Philip Allencherry

As an English teacher, Hostel Prefect, Moderator ofJai Loyola, Head of the English Department, Moderator of Loyola Dramatics Society, Vice- Principal of Loyola School, Mr. Philip Allencherry, spent a memorable 18 years at Loyola, endearing himself to the Loyola family before God took him away from us. Philip, had joined Loyola in 1958, and assisted the Administration both in School and in the Hostel.

Meticulous in his own life, he insisted on order and strict self control in his students, he always tried his best to understand their problems and was there always to help them in their needs. Even during holidays, Philip could be seen in the then school auditorium guiding and training students for staging school plays. He was almost wedded to the school and the students.

Machlu - hostel mascot

Initiating the debate, I said, “I should say that the discipline of our school has gone down.”

Machlu growled out an immediate protest, “No sir, I am sorry to say that you are completely wrong. In fact the boys are becoming more and more law-abiding. What makes you accuse the Loyola boys?”

Fr. Keog

The originator of Handball at Loyola is one whom all of us know: Father Keogh. When the American Fathers came to Loyola (I mean the first group), Fr. Keogh, the unforgettable Fr. Bakewell and Fr. Enright, handball was not as much as a twinkle in the eyes of the small group of Loyoleans.

Our new sports organiser was Fr. Keogh who introduced us to an entirely new game called Handball. We gazed open-mouthed at seeing a human hand take such a lot of punishment. But despite this, Fr. Keogh taught us this game and how to play it. Oddly enough, we took such a liking to it that soon the front walls of Loyola were under heavy punishment from the two handball courts which were set up. Some of us liked it so much that we deprived ourselves of breakfast in order to be early enough to have a game of handball before classes began.