The title has its inspiration from an evergreen classic
movie that I always enjoyed, “How green was my Valley!”
The novel ‘How Green Was My Valley’ written by Richard
Llewellyn in 1939 was later made into a movie under the same
title. Directed by John Ford the film was nominated for ten Academy Awards and
won five including one for the Best Picture in 1941. The movie is remembered by all for
its "cultural, historical values and aesthetically significant presentation.
In 1990, the Library of Congress recommended this movie for preservation in the
United States National Film Registry.
Thanks to Professor V. Srinivasan for his email
highlighting a news item that appeared in The Hindu (dated 6.8.2012 page:5) entitled ‘A movement to recapture a green past’.
The news item laments on the scarce greenery of the present day Madurai and the
need and ways to improve it. The article observes that only a few areas in the
city like the American College and Railway Colony are green now.
Yes, our college is green now, literally.
Metaphorically
I wish to utter with a sigh, “How green was my college…..”
Peekay
Here is the content of the letter written by Professor V.S
(Former Professor and Head, Dept. of Physics, The American College) to his former
colleague and friend Prof. Richard P. Riesz (Chairman Board of Trustees, The American
College and Former Head of the department of Physics, The American College)
about the news item in The Hindu..
Dear Dick:
After many years, a good news about The American College
has appeared in The Hindu this morning and I thought I will share it with you.
The news item with the attached picture says that the
only two green patches in the city of Madurai left as seen from the air are The
American College campus (you can barely see the Chapel dome and the roof of
Main Hall in the picture) and the Railway Colony.
The American Missionaries and
the British Railway Engineers can take credit for this. I don’t think any new trees were planted in
the last few decades. It is good news that the people who
have spoiled so many good aspects of the college have not succeeded in spoiling
the green cover the College has acquired over the years.
I am proud of this.
Seenu
P.S: Let the followers of the
blog may feel happy that at least the green cover of the College has been saved
–
V.S
2 comments:
I am disappointed. The fact that there has been no comment on this post clearly shows how much concerned we are about the environment and green cover. God Save the world.VS
Thank you very much sir, for the comment! We are living in a highly selfish/self centered world... with a least concern over social/cultural values..
particularly the youngsters..
Even God cannot save this insensitive world!!!!
- peakay
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