Obama the 'curly-haired one'

Christiane Oelrich

Jakarta - The "little curly-haired one" is well remembered by his Indonesian teacher Israella Darmawan.

It was in 1968 when Barack Obama joined her class, and she likes the idea that he soon might become the world's most powerful person.

"We hope and pray that he will become the best US president of all time," says Darmawan.

Darmawan was Obama's teacher while he attended the Catholic St Francis of Assisi school in Jakarta's up-scale Menteng district.

Darmawan, 64, who retired last year, now only returns to her former school to tell current pupils about their famous alumnus.

She takes a faded book from a shelf, the school register dating back to 1968.

"Barry Soetoro"

Under registration number 203 it reads in large-lettered handwriting: "Barry Soetoro."

"Barry" used to be Obama's nickname, which he used together with his stepfather's last name.

Obama's charming personality, which nowadays mesmerises US voters, must already have been evident all those years ago, because he was able to immediately capture his teacher's attention.

"He always helped me clean the blackboard, because he was so tall," says Darmawan.

Obama was a polite, friendly and a benevolent student. His former teacher says she can't recall him playing any pranks.

"He was one of my brightest students, especially at mathematics," she asserts.

Darmawan is keeping her fingers crossed for Obama's victory, just like virtually every current student at the school.

The question "Who is Barack Obama?" puts broad grins into the faces of the students of the 4th grade of his former school.

Despite their young age, they already know Obama well from the TV news and eagerly follow his election campaign.

"He should drop by here sometime," exclaims one of the pupils, Jonas. But Darmawan has little hope for that to happen.

"I think he's forgotten us long ago," she says.

But just in case he might turn up one day, she adds after some hesitation: "He ought to bring more peace to the world."

"I will become president"

The comment ties in well with the opinion of the principal of the other school Obama attended in Jakarta. He left Assisi School for SDN (State Elementary School) Besuk in the late 1960s.

"Barry's classmates were Muslims and Christians alike, that's why he has learned tolerance for different religions," says SDN principal Kuwadiyanto, 53, who hopes that Obama's possible election victory will have a positive effect on US-Indonesian relations.

Darmawan recalls an essay that young "Barry" once wrote, and which has stuck in her mind ever since.

The subject was an old classic: "What I want to be once I've grown up."

According to his former teacher, Obama wrote: "I will become president." - Sapa-dpa

- SAPA