It is a delight and a privilege for me to write this on the occasion of the centenary celebration of this beautiful chapel. I consider it a great blessing to be associated with the Sarah Tucker Institutions for more than three decades. At this moment, memories of the first day when I entered the school premises with my father come to my mind. It was in June 1947 that I was admitted in the fourthform and the next three years I studied under dedicated and talented teachers. Miss Kiruba Edward, our headmistress was a strict disciplinarian. Miss Lindsey taught us English Poetry and Scripture. Her chapel talks were very interesting to listen to, woven with illustrations and pictures in a specially accented Tamil. The other subjects were taught by very sincere and illustrious teachers whom we remember with love and gratitude. After passing the S.S.L.C. examination in 1950, I joined the junior intermediate class in Sarah Tucker College of the prestigeous Madras University, which was then in the same campus. Life in the school and the college revolved round the chapel where we gathered for morning worship, special meetings, retreats and for silent prayers.
Mrs. Anbu Mani instilled in us the love of English music. She would play the organ and teach us songs of those days both sacred and secular, with deep meaning and sweet melodies. I still treasure the song book, the pages tattered and letters dimmed but the words and tune are indelibly marked in my memory. I completed B.A. in March 1954 and 8 years later I joined the Sarah Tucker College as tutor in English under Miss Dora David. After serving three years, resigned to take care of my three small growing children, But it was God's will that should serve in the school where my three children and I studied in 1969. I joined the staff of Sarah Tucker High School as a teacher of English and Mathematics and retired after 23 years of service. I consider myself twice blest, for the privilege of having studied and served in Sarah Tucker School.
Every place in the School campus is dear to me with precious memories. The class rooms, playgrounds, music room and the spots we roamed about, each having its own story to tell, but the dearest spot to me was the Chapel. It was here in this Chapel, I accepted Jesus as my Saviour and Lord, in August 1952.
Life has never been the same again.
As a verse from my favourite hymn says
"Heaven above is softer blue,
Earth around is sweeter green,
Something lives in every hue,
Christless eyes have never seen,
Birds with gladder songs oe'rflow,
Flowers with deeper beauty shine,
Since I know, as now I know,
I am His and He is mine.
From the tender age of 12 to the retirement age of 58, I have found in this place solace in times of sadness, guidance in moments of perplexity, renewed strength to do my duties well at home and School and guidance for the future. Thousands of Children and Teachers have gone through the same experience that I have had and will bear testimony to the blessings they received in this Chapel. In the next centuary, this beautifully renovated Chapel will be the centre of life in the Sarah Tucker Institution.
I wish to conclude with the chorus of the School song we used to sing nearly five decades ago.
Hail to Sarah Tucker!
Sound our voices through the night!
Hear to Sarah Tucker!
Source of strength and light.
Sushila Martin
1947-1954 student
1969-1992 staff
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