A principal who lived by her principles

Visakha Vidyalaya celebrates Susan George Pulimood's 100th birth anniversary on July 22

Susan George Pulimood started her career at Visakha in 1941, during the years of the World War when she taught at the Bandarawela branch of the scool. She arrived in Sri Lanka, as a young married Indian lady and taught English and Mathematics. Sadly, she lost her husband after a short married life.

In 1945, Mrs. Pulimood was appointed as Principal of Visakha Vidyalaya, in Colombo. She found a genteel school where the curriculum was not wide-ranging. She took this rough clay and moulded and sculpted it to her own high academic standards.

She developed the aesthetic aspect and during her era, sports developed to an amazing extent. It was however, the academic aspect which burgeoned under her guidance. She displayed an instinctive approach to obtain the highest degree of academic attainment.

Her textbook of Botany co-authored with her sister Anna K. Joshua was used island-wide and still is a useful reference book. The annual Battle of the Blues brought a great deal of excitement. There were riotous schoolboys on the rampage, singing raucously 'Varaka madula mage Susano', and Mrs. Pulimood used to nod and knowingly say, “They are singing it for me?”. They yelled ‘Polmuddo!’ and she used to say complacently, “They don't know how to pronounce my name”. She was annoyed however, when they dumped her faithful Raman in a dust-bin.

A strict disciplinarian, she was at times a martinet. One felt on occasion the lash of a sarcastic tongue when a student gave a sloppy answer in class. Many she punished; you could see miserable girls shuffling their feet sheepishly outside her office door.

However the recipients of these barbs are now distinguished academics, doctors, engineers, lawyers, architects and respected teachers. Being an excellent teacher she brought out the best in her students. She brought her lessons alive and her Botany class resembled a tropical jungle. She had a deplorable habit (from our point of view) of questioning her students daily, one by one!

The introduction of Science has been dealt with many times. Mrs. Pulimood's indefatigable attempts bear witness to the success she achieved in her 22 years of devoted service.