I study in a national type secondary school in Delhi. It is in Punjabi Bagh and is one of the progressive schools in the country. It is a co-educational school and prepares students for the ‘O’ level and ‘A’ level examinations. The school is lucky in having hard-working and intelligent members on the staff with an all rounder as Headmaster. In academic as well as sports our school has always been in the top of the list.
For National Day Celebrations, the Minister of Education was invited. He readily accepted the invitation. There was a tremendous preparation going on for a week for the celebration. A face lift was given to the school. Flags and festoons were hung up and in view of the Minister’s visit invitations were sent to prominent persons of the town.
The festive day came. Our school hall where the guests were to be seated was tastefully decorated. The guests were received at the entrance by the Headmaster and the committee members of the school. The school band was in attendance. The Secretary of the school led the chief guest to the seat.
After a formal prayer, the Headmaster read the welcome address in which he expatiated on the services of the honorable minister for education. One of the senior students garlanded the guest. Then the guest addressed the gathering.
At the outset he had a few words of praise for the school. He spoke highly of the members of the staff who had been working hard to make the students good citizens. Then he spoke of the greatness of the country which was shaping well in all fields. He advised the students to work hard and become great citizens because he said the future of the country depended on the quality of its citizens. So the students as future citizens must become big mentally, physically and spiritually. He exhorted the students to develop a national outlook and at the same time they must develop their faculty to appreciate the international situation. He asked them to be prepared to contribute their part for the well being of the country. He advised the teachers to look for the aptitude of students and develop their skills accordingly. He asked the students to spend more time in the laboratory, in the library and on the play fields. He said that an industrious nation would always flourish.
One of the senior members of the staff thanked the Minister for having come and for giving some valuable advice. He assured the minister that the teachers would play their part well and would not lag behind in doing their duty to the country. After the singing of the national anthem the meeting came to a close.
Vocabulary
all rounder a person who has many different types of skills and abilities
prominent very well-known and important
at the outset at the beginning
