck” and while you answered all the others you were candid to say, “I do not know the meaning of that one!!”  That word has stuck with me and I made it a point to discover its meaning even though it was a long while before I eventually made the discovery !! Traffic bottlenecks is now a feature we live with !!

I am sending, as an attachment to this mail, a few photographs to refresh your memory. I do hope you will enjoy seeing them since they will inevitably revive a host of memories.

My kind regards to your family and you.

Sincerely
V K Khurana
(Vijay Khurana, Lefroy 1954-63)  

P.S. I am taking the liberty of sending this mail to members of my class and those for the preceding years of 1961, and 1962. With the aid of modern technology, it has been convenient to remain in touch and we exchange notes fairly often. We also meet as often as is possible but that becomes distinctly difficult for a bunch of 60 year olds who still seem rather busy !!

Warmly
Vijay  

Page 2

From: Ronald Goss <rygoss@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2012 16:21:19 -0600
To: Vijay Khurana<vk@devats.com>
Subject: RE: I am a Cottonian – class of 1963

 Dear Vijay:

What a pleasure it was to hear from you.  Little did I realize at the time that almost 50 years later one of my students would be taking me to task for my very stingy attitude when it came to dishing out marks on English assignments.  Please accept my apologies.  However, I can tell that no lasting harm was done!.  If anything, that 38% probably spurred you on to prove yourself, and judging by your letter, you succeeded remarkably.  I would assign it nothing less than 100%.  And another 100% for those precious memories you can recall so well.  A big “Thank you” to Sherlock Holmes and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for helping me to make a lasting impression on at least one of my students.  I am ashamed I did not know the meaning of “bottleneck”; but then bottlenecks were not part of our cultural experience in the easy-going pace of life in India.  That is something I experienced only after I came to Canada and witnessed traffic jams and road rage, AND “bottlenecks”!   Thank you for the photographs as well.  They will certainly find a place among my most treasured  souvenirs.  In that House photograph I must have been about 34 years of age.  I am now fast approaching 83 and, by God’s grace, still in fairly good health. My wife and I still travel extensively, our preferred mode being the cruise.   Tell me about Vijay.  Where do you live and what career did you choose for yourself?  I can see that you are in touch with a lot of Old Cottonians.  Please tell them I have very fond memories of the old school and many of their names still ring a bell.  And do convey my best wishes to one and all who remember me.  My wife was able to recognize many of the little fellows sitting in the front row from her days as matron of Linlithgow.   My wife and I and our two kids (Stephen and daughter Cheryl who was born in BCS) left India in August 1964 to make a new life for ourselves in Canada.  It turned out to be a great adventure and a rewarding experience.  I taught for 21 years at St. Jerome`s School in the small town of Vermilion in the Province of Alberta, and have been enjoying a retired life for the past 27 years.  In my reverie my thoughts go back to India and Sherwood College and Bishop Cotton School, and then I know that I have truly been blessed to have known so many fine students and colleagues.  I hope they have all had happy and rewarding lives.
Write again.
Best wishes,
Ronald (Goss)

Page 3

My dear Sir,

Thank you for your delightful mail. It is a pleasure to read. Absolutely wonderful.

You were, I recall, not being stingy. You were frugal and you explained that to us. At the board level the marking was likely to be more liberal. It was best we got used to the idea of a tight marking system and hoped to get a better result where it really mattered. The performance, in which case, would possibly deliver a better experience. A very valid rationale and it was not in your character to be parsimonious, just well balanced in all things, or most things. 

The only time I think you were excessive was when you caned me four when I think I deserved none (!) or two, at best. However, on that occasion you were acting on the instructions of Dr Dustan in his office. JPS Kniggar and I were hauled out of class that morning for a caning. I do not recall the issue that affected him but my infarction was reading a comic during prep time the previous evening. Mr DasGupta was the master on duty. His silent hand arrived from no where to gently take away a comic lying in my lap under the desk. I was engrossed in its contents and did not see authority arrive. It came stealthily and his crepe soled shoes (most of you preferred them!)  ensured a silent presence until his hands arrived with considerable swiftness. He uttered not a word, no reprimand just taking delivery of a non prescribed text that was really at a gripping point in its narration. I thought that was all until the next morning when you beckoned us to follow you, before the first class commenced for the day, to the Headmaster’s office. Dr Dustan stared at us through his rimless glasses with a face that was most impassive. He gently, as was his habit, shifted his body weight from side to side standing behind that large and imposing desk. He then, in a most even tone, stated the indictment and I weakly replied that what I was reading was but a rag that I had found on the floor. He gently removed, to my embarrassment, the well bound and very complete comic from under his papers. “This is not a rag, ” he stated with considerable evidence to support his accusation. Silence followed and I must have turned only redder in the face. He then proceeded with the sentence, “Mr Goss, four to each  of them” Fortunately, your hand was not considered the strongest in the business but the pain and humiliation completed some part of my education!! 

You need hardly apologise for one word you did not then know! Your considerable skills as a strict and yet fair teacher were qualities that made their impact. I also recall the impact you had as Ibbetson Housemaster and the way that crew from my class looked up to you. They emerged as a cohesive bunch, first under the inspiring and aggressive, though some what extractive, leadership of SM Jain and then continued to forge close links during your tenure. Their commitment to each other endures in a peculiar way to this day despite differences that occur in any relationship. You earned their respect and as you did from the rest of us. 

I am happy to learn that you are in good health. I begin to believe that the teaching profession encourages longevity. Both Mr DasGupta and Mr BR Roberts are in their 80’s. So are the Advanis. Mr Fred Brown and Mr Varughese were well into their 70’s before they passed away and Dr Dustan, I believe, lived beyond 90. It must have something to do with a lack of excessive stress and pressure since the major part of the activity seems to be placing it on the student!! Some of that stress is transferred, possibly, with aggressive force.!! The student wilts but not the teacher. Seriously, it has more to do with temperament and the effect of the genes. It is a pleasure that age and good health have affected so many that we knew. They deserved the best this life has to offer.

I will send you more photographs as and when they come into my possession. They are always a treat. I have one for the whole school for 1959. I will forward it to you as soon as I can find it. 

Page 4

I now live in Delhi, having moved from Bombay in 1985. I did not choose my profession and went into the pharmaceutical industry as a result of circumstances. I began working straight after leaving school, collecting my degrees as a working student. I now conduct a business, which I began in 1996, with the aid of a small staff of about 12 people. We are a dedicated operation committed to exporting pharmaceuticals, medical equipment and niche drugs. I am also a consultant. My wife, Vatsala, was a lecturer at the University of Delhi. She taught English literature and retired a few years ago. Our daughter, Deepika, is a marketing person in the events and media business. She has just ventured to start a business of her own in the area of public speaking, which is now a paid activity where earlier speakers were engaged on a pro bono basis.

I recall your family very vividly in the house that you occupied next to the Advanis. A part of that house was, for a short time, occupied by four boys, including myself, when we were in Linlithgow. The matron at that time was a single mother, whose name I fail to recollect. She was Mrs Jacob’s predecessor and left BCS at the end of 1955 or 1956. That front room then became a part of the staff member’s quarters and was your living room, if I recall correctly. It was outside that room that you read out for me those very important marks of 43% for the English paper. My previous failure had some how come to the notice of Dr Dustan and I feared the worst. It was relief that I had passed in your paper because Dr Dustan pointedly asked me how I had fared in English when we went to wish him before leaving school that year. I was in trouble or was it just a school boy’s imagination? !!

I will endeavour to give you an account of the others if you can recall the names that you would like to know about. As a student you feel a certain exclusive affinity towards a teacher. However, for the latter, after so many years, and numerous faces passing him by it is not easy to relate intimately to each one of them. Quite a predicament because as a student you expect or rather want to be remembered by the teacher with accuracy, familiarity and for your imagined praise worthy attributes!!. Just not possible for a teacher’s memory store to recall each one intimately. So, please let me know and I will be happy to assist in the process. Most of us have had rewarding lives and I do not believe that financial success is the only measure, which is otherwise the accepted yardstick. 

May I please request you for your phone numbers since I am sure some of us would like to call and speak with you. 

I am taking the liberty of circulating this correspondence to fellow Cottonians on my mailing list and who knew you well. I trust that is in order. My thanks.

My warm regards to Ma’am, you and the kids. 

Sincerely
Vijay 

P.S. I have also endorsed this mail to Mr B R Roberts, and his daughter, Jean who generally handles his mails since he does not access the internet that often. 

Page 5

—– Original Message —–

From: Ronald Goss
To: Vijay Khurana
Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2012 11:17 PM
Subject: Update

Dear Vijay: I have been reading the correspondence between you and other Cottonians with interest and a measure of amusement.  Here are a few updates.   Mark Thun & his wife live in Coquitlam, B.C., Canada.  His older brother, Geoffrey Thun, lives in Leeds, England.  Their mother, Mrs. Jessie Porteous (Thun), who was matron of Headmasters, is now into her nineties, and also lives in Leeds.   Mr. Desmond deYoung and his wife Colleen live in Ottawa, Canada.  Mr. deYoung was a science teacher and House Master of Rivaz for some years.  Desmond left BCS to join the Staff of St. Paul’s School, Darjeeling.   Mrs. Maud Williams (not “Maureen”) lives in retirement in Wellington, New Zealand.  Her husband, John, unfortunately died quite a few years ago.  My wife and I had the pleasure of spending a day with Maud in February last year when we  were on a cruise.  We had met after more than fifty years, and, as you can imagine, BCS monopolized the conversation.    Mr. Jairam Asrani died many years ago.  The last time we met his wife (Pansy) was in 1971 when she was teaching in Sherwood College.    

Best wishes,
Ronald Goss  (“Ronnie”)

My dear Sir,

Thank you for your mail.
I am forwarding your inputs to the  Cottonians on my mailing list. They would all recall the names you mention.

I am currently at work and would have liked to respond at length but will just reproduce a paragraph when I posted a comment about the deYoungs in a recent mail.

“Mr Young never taught me though his wife did. She was very much taller than he and was, generally, elegantly turned out. One outfit she wore, and I remember, was a tight fitting yellow top with a black and white checked long pleated skirt that made her look all the more striking in her high heels. Now, this is the memory of a 10 year old in 1956 and I will not let my  imagination wander afar! They lived right below Knolls Wood in the apartment that was subsequently occupied by Mr & Mrs Williams, the Raja Rams and then, I believe, Mr Shanker.“

R S Sodhi, who recently retired as a High Court judge, (yes some guys did well, very well!!) reminded me that Mrs deYoung also played the organ in the Chapel. She often did so putting her shoes aside and employing her bare feet to maneuver the pedals of that wonderful machine. She played that equipment well and enjoyed doing so. After she left, Mr Mathew Zachariah took over.

It is most interesting but whenever any of us goes back to BCS, the first place we seek out is the Chapel. That aspect was on display at the time of the 150th year celebrations when, I think, the service at the Chapel drew the largest numbers, with a huge and vast majority, obviously, not belonging to the Christian denomination at all. It has an alluring and peaceful attraction. This is a comment I have heard from so many Cottonians. That Chapel and the value system we imbibed encouraged a very secular upbringing. While one, among the many, of the original objectives of the School would have been to encourage conversions, I think it, over a period of time, developed an outlook (in our minds) that was most universal and accepting. Paraminder Singh (Ibbetson 1962, he did well, too, as an Aerospace Engineer and then as a very successful entrepreneur, consequently an early retiree, who  now lives in Boulder, Colorado) mentioned this aspect to a friend of his and actually took him to see this wonderful place of worship. It brings back so many memories for all of us. It has always struck a visitor for its very imposing, serene and impressive atmosphere and that is what my wife and daughter felt when we went to School one year. By the way, that organ has not been repaired for many years now for want of spares or an appropriate service mechanic!

I will write again.
My warm regards to Mrs Goss, you and the rest of the family.

Sincerely
Vijay

 P.S. Mr & Mrs D deYoung may (!!)  possibly recall a lot of boys from the picture sent as an attachment to this mail. This is the class that finished in 1961. It is one my favourite photographs for the innocence on these faces!! Besides, a good black and white picture has a charm all its own. Kodak will concur !!

[Click the picture for a larger view]