My Days at SFS
Its great to talk about the good old days, schools and to interact with my dear fellow Franciscans, peers, seniors and juniors.
Its a matter of great pride and pleasure to walk down memory lane and talk of my days at SFS(Oooooops ,I mean SFC)
SF was School when we were there!!!!!!!!!!! Its college now .
Walking down memory lane ,is probably a misappropriate term!
I really don’t have to go back and try to remember anything!!
Its all there, as fresh as today, as if it happened yesterday!!!
Even though I left St Francis in 1975!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(sounds pre historic!)
I joined SFC in 1968,in class three, after doing KG from Christian College and Prep and Class 1 and 2 from St Ann’s
( Many of you would not have heard of this school-it was the boys section of Loreto Convent in the present building of Avadh Degree college and we were the last batch of students ,before the school closed down)
After leaving St Ann’s, most of us had only two alternatives Lamarts or SFC
Lamarts was more popular amongst the upper class of Lucknow as it was more British and had almost a complete Anglo Indian staff and above all had the reputation of supposedly brining out smart cool dudes with a greater stress on extra curricular activities and sports
SFS was the second best, in those days but still had a great crowd at its gates for admission, for three reasons.
It was a little more affordable than Lamarts, the academics were reputed to be better and it had an aura of an Indian English school which was a bit more friendly to the non Hindi speaking parents!
The reason why my dad choose SFS for me was different from these three. My brother had joined Lamarts a year back, and my parents were not happy with the academics. So I landed in SFC more by default than as a choice, and could never thank my dad for that more!!!!!!!!!
My stay of over seven years at the college, has been the best phase of my life, the memories of which are my most precious possessions. Besides developing a taste for specific subjects, interest in studies, it helped me to build my personality and bring out the best in me .My passion for stage emerged there, for acting, elocution and debating. And above all it brought me close to a great lot of wonderful teachers and some friends, a bunch of soulmates who have been the most precious achievement of my life, and are buddies for keeps!!!
I left SFC in March 1975, when I was in class 10Th. We were the first batch of ICSE ,and since I had to pursue a medical career ,I wasn’t sure if ICSE would help me for CPMT. So I quitted SFS and joined Mahanager Boys High School, even at the cost of loosing 6 months, amounting to an year subsequently
The stay at SFS was a little more than seven years and its been over three decades since I left it, but the memories of those days occupy a very special and coveted place in my heart in terms of space, closeness, quantity and quality
They come alive when ever I interact with any buddy from SFC, and luckily have been in touch with many
Sanjay Lucknow
I also joined the same year as of you and left in 1975. I came from St. Mary’s. Was in St. Patrick’s House. Classmates-Praveen Khanna, Sabia Sachi Bal, Hemant Bhargava,Bhushan,Sanjeev Joshi,Inderjeet Singh Kohli etc. As far as I can recollect my first class teacher was Mrs. Robinson. Yes was very active in sports like Table Tennis, Cricket.Used to bunk and eat Ban Kabab of Habib in the Canteen. If you have any contact details of the above friends, kindly do forward. Nice to have you on the web.
dear azhar……………..nice of you to visit my site……………..wud be great to get in touch
d feeling is same sir wether it b class of 1975 or 2003..I still cant stop thanking my parents for all their efforts they had put for me to get into SFC.
keep sharing
Dear Sanjay,
It visited your blog site. It brought back wonderful memories of childhood days at SFS, although I am drawing blank send me a younger picture of you, I only remember few friends from SFS and few teachers – Ramachandran, Ms Gomez, Robinson, Ms Pepper, Clark, Ms Srivastava, Gupta, Johari, Fr. Lobo, Mr. Fernandis and Ms Menezes.
Due to trauma my memories are erased? I am trying to recreate early years.. I remember I was good in sports and was elected Captain of St. Patrick House. If you look, you can find me in the SFS Annual Sports Magazine or Classroom Annual Photos. I left SFS suddenly and went to St. Xaviers, Bombay for rest of my education.
We may have common friends- if you were friends with Parveen Khanna, Ali Azhar, Imran Rohani, Sabiya Sachi Bal, Hashmi, Tiwari brothers etc.
Who was your 5th grade teacher?
Ms. Gomes was my teacher.
Ping me if you can. I am traveling to Bangalore.
I will call you when I am back in Lucknow.
Best regards..
RA
Sanjay Mama
hello priyanshi
Here’s another product of SFC- 1994 batch ISC. We are all privileged to have studied at SFC & should always be greatful to God and our parents for getting us in this reverred institution.
Leave Martinians apart, we-Franciscans have always been and will also continue to be simply the best at all times courtesy our great great institution.
After all whatever we have got from SFC during our good old schooling days from our most adorable/ disciplined/persevering/punctilious teaching gems such as Robinson Sir/ Gupta Sir/Saxena Sir/Johri Sir/ Mrs Khan/ Bhargava Sir/ Rodricks Sir.. to name a few, has been simply the best & exceptionally best level of education & must never be forgotten.
Every thing is/& in future will always continue to be simply unmatched about my college be its great heritage/ best education/ Prestigious location adjoining Hazratganj& proximity to nive girls colleges/best canteen- still remember the smell & taste of those good old Bun Kababs& Bun Cholla…
I sincerely pray to God and seek your blessings to be able to land up my elder son Divya( he will turn five in April 12) in SFC in KG standard in session starting from April 12 onwards…
Then might be that this old Franciscan( myself) then in his late thirties while entering the college gates for collecting his son after school will also sometimes sneak into the canteen to enjoy the mouth watering taste of those good old Bun Kababs along his junior Franciscan son!!!
sorry…………….read this now…………….contact me at skapoors@gmail.com