New Oxford School

Mariamman Kovil Street is a busy spot in Salem. The traffic at Four Roads is something you just get used to after a week or two of working here. New Oxford School at number 89 is easy enough to find if you know the landmark of the temple nearby. The morning air usually smells like the tea and coffee from the stalls down the street. We have teachers who have been here long enough to know every crack in the floor tiles. There is a small shop around the corner where the older students sometimes try to buy snacks when they think we are not looking. The classrooms have high ceilings which helps a lot when the Salem heat kicks in during April and May. We do not have any fancy air conditioning, just the old ceiling fans that click rhythmically throughout the day. Sometimes a stray dog wanders into the yard and we have to shoo it out before the younger kids get scared. It is just a regular school life here. We deal with broken benches and missing chalk just like any other place. People in this part of town know us by sight. When the rainy season comes, the street gets a bit muddy, so everyone has to wipe their feet really well at the door. It makes a bit of a mess, but we manage. You can see the hills in the distance on a clear day from the top floor.