Life at Spicer High (Part 3)

Playtime After School

We have many options

1. Play of the ground on the left side of the above photo.
2. Play on the right side of the above photo
3. Play in the Mens Hostel recreation room.
4. Study at the library and browse through the books.

We play cricket and pole vault in the playground (now basketball court) Just remember a few of us playing cricket. I make a century and in the next innings get a duck.Good players like Archie plays in the football ground opposite the Elementary School.

My friend Archie Maxwell, ace cricketer (late)

Pole vault: I watch how the professionals plant the pole swing the leg up, turn around, and push the pole while clearing the bar. I cannot copy their style and the highest I clear was 6 feet.

Play on the right side: We discover in a store room of the high school a tennis net and a few wooden racquets. There are two tennis poles on the ground and we clear the place, marked the court as per the guidlines found in the library.

Tennis ball are cheap. In the sport store at Poona main street, we get them second hand. My Slazenger wooden racquet is old and the strings are loose. It is very good for spinning the ball.

In the library I read about the tennis legions like Rod Laver, John McEnrow, Jimmy Connors etc and learn how the grip the raquet for forehand and backhand. Next part is to find a place to get wall practice. The meditation room which Gordon Christo speaks of comes in handy. A small wall near the door is all there is. Repeated Practice of forehand, backhand and volleys makes me a good player.

I enter the annual tennis tournament and guess who is the winner

                                                      Ronnie Gyi, tennis champ of Spicer

In the mens hostel recreational room, we play table tennis. I remember Bobby Kurian and Vincent Jonathan as good players. Vincent smashes are so good and he often wins the games.

In the library, I read many books and magazines. Mrs E G White's writings such as "Steps to Christ" and "The Great Controversy" are some of the books I read. I find it hard to put down the latter book as it is so interesting and fill with history.

I read about The Battle of Midway which turns the tide of Japnese power in the Pacific. Scientfic American, Better Homes and Gardens are some of the magazine i browse through. "The Clotting of Blood" is my topic for my college thesis mainly taken from the science magazine.

Playtime over we return to the hostel, quick shower, grub charge and have evening worship and study hall.

First half of the study hall I read the Bible, mostly Psalms and Proverbs. After the recess I jot down the days lessons and underline the text books. Sleepy by then my head lies on my folded arms. Sometime to keep awake, I try balance my chair on the two back feet with my feet outstreach under the table.

Then when the study hall ends, I enter dreamland. ZZZZZZ to rise and shine the next day.