Quiz Tournament! This is a big day for St. John’s Diocesan. The National Quizmaster is in charge and is, apparently quite the entertaining host. Mrs. Chrestien asked that this year he not allow the students to come onstage and dance. Apparently last year they launched into a full Bollywood number. (Darn it!)

We get to the auditorium early. The program is scheduled to start at 9:30. The teachers are in beautiful gold saris (yesterday they had matching gold and teal saris—the school gives them one every Christmas.) The preparations are elaborate. There are flowers everywhere. And another flower mosaic at the entrance to the auditorium.

There are people scurrying everywhere. Students are arriving; flowers are being delivered, sound is being tested.

At 9:40 there is an announcement that the program will begin in a bit. I’m not sure when it started exactly—but we are on Kolkata time, so it doesn’t really matter.

The minister of education was scheduled to speak, but was called away on important business, so his representative reads his remarks.

I hear Mrs. Chrestien address the students for the first time.

An older teacher (Mrs. Ghosh?), clearly highly revered, makes some opening remarks that I find deeply moving. She tells the students that they are no longer midnight’s children—they are the children of the dawn; that the majority of India’s large population is between the ages of 14 and 28, and as such, they are indeed the future of this country.

The St. John’s choir, led by their teacher, sings the invocation—the Our Father. It is beautiful, and so well-rehearsed and performed, that it is Glee-worthy.

Forty-eight teams s competed yesterday; ten will make it to the finals today. It seems that there is a 3-way tie for one of the spots. Two of the teams are all boys, one is all girls.

The girls team wins, and it’s a good thing because as the quizmaster calls up one boys school after another, it seems as though young women will be underrepresented. The fifth school called is co-ed and has one girl on the team, and St. John’s is called last.

The quizmaster is lively and engaging.

The energy in the room grows as the contest continues.

During the music portion the cheers from the back of the auditorium make it feel as though we are at a rock concert. It is great entertainment, and clearly designed so that the kids have fun and learn to value knowledge and education.

Breaking into dance is the only thing missing and in fact, at one point our host suggests that students dance at their seats. They don’t (darn it.) I guess the lure was the stage. The place is packed. The place rocked. I see now why some of the teachers said that this is the one working Saturday that they look forward to. I keep thinking of our own quiz-master, Frank McCamley and how the national quizmaster role was MADE for him. Perhaps we could start something like that in the states. How’s the quiz scene in Tallahassee?

In an unusual turn of events, the St. John’s team which has won, and typically places, did not place this year. But it was not a crushing blow. In fact, a good time was had by all.