About Mrs. Rita Lonsdale (nee Johnson)

Dear Miss Johnson, or rather Mrs. Lonsdale,

This is Winnie Tun Tin, one of your numerous students from MEHS, who owes you a lot of making Science such a wonderful subject, in the classroom and in the lab.

Something has been prying on my mind all these years and I had no idea how or where to find you, until recently.

I wonder if you remember the farewell tea party we had for you in the Assembly Hall? I was chosen to compose and read the farewell speech and to this day I have no idea why it had to be me, when there were others like Ashok Nath, Ronnie Bomanjee, Kyaw Kyaw Shane, Popsy Gale and many many others.

It took me three whole days to write that little speech, where I had poured out all our love and admiration for you, not only as a teacher, but also as a beautiful, graceful, soft spoken person….. You know things like…..making Science, not a drudgery, but a joy……..and all that wonderful sentimental stuff.

Unfortunately, I had decided to wear gloves that particular day…..Gloves, of all things and me dressed in Burmese. Oh, the vanity of youth!

Well, I started warming up and got as far as the third page (there were about 9 more pages to go!!!) when I realised that I couldn’t turn the page anymore because of those darn gloves! I really got very flustered and there and then decided to end it and ad libbed a few more lines to finish it off.

Miss Johnson, it was my maiden speech and I made a jolly good fool of myself. It was something I never forgot throughout my life and my face turns red even now as I think of it.

Years later, I went on to become an announcer at the Burma Broadcasting Service and everytime I had to read the news, I had a hard time not to think of that day. Whenever that incident came to my mind, I started stuttering and tripping over the words. As things were, the news comes to us translated from Burmese at the last minute…..typed badly and with a lot of grammatical mistakes.

Thank goodness, it was not television. Imagine the viewers seeing my red face all flushed with beads of perspiration pouring down, scratching my head in sheer desperation!!!

And now, next year, at our MEHS reunion in Thailand, the committee has asked me to do a bit of MC-ing. A teeny weeny bit……or so they said. I’ll try not to think of you then, otherwise, I’ll make a blundering idiot of myself again.

Please forgive me also for referring to you as Miss Johnson. For a lot of us, you were our Burmese Grace Kelly.

Of course, we have all grown old……teachers and students alike, but the picture of you when you smile with that up turned nose and the warmth and love you put into your classes will always remain in our minds.

Phew! I finally got it off my mind.
I’m so thankful to Cecil for giving me this contact.
Now I can tell myself that it’s no longer a guilty burden to carry around in my mind.

With love and gratitude to one of the most wonderful teachers in my life,
Warmest regards
Winnie Tun Tin
Class of 1959, but also part of 1958.

PS:- As you may notice, I did not use the word ‘devotion’ in describing you and your teachings. I’m sure the rest of our MEHS will agree with me when I say that to be one of our teachers, be if for a day, for a week or for a life-time, you really must have a ‘devotion’ to your calling. Despite the fact that the rules were severe, we all tended to be a rowdy, boisterous, cheeky group…. but always united to this day, right into our second, (maybe third?), childhood.

September 28, 2009