Some old quizzes

MEMOIR OF AN OLD QUIZ WIZARD

? Half a circle on a pillar, near a circle. What is it and where is it?

? The train to start at two to two. Today the train is late by two. When will the
train start?

Visit of Mr. Derek O’ Brien, the veteran quiz master who gave new dimensions to quizzing, to Oman to conduct annual Times of Oman Inter School Quiz Contest provoked deep interest in me.

Extensive coverage of the events gave many like me who could not take part in the quiz physically an interesting reading. The reports enlivened the events in the minds of the people interested in quizzes at far away places.

Sponsoring quizzes have become an integral part of modern business and an effective PR tool in taking the clients along with.

Before becoming quiz so popular like today through TV channels, Radio Broadcastings, it was once a teaching method as well.

A quarter century ago, I was a quiz wizard. Even today my interest in quiz is not fully faded.

In our high school, more popular and efficient educationalists in our time were CVK (CV Kunhiraman), Moosa and Lazar. Students loved and at the same time scared of them with respect. Getting studentship of the left leaning trio was considered a blessing by many. Teaching was not a mere profession but it seemed a divine duty for them. On holidays, interested students were taught on free of charge at their lodge, which was beside the school. Financially backward students were helped by giving books and other study material. All the three were thoroughly able to clear any doubts in any subject. But, CVK’s English, Moosa’s Maths and Lazar’s Science had acquired a saying in the students’ circle.

Another treasure of knowledge entered in to the circle of this trio was Social Studies Teacher Narayanan of their calibre and vision who always came to the class with difference reference books and taught more than what syllabus prescribed.

Those days, in the early first half of seventies, quiz was not popular as it is at present all around us.

At the end of sixties and early seventies our school had attained notoriety in student strikes, teachers strikes and non-teaching staff strikes and low pass percentage particularly in SSLC Examination.

In 1971, as a corrective measure, on an experimental basis, it was decided to teach key subjects by the same teachers from VIIIth standard to Xth standard. Extra coaching and special classes were conducted. Punishments were not lacked in the case of erring students.

Team spirits and spirit of competition prevailed among students. Thus, 1971 to 1974 was considered important in our academic life. The corrective measures taken by the school had yielded some good results.

Formal quiz session had become the part of our class curriculum. Quizzes to test the intelligence of student were many. Participation in quiz session had a colour of sports spirits. Home work and group discussions were common. It was the responsibility of the intelligent students to teach the poorly performed teammates.

Time faded memory. But, in the midst of all hue and cry of life, two quizzes are often cud eaten, which are mentioned at the beginning of this memoir. Cud eating of the first quiz has become almost regular these days. Perhaps, it may be because of the new development in the Indian political scene, which is a point of my keen watching.

Well, here is the clue for the first quiz. It is related to a VVIP of India and great potential awaits the VVIP in the future Indian politics.

Didn’t you get it yet?

The answer is ‘PO’. PO is a river in Italy. It is on the bank of the PO river the town in which Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, the president of the Indian National Congress, CPP Leader and opposition leader of Indian parliament, born situates.

And the answer to quiz No.2 is “Two”. The train will start at two o’clock as it was late by two minutes.

So, for quiz wizards, it’s Abracadabra!



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