Basic HTML Version
Rola Rassoul ’82:
“A memorable day”
It was 8:05 a.m. on a Monday morning in 1982, and during
our Science Session Mr. Edmond Tohme enters the class-
room, followed a few seconds later by Mr. Habib Hourani,
who is in turn followed by Mr. Nabil Rahal. The three prin-
cipals, then, are standing in front of the whole class while
one of them reads out loud the list of the students’ names
and asks each person the following question: “Where were
you on Friday?” The unanimous response they received is:
“In Baalbak, Sir!”
Hi! My name is Rola Rasoul. I am an I.C. graduate of 1982.
I was a boarding student for eight years, until my graduation
year, because my parents resided in the U.A.E. I would like
to share with you my reminiscences of that Friday, because
it was a special day for me.
My classmates and I had naively decided to go on a bus trip
to Baalbak to explore the beauty that our ancestors had left
behind, but we did that without the consent of the school
administration; we thought they would not approve of such
a trip considering the dreadful security situation Lebanon
was going through during that period. But kids stay kids! We
did that trip and fortunately all went well and we were all
back in the bus safe and sound that afternoon near the
Shihab Building (at that time it was the Boarding School
Building) by 5:00 p.m. The guide who accompanied us
made it a great educational trip. It brought all 30 students of
my class close together and the bond of friendship we
shared was strengthened. It was definitely a memorable day.
The decision taken by the school administration was very
generous, considering that we were graduating that year. It
was to suspend the whole class, for three days. We accept-
ed that decision and
respected it, since
we knew that what
we had done was
definitely
“WRONG.”
Mr. Alton Reynolds,
the principal of the
school back then
(God bless his soul),
and Mr. James
Sullivan, the princi-
pal of the boarding department, debated as to whether to
allow me to stay at the dormitory even though I was sus-
pended from school. They decided that the school was my
home and that parents never send their kids away no matter
what the circumstances are. Their statement made me feel
even more attached to my school.
I have never in my life, not once, regretted being an I.C. stu-
dent, and have always felt proud to have had the opportuni-
ty to enjoy a good education, great friends and wonderful,
qualified and kind teachers.
My IC Story
5
Kinda Jazzar ’80:
“The best years of my Life”
When I was at
I.C., I was really
eager to
become an AUB
student. Only
later did I real-
ize that my
years at IC were
my best. AUB
was a beautiful
experience, too,
but nothing com-
pared with IC. I was a student there during the civil war in
Lebanon, but these events did not keep us from enjoying
life to the most. From the Kermess, to the field trips with Mr.
Badran, to the Coed Club, to the Drama Club Theatre pres-
entation with Mr. Hachem, to Faraya Snow Trips with Mr.
Khattar, and many other daily activities, we were kept busy
and away from the harshness of the war. All this gave us the
chance to develop our ersonalities, as well as a sense of
responsibility and independence as a future reserve for a
fruitful life.
1- Huge earrings were fashionable in those days; I used to
wear the largest ones.
In Mr. Korfali’s chemistry class I was seated at the far end of
the room. Kinda: “Monsieur, could you speak louder
please?”
Mr. Korfali: “If you remove those cooking pans from your
ears you could maybe hear me better, Miss Jazzar.”
2- One of the most important events of the year was the
Miss Torch Annual Gala Dinner. We used to prepare for it
months ahead. That spring, the Gala was held at the
Summerland Hotel, by the swimming pool. We were all
very elegantly dressed. We had spent hours at the hair
dresser and make-up artist, trying to catch the future hus-
band to be. But Lady Nature had an upper hand. Around
the middle of the evening, before the final election event, it
started raining heavily, and a very strong wind blew over
our heads, taking with it hours of hard preparation and mix-
ing together all kind of colors on our faces.The outcome
was not at all enchanting. That year, the Torch Book had
very amusing and funny pictures of the event. I can keep on
writing and remembering stories for hours, but I will never
be able to describe to you the true feelings I felt during
those lovely, innocent, and irresponsible years.
Thank you I.C. for allowing us to live our Teens at their
fullest and thank you for making us what we are today.
Miss Torch at the Summerland Hotel in the spring of 1980.
Rola Rassoul ’82 (far top left) and her 6th high school
classmates back in 1982.