DEMS School..

Defence Employees Matriculation School (DEMS) which was formerly known as Cordite Factory Employees Education Society School (CFEES) is the place I wish to go back someday... This was fondly called by people as "society school" and its where i have lots and lots of sweet fond memories... The little town aruvankadu boasted of about 5 schools and easily this was the best primary school I would say (though lot of KV students might disagree)....

Name anything good and this school had it... Starting from standard of education to moral ethics to discipline, sports to culturals, arts and crafts - everything came as package for a DEMS student.... This was the place which taught me what co education is all about... how to keep oneself clean, tidy and healthy... If a school that cared for students and competed with many "convents" it was this lovely little school..... The school was affiliated to CBSE when it was CFEES and in 1991 it became DEMS in affiliation to the matriculation board... The name, uniform and affiliation changed but not anything else... It was still the same fun filled strict school.....

Mrs. Sreedevi Raja was the principal who admitted me in class 1 in 1988..She taught us hindi and incidentally that was her last year there. She was soft, kind and calm and I dont remember seeing her being harsh on any human being..Mrs. Malathi Subramaniam took over as principal in 1989 and she served this school till 1998 (I studied there only till 1993)...

A book can be written about her, for all that positive influence she had on each student under her.... She was fondly called as "MADAM" by everyone....She was much different from the previous principal and under Madam DEMS transformed from a kindergarden to a school that became a competition to even "convents"...If Sourav Ganguly transformed Indian cricket, Madam did it several times better than that to DEMS.

She was an epitome of sincierity, dignity, discipline, perfection and affection.... It was her creative ideas and freedom she gave the students/teachers that made DEMS the most attractive school in any events celebration.. The thought of standing in front of her itself terrorised students and that kept them within lines. She never hesitated to cane the whole school of 200 odd students... all at same time!!! Such an disciplinarian she was. . . She was equally caring too - took all efforts to make sure that somebody ill got the proper attention and treatment...

The annual days and sports days were grandeurs is the least one can say about. . Infact celebrations in the name of rehearsals would start about a month before and it was always festive mood there. Every student was given opportunity to showcase their talent, at times forced as well. . Events like independence day, republic day, teacher' s day and children's day meant there was something or the other to be celebrating all time. . .

The other events that made the years activity filled were elocution competition, memory test, drawing competition, general knowledge test, fancy dress competition, mono acting, whoof..!!!!! and many more to mention.. .The day began with assembly during which madam said a "thought for the day" and we were also allowed to say short stories and thoughts. . . Birthdays were made special with the whole school wishing the birthday baby during the assembly; the person celebrating birthday was treated royally in the sense never got punished for any offence that day - i mean it really...

In a place where everything was good something wasnt ok... Yes!!!! and that was the main and foremost reason I wanted to switch over to other school, probably the biggest mistake of my life for a long long time...While all other schools had holiday on Saturdays, DEMS seldom gave holiday on a saturday and that made me hate this lovely little school and all the good things there. Here I have to mention that DEMS was actually generous in holidays but for saturdays..Heavy rains and a tree fall were sufficient enough to declare an holiday...Till date I wonder why such a generous place acted like a miser with regard to saturdays...

All said and done nothing can even come close to what DEMS was... This is something al the DEMS pass out will agree. Particularly all those did the same mistake as me and moved to the dirty CFHSS at various stages of life.....