– and issues of secular versus sectarian schools

Dear Editor,
I WRITE this letter with hesitation, because there is history and revisionist history, as well as varying accounts — spoken and written — from individual perspectives. Moreover, I do not want to unwittingly create any negativity for this institution/organisation with which I am still emotionally and professionally connected.

Swami Purnanada Ji died a while ago, Swami Vidyananda Ji died just the other day, and who knows when I will follow suit; so I thought I should attempt a clarification before personal and politically motivated slants take root.

Swami Vidyananda’s biography, ‘Journey of the Guru’, by Richard B. Mahase, comes closest to the following facts, which are often obscured, as they were in several speeches made at Swami Vidyananda’s funeral service and preceding ‘wakes’ last week, and more recently in a letter by Harry Hergash in Stabroek News on 7th November.

1. “Hindu College” did not start in 1957; its precursor, the “East Coast High school”, did.
2. I was the Principal of the East Coast High School, which was superseded by the Hindu College in 1959 after I demitted the Principalship in deference to Swami Dibyananda‘s arrival from India to take over as Principal of Hindu College.
3. As the first Principal of the East Coast High School, and being acutely aware of the multi-faceted nature of my country, I pursued the secular approach to education (which Swami Purnanada and I had agreed to when he approached me to start the high school); it was agreed that opportunities would be made available for the multi-religious student-body to say their morning prayers according to their respective religions.

As it turned out, the East Coast High School started with 39 students and 3 teachers; namely, myself as the head, together with Ramesh Shastri and Bunny Smith. Ramesh conducted prayers for the Hindus and Bunny for the Christians. We were in a quandary as to what to do with the 5 Muslim students who were among the initial 39, and for whom I was determined to make proper arrangements. However, with poor finances, we could not afford another teacher, so I thought the next best thing was for me to learn to conduct Muslim prayers. In this regard, I am grateful to Moulvi Hyderally of Golden Grove, who magnanimously agreed to give me a crash course. To this day, I marvel at the thought of a young man of Brahmin lineage conducting Muslim prayers just to maintain the principle of religious equality and tolerance, much to the chagrin of my uncles, who on both sides of my father’s and mother’s families were Hindu Pandits.

Enrollment at the East Coast High School during my time skyrocketed after the first batch of students performed well at the College of Preceptors (CP) examination. Among the students were several of the Brahmcharees, who did not attend regular classes but were coached by myself and Ramesh as we both lived at the Ashram during the two years we served as teachers there. I often wonder about the high turnover of Brahmcharees at the Ashram. As a matter of fact, of the half-dozen or so of the original group, only Seecharran (later Swami Vidyananda Ji) stayed the course!

I firmly believe that a secular school can better serve a multi-religious student body than a sectarian school, which by its very nature is perceived (even if it professes otherwise) to favour a particular religion, and despite what its “letterhead, report cards and publicity material” might say, as per Harry Hergash’s letter referred to above.

Incidentally, Mr. Hergash’s letter omitted two of the original significant top students of East Coast High School/Hindu College; namely, the late Latchman Kissoon, a successful lawyer in Guyana and Barbados, and the late Keith Booker, Permanent Secretary, Government of Guyana.

Finally, I wish to underscore that I hold no grudge or animosity towards Hindu College or any of its past or present leaders, teachers, students, etc. I try my best to support the school in whatever way I can, despite noticeable attempts to sideline me from time to time.

Regards,
NOWRANG PERSAUD