HAIL
TO THE HERMON KNIGHTS
“We
Shall Overcome”
 |
| Knowles |
Dear
Hermonites,
First of all on behalf of the alumni let me
wish our beloved alma mater Mount Hermon School and all Hermonites everywhere a
very Happy Birthday! Today it is MHS’s 117th Birthday.
Ever since the first week of the New Year
(2012), when the Sikkim Hermonites Association (SHA) took the initiative to
involve all Hermonites to campaign for ‘MH Revival’, there has been an
overwhelming response from the alumni of all ages and places on the school’s
future. The concern for our beloved alma mater – Mount Hermon School (MHS) –
from Hermonites of the ’30s, ’40s, ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s and right down
to the present generation is not only very encouraging but also very inspiring.
This is great! Which school in the world can boast of the ‘Hermonite spirit’?
Hardly any. It is, therefore, our honourable duty to preserve this rich and
unique heritage of MHS.
Barry Ison – former MH student and teacher –
once explained this unique phenomenon: “It is not emotion; it is passion.”
 |
| Stahl |
In the past so many decades since I left the
old and friendly walls I never failed to think and even dream of MH! This is
but natural for all Hermonites but more so for a person like me who did his
schooling (1963-1972), Teachers Training College (TTC – 1974-1975), and even
taught at MH for four years (1976-1979).
Ex-students of the school under Rev. Mr. DG
Stewart, who not only revived MH when he took over in 1953 but actually placed
it among one of the best boarding schools in India – MH was on top of the list
in 1961-62 – are still showing great concern for the school. This is amazing
and an inspiration to us all.
“We Shall Overcome”
Ever since its inception in 1895 when the
school (then called Arcadia or housed in Arcadia cottage, located on the Lebong
side of Chowrasta in Darjeeling) was born MH has had its ups and downs. But we
pulled it through. With faith in God and missionary zeal our founders – Miss
Knowles, Miss Stahl, Mr. Dewey and Bishop Fisher – made sure that failures and
obstacles were stepping stones to success.
 |
| Fisher |
After shifting the school from near
Chowrasta to above the railway station in Darjeeling and calling it Queen’s
Hill School the school grew in leaps and bounds leading to the acquisition of
the present premises for further expansion.
Fifteen years after the school was renamed
Mount Hermon School in 1929-30 MH almost closed down due to dwindling enrolment.
The cause of this was the Second World War when many of its foreign students
and staff members of the school left MH. It was Mr. Dewey, Bishop Fisher and
finally Mr. Stewart who helped MH to pull through the crisis and regain its
past glory. Mr. Graeme A. Murray, who stepped into Rev. Stewart’s shoes in
1964, built on the foundation laid by his predecessors. There was no looking
back for MH after Mr. Murray’s takeover.
However, in the 1980s MH and many schools in
the hills passed through a very difficult and trying period due to uncertain
political situation in Darjeeling. But Rev. Mr. John Johnston from Australia
and later Mr. Jeff Gardner (India) kept the school going. Thereafter, MH faced
a crisis of another sort as those who headed the school stayed only for a brief
period.
 |
| Dewey |
The present Principal Mr. George Fernandes,
who worked under Mr. Murray, Mr. Johnston and Mr. Gardner and who is also
married to an ex-Hermonite (Saroj Pradhan), was able to stabilize the situation
when he took over in 2000-1. We are, therefore, grateful to Mr. Fernandes for
his contributions to the school.
Hermonites all over the world have
expressed their apprehension of MH’s future after Mr. Fernandes retires this
month. Damages caused by the recent (Sept 18, 2011) earthquake to the main school
building and falling enrolment, coupled with Mr. Fernandes’ departure and
doubts over who is to step into his shoes, have prompted Hermonites to play a
leading role in the choice of the next Principal.
Hermonites now want an able and trustworthy
Hermonite to head the school during this very trying period. They have backed
Mr. Jigme N Kazi’s (Sikkim) candidature for the post and want the Managing
Committee to appoint him as the next Principal.
MH Revival
Several names were floated for the post of
MH Principal last year. However, during Mr and Mrs. Johnston’s visit to
Darjeeling and Sikkim in December – January 2012 it was revealed that though
Mr. Barry Ison, Mr. John Glasby and Mr. and Mrs. Sherab (Roslyn) Namgyal – all
ex-students and teachers of the school –were willing to help the school they
would not be able to take the top job at the present juncture. Mr. Kazi’s name
was then proposed and the Sikkim Hermonites Association (SHA) passed a
resolution on this and urged all Hermonites to support his candidature and
other resolutions on ‘MH Revival’. Sherab and Roslyn (SC 1972 & 1971), who
were on a visit to Sikkim from Australia during this period, supported this
move.
 |
| Johnston, Murray and Stewart |
One of the suggestions of the Hermonites is
to have at least two active and credible Hermonites in the Managing Committee,
which not only frames policy matters of the school but also appoints the
Principal. Two other suggestions made by the Sikkim chapter and endorsed by
global Hermonites was allotment of a space for the alumni to function from the
school premises and also to route all Hermonites-initiated projects and funds
of the school through Hermonites International (Hi!), a global body conceived
during the centenary celebrations in 1995, when many ex-principals and teachers
and students were present, and formed in 2005-6.
No matter what the future holds for MH the
resolution on ‘MH Revival’ must go on. It must not begin or end if and when Mr.
Kazi gets the top job. The campaign for MH Revival is led by Roslyn &
Sherab (Australia), Dipak Mirchandhani (UK) and Lucinda Gibbs (India). They are
being assisted by a group of active and concerned Hermonites from all over the
world.
The Methodist Bishop, who resides in
Bangalore and who is temporarily the Chairman of the Managing Committee of the
school, has been briefed on the prevailing situation. We are eagerly awaiting
his response to our proposals. However,
irrespective of what the Managing Committee decides on MH’s future the campaign
for MH Revival must go on. The present crisis has motivated us into action.
This is a good thing and must go on. We must say and sing the hymn “We Shall
Overcome” and mean it and show the world that we can triumph over all our
trials and tribulations.
They may succeed in taking a Hermonite out
of Mount Hermon, but they will never succeed in taking Mount Hermon out of a
Hermonite!
We must continue to believe that the
Almighty is on our side and that He has a great future for MH and that while
the past has been great and small the best is yet to come!
Hail
Mount Hermon! And Happy Birthday to MH and All Hermonites!
(Jigme
N Kazi)
President
Hermonites
International (Hi!)
Email:
jigmekazi@gmail.com
+9434630097
Gangtok,
Sikkim
March
12, 2012
