A Correspondent
SHILLONG, Feb 13: Past pupils of St Edmund’s School, Shillong today had a reunion on Saturday as part of its centery celebrations.
Past students of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1990s were there at the school playground donning the colours of gold, maroon and green, the colours of St. Edmund’s School, and marching although not much like those days when the annual sports day of the school was held.
During the march past, the past pupils were joined by a few female members of their families amid the presence of past teachers, and members of the Christian Brothers.
Following the march past, the past pupils also participated in a few athletic events.
The day was also graced by two Irish Christian Brothers Maurice Finn and Brendan MacCarthaigh, apart from school principal Br. Solomon Morris. A souvenir - “Edmundian Impact” – to commemorate the centery celebrations was also released.
Members of the Christian Brothers congregation of Blessed Edmund Rice have been running the school since 1916. Reliving his years at St. Edmund’s, Daryl War said the last time he took part in an athletic event at the school playground was in 1969.
“Today, after 47 years, I again set foot on the playground and took part in an athletic event. It is very nostalgic indeed,” War said.
Manbor Warjri, from the 1992 batch, said, “I am grateful to the Christian Brothers for setting up the school, which is one of the best in the country. It stands strong in repute because of the dedication and commitment of the Christian Brothers and the teachers in providing quality education generation to generations.”
“The best years of my life were spent here, made the best of friends, the place where my dreams were nurtured and where lifelong paths are illumited,” Warjri added. The school authorities iugurated the yearlong centery celebrations in May last year.
With the centery theme “Unity in our diversity”, the St Edmund’s Past Pupils’ Association (SEPPA) three-day alumni meet began on February 11.
From an informal get-together on February 11 evening to a picnic at Sohra the following day, the alumni also relived their years at the institution by organising sports on February 13.
The strength of the St Edmund’s School alumni is estimated to be around 10,000 spread across various countries.