These days the ‘Sangotians’ are posting almost daily about their Alma Mater, its Missionary Staff, the Sisters and Mother Superior and last but not the least, its founder Miangul Jahanzeb, the Ruler of Swat State. These posts also make me nostalgic. I start thinking of those days of tranquility. My first visit to this august institution is still fresh in my memory. I accompanied my senior Saleem Khan to the school probably in the first half of the 60s. We were there in response to a call by the Madam. We met her outside the auditorium from where tunes of piano were reaching us. She complained about the flies and we suggested to fix wire gauze on the windows, which she approved. The next day, we dispatched a carpenter and a bundle of wire gauze, wooden strips and nails to the school. I was very much impressed by the benign tone of the principal but most of all by the site of the building and the little mountain to the River side. Involuntarily a word stuck in my mind, ‘Mount Zion’.
The whole scenario looked like out of Bible. The olive trees in large number, the pines on the slope of the mountain and the sisters walking with the light steps in their ankle long white gowns, like floating a little above the ground.
Wali e Swat took keen interest in the successful running of this school, when he received complaint of the leakage in the roofs, he immediately ordered that head of the State P.W.D, Mr. Muhammad Karim Khan to take care of the problem. A reinforced concrete layer was laid over the full roofs of the two blocks. He personally visited the roofs, climbing up and checked the treated roofs.
When the number of students increased, Wali Sahib decided to construct a big block comprising of large class rooms, offices and a capacious staff room. The contract was awarded a very noble man from Charbagh. His name was Sayyid Sujawal Shah. He was a soft spoken man. His son, Mr. Mubashir Shah was Subedar Major in State forces. The building was satisfactorily completed. The Ruler made his final inspection and asked that classes must be started the next day. The school was a great success and kids from all over the State, belonging to the elite class joined it. A tube well, 325 feet deep was installed in the premises and a large reservoir was constructed on the top of the hillock, that I called Mount Zion.
So my dear Sangotians, count me one of you. I have supervised the works mentioned above and I am proud of it.
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