Recollections

Bows and flows of angel hair, and ice cream castles in the air
Feathered canyons everywhere, I've looked at clouds that way
Now they only block the sun, they rain and snow on everyone
So many things I could have done, but clouds got in my way
I've looked at life from both sides now from up and down and still somehow
It's life's illusion I recall, I really don't know life at all.

Adapted from Joni Mitchell

K. P. Ranis Appuhamy By Gordon Tytler (from the 125th Anniversary souvenir)

When the Double Blue snapped in the breeze, and the College Bell pealed on the 2nd of March 1974, in celebration of the Centenary, there was one whom we missed and that was K. P.Ranis Appuhamy, who died on September 13th 1972 at the grand age of 88, and just two days less for sixty years at Wesley. Of more than average height for a Sinhalese, his dignified mien was emphasised by his ramrod straight carriage, stern visage, magnificent bristling walrus mustache, framing aristocratic high- boned checks.

A neat tight knot held his greying hair in position. Ranis belonged to that rare breed of men almost extinct today-who, without preaching, exemplified in their life and work the very highest of moral and ethical standards. His character became clear in the very first days of his service at Wesley. On September 15th 1912. He was engaged by the Rev. Henry Highfield as a "School servant" at a monthly salary of Rs. 8/-. On his first pay- day Ranis went up to Rev. Highfield and said that there had been an error in calculating his pay. "Error?" demanded Highfield. "You were taken on for Rs. 8/- a month and you have received Rs. 8/- not one cent less. Where is the error?" Ranis pointed out that, since he had worked for only half the month he was actually entitled to only half a month's pay Rs. 4/- instead of Rs. 8/-. Such a man was Ranis.

In fact so devoted to Wesley was he that in all his nearly 60 years of service, he was absent from his duties for only 60 days an average of one day's leave a year for well over half a century! That included the time he took off to get married! In 1962 Ranis celebrated his Golden Jubilee at Wesley. Or rather Wesley celebrated the event for, despite his proud and aristocratic bearing. Ranis was the most modest of men. . Wesley really outdid itself on that occasion. Ranis was feted as no "domestic servant" of a major educational institution has been before or since. A prominent article in the Ceylon Observer of October 15th 1962 recorded the event in banner headlines "RANIS OF WESLEY GOES ON." The "Observer' story noted that when Ranis Joined Wesley, among others on the teaching staff of the School were, O.E.G., S. J. V. Chelvanayakam. F. J. Labrooy and Lionel Fonseka. Among the thousands of small boys who scurried along the corridors of Wesley every morning in a desperate effort to beat the inexorable peal of Rani's bell.

Were the future physician, Dr. J. R. Wilson the future theologian, the Rev. Dr. D. T. Niles, M. H. Mohamed, a future Mayor of Colombo, and Sam Silva, Chairman Air Ceylon and Chairman Petrolium. The article added ; "Ranis was Guest of Honour at a garden party given by the Staff Guild of Wesley and friends and Old Boys. School closed half a day for the occasion, and Ranis was given a purse." Old Boys bringing their sons for admission to Wesley treated Ranis with the deference due more to a former teacher than to a school servant-with good reason.

There was always the fear that, if not handled with care, the old man with the phenomenal memory would spill the beans to the son about some embarrassing prank that the father would sooner forget! For what father could dismiss his son's pleas for more pocket money or criticise his table manners when reminded by Ranis of the day he ate 75 hoppers on a bet! The here of this particular gastronomic feat avouched for by Ranis-was an elastic-stomachache boy called Francis Jayawardena; and the incident took place some- where during the time of the First World War. Jayawardena went on to become one of Wesley's most outstanding sportsmen in the pre 1920 years. Many years ago, when I was a little boy in the College Hostel, about the year 1949 or 50 Ranis took me to the rear door of the boarders' dining hall and pointed to something carved on it. Puzzled, I bent down and read the crudely carved inscription "K. P. R. - 1912". Gordon Tytler

Marshall Perera by Dr.N.D.Amerasekera

Kenneth De Silva with Nizar Cader and Marshall

Marshall Perera is known to several generations of Wesleyites and like his colleague Ranis Appuhamy is a school Icon. He joined Wesley in the 1930's soon after the Highfield era and the exact date of his arrival seems to be lost in the mist of time. For many years now he has taken numerous old boys on conducted tours of the school. Marshall's encyclopaedic knowledge of the school, staff and students past and present will be sorely missed by the returning hordes of OB's. When I returned to Wesley after nearly 15 years the gates were padlocked and the guard refused me in and it was Marshall's intervention that opened the gates for me. He will be mostly remembered by Wesleyites for his unfailing loyalty to the school. We wish him a long and happy retirement in the house donated by the Old Boys.

In Memoriam - Marshall Perera remembered by ND Amerasekera

A Journey back in Time By Dr.N.D.Amerasekera (transcribed from the 125th Anniversary souvenir)

It was an idyllic time in the history of our island. The Second World War had ended and Independence from British rule has just begun. Tolerance, compassion and kindness were present in abundance. Terrorism, television, AIDS and computers were not in our vocabulary. As for the future we took it all for granted.

I remember as if it were yesterday walking up the hill between the tall Casuarina trees into the main building of Wesley College. The year was 1950 and I was 8 years old. My uncle, Neville Weerasekera , who was a sixth former showed me the classroom which was to be the centre of my universe for a year. The bespectacled M.T.Rajapaksa introduced me to the school rules and the rest of the " scallywags" of Std-2. There I met my friend Daya Perera and many others who were to play a major role in my school life. Daya was an excellent host when I Stayed with him in Los Angeles, where he is an Anaestherist. MT Rajapaksa subsequently left to join the Teachers training school Maharagama. I met him many years later when I was a doctor at Kurunegala and his nephew was admitted to my ward.

CJ Oorloff was the Principal and Kenneth de Lanerolle, the Vice-Principal. The Headmaster JLF De Mel was a kind and pious man. In the early 1970's he was admitted to my ward at the General Hospital, Colombo with a heart attack. Even when he had only hours to live JLF recognised me and asked, "aren't you an old Wesleyite". Life seemed an endless game of cricket before and after school and in the intervals. The matches were held in the "small park" a mainly gravel field with sparse patches of grass. It is now a large housing complex behind the school adjacent to Karlshrue gardens. Years seem to pass quickly and schoolwork was a mere nuisance and got in the way of the endless fun and laughter. Mr. Wilfred Wickremasinghe (padlock) was in charge of Std 4 and a fierce disciplinarian. I still remember the many times he had pinched my tummy black and blue for failing to remember the homework. Being an eligible bachelor he was courting a pretty music teacher. He never failed to escort us to the music lessons. Later the school choir sang at his wedding at the Maradana Methodist Church. I was saddened to hear he died in the 1980's.

Meanwhile in 1952 my father decided to send me to the school boarding. It was like a prison in those days confined to the College boundary. Our lives were orderly and regimented by the bell.The six years in the hostel were good and bad in parts. Ivor De Silva was the Senior Hostel master. He is now leading a happy retired life in the USA. The next was LA Fernando, a charismatic figure full of life. I have never:seen him at a loss for words. He was the cheer leader at the inter school cricket matches and sang the limericks and baila with fire and gusto. I owe him a great debt of gratitude for instilling in me the will to succeed in life. After being the Vice-Principal of the school his life and career sadly slipped away.

Then came Maxwell De Alwis who introduced an active choir to the school and was responsible for the Operetta "Alad -in-and -Out".The show was a sellout and a great success at school. It was staged at Kingswood College, Kandy to a large appreciative audience. I was deeply upset to hear he died in the early 1970's in the General Hospital, Colombo in a ward just next to the Blood Bank where I worked. I remember Rev.R.W.Pile, the Chaplain, with great affection. Once I was bitten by Mr.Eric Gunasekera's Bull Terrier while returning from a cricket match at Campbell Park. I felt a piece of my inner thigh disappear into its mouth. Rev.Pile took me in his arms and transported me to the casualty department at the General hospital. He has retired to live in rural England. In the boarding we were forever hungry. We stuck bubble gum on our bedposts at night to be chewed again the next day.

The hostel food was pretty appalling. The Tuck shop was our haven. It was a wooden shed with a tin roof next to the kitchen. Wijemanne and Jinadasa sold us the best fish buns in the world or so they seemed at the time. At the intervals there were the quick nibbles, orange barley and other goodies. The "achcharu" ladies with big bosoms at the back of the school and the Toffee man with a withered hand at the front gate provided tasty alternatives. They gave us instant credit to be returned when we received our pocket money on Friday. There was a man who sang a song to sell his delicious sweets " come on buy baby nice pineapple and pol toffee".

Being deprived of female company the boarders were terribly sex starved. Girls were always in their dreams and conversations. Many thought they were deeply in love 'with girls from the Mount Mary Housing Estate without ever having spoken to them. Afterbeing taken to see the film "War and Peace" at the Savoy at least a dozen of us fell in love with Audrey Hepburn. Living in dormitories surrounded by friends was a wonderful experience. Mrs.Hindle our Matron was larger than life but kind and gentle. I finally left the boarding to enjoy my freedom once again in 1958.

No doubt we have one of the best assembly halls in the schools. The tall wooden ceiling, stained glass windows, semicircular stage and the balcony gave it the character it deserved. There were several creaky, wobbly, aging fans painted dark brown that hung from the ceiling. I often wondered what mayhem it would cause if one came off its moorings. Black and white portraits of past principals and teachers adorned the walls on both sides. I distinctly remember a bronze plaque at the back of the hall dedicated to an old boy who died in action in Syria. There was a panel full of names of past Principals hanging on the wall to one side of the stage opposite which stood the old piano.

CJ Oorloff always made a dramatic entry for assembly with all his black regalia and head gear. He never failed to read out loud and clear the names for Saturday detention. The prefects and sub- prefects stood to attention round the hall to stop the tittle- tattle and whispers. P.H.Nonis who took over from CJ Oorloff introduced his own relaxed style. With the end of the primary school, maths, history geography and science began to play a more important role in our lives. Edmund Dissanayake taught maths and several other subjects. He never raised his arm to punish students and seemed to have earned the respect of the class. Who can forget the Premawardenes Felix and Cyril? The former had a well-trimmed moustache, taught Sinhala and the latter had difficulty turning his neck and was called "bella". He taught Scripture. Lionel Jayasuriya affectionately called "Kabaraya" was our Class teacher in Form 2. He had a keen sense of smell and was eternally sending us out of the class for allegedly breaking wind with many of us protesting our innocence.

Fourth form divided our class of 30 into the Sciences, Arts and Commerce, friends were separated for the first time and gave us a taste of things to come. The Senior School Certificate was the first goal and it came upon us like a ton of bricks. I remember with affection Sethukavalar who taught us Physics. He made a characteristic hiss at the end of every sentence. Sethu left us to join Union College, Tellipalai. "Mishter" Dabrera took over physics and taught physics and rugby at the same time. We weren't sure whether to try or convert. DP George and Hensman were our Chemistry gurus and Yesudian the Biology tutor. NEH Fonseka wore the Ariya Sinhala dress taught Sinhala and NSJ Fonseka alias "Homba" taught scripture. We thought he wept when he related the story of the suffering of St Francis of Assisi. Fred Abeysekera was a fine teacher of English and helped us in essay writing and appreciating poetry. Being a distinguished old boy and having the right academic pedigree it defies logic why he did not become the Principal of the school. We met at Queens Hotel Kandy in 1970.1 was with some inebriated medics and was ducking and weaving to escape his attention when he tapped me on the shoulder. We chatted warmly about mutual friends. Later,I bade farewell and saw him disappear into the night.

The school had the most beautiful gardens. When the many flamboyant trees were in full bloom in April with their deep red colour it seemed as if the trees were on fire. On chilly December mornings at sunrise we could see the silhouette of Adam's Peak and its mountain range against an orange background. This was a breathtaking sight indeed. The tall tamarind tree in front of the school provided the hungry boarders with some sustenance. Raman, the gardener from Cochin looked after the estate with great care. Ringing the school bell was an art and only Ranis knew how. It had its own characteristic rhythm. Ranis with his long hair tied at the back and a grey bushy moustache was even at the time a man from a different era. Rodrigo cared for the Chemistry lab and knew many tricks with chemicals, which surprised and amused us all. Silva with a short temper and a strange gait walked as if he had a football between his legs. He had thick rimmed spectacles and was in charge of the Physics lab. No story is complete without Wilbert with a foul temper who was our chief groundsman at Campbell Park. Marshall was the peon and when I saw him last, 4 years ago, it was as if time had stood still for him. His toothy smile remained unchanged in 40 years.

Adam's Peak

The dreaded school report never failed to arrive at the end of term. They are masterpieces of laconic English, a true record of ones performance and admonitions where necessary. "Could do better" or "there is room for improvement" were common "complaints". I did not like some of the comments but all in all felt no animosity.

No memoir of school is complete without mention of matrons. Mrs. Ruth Hindle was a large lady and loved the boarders. She was a mother figure to us all. Cared for us when we were sick, rubbed Vicks on our chests , cleaned our wounds and berated us when we misbehaved. Her son Waldo was a fellow boarder with us. She broke down and cried on her last day at school. Everybody felt sad and embarassed. Without her the boarding was never the same. Mrs.Gomes took over from her.

The Welikada prison opposite the school reminded us of the big bad world outside. There were punishments within the school too. They often didn't match the crime and excesses were rare. We were made to standup in class for the minor offences and to standup on the form for repeated minor offences. For slightly more serious misdemeanor we were sent out of class. On the spur of the moment punishment was a thundering slap which often left the finger marks. Various implements were used too. The ruler was used with its sharp edge or the flat side depending on the severity of the crime. The cane was the ultimate punishment in class. After school or Saturday detention was mostly for homework related crime. For crimes akin to murder we were sent to CJ Oorloff, R.A.Honter or Lanerolle which always ended in floods of tears and six of the best. The ultimate punishment was suspension or expulsion. Very few were bad enough for this. Smoking received such harsh punishments those days. A brave student would have quick puff during an interval in the dark alleys of Mount Mary and chew a mint to get rid of the smell.

The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet. - Aristotle.

In the sixth form we had come to the top of the ladder. We could go in and out of the school at will. Some of us became prefects. This gave added freedom though it alienated us from the school proletariat. Yesudian continued teaching Zoology. An excellent Zoologist, he had a genuine interest in our welfare. He left to retire in his hometown in Cape Cormarin, South India. Suntharalingam was a dedicated teacher too and taught Botany. His mispronunciations provided endless ammunition for jokes and laughter in class. "Laffa" taught us Chemistry. Chandrasekeran, a quaint, gaunt, saint, was the Physics teacher par excellence. Mr. Chandrasekaran went to Canada from Africa and was a very popular teacher in a Scarborough High School in Toronto. There was a great write-up in the Toronto Star after his untimely death. He was a soft spoken and an outstanding physics/applied maths teacher. Daya Perera, Lucky Jayasinghe, Sarath Ranasinghe and yours truly entered the Medical Faculty. Many others found places in Engineering- Y Sathyanathan and Gnanakrishnan, Biological Sciences and Agriculture- Sarath Wickramaratne and Harold De Alwis Jayasinghe.

The results were the best in the school for many years thanks to the dedication of our teachers. Jayasinghe is now a Consultant Radiologist in Brisbane, Australia. I met Ranasinghe briefly in 1973 when he returned from the UK after qualifying as a Paediatrician. By March 1962 the University Entrance results were made public I finalized my plans to leave school with mixed emotions. The last day at school was for me the saddest day of my life. It was as if my life had suddenly caved in. As I moved from room to room to say goodbye to my teachers, it dawned on me that I would never see some of my school friends ever again. Shaking their bands to say good-bye was the hardest act of all. When I left the school gates for the last time it left a void which has never been filled. The last image of the school as I looked back from Baseline Road has remained with me since. Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten. "Go West young man" said Rudyard Kipling and I took his advice and came over to London in the summer of 1974. Dr.C.S.Chen, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, who was an old Wesleyite gave me the encouragement to climb the ladder, when I needed it most. Sadly, he died 3 years ago.

After burning the midnight oil for further examinations I finally settled in semi-rural Hertfordshire about 50 miles North of London. On long summer evenings as I sit in my garden my mind often wander to those carefree days at Wesley College. Internet edition of the Ceylon Daily news is my only source of home news. It depresses me to read in the obituary column the names of school friends. I still remember them, as I saw them last, with their young impish faces and mischievous smiles. They are gone forever. Man is a history-making creature who can neither repeat his past nor leave it behind

I dedicate these memoirs firstly to my parents, who provided the encouragement and paid the bills, secondly to my teachers who educated me beyond the call of duty and thirdly to my schoolmates who by their friendship enriched my life. May God bless them all.

My life as a boarder (1952-58) by Dr.N.D.Amerasekera

There was peace in our country although the dark storm clouds of discontent were gathering in the horizon. My father was in Government Service and had to move from town to town every 3 years, what was then euphemistically called "transfers". In their wisdom my parents decided to send me to the hostel, at great cost to themselves. It was to give me a stable life and teach me the social skills and discipline. I achieved their goals only to lose them in the rough and tumble of University life. By the time I left, however, the famous Old Wesley College smoothness had rubbed off. The most important thing I learnt was ... just to be more confident about being myself. My social skills blossomed too, to everyones surprise!!

Memories of life in the boarding can fill a book. I will only select a few that stand out and I can recall with clarity. I was lucky to belong to a generation inspired contemporaneously by great teachers and principals. They gave us lofty ideas, great inspiration, self respect , firm discipline and anchorage. It was a sublime experience.

Overnight we had gone from the luxury of homelife to almost total captivity. The first day at the boarding was full of tears specially when wishing the parents good-bye. I was ten years old and was virtually just off nappies. Nothing could have prepared me adequately for this trauma. It was the large frame of Mrs. Hindle, the Matron, who welcomed us. The early weeks were tricky. The loneliness and bewilderment was overpowering at times. There were times I wanted to run away to my aunt in Dematagoda. All our worldly possessions were crammed into a large metal trunk and the clothes had our name tags. In the first term they all called me "new boy", a strict reminder of the pecking order. In the beginning we all had to endure an arduous time. In such 'incarceration' some behaved well, others less so. We saw the best and worst of human nature. Humour was invaluable in the darker moments. As a group the boarders were self reliant, resourceful and developed amazing skills of leadership and survival.

The Matron was the Queen of the boarding. She was a fair skinned woman with a big bosom, called Mrs. Ruth Hindle. She lived in a room by the Junior Dorm with her son Waldo who was my age. Mrs. Hindle ruled supreme in the Junior section and occasionally would call out- WHO DID THIS? But She was a kindly lady and looked after us well. She was a good pianist and played the music for the Choir and also at special occasions at Assembly.

There is no place like the boarding to get to know the fellow students. The Saints, sinners and the scholars reveal themselves in the fullness of time and there is no better preparation for the life outside. The teachers fall into those categories too. Overall the sinners were very few like the Saints. The majority belong to some category in between. Our lives were controlled by the the large golden bell rung by "Tarzan" or Thasan who certainly looked liked the real thing. In the boarding we were confined to the school boundary. I was in the junior dorm which had a small wooden cubicle for the prefect in charge (Herbert Gunaratne and later L.C.Rodrigo). Then there was the Intermediate dorms A and B and the Senior dormitory. In the dorms there were two rows of beds covered with the double blue bedspreads which was our trade mark. I clearly recall we were not allowed to sit on the bedspread. Life began at 6am with the bell. Wash and ablutions were done in the communal bathrooms where Kolynos chlorophyll toothpaste and purple Lifebuoy soap comes to mind instantly. Chlorophyll was said to remove the odour from the mouth. Interestingly, some years late I recall seeing in a journal:

"The goat that stinks on yonder hill. Grazes all day on chlorophyll". (Chlorophyll, as you know is the green pigment found in leaves)

There was a large concrete tub full of water where some brave lads had an early morning bath. We had PE at 5.45 am taken by a monitor (usually a masochist) for about 10 minutes. Prep started at 6.45 finishing at 7.35 when we all assembled in the dining room for breakfast. Bread jam and tea was served sometimes hoppers like flying saucers and string hoppers hard enough to kill a man. These were served with mouth watering seeni sambol packed with a stick of dynamite. The school bell rang at 8.15am. From 4 -6pm all boarders were expected to indulge in sports which most of us enjoyed. Prep was done in 2 prep rooms on either side of the common room. We had our own desks securely padlocked. Many of those padlocks were called "Master" made in Milwaukee USA. The desks had broad sloping tops that opened. We kept our books pens and pencils in those and also a few of our priceless possessions. There was a hostel master or a prefect on "guard" to make sure there was no chit chat during prep. It was a serious business and no nonsense was tolerated. After doing our homework we prepared for tests and examinations. Reading story books was strictly forbidden. I have received the regulation slap from EL Rodrigo for breaking the rules at prep. 6.30pm prep began until 7.45 when we met in a small room called the chapel- with a well polished wooden floor where we had prayers taken by a teacher. We sat or squatted on the floor. On one wall was a famous painting of the 'Praying Hands' by Albrecht Durer. There was a tall pulpit for the short sermon. I remember singing those famous hymns and praying leaning against a wall. Dinner was served at 8pm and prep started again at 8.30 until 9.15. We retired to bed at 9.30pm when it was "lights out". Two large buckets were kept at either end of the long corridor upstairs for us to empty our bladders at night. Being semi awake some missed the target making a mess on the floor. I recall someone saying "Don't flatter yourself"- stand nearer. The barber came every Wednesday, being a half day. Cutting was done in the open air in front of the primary block. I often feared that flying crows will provide the Brylcreem. We wrote our names in the barber's book and that was the "batting order". We had to be motionless during the procedure to avoid cutting the ears.

The clothes washing was done by a "dhoby" who visited the hostel once a fortnight in his bullock cart. He was called "mynah" as his long hair was knotted at the back. We had a "dhoby" book and this was filled in duplicate and a copy was placed in the bundle of dirty clothes. "Thou shalt not steal" said the rule book but petty stealing was rampant and difficult to eradicate. Any food or money left unattended, just disappeared. Some developed ingenious techniques of opening padlocks with master keys etc. There was a hard core of small time crooks who were on the lookout for goodies. They were mainly in search of food. Some broke into trunks and others into desks. We owned so little that anything stolen did not amount to much. LA Fernando was the Senior Hostel Master and there was Yesudian, Vethanayagam (balli) and EL Rodrigo (Peththa) who helped to maintain law and order. Subsequently Ivor De Silva, Maxwell De Alwis, Ben Jayasighe, Henry Rajapakse and DB Welikala joined the staff. Thursday dinner was special called ,"State dinner". Mr. and Mrs. Oorloff joined us and the food was marginally better than usual with a dessert. The Principal always said Grace in Latin. Saturdays we played sports the whole day and in the evening there was a film show. The 16mm films borrowed from the embassies showed life in other countries and items of "Pathe" news.

Needless to say there was no television, no computers, and no mobile phones. We made our own entertainment and amused ourselves. Mr. LA Fernando took large groups of us to see films at the big Cinema halls. I remember seeing Demitrius and the Gladiators, The Robe and Samson and Delilah. During the marble season we were all at it playing "bunkings". Hector Bernard Dareeju was the uncrowned king of marbles and I have lost many a round to his wily ways. Indoor games like carrom and table tennis were popular too. These were played in the Common Room which had a Rediffusion set to listen to BBC News, Elvis Presley Or Bill Haley. There was also a game called " Thachchi" which was played in the Badminton courts in the front of the school. "I spy" and "hide and seek" were popular too. In the hostel we had 3 houses Yodhayas, Vikings and Spartans. There was great rivalry between them. The matches were keenly contested and took place in the "small park". The small park was a patch of gravel. Trips and falls here resulted in numerous grazes and peeled skin. All these running repairs were done by Mrs. Hindle with iodine and spirits sending us skipping in pain. We wore tennis shoes for games. As we never bothered to keep our feet clean constant usage created "toe jam" (An offensive paste of dirt and sweat). We all had our heads full of lice or dandruff and faces full of pimples giving us a Dickensian look.

Maradana Methodist Church

On Sundays there was no salvation for the Christians and the non-Christians had it easy. The rest had to walk to the Maradana Methodist church in the morning for Sunday school and in the evening for Evensong. It was a long trudge on narrow roads with trams, cyclists and motorists whizzing past our toes. Certainly the path to heaven wasn't easy! We all hated the journey and wished we were non-Christians. It is perhaps this forced religion that made me drift away from Christianity. The highlight of the evening service was the singing of the octogenarian Mr.Blacker, an old boy of Wesley, who was very deaf and sang a different hymn to the rest of us. On the Sabbath Christians were not allowed to play any sports. We tried hard to reconcile the strictures of our faith with our youthful exuberance and love of cricket.

There was intense loyalty to the hostel. All the Hostellers were in Moscrop House which brought a great degree of unity amongst the boarders. These surfaced at interschool matches. There were little groups or gangs who stuck together and occasionally violence erupted ending up with "Laffa" who applied the wisdom of Solomon. The victim, assailant, witnesses and bystanders were all caned. Those who "sneaked" got punished by the peer group as well. There were times when I raged at the injustice of punishments. In the main the boarders were a united bunch. The friendships were strong and lasting and the day scholars feared the camaraderie that existed. The Muslims, Tamils, Sinhalese and Burghers formed one large brotherhood which we carried to the wider world in later years. Most boarders had nicknames depending on their infirmities, habits and names. Like "Homba" for a protruding jaw and "Kabaraya" for scaly skin, "Goofy" for protruding teeth and Nabiya for NAB. A chap with a goitre became "gedi Vetha" There were two blind students in the senior dorm who were greatly liked by us all. One of them , Cornelius, was an excellent pianist and the other was Matthew (thanks to Mike Christoffelsz and Lou Adhihetty for jogging my memory) I met Cornelius many years later when he was in charge of a School for the Blind in Seeduwa. He didn't recognise my voice by recalled my name and the connections instantly. He spoke most warmly of LA Fernando for his help and kindness.

For many years we had bed bugs in the hostel. The white sheets were covered with blood stains. It kept some of us awake at night when the infestation was at its peak. There were debugging sessions on Saturdays which the boarders undertook without any input from the management. Some used lighted candles to burn the bugs from the iron beds. How we didn't set fire to the coir mattresses and to the wooden floor remains a mystery. Perhaps going to church on Sundays had its benefits after all. The more affluent ones used various kinds of insecticide sprays. Finally it dawned on the Hostel masters that something had to be done for the whole hostel to prevent re- infestation and hired a company to do the work. That was the end of the problem. When sickness struck we were put in a small house by the rear entrance of the school called the Sick room. It was mostly the 'flu but occasionally the childhood infections like chicken pox and measles. It had a toilet and a single large room. Mr.Eric De Silva who lived in the same building visited us to give advice about matters medical and spiritual. Sickness often resulted in a visit to Dr.Lucien Gunasekera in Borella who was an old boy and also the hostel doctor. He spoke little but with authority and always prescribed a pink liquid and a bottle full of tablets. In those days we knew our place and asked no questions. The matron visited us twice a day and the food was sent to us.

It would be fair to say I enjoyed the mealtimes more than the meals. As I recall the hostel food was appalling and we were eternally hungry. Wijemanne's Tuck shop was our only hope for sustenance and was the centre of our lives. Without it there would have been little to live for. But it had a drawback - we had to pay money, something which we never had enough. Trips from folks at home brought food and extra money. There were times when I was flat broke. Friday was the day we got our pocket money. Often the rupee we got was used to pay our debts to Wijemanne, the achcharu ladies or the Toffee man. When the money ran out some ate toothpaste Marmite, Bovril and Horlicks and others used their ingenuity to make "invisible" hooks to pluck papaws from the neighbours. The large Tamarind tree provided a sour mouthful when the hunger was pretty desperate. The small park was surrounded by "andara" trees which had green pods with the seeds covered by some edible white stuff. We just ate that too. Being cheap, tasty and filling a "thosai feed" was the ultimate luxury we dreamed of. Raman the gardener brought the stuff from Purasanda Café next door. I vaguely recall the boarders going on strike because of the poor quality of food in the hostel. I would be grateful if someone can expand on this incident.

I joined the boarding as a child and left as an adult. In that process I noticed my voice go husky and the hairs appearing in my body. The Mount Mary girls whom I have ignored for many years became attractive and even sensuous and beautiful.. I went to Church and Sunday school to to see the girls and speak to them. It was a phase that remained well into our teens and beyond. A time in our youth when we saw the world in vivid technicolor. Youth is a blunder, Manhood a struggle, old age a regret said Benjamin Disraeli

We often used the road through Karlshrue gardens to go to Campbell park for sports. This was the road used by the Mount Mary girls which gave us a lot of pleasure. Mr.Eric Gunasekera used to stand at the gate of his house to ask us the cricket scores on Fridays and Saturdays. He was blind then but his love for the school remained strong. The famous Nalanda cricketer Sarath Silva used to live down that road too and of course Ajitha Wijesinghe (old boy) at the top of the road and Dr.Jayasundera and his daughters next to the "small park".

The school cricket season made the hardships all worthwhile. Fridays and Saturdays all the boarders were at Campbell Park. Mr.LA Fernando led the cheering and the bailas. Even the College song was given a swing. Wesley had many unbeaten teams in the early fifties. The Claessens, Adihettys and the Fuards dominated the game from start to finish. There was good support for the away matches in Colombo as we were taken by a teacher or a senior boy. Having Neil Gallagher, and A.R.Chapman in the team both being boarders the support was intense and very worthwhile. I still believe 1952-53 were the finest years of cricket at Wesley. We were allowed out of the boarding one weekend a month, in the mid term and in the holidays. The process of getting off for these weekend breaks needed careful planning like obtaining a visa. We had a little blue book called the "Exeat" which had to be duly signed by a teacher.

There were annual hostel trips which took place in the mid term holidays or on a long weekend. Often they stayed in the homes of old boys or present boarders who lived in the upcountry. We often stayed at the d'with Barbuts (Cecil and Arthur) in the Survey Camp at Diyatalawa. End of term exams were a serious business and a many of us worked extra to get the good grades. We helped each other a great deal to achieve our goals. On the last day of school the leavers said their goodbyes and those who had the courage made a short speech after dinner. Let the truth be told, life in the boarding was never a bed of roses. The years between the ages of 10 and 13 were the worst. As we became more senior life was tolerable. Often I felt the teachers could have been a bit more kind to the boys who were far from home and at the mercy of those in charge. In those days values were different and the belief was that the boys had to be toughened up in preparation for the rigors of life ahead. Perhaps there is some truth in that too.

I think we had a premonition of the mass dispersal that would take place as we finished schooling. Many of us maintained autograph books, little rectangular books of about a hundred pages where we got our close friends to write a short note. The contents varied from canny limericks to Shakespeare. At the end of our stay in the hostel it became a vast collection of memories which I guarded with my life only to be a casualty of time and lack of space later on. Prof.R.Somanathan who now lives in San Diego, found his book recently and read out a verse I had written. I was embarrassed by my trivial trash nevertheless it remains a frozen frame from the film of life. S.R.N.Perera from Panadura wrote thus in my book:

A poignant story of the life ahead. He is now Fr.Ranjit Perera who looks after his flock in Padukka.

Despite the hustle and bustle of life and the regimentation we had time to put our arms round our pals and share in their joys and sorrows. We shared our secrets and exchanged stories about our parents, brothers and sisters. There was a certain closeness which was rarely seen in friendships later on in life. We talked about our dreams and aspirations for the future and assumed we will always be friends. It fills my heart with sadness to think many of us will never meet again. It is a horrible reminder of your own mortality when you read or hear of the death of boarders who played, laughed, sang and fought with us all those years ago. For me they will always remain fifteen, healthy and smiling. It is hard to believe they will not be playing those elegant cover drives ever again or be ready for a pillow fight.

Where would they be now?

Nimal Sureweere-Vancouver, R.Somanathan-San Diego USA,Chandra Weeraratne-SL,Kenneth De Silva -SL, I .Muttu-UK, The strong contingent from Sammanathurai MAM Razak-Mohideen, Amir Ismail-SL and Hakeem Ismail-UK. Then there was HCU Peiris? NAB Fernando - deceased,BCRN Fernando-Holland, BGR Fernando-SL, A.R.Fernando who went on a scholarship to study medicine in Japan lives in London and I met him in a bookshop in London. His brothers NGA and Cecil, Brian (deceased) his brother Damien Gunetilleke? Asoka Rodrigo? There is a strong group in Australia-Cecil and Arthur Barbut, MNG and Upali Perera, Kenneth Anthonisz,Michael Christoffelsz,S.D.Fallil alias Shantha De Alwis,Harold Juriansz,Goofy Wright (Perth) . Milroy Bulner- deceased, Boris Schrader -deceased, Schranguivel, S.Soundravel, R.Ratnavel-deceased, Crutchley,Upali Siriwardene,HAL Kumarasiri deceased,Wijetilleke- deceased, Mynah Wickramaratne, H.B.Dareeju, Henry Rajapakse, Lionel Rajapakse-deceased, Ronald Asirwatham, Dr.Lakshman Gunaratne, Weeraperumal- Brian. Kenneth De Silva-Prefect of Games at Wesley and his brother Geoffrey. Asoka and Shirley Ranasighe- deceased

By 1958 my father had moved to Colombo and it was time to leave the boarding. I left with mixed feelings. Sad to leave my friends with whom I shared six long years but glad to regain my independence and some good food of my own choice. I maintained strong links with the hostel and with my numerous friends in the boarding until I left school in 1962.

I often look back to the days in the boarding. The sands of time have moved on as I have progressed from youth to middle age. After many years, I visited the hostel in 1998 and walked the long corridors once again. The nostalgia was overwhelming but the magic of the place had gone without the friends who made it so special. Fifty years on Wesley continues to make immense contributions to education but the Boarding has been scaled down. A sign of the times.

I dedicate these memoirs to my classmates, Dayaprasad Peiris and C. Amaradasa Fernando, who endured the pain and pleasures of boarding life with me. They were sons of Methodist Clergymen. Daya, I remember him as a chorister singing "Once in Royal David City" and CAF as a chap with a gravel voice and a poker face. Daya became a Journalist and CAF, a Superintendent of Police. They both lost their battle for life in their early fifties. May their Souls Rest in Peace.

Ah ! those were the days. How time flies.

Growing up at Wesley in the 1950's - Abridged - by Alfred K David

The Old Boys of Wesley College from many generations join those of the present generation in celebrating the 125th Anniversary of the founding of our great school. We do so with great joy and justifiable pride. Wesley has been one of the leading educational institutions in Sri Lanka and proudly takes it place along with other leading Boys schools such as St. Thomas Royal, Trinity, St Joseph's, Ananda, Zahira and St. John's (Jaffna) Those responsible for the publication of this 125th Anniversary Souvenir are providing an opportunity to the present generation of Wesleyites, to understand why Wesley has such a remarkable hold on the thoughts and affections of those who have been fortunate to pass through its portals. It is my intention to share my reminiscences of our beloved school with Wesleyites, both past and present.

It is my humble offering to thank my Alma Mater Wesley for what it has done for me and my three younger brothers Joseph, Paul, Charles. Each one of us owes Wesley a debt that can never be repaid. Many '": of my contemporaries will endorse these -sentiments. My association with Wesley began in January 1952, when I entered Form I A of the school as an 11 year old. My father, decided to send me to Wesley despite his being an Anglican and an old Josephian. It was perhaps due to my mother being a Methodist. The Principal was the retired civil servant Mr. C. J. Oorloff. The teachers who thought me in form IA and helped me to adjust to my new environment included Mrs. Rachel Lembruggen, Mr. Lional Jayasuriya, Mr. Gunaratnam (Bullet) Mr. Edmund Dissanayake and Mr. Derrick Mack.

Chief peon Ranis was held in great awe and respect by all the students. Marshall Perera, who still serves the school, was also among the minor staff. He is indeed a link with the Wesley of the Fifties. My entry in to Wesley coincided with the early years of Sri Lanka's Independence from British colonial rule. It was a period which former Prime Minister S.W. R. D. Bandaranayake described as "a period of transition". The changes in our national life also meant that Wesley which was an "assisted school" in the early Fifties became a non-fee levying private school in the Sixties. This status still continues and has perhaps changed the egalitarian character of the school in the fifties.The Wesley of the Fifties produced "men of grit and industry" from all communities who served independent Sri Lanka in different capacities. There wore also Wesleyites of a earlier generation who were prominent national leaders like Sir Baron Jayatilleke, Sir Oliver Goonetileke.

The first diplomatic envoys sent out by the newly Independent country included Wesleyites. The public service and other professions at the time of Independence had many Wesleyites who were Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim and Burgher. It is important to remember that Wesley was founded by the Methodist Church in colonial Ceylon as a Christian school. Highly dedicated Methodist missionaries like Rev. Henry Highfield, who were its Principals until the early Fifties, were Missionaries who practiced what they preached. It was a Methodist minister Rev.Gogerly who in the mid 19th century, first proposed the idea of education in the Swabasha medium, long before our national leaders thought of it Wesley continues to provide an education based on Christian values and today it has adapted to changing national needs and priorities.

Wesley also continues to be a school which caters to Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus in addition to the Sinhala and Tamil Christians. In our time in the Fifties, there was no chapel and morning prayers were held in the school hall. Today, Wesley has its own chapel within the school premises, largely due to the efforts of Old Boys like Lou Adhihetty and Lasantha Fernando During my student days, Wesley succeeded in inculcating in me and most of my contemporaries, the concept of "Mens Sana in Corpore Sano" while we also adhered to the college motto "ora et labora". For someone who entered the school as a mere II year old, one of Wesley's particular attractions was the sports facilities. I remember playing cricket (without protective gear) in the "Small Park" in Karlsrhue Gardens during my Form I and Form 2 days. Mr. A. D. Dabrera (our general science teacher) regularly admonished us and warned us of the danger of getting "sun stoke" while playing in the hot sun. Ironically, "Dabbie" became the rugger master when Wesley started playing rugger in 1955 and it was his incessant persuasion that was responsible for me finally playing rugger for the school in 1958. By a strange coincidence, I took over his duties in 1963, when I began teaching at Wesley.

Apart from indulging ourselves in sports, we were even more enthusiastic spectators when Wesley played cricket matches. We had cheering squads led by persons like B. C. R. N. Femando (the Principal N. A. B. Fernando's younger brother). We used to cheer Wesley with mighty shouts of "Zam zam zaki, zam zam zhay.." Our cheering was a great source of strength to our cricketing stalwarts like Brian Claessen, M. N. Samsudeen, Lou Adihetty, Abu Fuard and Herman Claessen. It certainly helped them to win matches regularly. Another feature of those days was the friendly camaraderie among rival cheering squads. We used to get on particularly well with the Josephian cheering squad, both at Campbell Park and at Darley Road. This brief report on Wesley in the Fifties would not be complete if there is no reference to the religious activities in the school during my time. Like the Wesley College boarders, I attended the Maradana Methodist Sunday School since my father was concerned about my religious education. It was my connection with the Student Christian Movement (SCM) at Wesley and not any church influence, that led to my becoming a committed Christian. For this, I must thank Lou Adihetty who was then President of the SCM in addition to being the Senior prefect and cricket captain.

God certainly moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform. My association with the SCM at Wesley, helped to enrich my life as an undergraduate at the University of Ceylon in Peradeniya. There I came under the influence of the Campus Chaplain Rev. Lakshman Wickremasinghe, who later became the Bishop of Kurunegala. I remember that prominent old Wesleyite and Wesley teacher Mr. Maxwell de Alwis (later an Anglican priest), who was the General Secretary of the SCM in 1959, commending me to Rev. Wickremasinghe as a "useful" SCM, man prior to my arrival in Peradeniya. Among the prominent SCM personalities that Wesley produced in my time, apart from Rev. Maxwell de Alwis, Mr. C. S Ponnudurai and my wife's uncle Dr. Archie Singham. In later years my student Mr. Marshall Fernando went on to become the President of the World Student Christian Federation (WSCF) based in Geneva.

I recall persuading Marshall to participate in a WSCF consultative Meeting at Jaffna College in December 1965. I was then the Acting General Secretary of the National SCM. Soon after I joined the Sri Lanka Overseas Service. Returning to sports activities in school, I captained the school athletics team and participated in some of the events in the Public School Athletics Championships in 1958. I also played in the rugger team as left wing three quarter and contributed towards some of the victories. It appears that at present, there is less interest in sports among die current generation of Wesleyites, particularly those who pursue higher studies. As I mentioned before, the early Fifties was the "golden era" of Wesley's cricket. It produced two outstanding National players, Brian Claessen and Abu Fuard, both top class spin bowlers. Among the . great victories achieved by Wesley was against St. Joseph's in 1952, St. Thomas in 1953 and St. Peter's in 1954. The win against St. Thomas was largely due to the last wicket partnership of 19 runs between Vincent Adhihetty and Herman Claessen, despite the brilliant bowling of Zaki Cader. M. N. Samsudeen was largely responsible for the other two victories.

Wesley also maintained a fairly high standard in hockey during my time, due to the support of the Old Wesleyites led by Mr. Walter Jayasuriya. Wesley also produced National champions in table tennis and badminton. My wife's cousin Rishi Singham was the National Men's champion. The irony was that the school did not award colours for Badminton at that time despite the presence of reputed National players in the school. When I carried the Wesley College flag, as the Captain during the march past at the Public School Athletics Meet of 1958. I had lo wear an ordinary blue blazer and not the College blazer. The "golden era" of athletics was in the late Forties and early Fifties, prior to my entry to Wesley when there were athletes of the calibre of M. A. M. Sheriff and T. Van Rooyen. They were National Champions while in school. Sheriff proceeded to the USA along with my wife's uncle Archie Singham and won a Harvard blue in athletics. He later joined the Sri Lanka Overseas Service and served for a few years as a Diplomat. He was the first Wesleyite who was a Diplomat. He was the first Wesleyite who was a career diplomat. Despite a keen interest in sports, our generation of students did not neglect our studies. In 1958 we had very good University entrance results. Six out of the twelve students who sat for the examination, gained entry to the Arts Faculty of the University.

We also had good results that year among the Science students with Douglas Raymond, winning the coveted Hill medal that year and beating me in the process. I had to be satisfied with the Moscrop Award for the best all-rounder in the school. My younger brother Paul David won the Hill Medal in 1962. I won the Mary Highfield Essay Prize twice, first as a Fifth former in 1956 and later when I in the Upper Sixth in 1958. The essay written in 1958 was perhaps the best piece of writing I have ever produced in my life.- "The Brotherhood of man" my life.- "The Brotherhood of man" One of my regrets when I look back on my school life, was that I did not participate in the drama and activities in the school, except in the inter-house competitions. In the First half of the Fifties, Wesley e a reputation for producing good operettas like "Alad-in- and out". I remember Ronald Asirwatham, who turned out to be a good athlete performing in the role of a beautiful and coy bride. During those years Wesley also very good choir that was trained by Mr. Ivor de and our Annual Carol Services matched those Thomas' College and Trinity College.

The standards in Drama and Music at Wesley improved further in the Sixties under the guidance of Mr. Haig Karunaratne, when he introduced certain innovations of an indigenous nature. In this brief survey of the time that I spent at Wesley in the Fifties, I also wish to touch on the lessons the school taught me. It was not just the English, History and the other subjects that I learnt which turned out to be useful, I can honestly say that Wesley helped me to cope with the whole business of important questions in life such as the following:- Who am I and what am I doing on this universe ? How do I relate to other people ? What is my destiny and where am I going? The fact that I became a committed Christian in school, due to the influence of the SCM, helped me to find some answers to these questions.

In this context, I cannot help recalling that the Vice - Principal Mr. L. A. Fernando ("LAFA") chose the book "Why I am not a Christian ?" by Bertrand Russell as my 6th Form Christianity Prize. The teachers at Wesley in my time were very broad - minded persons. Wesley also helped me to develop and assert my individuality, while ensuring that due respect was shown to other persons. Wesley also taught me and my contemporaries how to cope with the competitive world to set one's own goals. Wesley in the Fifties reflected communal harmony at its best, something which is sadly lacking in our country today. Another lesson that Wesley taught us, was our responsibility to the community around us, particularly the under privileged ones. Those who passed through the portals of Wesley during the past 125 years have been regularly, made conscious of what they have to do for their poor and needy neighbours.

It is now time for me to pay tribute to the staff of Wesley all of whom were responsible for the school maintaining such high standard. I wish to single out one person who made a tremendous contribution to the school in my time. I refer to Mr. L. A. Fernando, whom we affectionately referred to as "LAFA". He was a father to most of the students of my generation. Apart from this time he spent in the classroom, he spent many hours on the playing field encouraging Cricketers, Athletes and Hockey players. The year I spent in form 3A during 1954 with Mr, Felix Premawardena, as class master, was the happiest one during my school life. The students in the class learnt a lot but not just from text books. We had our own class Parliament, a Weekly Newspaper, and also produced a class magazine at the end of the year. Most of my contemporaries like Upali Samararatne, developed certain skills during that memorable year.

Then again we had our school boy pranks. I recall getting six cuts form Mr. C. J. Oorloff for plucking mangoes as I did not reveal the names of the other culprits ! Years later when I narrated this, Mr. Oorloff responded by saying that be knew that I was a gentlemen who was protecting his friends ! Teachers at Wesley in the Fifties were not only devoted to the school but also had a consuming passion for its welfare. Wesley is what it is today, due to their dedicated and loyal service. The present generation of teachers and students have the responsibility of carrying on their good work. May God bless our school and all those associated with it. I am confident that Wesley will in spirit of "Ora et Labora' face the challenges of the new Millennium, in the same way that it coped with those of the 20th century. Let us all wave our for colours high and free and take Wesley to the fore steadily.

Reminiscences of a former College Chaplain by Revd J S B Manakulasuriya Moratawa. 1998

My reminiscences go as far back as 1920, when my father, a Methodist Minister, - attached to the Colombo City Mission took me to the Principal, the Revd. Henry Highfield who personally knew my father. Earlier he had baptised a sister of mine on Christmas Day at the Methodist Church, Maradana. After admission I was handed over to the master-in-charge of the Hostel , Mr.P.Harold Nonis.I enjoyed my days at Wesley and was a frequent visitor to the Principal's Bungalow to see Mrs. Highfield who had endeared herself to us small boys. On Sunday afternoon she used to tell us stories from the Bible and elsewhere, to teach us how to pray, and above all she would sing the lovely Hymns , some of which like " Tell me the Old, Old Story..", " Jesus friend of little Children', she used to teach us. We found the Principal and his wife truly helpful and kind to children.

Incident at the Classroom upstairs: One afternoon the Principal clad as usual in his clerical garb, cum gown and cap, walks towards the Class Room upstairs. I follow him and by the time I reached him I heard a CRASH. He kicked at the closed door to open it. But alas! His foot goes right into the glass pane of the door. He pulled his foot back and it comes out bleeding. The door is opened from within . I peep into the classroon and I see one of the students, I think it was Walter......' escape through the window and down the drain pipe to the outside. The students became panicky. I ran back, crying to the Principal's Bungalow and told Mrs.Highfield that the Principal's foot is bleeding. Then a few students entered carrying the Principal in an armchair. I ran back to the hostel to tell the boys what I had seen. Still I remember this and incident as though it had happened only yesterday!

Back at Wesley in 1950 as its resident Chaplain, Mr. C J Oorloff was the new Principal, Messrs K M de Lanerolle and Fred De Mel, the new Vice Principal and new Head Master, respectively, and Mr Shelton Peiris the Master- in - Charge of the Hostel The college S.C.M. was flourishing , with the late Maxwell de Alwis who later joined the Anglican Ministry and Others. A room adjoining the Hostel Dormitory was the Hostel and Staff Prayer Room. After daily morning devotions, a Prayer cell was used to meet regularly and among the boys who joined I remember Herbert Gunaratne, (and his brother) The late Hugh De Silva, Robert Coburn, Ranjith Fernando and N.A.B.[Fernando] - the present Principal. A few senior Hostellers and members of Staff, Henry Rajapakse, D. W. Wilfred and Eric De Silva were the nucleus of a new Wesley Guild formed at Maradana with Ronald Gomes, an old Wesleyite, as general Secretary. The monthly Epilogue over Radio Ceylon continued with the cooperation of a few Senior Hostellers and members .of staff viz. Ivor de Silva and LA Fernando, with Hostel patron Mrs. Hindle, at the Piano. Ranis, if I remember right, was a young man employee of the College even when I was a child in the Hostel. He was a kind sort of person. I found him so , even when I met him in 1950. He was a very honest and faithful employee who loved the College as any one of us. The following Methodist Ministers : Revd. M.S.Fernando, Lynn A. de Silva, and Dr. David K.Wilson .Served Wesley from time to time. I am now in my 83rd year and will complete it in March 1999. I am so glad to send this little piece and thank the Editor -in-Chief , Mr Shelton Peiris for writing to me to do so. May Wesley proceed in prayer and labour- ORA ET LABORA

Citizens Growing up at Wesley by Rev. Dr. David K.Wilson

In recent years something like a revolution has taken place. Informed opinion about the care of children between the age of 2 and 5. Nursery schools has laid a new emphasis upon this period of infancy. A. Gessell, in his book "The Preschool Child" says, "Never again, will the child's mind, character, and spirit advance as in this formative period of growth." Ceylon in the Nineteen Twenties had not shared that measure of concern for nursery children. At any rate the number of schools provided for them were few and far between. I came to know Wesley at the age of eight and entered the lowest grade in the school. Henry Highfield was its Principal, my class teacher was Miss Ludowyke and the Cricket Captain was Vanden Driesen.

Two years later both Miss Ludowyke and I moved over to Royal and she became my class teacher again in that school. The assembly each morning still lingers in my mind. Men like Highfield and Horlar, C. P. Dias, Mack and Honter read short passages from the scriptures and commented on than briefly. The boys sang the hymns lustily to the music played by senior students like Lyn Ludowyke and Victor Abraham. Right from the beginning of school life, the daily prayers reminded us that it was the vital centre of moral strength which was able to maintain life and to perform its mission without imposing standardized beliefs on society. Socrates was not able to define justice without making some assumptions about the gods, and Highfield thought it proper to train the citizens stronger than political or social expediency for rejecting injustice.

In my early years of school life, what impressed me a lot was the general atmosphere of the school and the personal example of teachers. The atmosphere of a school is difficult to define but it was made up of countless acts and incidents and controlled by subtle forces of personalities from the past and the present. Their lives and ideals were mirrored in the school community and by their attitude to the values and personalities dealt with in lessons, and to the problems of conduct thrown up by school life. Incidentally, it was here that I received my first caning from Horlar the disciplinarian for noisy conduct at school assembly. The opportunity of living with other people outside the family circle was team by me first at Wesley, and it furnished type roots from which social life was to grow. The need to be clean and tidy, to respect the order and routine that made the class room a joy and comfort to me and others, was the gentle art taught us by the lady teacher.

Learning to do things for ourselves with Card board, brown paper, light wood, scissors and paste was born out of the rich experience in the Hand Work classes of Earle Schokman. The Intellectual and imaginative exercises that were administered to us in small and large doses by Herman Labrooy and B.C. Perera. Labrooy is no more but B. C. Perera is still with us as a lawyer and is also a member of the choir at St. Michael's and All Angels' Church, Polwatte. Having left Wesley at the age often, my knowledge of Wesley's deeds are vague, but for the lively encounters at Cricket against Royal. The most memorable one was when Wesley lost badly to Royal and Royal totalled one of the highest scores (430) for schools in 1930 on the Reid Avenue grounds. My next association with the school was when I came back to Wesley as Chaplain of the school during the two years 1949 and 1950.

The year 1949 marked the seventy fifth anniversary of the school. At the school celebrations on that occasion, the Rt. Hon. Mr. D.S. Senanayake, (Prime Minister) said : "I stand here to acknowledge my gratitude to such men as Highfield, who infused into me some of those qualities which I hope I possess. " As a Chaplain residing in the school hostel, I began to see Wesley at its best and its influence on the life of the school community, and also its weaknesses. There were spacious building, better furniture, bigger staff, and excellent equipment. But often on reflection the question that cropped up in my mind was, "Has the school progressed?" There was James Cartman, succeeded by Cedric Orloof, and Kenneth de Lanerolle and an able team of staff members, guiding the destinies of the school. There was improvement in the outward paraphernalia, and in many other there was development.

But was that progress? Over and over there was unredeemable human nature which kept coming in at the junior end of the school and gathering momentum through the years and later pouring out into the larger life outside the school walls into the later pouring out into this was counter- balanced by the forward looking minds of the teaching staff that were ready to reinterpret the old and simple virtues of humility, service, restraint and respect for personality. In this regard, Wesley was in a sense fulfilling the conditions necessary to build a healthy democratic society. It was Lord Lothian who once said in a public address that, "Democracy is a, system that can only succeed where it produces a race of aristocrats. " After a significant pause he said, "An Aristocrat I define as any person who habitually gives more than he receives. " This is the Centenary year of Wesley, and I have returned to it after twenty four years, once again as Chaplain of the school. This time many of the old familial faces are gone. C.M. Fonseka, Eric Gunasekere, Fred de Mel, Eric de Silva and Ranis have passed beyond the veil.

The school is under the safe leadership of Shelton Wirasinghe and Dunstan Fernando (both of whom I have known for over a quarter century) along with an able band of teachers. But this time the food and energy crisis is upon us. It is time to pause and think. It is not sufficient for us review the pathway we have travelled through a hundred years, nor is it enough to remind ourselves of the intention of the founders and the builders of Wesley and its traditions. At a time such as this, we ought to be able to read the writing on the wall and note that the present crisis speaks in terms of warning and hope. The human race is so clever, and can plan and predict for the future, or so it thought. But now man is the victim of his own selfishness and arrogance.

Christian schools and institutions, tokens of education and social welfare are no substitutes for what must be the eventual sharing of this world's goods, and the creation of an international life style with the the budget of the world's resources which God has provided. This is a hard and painful lesson to be learnt in terms of cooperation, trust and mutual support. The Christian schools must infuse their life into the world in this gigantic task. They must help to create the cultural and intellectual climate in which nations can realize this sense of humanity. They must raise up men, who share this sense of humanity. They must raise up men, who share this concern, and who can be appointed, to act for the future. This is the significant contribution that Wesley can take for mankind's responsibility, because future history will be decisive. Pray therefore and labour on.

Editor's Note David Wilson 's early schooling was at Wesley' He Joined Royal College Colombo where he proved to be a brilliant scholar and an athlete of outstanding performance and singular permit. He was Wesley's Chaplain from 1949 - 1950 and again in 1974. The Cartman-Wilson combination resulted in a spiritual regeneration of Christian life of the School. He revitalised the SCM to be a vital shaft and a very sustaining influence. His rapport with students had no gust, yet his leadership was outstanding.

A Hosteller recalls The Sago Saga by Ernest Visvasam

Sago Pudding, ... how I detest the stuff. I positively absolutely loathe the stuff.! Anyone with any intention of trying to force me to eat the stuff will need reinforcements. Now don't get me wrong. I 've got nothing against the lowly Sago whose merits have been extolled by various nutritionists over the ages. My reasons are historical; they go back to the days of World War II . I was in my teens and in the College Boarding at Wesley. Life had been reasonably normal as long as the War was fought in Europe, but once it entered the Asian scene, with the entry of the Japanese into the conflict, things began to turn grim.

It meant the War was on our doorstep and rationing of nearly every commodity came into force. It also meant that hordes of troops of various nationalities - Anzacz, Africans, Gurkhas, British, & Americans were all about the place, getting first preference for whatever was available. If life was grim outside , it was worse inside the school hostel. The major area of dissatisfaction to us growing boys was food. On no account could food be refused, even on a rare occasion. A bad stomach meant an even more detestable dose of castor oil ! Then one day began an extraordinary regime of Sago Pudding and it continued unabated day after day. It meant Sago pudding at lunchtime, at dinnertime and even at late night supper.

This situation degenerated even further and we were served Sago Pudding even for Breakfast, which was the unkindest cut of all. We had to counter this Sago offensive and called a War council, before we were drowned in Sago Pudding. We then discovered the reasons for this Sago Pudding onslaught. The Boarding Kitchen was in the charge of the Major who conducted and directed all food operations. As mentioned earlier it was a time of dire shortages, and the "Major" was hard put to get his sugar ration on time, and was forced to enter into a nefarious deal which . appeared to be a bargain. When the so-called bags of sugar arrived it was all Sago! and six bags for the price of three ! And mind you a bag was one hundred weight (112 lbs) of sago. At the normal rate of consumption at perhaps twice a week of sago pudding it would have been sufficient for 6 months.

The "Major" reckoned this was far too long to keep the stuff and decided on the Sago Saga. Various methods of combatting this huge dose of Sago was debated which included a protest march to the Headmaster, but were eventually abandoned due to lack of takers. Finally the bright idea of actually "kidnapping" the Sago emerged, and with the connivance of a Hosteller's father's transport, the offending last three bags of Sago were ditched. There was a hue and cry about the sudden disappearance of three bags of Sago, but after a brief inquiry the matter was dropped as it was not uncommon to have break-ins during this time. Thus the Sago Pudding deluge came to an end, and even now the mention of Sago pudding brings out the rebellious side of me !

Ernest Visvasam New South Wales Editors Note. Ernest Vlsvasam was a student at Wesley in the 1945/50 period. He won the Dr Solomon Fernando Prize for Mathematics, Mary High field Essay Prize , and passed the SSC in the 1st Division. He then joined the Colombo Commercial Co as an Engineering Apprentice, and was awarded a Scholarship to the UK, to undergo a graduate apprenticeship shop floor training with the Hawker Siddeley Group lasting for two years.This tour included visits to several Manufacturers who were represented by CCC in Colombo. Vlsvasam is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer, and obtained his full Membership of the IMechE in early 1960. Whilst in Colombo, he was a Vice President of the OBU. He worked as a Senior Engineer at Colombo Commercial Co and emigrated to Australia in 1974. He worked as an Engineer there until he retired in 1995 after 36 years in the Engineering Profession. He now spends his retirement in New South Wales.

My memories of Wesley by Rev Rohan Wijesinghe, B.D., Theol.M

I would like to share with you some memories I have of Wesley College in a lighter vein. These off-line events played a significant part in preparing me and perhaps many others for life as only Wesley College could do. These are the gaps in our school careers. These gaps are as significant as things that took place in the normal scheme of things while I was at Wesley College. So, I share them with you.

I joined Wesley College in Standard 2, a few days after the school year had begun. With a monitors exercise book and pencil my father took me to the class where Miss Iris Blacker was teaching English. She set some work for us, and I did my exercise in the monitors book. Soon after submitting it, I heard her ask who submitted the monitors book. I owned up and went forward. She slapped me across my face with it and said that I should have followed her instructions and bought a regular exercise book! That was my initiation! However, about 10 years later I became a Prefect of the College. One day I had to take some Office Notice to the Primary School classes and I walked in to Miss Iris Blacker's class. Seeing me she stopped what she was doing and introduced me to the students: "This is a Prefect, and a Prefect is perfect..." and she went on to give a glorified speech about how much Prefects were an example to the school. Believe me, it reminded me of humiliation I first felt when she slapped me across my face on my very first day in the school, nay, my very first class in school! Of course in later years she and I shared a mutual respect, and I think that she was a terrific lady.

Then when we were in Standard four, our class was in the Vice Principal's bungalow. Nihal Ameresekere (ND) and I shared the front double desk facing the class master's table. Our class master was Mr. Wilfred Wickramasinghe. Once during the short interval, Nihal gave me a playful punch to my face which I ducked and I returned the favour, but Nihal got my fist smack on his lips. That's the age when we had our front teeth shaking and about to fall! I think Nihal's tooth came off and his mouth was filling with blood. Just then the bell rang and Mr. Wilfred walked in. Nihal had no time to do anything, but a small trickle of blood began to pour out of his mouth. Mr. Wilfred feared the worst and thought that I was a thug and took the matter very seriously. I was never asked to explain my conduct and Nihal was too upset to give an explanation. promptly the monitor, Nimal Sureweere, was asked to take the two of us to the headmaster, "Papa" de Mel. Perhaps he was about to start a class, or perhaps he recognized me. He asked us to meet him during the lunch interval. By this time, Sureweere was trying to point out that since Nihal and I were best friends, he should not have reported me. Nihal was saying that he did not report me, but that since his mouth was filled with blood he could not speak. Any way by the time the lunch interval came both Nihal and I had agreed that we will not meet the Head Master, even though Mr. Wilfred sent us marching to Mr. de Mel's Office. We managed to avoid the encounter and for the next few months we made sure that we came no where close to Mr. de Mel. Many years later when I left school Mr. de Mel was the Welfare Officer. I went over to his office to pay him my respects. He then reached down to his diaries and selected one. Then he opened it and found the place where it was written, that I should have had a caning when I was in standard 4. I grinned and so did he.

I hated Sinhala kavi. I was in standard five and Mr. S.T. Perera was our teacher. One day I could not recite a particular verse of a Sinhala Kavi. A few others too defaulted like me. Then Mr C.M. Fonseka, the new Head Master came along and we were caned. I took it very badly and I still think I should not have been caned! But such were the ethics of schools then!!

I had another blue day in Form 2. Mr. L.A. Fernando was teaching us and he asked me a question and I gave a silly answer. I was asked to keep standing. Twice more I was asked questions and I just did not get things right that day. Then he came to me and said that I am a G.B. I grinned. He asked me whether I knew what G.B. meant. I said , "Yes, Great bugger." That was too much and perhaps I crossed the line. So I got a good punch on my shoulder and LAFA said "G.B. means 'Gon bas."

Once when there were communal riots in the late '50s, school closed early and we were returning home upstairs in a double decker bus. Suddenly the bus was stopped and some thugs came upstairs looking for those they might assault or harass. Mr. Sethukavala was seated in the front row. One thug saw him and said "you are one of them." At which Mr. Sethukawala stood up thin and tall, removed his spectacles and defiantly said" gahapan." The thug got cold feet and quickly left the bus. We felt so proud of our Physics Master that day.We glowed with pride at the integrity of our Wesley leaders and teachers!

Mr. Lionel Jayasuriya, as I remember him was a fabulous teacher and more than teaching us English, he taught us manners, values and good behavour. He had a way of making learning fun. I came to know him very much as he was our Senior House (Passmore) Master. I believe he taught my father who studies at Carey College. I am happy to have been able to greet him on his 100th birthday this year.

Mr. N.S.J Fonseka was an angel of mercy. At the 'O' Levels I did well in all subjects except Sinhals, which I failed. Without my asking he met me one day and said that it would be a shame if I could not get my 'O' Levels certificate because of my poor Sinhala grade. So he encouraged me to write a Sinhala essay each week and that he would correct and evaluate it for me. So it was that when I sat that subject the second time, I was able to obtain a Credit Pass. This opened the way for me to continue with my higher studies. I regret that I was not able to adequately express my gratitude to him later in life.

I took part in Athletics and Badminton. One year at the Colombo North group Meet, I was mistakenly entered for the 100 meter race, which was not one of my events. I was upset, but I can never forget the way "LAFA" kept on encouraging me to run the race for the College. I did so. I thought I ran a good race and that I breasted the ribbon first because I sustained a cut on my body by it. But when the results were announced I was not among the first three. Again LAFA was by my side saying how I ran a great race, but that in the last ten meters others caught up with me. He taught me to accept defeat with dignity. That was a lesson I learnt for life.

One day while watching a cricket match LAFA was with us and he and I were talking about Big matches. I complained that Wesley did not have a big match and that made us feel inferior. But LAFA immediately pointed out that he is grateful to the foresight of the founding fathers of the College for deliberately deciding not to have a Big match. He reminded me that Wesley College was for the average person and not meant to be elitist. By deliberately not having a big match we had made a significant statement and that is what makes us different and unique among the leading schools of Colombo. I had never looked at the matter in that way. To this day I am grateful to LAFA for giving me a solid reason to feel so proud to be a Wesleyite.

I travelled to school from Nugegoda by train. There would be a rare day when I might miss the train. When I was in Lower IV, once I missed the train and was late arriving in school. That day the prefects not only took down our names, but huddled us all late comers in a class room. Mr. Nonis, our Principal, visited the late comers in that class room. I distinctly felt that he was disappointed to see me, a Form VI student, among several students of much lower Forms. He said to me: "Wijesinghe, if Nugegoda is too far, leave school and join a school over there." I felt so ashamed. So the next day I made sure I was early at school, and I sat at Assembly in a place that Mr. Nonis would definitely notice. Then I was stunned when Mr. Nonis announced that the following boys have been appointed Sub Prefects of the school, and there included among others was my name too. Immediately I understood why Mr. Nonis felt so disappointed to find me in that class room among the later comers!

Usually we spent our small and big intervals in the Biology lab. But now that I was a sub prefect there was duty to be done. The Senior Prefect, Kodituwakku, assigned me and Daya Perera to check the back gate at the end of the lunch interval. The small park was filled with students and as the bell rang, everyone of them returned to their class rooms. Daya and I had never seen the back gate become so desolate so fast. Then Daya challenged me to go for a show to celebrate our appointments as Sub Prefects. I, not being so adventurous was reluctant, but went along with the scheme. We had to walk along Karlshrue Gardens past the Principal's bungalow and the Vice Principal's bungalow to get to Campbell park and beyond. We managed to do all that and as we came out to the main road near the Children's Hospital, we breathed a sigh of relief. Just then, a car screeched its breaks and it was Mr. D'abrera. He has seen us, and as he went towards Wesley College we saw him ringing his finger at us. It was a disaster and we lost our appetite for a movie. So we went to our homes dejected. The next day, we had to face the music. Mr. D'abrera, our Class Teacher met us and said: "So, you were trying to celebrate. Well, I marked you present." What a break!

When I was appointed captain of the College Athletics team we had some very good athletes, like Morris Mortier, Sarath Wickremaratne, Panchacharam, Thanga Velu, Bashudeen Mohammed, Winslow, Shantha McClelland, Gihan(?) Fernando, Kenneth de Silva and some others whom I do not remember now. But our morale was down because those were difficult days for the College and the Athletics team was not given much support, no special college outfit, "not even a packet of glucose!" and we had to walk it to the Oval. We fared disastrously and at the march-past I carried the college flag. The Chief Guest was Sir Oliver Goonetilleke, Governor General of Ceylon and an Old boy of Wesley. He presented the trophies to the winning teams and then he took a step back to identify from among nearly a hundred flags, the flag of Wesley College. He spotted the flag I was carrying and started walking towards me. My knees buckled and my heart began to race. He asked: "Did not do well this time?" I said: "No, Sir." He smiled, shook my hand and said: "Better luck next time" and walked away. Sir Oliver, by that gesture taught me to hold my head high even in defeat!

When it came to badminton, the college did not have any funding for this game, but My two brothers and I and P.S.Rodrigo were playing in various national tournaments and making an impact. There were times we used our private supply of shuttlecocks. We entered teams for the Inter-School Tournament for a few years. We had to move away the benches and chairs in the College Hall by ourselves, sweep and prepare the place for "Home" matches, and usually by the time the matches began wer were very tired. But Yet, we won quite a few of those matches. In 1958 I reached my best form and I had entered a national championship at the YMCA. Although I was unseeded I defeated all my opponents and reached the finals where I had to play against P.S. Rodrigo, my Captain at Wesley, For this all Wesley Finals Mr. Edmund Dissanayake, (Prefect of Games), Mr. Swaris (Athletics master) and Mr. Wilfred Wickramasinghe (Badminton master) were present. I felt so proud and I played my best game ever and in my heart I played for Wesley with pride! That was the pinnacle of success for me as a Badminton player.

My Wesley Days would not be complete if I did not mention the College Choir. I sang mostly under the leadership of Mr. Haig Karunaratne whom we came to love and respect. He was so dedicated to the College and to the Choir. He treated us with respect and as his friends. We had so much fun. Every year we had our Choir Party and Haig would be forced to sing the "Donkey Serenade" and Nimal Sureweere would burst out with his rich tenor voice. In my final year I was unofficially the lead voice of the bass line, but I was convinced that Swan had a better voice. Besides, I could never sing a solo. One Christmas Carol Service at the Maradane Methodist Church Haig would not accept my excuses and insisted that I sang a prestigious bass solo. I was near panic and then used rank and ordered Swan to sing the solo instead. I still remember how stunned Haig was when he brought me in for the Solo and Swan sang instead! Oh, well!! Haig did forgive me.

Mr. Felix Premawardene was the Drama specialist. In my final year Passmore House could not take part in the Inter House Drama competition. Felix would not hear of it and he somehow chose a play and convinced Bashudeen Musafar, Nigel Baptist and I to present Anton Checov's "The Bear." Felix trained us and we performed and our presentation tied for third place with Mr. Premawardene's Hillard House play! But after playing the role of the bear, I got my only nickname in Wesley College: The bear! Actually I did not mind it.

Mr. Charles Yesudian was not only our Zoology Master, he was a father figure to us. I remember the first lecture we had with him. He got us to write two things on the inside front cover page. "All flesh is grass." and "Knowing the better, doing the worse." Having lost my father when I was only 11 years old, I soon leaned on Mr. Yesudian. Soon after leaving school, when I felt called to be a Christian Minister, Mr. Yesudian encouraged me saying that he had observed that I had the correct temperament to be a Minister. So here I am after more than 40 years still grateful to this gentle and patient saint of a teacher to whom I owe so much.

Such are my memories of Wesley College. We were one great family. The staff members were excellent, and went beyond the call of duty to see that we made it through school. No one glossed over discipline, but everyone set a good example and set high ideals for us to follow. Among us students, we were one student body and we were hardly aware of our religious, language and cultural differences: we were a strong brotherhood. And that will always be what Wesley College was to me, "Men of grit and industry."

Brown Study and Buttonholing by The Scribe

In a reverie, often, one can catch a glimpse of the days that are no more, and recall no doubt with a tag of nostalgia, the gracious persons who had prayed and laboured in the vineyard of Wesley, perhaps under very trying circumstances In this exercise we recall with a measure of ease them whose names and deeds are fresh, even though many have crossed the bourn. We focus On some of Wesleys past teachers, men of the stature of Eric A. Gunasekera, Old Boy, a solid and sturdy bat just that kind of teacher with the many facets, skilled in English, Latin, Maths, Literature, not the "Specialist" variety R. A. Honter a man with a subtle humour, soft spoken, responsible in his unruffled way, to train many an Athlete, a Sportsman L. S DeS Weeragoda, a fine Maths teacher! N. Victor, a raconteur par excellence, and of Sinhala folklore Mrs. Nella Joseph, mother of Helen and Langston, was another formidable lady who seared the life of us, and infused discipline at our early age. Another group had men like J. L. F. De Mel (Pappa) J. E. De Silva and C. M. Fonseka. The two "De' s" were always immaculately dressed J. E. De Silva was a rare and a wonderful teacher, he was our "Hand work Sir", modelling, leather work, painting, a hypnotist, a Scouter, who introduced us to the beauty of nature. His stories from Baron Munchausen thrilled us. Ranis fits into the rich rare niche of that period, with his staid stateliness. Another teacher was F. J. Seneratna, a fountain of knowledge mild in manner . A disciplinarian who used a few sharp words to sour the most vociferous. He was an excellent cricket coach. Nor can we forget in recalling Kenneth De Lanerolle walking upright whistling. A rare gift of a teacher with so many facets, painstakingly planning SCM programmes, involved in Drama, music speech, with a keen and close eye on Wesley's fledgelings, a fine disciplinarian and Administrator. C. M. Fonseka, had a posture and style of his own. He had the habit of spurting saliva through the window - we called him "Spitto' to him went the credit of maintaining a beautiful landscape in and around the School campus, the like of which will never again be seen. Plump and comely Joyce Lembruggen and her name sake Rachel were angelic teachers, with peppery Iris Blacker forming a trio. These men and women including the Rev. James Cartman, and Rev (Dr.) David Wilson, carrying the burden of youth on their shoulders and moulding the crude, immature and soiled to be fit vessels on the very ocean of life. Time moves on.

Another group of teachers, no doubt walked inspired in the footsteps of the preceding stalwarts, In some cases even with a deeper stress on sports. Edmund Dissanayaka, of the Cartmen School, stands out .A K.Suppiah was yet another sterling asset. A man of a fine blend of sports and teaching skills. His altruism was outstanding. John Vedanayagama former Batticaloa pupil of Rev. Cartman also made his mark at Wesley. Wesley had her first ever Buddhist (acting) Vice - Principal in no other than Charles Silva, a pint size gentleman who had at all times displayed loyalty and concern. Lionel Rodrigo was yet another example of devotion, who for two years running never availed himself to a single day's leave. One who gave a new image to Wesley's Music and Drama was that all time Maestro Haigh Karunaratna. His talents be sowed brought in a rich harvest drawing near not only students of Wesley but of other Schools as well. Haigh withstood the cascading encomiums because of his sheer humility. Wesley lost him... .L. A. Fernando was yet another rare versatile teacher, steeped in a sacrificial care and concern for his charges. He Certainly mapped out, as a pathfinder, directions, which were followed taking such to great heights, though tragedy hounded him. Yet another teacher of puckish humour was Bertie Van Sanden. Students recall that never a lesson passed without Bertie's Jokes. He often stayed after school with a weak student and helped the lad. A younger teacher was Dr. Frank Jayasinghe. At Wesley he gave of his best and his brawl scope him to be accepted by many International institutions.

Three of Wesleys stalwart teachers were hugged into St. Thomas' sub- wardens Frank Jayasinghe and the recent third that fine teacher and counselor Daniel Pakianathan, who was on the staff of -Wesley for 31 years, is now the St. Thomas "Paki' as he is responsible for a resurrection of rugger at Wesley. On the frequency of Sports one cannot forget Old boy Nimal W. DeSilva who joined the staff in 1970, he endeared himself to the students. As a teacher his work was exemplary. Nimal, as the Master -in -Charge of Cricket, has always displayed tact and efficiency in matters of complexity He was always the last to leave the Pavilion, though he, travels from distant Gonawela. Well done Nimal! Bandula Waranapura that staunch Nalandian is another great asset in Wesley 's cricket. Be certainly is a dynamo generating much enthusiasm. In buttonholing a few of that vast company of loyal Old Boys you will be mindful that the limitations of space fences us.

Taking our mind back to the Centenary year we attempt to recall men of the' fibre of B.J. Karunatiileke. He gave of his best the resounding success of the Centenary Banquet, the 100 Diners lay out, won modest Karu a big hand of applause. Nor can we forget Wesley's source of perennial help Lou Adihetty, certainly a gracious and constant help in need. Lou's interest in Wesley was long before he even thought of Principal ship-long long, before! His concern perennial. God bless you Lou!. The 125th Celebrations has in display a conglomeration of Old Boys of different age groups. No doubt the various committees are drawing from these vital group; We are mindful of the Overseas members and their. unhedged Support. In this exercise of Button - holing, an older group and a not so old group register their activities J. C. P. Wickramanayake, taking the cue from Mrs. Mary F. Highfleld (nee Ledger) who compiled the first ever Old Boys' Register, also compiled, with the assistance of Amara Dissanayaka (wife of Edmund) quite a volume, which now cannot be traced S. Sivaruban brought out a Directory Shimal Thaha, functioning as Coordinator OBU directory is busy on a new Directory.

Its no fun keeping the Secretarial functions moving with a rapidly growing membership. Here outspends burly and robust Tyrone Maye, with cherub, face and robot mind! Well done Tyronne. Kadir Ishak a certainly an able lieutanant. Another group falls into the Dr.Kalinga Mudali category - P. Jeyaratnam, Ranjit Cooray Eric Gauder, Sam Soundravel, Parakrama Wijemanne. and none can forget either unobtrusive Wilhlem Vandort a veritable sheet anchor. Tracing backwards we record the deeds of Rajah Sinnathuray, particularly in the grim early eighties, keeping the funding pipe - line of the Welfare Society trickling. Of Rajah's stature was another conscientious OBU President P. B. (Cuiya) Herat. His term of office was fraught with much judicious Sense. Our next trio is certainly men of stature. Ranjit Abeyedeera is in a class by his own, though. Exposed to unwanted prejudice, in College he sprinted out, on leaving school to shine his best captaining the SLAF rugger team. Under his leader - the Airmen were a formidable side. With all the vicissitudes Ranjit always stood by his Old School. The next pair, is indeed a very helpful pair. Heard even before they are seen!. Vivian Jayaweera and Lasantha Fernand, rugged and robust, Characteristically transparent-outspoken and practical. To Lasantha's credit goes largely the planning of the College Chapel. This is but a cross -section of Old Boys with many others contributing their best often unseen and unsung. Rienzie. T. Wijetilleka has quite deservingly been featured in this issue.

This brief process will be unbalance without his name, as well as that great Wesley gentleman Clive De Silva, whose time, energy, expertise and funding strategy are unsurpassed working with his dauntless staff. Then who in his senses could ever forget our dear friend S. Renganatha the burdened Hony OBU Treasurer. His methodical system, the load be bears stands out.! Nor can we forget the yeomen service rendered by no other than O. K. Hemachandra a keen sportsman, who by sheer dint of pervasion and honest hardwork has been elevated to the high rank of Deputy General Inspector Police and who functions also as Ombudsmen, We congratulate him. On the frequency of Old Boys attaining heights in the police, we also have in mind (Retd.) DIG. B. N. Juranpathy who is in the forefront of progressive thinking for the OBU's welfare. Jehan K. Cassiin, who had held many responsible positions in the State has never taken Wesley off his chest. He was a strong though silent arm who adroitly steered men and malters in the College playground project. Jehan's father M, K. Cassim Captained the invincible Cricket XI of 1910. We reproduce the facsimile of his school leaving certificate issued by the Rev. Highfield.

We change style in this exercise of button - holing, and offer a bouquet to plump and comely Cynthia Jamie not forgetting either all those wonderful people in the College office, including mere spirit than - flesh Marshall Perera Before we put down the shutters on this "here, there and everywhere" ramble, a few other names flit across. Richard Dwight with scroll and pen, those men of vision, well on the right track, as that unique refurbished railway carriage, have made history in establishing the OWSC to stand on solid ground. President Mahroof Ismail, Denzil Perera and now LRG have both the brains and brawn in this venture, not forgetting those painstaking old boys whose doughty deeds have gone on record. Then incumbent OBU President Halim Ishak stands out for his benevolence even to fault. DS Wijemanne was yet another gracious person. On this last stint we comment On yet another of Wesley's tycoons none other than that gracious man from his pharmaceutical empire Mervyn K Peries. He pioneered the now well established Christmas party. The Tea Party on the 2nd of March is another of his innovations.

Wesley: As I remember by Shanti McLelland

Our Friends from The Republic of Maldives

April 26, 2001 Wesley College, Colombo - OBU branch, Republic of Maldives Wesley Hostel was home for a group of Maldivian students who featured prominently in most College activities. Those I remember during the period 1960 to 1968 were, Ahamed Imad, A. Nazeem, M. Shihab, S.Rasheed, M.Naieem, and A. Azeez . As they were in the college hostel, by default they were loyal to Moscrop House. All donned the double blue scarf as members of the (Wesley College) 14th Colombo Scout Troop. Imad was Troop Leader and earned the much coveted Queen Scout badge. On his return from his higher studies in Egypt, he was appointed as Scout Commissioner of Maldives, after serving many years as a Senior Scout Master. Now he is a prominent icon in the tourist industry, the country's biggest Industry. S. Rasheed continued his studies in Egypt and now a Director of Examinations in the Ministry of Education. Both Imad and Rasheed were excellent field hockey players and represented the School. Naieem who was a College Prefect and represented the school at soccer. After completing his studies at Wesley he proceeded to Australia, where he qualified as a Pilot. He skill in the aviation industry earned him the prestigious and responsible position as Director of Civil Aviation in the Republic of Maldives. Nazeem, Azeez and Shihab were outstanding soccer players. After leaving Wesley they all completed higher studies in overseas and now hold key positions in the government. All of them were loyal and proud Wesleyites. Wesley would remember them as outstanding sportsman, great ambassadors of their country, exceptional students, well disciplined, absolutely courteous, supportive classmates, brothers in the hostel, congenial and loyal friends. We will expect more news directly from them in the near future. Wesley: As I remember by

Internationally renowned Hockey Umpires

Shanti McLelland - Article 2. April 26, 2001 (a) Wesleyites who excelled as Hockey Umpires in Sri Lanka. Mr. Walter P. Jayasuriya was the first International Hockey Umpire from Sri Lanka. Mr. Jayasuriya was instrumental in leading many Sri Lankan umpires to become International hockey umpires. Mr. Walter Jayasuriya's role in Sri Lanka's hockey for over 50 years is a feat that will never be matched by anyone else. His dedication to the game and the welfare of the players was invaluable. Wesley should be proud of Mr. Walter Jayasuriya for the contribution to Wesley Hockey. Mr. A. Mylvaganam former Wesley Captain and Sri Lankan Hockey player was the next. Mr. Mylvaganam was an outstanding hockey player would be always remembered as one of the best Sri Lankan players that could have matched any in the world for artistry, technique and power. Mr. Sri Rohan Amarasinghe was the third International Hockey Umpire from Wesley. Mr. Amarasinghe captained Wesley in 1967 and represented Sri Lanka in 1975. Had the distinction of being nominated by the International Hockey Federation to umpire at the World Cup Tournament in Lahore, Pakistan. Rajah Jayasuriya, Donald de Silva, and Adrian Wickrameratne were Grade 1 National Umpires. Mr. M. Patrick Edema, and Mr. A. K. Suppiah, were Grade 1 umpires in the Sri Lanka Schools Hockey Umpires panel. Mr. Suppiah served as an umpire of the Colombo Schools Hockey Association for many years and was one of the most respected umpires of the Sri Lanka Schools Hockey Federation. (b) Guardians of Hockey at Wesley Messrs. T.N.M. Mahamooth, Mervyn Peiris, and Walter P. Jayasuriya were at the helm of Colombo Hockey Association, while Mr. Mylvaganam served in the Government Services h Hockey Association. They inspired and spearheaded Colombo H.A. to become National champions many times. Mr. Jayasuriya was instrumental in negotiating Sir Lanka's participation internationally. All four were stalwarts and influential members of the Sri Lanka Hockey Federation. Mr. Walter Jayasuriya will be remembered as the father of Hockey in Sri Lanka. Also, he was a highly respected official in Asian Hockey. They inspired and contributed greatly to Wesley Hockey. Mr. Adrian Wickremaratne was Secretary of the Colombo Hockey Association for many years. Mr. Amarasinghe served as Chairman and Rajah Jayasuriya as a council member of the Sri Lanka Hockey Federation Umpires Committee. Mr. D.S.Wijemanne was a strong supporter of the champion OWSC hockey team during the glorious 1971 to 1974 period. I would take this opportunity to place on record the services of Mr. T. G. Amith who coached school team for many years and was an honorary official of the Old Wesleyites Hockey Club. (c) Wesley Staff who guided the formidable Hockey Teams from 1960 to 1990. Messers. Fred Abeysekara, N.A.B.Fernando, L.A. Fernando, and A.K.Suppiah. · Wesley produced some excellent hockey players under Mr. Fred Abeysekara. Mr. N.A.B. Fernando took over to continue with the tradition. I still vividly remember 1965 when Mr.Fernando managed the Colombo North hockey team to become National Champions in both the senior and junior divisions. Rajah Jayasuriya captained the Senior team. In 1966 Mr. L.A.Fernando took over the responsibility ensuring Wesley's dominance in school hockey. In 1966 we maintained an excellent record, while in 1967 under the captaincy of Rohan Amarasinghe Wesley maintained its champion status. After 1968 Mr. A.K.Suppiah held on to the reins of Wesley hockey for many years. Without exception all four served Wesley hockey with a passion and made it a point to instill all the qualities of sportsmanship while producing cohesive and formidable Under 19, 17, 15 and 13 teams over a period of 30 years. Wesley:

Judo Champions from Wesley

As I remember by Shanti McLelland - Article 3. April 26, 2001 Wesley College Judokas Wesley produced some of Sri Lanka's best in Judo. We were well represented in the YMCA and YMBA national teams. M.C.A. Cader, Asoka Jayawardane, Y. Chang, Basnayake, and Sextus Taylor were active participants at National Level. Chang, Asoka, and Cader were black belts. They were national champions in different weight classes and belt grades. A.M.Mohideen, Vijith Kuruppu, and Ranjit McLelland were the first to start off in 1960 from the Colombo YMCA Gymnasium. Vijith Kuruppu excelled at nationally, coached both locally and internationally.

Please accept this invitation to write in the: As I remember series. (All names appearing in the articles will be a source for the Wesley College OBU Register) Wesley:
3. As I remember series Wesley College Basket Ball
4. Wesley College Badminton
5. Wesley College Scouting
6. Wesley College Table Tennis
7. Wesley College Boxing
8. Wesley College Swimming
9. Wesley College Drama
10. Wesley College Debating Teams
11. Wesley College Choir
12. Wesley College Hostel
13. Wesley College Small Park
14. Wesley College Tennis
15. Wesley College Volley Ball
16. Wesley College Prefects Guild
17. Wesley College Physics Lab
18. Wesley College Chemistry Lab
19. Wesley College Botany & Zoology Lab
20. Wesley College Sick Room
21. Wesley College Tuck Shop
22. Wesley College Prize Day
23. Wesley College Sports Meet
24. Wesley College Colours Nite
25. Wesley College Double Blue Fate
26. Wesley College PTA
27. Wesley College Welfare Society
28. Wesley College Highfield Block (1960) 29. Wesley College Cartman Library
30. Wesley College Soccer (each age group)
31. Wesley College Cricket (each age group)
32. Wesley College Hockey (each age group)
33. Wesley College Track & Field
34. The Principal's Bungalow
35. The Vice Principal's Bungalow
36. Wesley College Tutorial Staff
37. Wesley College Support Staff
38. Wesley College Hostel Staff
39. Wesley College Office Staff
40. Wesley College Ground Staff
41. Wesley College Music, Art & Kandyan Dancing
42. Wesley College Double Blue Ball
43. Wesley College Social Service Club
44. Wesley College Photography Club
45. Wesley College Radio Club
46. Wesley College Hall & Balcony (High Teak Roof, Stained Glass panes)
47. Wesley College Flag & College Motto (Add more captions as you may remember)

WESLEY COLLEGE OBU PROJECT TEAMS We will use this information to invite Old Wesleyites to be group leader. Each group leader would form his team. Each team should come up with a specific idea or venture to help Wesley College. (Please fill in with your comments and ideas).

Project ideas:
1. College Computer assisted Essay Writing Competition
2. College Spelling Bee Competition
3. College Inter House Sports Meet
4. College Inter House Drama Competition
5. College Choir and Christmas/Wesak Carols
6. College task force to improve number of University entrants
7. College task force to improve A/L results
8. College task force to improve O/L results
9. College Sports Teams
10. College Buildings & Architecture

Street vendors at Wesley by Dr. N.D.Amerasekera

I was at Wesley 1950-62. Intervals were our respite from the sweat and toil of the classroom. There were 2 groups of tit-bit sellers who sold their delicious goods in the 'small' and lunch intervals. Some were at the back of the school and the others by the front entrance or sometimes lining the front driveway. At the back near the small park it was a mini food market, beneath the lush green canopy of "Andara" trees. With the vendors battling for custom the noise was deafening. It wasn’t elegant or pretty but was functional and useful. They had to compete with Wijemanne's official "Tuckshop" which sold traditional stuff like fish buns, patties and the ever popular milk tea. He had the backing of the establishment. Purasandha Cafe next door to the school, on Baseline Road, sold "Thosai and sambar " a more substantial meal popular amongst boarders on Sundays although strictly out of bounds. Thus the consumers had a good and varied choice. There was an oldish man at the back who sang a song "come on buy baby nice pineapple and pol toffee”. He had a large tin full of the best toffees which he balanced at the back of his bicycle. His sweets stuck to the teeth and were just delicious. I kept some in my pocket which often melted in the afternoon heat. The black Bulto's were boiled sweets which took an hour to suck and the boarders sucked half of it and kept the rest under the pillow for a 'rainy day'.
Alerics Ice cream van often arrived on time to Karlshrue Gardens and the deafening noise of its engines were an adequate advertisement of its presence. Ice creams were expensive and were for the rich kids and for special occasions.

"Bombay mutai" seller was not a regular but had brisk business selling the beard like flowing strands of sugar often gorgeously coloured. A very popular favourite of the boys indeed. I was a hungry boarder then, always broke and scrounging from the day-boys.

Amidst the food fare was the ever-popular Stamp Tuan who sold first day covers and colourful stamps from the world over. The stamps didn’t come cheap and he gave no credit – strictly cash only. He had a pleasant manner and a brisk sale. He pulled his magnifying glass to check for any damaged edges. The bargain bucket of world stamps were the peoples favourite which got cheaper nearer the end of the interval. He smiled often to show his betel-stained teeth. I can still picture him handing over an absolute bargain of common stamps to an unwary kid. They all had to make a living!!

The achcharu ladies were mother and daughter duo. They had big bosoms which were well aired by the low neckline. Sometimes coins dropped into the deep gully never to be found again. Occasionally they sold their goods side by side but mostly one was in the front of the school. They had some lovely "veralu achcharu" or "pineapple achcharu" seasoned with a topping of chillies. They also sold seasonal fruits like pineapples, galsiyambala, mangoes, all kinds of berries (lovi) and custard apple and wood apple. The "Kadalay" man was popular too. He had "Bola Kadalay with fried coconut" and "taste Kadalay" sprinkled with salt and chillies. His peanuts were the best in the world and came wrapped in old Wesley College examination papers. Prawn "vadeys" and "Masala Vadeys" were a crowd puller and those unfortunate enough to bite the chilly inside went hopping to the water tank opposite the sick room to ease the pain.
The old man at the front gate sold milk toffees with coconut aptly called the Toffee man or "Toppa". He was a tall dark figure with completely white hair. He had the biblical withered hand. I believe he had leprosy. Of course it is too late to complain about the health hazard. As there were many vendors at the back of the school, arguments and fights amongst them were not uncommon. The choicest language was used to gain the upper hand. Nevertheless they provided a service to the starving boarders and the hypoglycaemic day boys who wanted something different and cheap. Against all advice, both parental and school, we all ate these foods sold in the open shared by flies and bacteria. I cannot recall any serious tummy trouble. The benefits were mutual and unknowingly we gave these vendors a livelihood. They sold their goods on credit to be settled on boarders pocket money day - Friday. The vendors were in full force at Campbell Park when the cricket was on. The long hours of hunger during matches put us seriously into debt. The tit-bit sellers were a part of our school community and a lavish part of our school memories. May God Bless them all who are now long gone to the vale beyond.
PSST!!! I didn’t mention we saw the seniors who went to the Thamby Kadey for a quick fag during the intervals – lest the prefects read this note.

Addendum by Shanti McLelland

The stamp Tuan was another icon. Nice, bombai muttai, and sanchol muscat were a few others. I liked the galsiyabala, ramubuttan, and mora days. The woodlands ice cream van used to compete with Alerics which was the better one. The boiled chick peas and Pineapple with chillie, salt, & pepper were just yummy. The cheap ones were peanuts, konda kadala, and parrippu gram. The prawn vadai was great. Yes I can remember all of the faces at the front and back-end of school. Probably a good x-ray may show all of the stuff that did not digest. On no cash days the Anadara trees at the edge of small park facing Nalanda supplied the bean cods. Golden memories & Silver tears

More recently taken from the Sri Lankan papers:

Wesley College, Colombo was well known for that elderly bucksome woman called "Thara Biju" who sold varieties of fruits achcharu and other tit bits outside the school gate. Thara Biju was her nickname given by the boys because of her personal looks. But if she heard that name being mentioned she would come out with her own vocabulary only for a few moments and quickly forget it and continue with her business. Her favourite customers were given credit facilities. Associated with Thara Biju on cricket match days at Campbell Park was a "dwarf old couple who were popularly known as the "Kurumitto Joduwa". They were a husband and wife combination both about almost four feet in height. The dwarf couple and Thara Biju enjoyed a flourishing business at Campbell Park on match days as they also catered to students of All Saints’ College, Borella.

The Kelani Valley Railway in the early 1950's by Dr.N.D.Amerasekera

My school life at Wesley began in January 1950 when I stayed with my Grandparents in Nugegoda. My uncle Neville Weerasekera (an old boy of the school) showed me the ropes how to buy the ticket and get to school. Some had season tickets but I preferred to buy them daily. Nugegoda was then a small town with a few vehicles on the road. The Railway station was painted grey and had a picket fence as they all do. It had a characteristic smell common to all stations in those days of steam trains.The Seth Thomas pendulum clock was the hallmark of all Railway Stations. At the station was the stationmaster with his white suit and cap. There was a constant tapping of morse code at the station. Coal dust was everywhere and got into the eyes, nose and mouth. The train puffed and hissed and came to a halt when we all got in. This was the 7.17 from Nugegoda reaching Baseline road at about 7.55 giving us 20 minutes to get to Wesley before school began. There was a crowd of students travelling. Rohan, Prasanna and Nimal Wijesinghe, W.A.K.Silva and his brother Ranjit. Ranjit and Vernon Kulatunga. Asoka De Silva from Udahamulla and N.M.perera and his brother. There was great camaraderie between the travellers and we helped each other and chatted a lot. Once at Baseline road Station we went up Cattle Mart Road and then to Baseline road towards school. Often we met boys cycling to school and recall Ivan Bowen on his bike. The twins Yrol and Garreth Jayawardene walked passed us followed by their ayah. Its a long journey past the Mount Mary Railway Housing Estate. All those upstair houses were painted grey too and had the picket fence. The return trip was more leisurely as the train was at 3.56pm. We often stopped to watch cricket at the Railway cricket grounds or played marbles at the station compound. One cent coins were placed on the track to see them get flattened. Mr.Kanathigoda was the Stationmaster at Baseline Road for many years . Both his sons Neville and Ivan attended Wesley. W.A.K.Silva after an Engineering degree joined the CGR and rose to become its General Manager.

Many Wesleyites lived in the Mount Mary Estate and their dads worked in the Railway and I felt it would be a walk down memory lane to trace the history of the famous KV line, in brief.

From the daily papers:

The broad gauge Rail system built by the British, began operating in 1864, initially from Colombo, Henerathgodde (Gampaha) and to Ambepussa. Kandy was reached in 1867. 1925-40 was the peak of railway development. Most of the system is Broad Gauge at 5'6" with diminishing bits of Narrow Gauge at 2'6" (Dual Gauged since 1991). The system was known as the Ceylon Government Railway, as of late it is referred to as Sri Lanka Railways.

News 100 years ago: Sir Joseph West Ridgeway becomes the first Governor to "dare to beard all the lions of the Kelani Valley collectively assembled in their dens" when he accepts an invitation to be the chief guest at the Kelani Valley races and gymkhana. It is an annual event held at Talduwa where the planters gather for three days of fun and merriment. Replying to the toast proposed at the breakfast, the Governor has some interesting things to say about the planters. "I had heard so much of you gentlemen, of your pugnacious habits, of your inveterate hatred of all Governors and constituted authority. I was also told that you were misogynists, in other words, women haters. Evidently that is a libel." Elaborating further on what he saw as features of the planters, he added: "The fact, gentlemen is that you do not seem to me to be lions at all. You seem to be lambs. However, if you are lions, you are not the savage famished lions ready to devour anybody who comes your way, but you are well-behaved, well-fed lions bursting your skins with hospitality." Having made his speech amidst roars of laughter, the Governor finally announces a gift to the planters - the Kelani Valley railway. The construction of the Kelani Valley railway has begun. The terminus of the line has been fixed on the left bank of the Kelani river opposite Yatiyantota. Planning began in July 1897 when the cost was estimated at Rs 57,546 per mile or Rs 2,877,000 for the whole line from Colombo to Atulugama with an extension to Yatiyantota and a branch line to Ruwanwella. The branch line was abandoned later. The annual profits from the railway line is estimated at Rs 150,000. The Kelani Valley is a light line of 2 ft 6 in gauge (as against 5 ft 6 in on main track lines) and is for the benefit of the planters in the tea country directly east of the capital. (Note: The Kelani Valley line was opened to Avissawella, 36 3/4 miles in 1902 and completed to Yatiyantota, a further distance of 11 miles in the following year. Later it was extended up to Opanayake).

Technical matters: Another popular alternative was almost any train on the mainly steam-hauled narrow guage Kelani Valley Line between Colombo and Opanayake..now sadly upgraded to broad guage.(1991)..with a section closed down. This railwayline employed some interesting locos from narrow guage coal-fired Beyer-Garratts to Hunslet diesels..! and ran through some of the busiest suburbs of the City of Colombo such as Baseline Road, Cotta Road, Narahenpita, Manning Town, Kirillapone and Nugegoda. A number of manually operated level crossings in and around Colombo considerably impeded the progress of trains on this line.The trains travelled at a leisurely 10 MPH. Purists would argue that the Kelani Valley line was THE Love Train. There were no toilets on the trains. Not surprising.. It has been said that if you are travelling in one of the front carriages, you could actually jump off the train, have a trackside pee and jump back on the last carriage! Well away from Colombo the gradient in some places was in the order of 1 in 22 thus explaining the need to employ Beyer-Garratts.

At Sri Lanka's Royal Colombo Golf Club, founded in 1879, the intrusion comes not so much from people as from passing trains. Four holes are traversed by the Kelani Valley steam railroad; golfers are advised to give way. A free drop is permitted if your drive lands on the tracks. Weekdays $27, weekends $38.

History of the Kelani Valley Railway By K. G. H. Munidasa

The Kelani Valley Railway, popularly known as the K.V. line, holds a unique place in the 139-year long history of the Sri Lanka Railways. As a safe and cheap means of transport the K.V. line played an important role in the socio-economic progress of the country. Sir Joseph West Ridgeway, British Governor of Ceylon (1896-1903) is best remembered for his progressive policy of developing the island's railway, introduced the K.V. line, 95 years ago, which he named the Kelani Valley Sabaragamuwa Light Railway. The European planters in the Kelani Valley and Sabaragamuwa have been agitating for a railway since the successful completion of the railway to Kandy, in 1867. Then in February 1894 a deputation from the K.V. Planters' Association (then entirely British) met the Governor Sir Arthur Havelock (1890-1895) and submitted a memorandum urging for a railway to the Kelani Valley. This resulted in the appointment of a commission to investigate and report on the feasibility of constructing a railway extension from Veyangoda to Dehiowita. The report, the commission submitted was favourable to the proposed railway.

However, the government soon found that a railway on the route was not possible due to jungle and the difficult terrain, and instructed the Chief Resident Engineer, F. J. Waring to inspect the country between Colombo and Karawanella and suggest a fresh route for the proposed railway extension. The report he submitted on February 18, 1895 proposed a route from Wellawatte via Mirihana, Pannipitiya, Pitipana, Padukka, Waga, Kosgama, Avissawella, Atulugama, Ruwanwella. After the survey was completed and estimates were ready, the Secretary of State approved the construction of the line on April 27, 1898. It was decided that Minhana (presently Nugegoda), Pannipitiya, Padukka, Waga, Kosgama, Avissawella, Dehiowita, Karawanella and Yatiyantota should be the stations on the line.

The construction commenced on March 22, 1900 and the first phase up to Avissawella was completed on September 15, 1902 and Avissawella to Yatiyantota section was opened for traffic on September 13, the following year. The distance covered was 48 miles 40 chains up to Yatiyantota and the total cost, including the rolling stock, was Rs. 54,33,679. On representations made by the planters and the inhabitants of Sabaragamuwa to the colonial government in 1900, the Governor Sir Henry McCallum (1907-1913) initiated steps to extend the railway to Ratnapura from Avissawella. Accordingly, construction of the Ratnapura extension was started in November 1908. The line was opened for traffic up to Kuruwita on January 15, 1912 and to Ratnapura on April 17 the same year. It was further extended beyond Ratnapura to Opanayake via Dela, a distance of 86 miles, and the regular train services from the Colombo Fort railway station were formally commenced on May 2nd, 1919. At the beginning, the K.V. line locomotives and rolling stock were of entirely British make, which included steam-tank locomotives built at the Hanslet Engine Works in Leeds. These were in service to the last alongside the subsequently introduced German and Japanese diesel locomotives. The operational records of the CGR show that the K.V. railway had been very popular during the Sri Pada season and in view of the extra pilgrim traffic, there "Sentinell'' steam rail cars were introduced into service on July 18, 1927. One of them viz V2 331, built by Sentinell Steam Rail Car Manufactures of U.K. (the oldest in the world) is still preserved at the Dematagoda Engine Sheds. The Kelani Valley railway at the height of its glory hauled loads of freight, race horses to Avissawella for the Talduwa race meets on the weekends and a full complement of passengers. One may still recollect the crowded day train on the K.V. line which left the Colombo Fort station at 9 each morning with goods and passenger coaches, reaching Ratnapura at 3.30 p.m. and Opanayake at 5.30 p.m. However, sometime after the 2nd World War the K.V. line began to decline and the government was forced to close the section from Avissawella to Yatiyantota from January 1942. The actual degeneration of the Kelani Valley railway came about in the late sixties due mainly to the growing competition from road haulage contractors who monopolised the tea, rubber and coconut trade. Meanwhile, passenger revenue too, decreased, resulting in lower investment by the state to improve and develop the line. Finally, in the mid - '70s the decision was taken to close the K.V. railway altogether. First the section from Ratnapura to Opanayake and then the Avissawella to Ratnapura section were dismantled. The last train of only three coaches ended its run at the Ratnapura station in July 1976.

Fortunately, further dismantling of the track was stalled in 1977 and two years later in response to public agitation train service was resumed between Colombo and Avissawella.

The broadgauging program of the K.V. line as a step towards improving and modernising the train service was launched by the Railway Department on February 15, 1991. A novel concept in engineering adopted in the design of the new track was the laying of a third rail so that narrow gauge as well as broadgauge traffic could be accommodated in the same track. Broadgauging the track was completed up to Kosgama last year and regular train service commenced from October 28. The final 12-mile lap to Avissawella including renovation of the station, is now ready and will be opened by the Minister of Transport and Highways, A. H. M. Fowzie Monday.

Addendum by Rev.Rohan Wijesinghe

Yes, the 6.55 and the 7.17 comes to mind. Those were the usual trains we took from Nugegoda to travel to school. If we missed them there was the 7.47 or the 8.20. But that would mean, we would be late to school and get detention from the Prefects. Usually these trains were very crowded. But there was Mr Thome (or Tom) who would be travelling from a point before Nugegoda and it was fun to travel with him. Several of us would jump into his compartment. There was also another gentleman who got in at Nugegoda. His name evades me just now. But he lived on Railway Avenue. Their yarns and stories helped build a sense of club among us and travelling to School was certainly fun. If for any reason any of us missed the train, then we were fined a bulto or some other thing. Returning home, we would catch the 3.45 from Base Line Road. As school was over at 3.15 p.m. we would often have time to watch a cricket match in the Railway Grounds near the station. What stands out is the white haired Mr Tissarachchi who was a good bowler. At his age he really bowled many overs. Getting into the train was often a scramble as groups of students from Wesley College, Ananda College and Nalanda College and some times St. John's Dematagoda would compete for corner seats. So we were in the habit of jumping on to the footboard before the train actually stopped Of course it was very rarely that students of two schools would be in the same compartment. Once Nihal de Silva, a fairly stout Wesleyite missed his footing and fell and his long hair was run over by the wheels of the train, but miraculously his head was safe. After that incident we were a little sober about jumping in to the train before it stopped.

Once when coming to school, as the train was coming to a halt at Cotta Road, some people were in a hurry to get to the door. As the train was so crowded the doors were open and some were on the footboard. One of our students was standing on the open doorway, and he got pushed out. he fell and his feet went inwards under the compartment, and i believe he lost a few toes. He is now an Anglican priest and his elder brother is a Doctor!! But when passing through the golf links near Manning Town the train would slow down so much that some of us were in the habbit of jumping off and then again jumping on to the train. We were so oblivious to the danger of what we were doing as teenagers, because caught up with the thrill of being reckless. Once or twice groups of us would set off walking to Nugegoda on the railway tracks. When we had to cross a culvet (Bokkuwa) that was a challenge but it was fun. The most scary part was walking on the bridge at Narahenpitiya. At one time we were quite an interesting click. There was Asoka Gunesekera, W.A.K. Silva, Elroy, Lakshman Gunethilleke (Gunda), myself and a few others who would travel back home together. The yarns and stories we shared with one another were fantastic because everyone of us really stretched the truth and our imagination as far as it was possible!! Some of these were not worthy of print, but such were the our lives then.. Some girls from All Saints Girl schools would also travel with us. I remember one Wesleyite got interested in one of them, and a student from St John's also had his eyes on her. The competition was furious, but no blows were ever exchanged. I believe the Wesleyite did not keep up with the competition! So, the KV line was a source of much fun and adventure to us as we traveled to and fro to Wesley College from Nugegoda every day. Some of us travelled from Maharagama, Udahamulla and Navinna and even Pannipitiya. Some got off at Kirullapone.

Poonchi Borella by Dr.N.D.Amerasekera

'Poonchi' Borella It is a small junction between Borella and Maradana but an important crossroad. To the south is Borella, to the north Maradana, to the west The General Hospital and the 'Aswattuwa' with the old colonial name, Lipton Circus, and to the east the Welikada Prison. At the centre of the junction is the Bo Tree never short of devotees. The Tramview Hotel overlooks the Bo Tree and serves those lovely Thosai and Sambar on a banana leaf and a cup-tea to wash it down. The sambar was rather dodgy as I recall with bits of previous days dahl and vegetables and last years tomatoes. But the taste was heavenly. Donald's Studio was just a stones throw away. The Maradana Methodist Church was the Hostellers regular place of worship beyond which was Ananda College, Wicks Bookshop, Moulanas, Maradana Railway Station and Buhary's- the best place for 'Gothamba Roti'

During the week all the action is under the canopy of the sacred Bo Tree. Crowds gather to hear the Medicine man advertising his " Ko-Katath-Thailay". As its name implies it is the oil for all occasions and all ailments. A few drops of this precious liquid will cure anything from piles to nervous diseases and from epilepsy to gas in the belly. It is particularly effective for aches and pains (Athey-paye-ruthawa) a common symptom of the elderly. The sale is brisk and he moves on after a couple of hours of non stop advertising to save more lives elsewhere.

There was also a man who specialised in toothache. He knows he has hit upon a very common complaint and a positive money spinner. The medicine is in a very small bottle which contains only a few drops of fluid. He explains that only a single drop is needed into the tooth cavity and 'hey presto' the pain vanishes. As they say a sucker is born every minute and he makes a quick buck to getaway before he is found out.

The trainee barbers gather there too offering a free hair-cut to those who dare. You have to hold the mirror yourself and the crows overhead provide the Brylcreem. The constant clicking of the scissors is their sign that action has begun. They haven't yet mastered the use of the scissors and the scalpel and you would have done well to get out with your ears intact.

POONCHI BORELLA in the sixties... From a Sri Lankan daily

Punchi Borella (Lit: Small Borella) is technically just a small junction (fourways) in the city of Colombo...as opposed to the big junction of Borella (fiveways) nearby. There were no neon signs...just sodium vapour street lamps and oil lamps! There were of course the smells! Pleasant or otherwise!...In a society rapidly losing their olfactory skills perhaps it is best if I leave this aspect largely untouched...but do think of a combination of Sandlewood, hot coconut oil and blocked drains! The name Borella: Anyone with a basic knowledge of the Sinhala language would know the origin of the name (but remember that this page has an international readership!) BORA means "muddy" and ELLA means "stream". So, literally Muddy River! If you pronounce Borella with a pseudo-western accent it sounds almost posh! (i.e. with a stiff upper lip and slurring the words..sounds even better if you pronounce the the "LLA" as "YA" in Cockney style...my Colonial mum was.. and is.. good at that!) In fact, if my memory serves me right, BORELLA was so POSH that at least three Prime Ministers lived at Borella: Solomon Bandaranaike, his widow Sirimavo Bandaranaike and Dudley Senanayake (all in or around Rosmead Place)

I have been unable to identify the actual stream that gave its name to this area because Borella is (and was) a heavily built up area. "Punchi" of course means small (the U should have an umlaut by the way, but we Srilankans... with the possible exception of my mum don't need such aids to pronounce our own language correctly !) CROSSROADS Punchi Borella itself was just a crossroads at the centre of which stood a sacred Bo tree and a small shrine. The main attractions at first sight could said to be a rather seedy tavern, several rather unhygienic-but-low-budget roadside food establishments, medium budget restaurants and assorted roadside hawkers. In fact Punchi Borella was the sort of place where you could be born, baptised, grow up, go to school, go to the cinema or go to church. The cemetery was just about a mile or so away (Kanatte Cemetery) There were loads of Mara trees("Flamboyant Trees") with their bright red and yellow flowers ...now sadly cut down (hundreds of ominous-looking crows roosted in them at sundown).

There was of course the Saint Thomas Aquinas University College (or simply "Aquinas" or, affectionately "the Ack") through which most of us had entered Medical School. The Bishop's Palace (Palace! HA!They live in PALACES!) stood between Aquinas and the Medical School...both good refuges at times of adversity! Then there was Campbell's Park, a favourite haunt of young couples.... and the Church of All Saints...in case you were spiritually inclined!...(just before exams, perhaps!..when all else had failed perhaps.!) There were a couple of girl's schools as well but by this stage in our lives we were more into nurses than into schoolgirls. During "Rag" week most of the ragging took place around Punchi Borella. MALU PAAN P unchi Borella only really comes to life after seven o'clock at night and never really goes to sleep. There were no MacDonald's or Kentucky Fried Chicken....A good thing too! Roadside food vendors did brisk business. The fare ranged from boiled and stir-fried chick peas (Kadala) through roasted peanuts (Rata Kadju) and Vaddai to stringhoppers and hoppers. "Thosai" establishments (Saiva Kade) were there as well. In the relatively "hygienic" restaurants one could get filled rolls, the famous Malu Paan and a cup of tea or the famous Orange Barley Water bottled by Ceylon Cold Stores (the so called Elephant House.) A cup of tea cost 10 cents those days. Frequent bus services operated through Punchi Borella which cost all of 5 cents to Borella and 10 cents to the Pettah and the Fort.(eg Bus no 103 from Narahenpita to Pettah).

It was easy to travel short distances on the crowded buses without paying. The local cinemas screened overlong Hindi Bollywood films (three and a half hours) with doors opening as late as 9.30pm. TRAM CARS My earliest memories of Punchi Borella is from the fifties when trams used to operate through this junction between Borella and Maradana and points beyond. I must have been about five years old then.The trams were operated by the Colombo Municipal Council, were painted a vivid green and had open sides. They ran on steel tracks on steel wheels and most adults would complain about the uncomfortable ride. By the way, the seats were wooden. For a little boy however trams had a definite attraction. The motorman stood at the front end and vigorously jangled a bell which would mysteriously cause the tram to move forwards or so it seemed. The current was picked up from an overhead single cable and frequently produced blue flashes accompanied by a sharp crack and an acrid "electrical" smell. The wheels clattered. There was a single locomotive-style headlamp at either end and there was of course a conductor/brakeman.

Wesley as I remember (2): by Shanti McLelland

Article 48 (a)- Wesley as I remember: by Shanti McLelland Maradana junction was the transportation hub for a lot of Weseyites. I recollect some of my contemporaries who may remember the grandeur of the Maradana station, which displayed the time in Roman numerical. The unforgettable Donald de Silva walked most of the time Forbes Lane opposite St.Joseph's College. Arnold, Sidney, Laksiri, and Anura his brothers were also at Wesley. Donald excelled and represented the school in Cricket, Rugger, Hockey, Soccer, and Athletics. He was an 'A' grade National Hockey umpire. A great team player and entertainer. Anura the youngest represented proved to be a outstanding cricketer and did well in hockey, athletics & scouting. Strolling past the Gamini cinema and before New Olympia lived my good friend & classmate Charles David. Brothers Alfie David excelled in Athletics winning college colours and was a prominent member of the SCM, but would be remembered along with his brother Paul for their excellence in Studies. Jo David carried his stature to the Police Service. Charles was a scout, a member of the SCM, and I found him helpful in my peer to peer studies. Whenever I visited him, his mother made sure we had a good treat. Charlie & Jo are in Sydney, Austarlia. Sometimes, I would hang around and wait for my friend Kosgahakumbura to arrive from Badulla. Kosgaha would not fail to bring me a few Avocado pears. Kosgaha was a hosteller and a great asset to the college Hockey team. He was a good soccer player and athlete for Moscrop House, his brother was also at Wesley, but concentrated on his studies more. A.L.George also traveled from Badulla. He was such a loyal member of the Old Wesleyites team that he would come by the night mail to be on time for any tournament match, or a seven-a-side, at 7 in the morning. George kept goals for the Sri Lanka Hockey team. Patrick Edema along with his brother Anton, and M.P.Fernando, traveled from Gampha. Patrick excelled in Hockey and Athletics. He served best as hockey goalie for Wesley, the Old Wesleyites, and the Colombo Hockey Association teams. He was appointed Senior Prefect and was a member of the College tutorial staff before joining the Police. Both, Anton and Patrick easily made the College Athletic team. Anton was a public schools Long Jumper, while Patrick used his brawn to hurl the discus. Another of my classmates Narendran was from Hultsdorf where the Supreme Court and most of leading Lawyers & Notaries had their offices. Whenever I decided to walk back on the Maradana road to Borella, I had to go past all of the furniture shops. Ransiri de Silva from Moratuwa, or the Koddituwakku brothers would not be missed. Nihal Koddituwakku would sure be remembered as the College Senior Prefect, outstanding cricket captain, wicket-keeper, and batsman that did Wesley proud. Ransiri my friend would not fail to invite me in and talk about the old school days and give me a lesson on teak, stain, and polish. The turn off at Dematagoda Road was a good meeting place for M.C.A.Cader who lived in the Heart of Colombo Fort, in his Studio Loft. Sextus Taylor was from round the corner. The gram shop and the Pasgorasa kiri-pani would hold us longer before we went our own ways. Sextus and his brothers Carlo and Hillary 'Cucu' now live in Canada, Germany, and England respectively. Sextus was a great sportman, a public schools athlete (100, 200m), one great Judoka and Rugger player and ended up being molded into an actor by Mr. Haig Karunaratna (Propelled Wesley to the inter school drama finals, with Peter Swan & Asoka Jayawardane). Cassim and his brother Kum Cader were a few years junior to me. Kum's son Mohamed Ali attended Wesley in the 80's. Cassim was a Black belt Judoka, a tough Rugger player. Wilkin House could depend on him to bring in all the points from Putt Shot, Discus, 400m, and the relays. He was a public school athlete and later on trained to be a powerful hockey goalie. Just before turning into where I lived, were Fizal & Zuffer, Upali & Ranjit Samararatne, Hidya Tulla & Hanza Lateef.

Article 48 (b) - as I remember: by Shanti McLelland Walking down memory lane from Kotahena to Borella: Gazzi Musafer, and Emir who came from Kotahena had to pass through Maradana to come to College. Gazzi started of as goalie, proved to be a goal scorer by the time he represented the Sri Lanka Schools team. When I write about Musafers, I should not forget Bashudeen, Shari, Rummy, Sandy, A.W. Musafer, & Akbar Musafer. Dr.Sandy Musafer a Sri Lanka Schools hockey player was an outstanding as a inside forward. Akbar Musafer was equally good as a spinner and middle order bastman: Akbar excelled in his studies. Rumy was more keen studies and was like all others a collge prefect. Bashu was an excellent athlete, cricketer, wore golden boots for rugger, soccer, and hockey. He was a college prefect. Bashu joined the Army, which helped him to continue with sports. Emir and Shari both gave their best in rugger, and could fit into any hockey team. Shari the rugger captain and Shari ended up in the Police. A.W. was a brilliant student, but if I remember right, he decided to join the Merchant Navy to see the world. Rumy was a prefect and was an 'A' student. I need to meet and record his accomplishments for my next article. I am sure I missed a few more Musafers who like the Mohameds were a legend at Wesley. Closer to Punchi- Borella lived Gamunu, Nihal, the youngest, and Vijaya Perera. Good boxers like the father and they all excelled in the Hospiatlity Industry. Nihal and Gamunu were the last of the Boxers coached by Mr. Nissanka before Wesley decided to give up boxing. Sarath Lewis would come from Temple road. He was so keen to play cricket for college. But he never got a chance, because Mr.Lionel Jayasuriya as junior cricket coach would never select anyone not up to his eye-level. Sarath also joined the Merchant Navy if I remember right. The Sivapakkiams at Norris Canal Road near the Colombo General Hospital lived within this area of vibrant activity. On Saturdays, a group of us would play softball cricket on the side roads. Rex Lawrence was another I remember joining us sometimes. Rex was a member of the 14th Colombo Scout troop.Both Sivapakkiams were excellent students. Siva Sr. an Engineer now lives in New Zealand. Nearer to Borella, were those who will always be remembered as great friends. Nimal, Malik,& Palita Suraweera, Rohan Amarasighe, and his brother, Chandralal de Silva and his brother, the Parasuraman brothers who ended up as doctors. The Wijemmanes; the whole dynasty, D.S., Jayantha, Parakrama & the rest along with Tissa Wijemmana lived and served Wesley well. Amarash and Dianesh Rajaratnam. Suresh the eldest served Wesley as a member of the staff. Both Dianesh and Suresh took to their famous father to become astute lawyers. Amaresh & Dianesh excelled in sports. Dianesh was versatile in cricket, hockey, soccer, and athletics. Amaresh will be remembered as School Boy Cricketer of the year. He also took part in drama and athletics. Both were college prefects. I should not forget to mention that the youngest also ended up as a lawyer.

Article 49 (a): Wesley, as I remember by Shanti McLelland In the late 1950's and early 1960's during the period of transition from primary to middle school we looked forward to the Friday afternoon's in the first term of the school year. Especially, we were happy if had a social science class as the eighth period from 2.40 to 3.15 p.m. Mr.Edmund Dissanayake just could not resist letting us go a little early to cheer our cricketing hero's at Campbell Park. I certainly did not mind the early get away as I was never in frame of mind to memorize any of the boring people or events that was taught pathetically from some well bound book. Mr. Watson Wijewickrema hurriedly released us from the stereotype English by Ridout as soon we heard the All Saint's church bells chimed 12.00 noon. Both these teachers were encyclopedias of Wesley's cricket history. I certainly appreciated these teachers for their specially installed memory chips, which I wished I had, as they were be able to provide statistical information to such minute detail, that they refreshed our faint memories; the feats of our cricketing heroes: Rajasingams, Adihettys (100's and 'ducks', Classens, Abu & Hansa Fuard, Abeysuriya, Juriansz, the classic 92 by Ebert, Neil Gallahar and the wicket keeping performances of Upali Samararatna & skipper Nihal Kodituwakku. We certainly never got away to watch the start of a match at mid-day, from any of the classes just before lunch, if it was a Religion, Sinhalese, or Biology class that was taught by Mr. Wilfred Wickremasinhge, Mr.Felix Premawardane, or Mr. Suntharalingam respectively, they were just sticklers to time. It was worse at 1.15p.m., when were returned back from Campbell park after cheering our team; particularly if the class happened to be that of Miss. Iris Blacker, Mr. E.L.Rodrigo, or Mr. Lionel Jayasuriya. The first two would not spare the cane and spoil the young cricket fanatics if they were late or just could not answer with the throats dry from singing the college song or just cheering ourselves hoarse. The latter just would not have any of the sweaty and hyped up kids in the class (of-course this was one way of getting one off period). However, Mr. Jayasuriya as a cricketer and as the master in charge of junior cricket always encouraged us to go out watch the seniors play, and learn from them. Further more, he would not fail to dig into us the quotation from Smaranayake's English with a Smile, "try and try again boys, you will win at last". This was repeated over and over again, particularly when Wesley was not keeping to the expectations of the college song, "doing our best with bat or ball". Some relief to over come these issues was provided by the big galvanized tank with a brass tap that was bound with coir rope to prevent leaking. This tank 10 gallon 4x4 feet was situated at the back of the LKG class opposite the sick room. We would enter from the back gate, quickly buying and filling our pockets with some galsiyambala, or collectors bubble gum (had pictures of International cricketers) from the vendors at Karlshrue Gardens, and gulping down some water, zinc, and rust straight from the tap (probably this was one way the Administrators at Wesley made sure the poor kids got all of the minerals at no cost). I think this was remedied with the upgrades that were done in the last 10 years.

Article 49 (b): Wesley, as I remember by Shanti McLelland We faithfully followed the Mr. L.A.Fernando during lunch, after school to the grounds, with a six foot double blue flag. A whole lot of the Vice Principal's followers would sing, dance, applaud, cheer or give a standing ovation to our cricketers . If we won we would carry our heroes back to the pavilion. It is possible that on first term Fridays, most of the students would have been diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder). The cricketing greats in the 1960's, as I remember are: Darrel Maye, the school boy cricketer of the year, athlete, and Hockey player. Darrel single handedly demolished the might of Royal College's array of stars and turn all of the Newspaper's to carry the Wesley's feat in their lead story in 72 font Times Roman bold letters. Our own Mr. Cristie Seneviratne may have typed the final copy for the Daily News as lead Staff reporter at that time. Subsequently, Mr. Christie Seneviratne succeeded Mr. Carlon Seneviratne as Sport Editor at Daily News. (Mr. Seneviratne's son Nihal made a name as a medium pace bowler). L.C.R.Wijesinhe, Milroy Muthuvelu, Samsudeen, Mihlar, C.T.Rodrigo, Sarath Wikremaratne, Chandran Perera, Rodney Perera, Kenneth de Silva, S & H Jeganathans, Mervyn, Russell & Granville Harmer, Amaresh Rajaratnam. The period 1961 to 1963 was one of the memorable times, especially Wesley's team under the Captaincy of L.C.R. Wijesinghe, Everad Schoorman, & Milroy Muthuvelu. These cricketers made us proud. Probably eclipsed the performances at the time of Duckworth, Sathasivams, Edmund Dissanayake's, Adihetty's or Koddituwakku's. Possibly because we remember there accomplishments vividly. In the later years we had similar performances by Amaresh Rajaratnam, Navin de Silva, who were voted School boy cricketers of the year. Also, I should mention the names of other stalwarts good or bad, never the less, they brought glory to Wesley: Francis Schoorman, Omar Jayasekara, Donald Thurairatnam, William Deutrom, Peter Christie, Fahli Gouse, Milroy Jebarajah, Ananda Thevadason, and Hansa Fuard. Donald Thurairatnam, William Deutrom, Peter Christie, Fahli Gouse, Milroy Jebarajah, Ananda Thevadason, and Hansa Fuard. Donald Thurairatnam, William Deutrom, Peter Christie, Fahli Gouse, Milroy Jebarajah, Ananda Thevadason, and Hansa Fuard.Diyanesh Rajaratnam, Delmar Achillies, Sunil Fernando, Derrick Shockman, Roy Devadason, Danesh & Mahendra Dissanayake Some other cricketer who will not forgive me for not carving their names in my memory list, as they were some of the best Wesleyites who I do not wish to forget: Brian Baston, Eric Gauder, Oskar Dissanayake, R.Sinnen, Bunty Dole, Donald de Silva, Nihal Seneviratna, Lal Jayasinghe, Darrrel Herft, Jayantha Wijemanne, Tyronne, Emile, Tarvice Jansz & Patrick Jansz.

Article 50(a): Wesley, as I remember by Shanti McLelland Sometimes memories are only flashes of some exciting events that made us rave about them for days and read in the papers, which made us walk with our heads held high. But, with time the extraordinary detils are lost and the only hope to hear about them once again would be to meet the College Pavilion; sit around those the likes of Edmund Dissanayake, Watson Wijewickrema, Walter Jayasuriya, Shelton Peiris, Chrsitie Seneveratne, Peter Christie etc. But then we let some of them slip off the circle, sometimes with very little care, a kind thought, or even a little time to drink some sweet water straight from a golden thambili at the edge of the west-end of the pavilion. Let us not therefore forget those with us now and make the best use of their wisdom and leadership to the benefit of Wesley.

Article 50(b): Wesley, as I remember by Shanti McLelland Some of the Wesleyites that held on to the reins of the OBU and Wesley during the difficult days particularly of Mr.A.S.Wirasingha a long 25 years were: Mr.J.C.P.Wickremanayake, Mr.Eric Silva, Ms. Christie, Mr.Sarem, who worked without too much of an appreciation at the College Office, Welfare Society, and the governing board. Long standing old boys who never failed to rally around in time of need and also stood out as exceptional role models were, Frank Samaraweera, B.J.Karunatillake, Shelton Peiris, Edmund Dissanayake, Nihal Wijetunga, Garath Jayawardane, Neville Perera, Prof. Maharoof, & P.B.Herath.

Article (51) - Wesley as I remember: by Shanti McLelland The Sri Lanka Schools Athletic Association introduced the Inter-School Junior Championships (U.13, 14 & 15) in 1967/68. Wesley, without a coach, a master-in-charge, or with funds allocated to this new activity normally would have been left out, if it were not for a few dedicated parents, athletes, and teachers who rallied around to build up a team within a short period of time. Mr.L.C.R.Wijesinghe sacrificed some of his cricketing time to help out the athletes as ad-hoc master-in-charge. Five up and coming athletes turned up faithfully to train each day. Richard Ebell, Jayantha Wickremaratne, Taric Bongso, Hansa Lateef (all 100, 200 & 4x100 relay), and Leon Ingram (High Jump, 4x100relay). These young athletes excelled at the Colombo North Group Meet and went on to become Junior Public Schools Athletes. The championships were held at Asgiriya, Kandy. Sad to place on record that Wesley as usual did not provide the necessary support & motivation to the athletes. I cannot recollect any principal at Wesley giving any recognition to Athletics as an important sport. It appears to be the same now, but I do hope it will not continue to be the same in the future. Wesley's athletics survived due the efforts of a few dedicated athletes and efforts of some individual teachers. Mr. A. Swaris had the national long jump record to his credit, he was an outstanding athlete and A.A.A. referee; Mr. Kiruppurajah trained in the US was appointed as a Director of Physical Education, in the Ministry of Education; Rev. Rohan Wijesinghe assisted Wesley athletics for a short time. Rohan was one of Wesley's top Badminton players like his brother Prasan. He also excelled in Athletics (Discus & Javelin), who will be remembered as a scholar and sportsman. Mr. L. A.Fernando -Vice Principal, was one great supporter of Wesley's sport never failed to be at any of the meets or looked after the interest of the athletes. Mr. Fernando has to be credited with Wesley's success in sports during the 1960's; Mr. A.K.Suppiah, carried a heavy burden on his shoulders being master-in-charge of Hockey & Athletics, in addition to the responsibilities as a class teacher and hostel master. But I am glad the team of 1967/68 went on to excel in studies. Both Richard Ebell and Taric Bongso excelled in the senior 100, & 200m events and represented the school in rugby football and were exemplary scholars & college prefects. Both elected to pursue studies in accountancy. Richard completed both the Chartered Accounting and CIMA, now holds the position of Managing Director, in one of the public companies. Taric, the last I heard was that he is an accomplished Management Accountant. Jayantha Wickrameratne now serves as a Senior Manager for a leading Merchant Bank. Jayantha had many years of Consumer and Commercial Credit Management experience, and served a short period at Barclays bank in Toronto. Hansa continued his studies in Japan in electronics. Hansa's brother Hidaya Tulla served Air Lanka, and now has his own Law practice. Leon represented College in Rugger and made a name in Judo. Leon's brothers Derrick (outstanding cricketer and hockey player) and Russell (College boxer) were from Mt. Mary railway quarters. We often dropped by their place for a coffee after practice, and would remember the whole family affectionately.

Don't look back in Anger by Dr.N.D.Amerasekera

To bare one's soul and its wounds in the public domain is cathartic provided one has the heart to forgive - NDA

Life in school was not always a bed of roses. Often we felt the rules were too strict and unfair and the punishments too harsh for the crime. We were no angels and these are common to all schools and institutions. Being at the receiving end at the time we were overwhelmed by the situation. Looking back after many decades the anger has vanished and those very incidents seem rather humerous to relate to friends in a conversation. Those who were expelled from school, I'm sure, won't be reading these pages. There were times when we thought a particular teacher had a grudge and mostly that was never the case. It was just a part of our childhood paranoia. Bullying was there but it was mostly of a psychological form and physical abuse in my opinion was drastically dealt with by the authorities and was rare. In those days the children had little or no voice. The parents and the teachers spoke for them. It was said children should be seen and not heard. As a result we were lost in an adult world. The pendulum seem to have swung the other way now and parents seem to despair.

There were times when the school got things wrong and I raged at the injustice of punishments. In the senior classes like University entrance some of the teaching was inadequate and the syllabuses were not covered. In particular there was a science subject that was poorly dealt with and students had to resort to private tuition. There were some teachers who never taught or did very little teaching. "He" merely discussed a particular sport in class and its strategy for the next game. This was bad news for the students who consistently produced poor results in that subject and no questions were asked why? Those who were clever survived . The ones who suffered were the students who needed that extra care to get through the exams. It is my hope with time these unlucky ones fulfilled their ambitions too.

I have been told about a sportsman who bears a lifelong grudge against the school for not being made the captain. I know of many who gave away their captaincy after a year to give others a chance. It takes all sorts to make this world. I do not wish to make any judgement about these situations but wish with the passage of time he decides to bury the hatchet. It has been alleged that a National Team Selector as long as he was in post never allowed an Old Wesleyite to be selected to play for his country. Such appalling behaviour is a disgrace, if the rumours are to be believed. Sadly, some of these habits are deeply entrenched and stubbornly refuses to go away.

At school some were really clever and others very good in sports. Both these groups gained prominence and were cared for by Wesley. There was also a large number who were not any good at either. I felt they were neglected and the pastoral care of the school failed them. This was a tragedy indeed for their future. Many of them with the Grace of God survived to do well. The school could indeed have done better for them. This again was a problem in most schools and not confined to Wesley.

At Wesley in the 1950's we were fortunate to have many talented sportsmen. They brought us much fame. Unlike schools like St Thomas', St Josephs and Royal College very few of our sportsmen went to University. It was indeed sad to see many of our great sportsmen leave Wesley at GCE/SSC level to enter Stafford College or Pembroke Academy to complete their studies. As a school we failed to harness the academic ability of our sportsmen and give them the extra push and coaching to be successful in their public examinations. The school never took into account that the practices and matches took much time away from these students which made it difficult to compete at public examinations including University Entrance exam. Fortunately many of the sportsmen entered lucrative professions and became successful which proves my point that if given the extra push would have had much academic success at school. This I blame on the masters in Charge of sports for not taking the trouble to provide adequate resources for our sportsmen. There was a broader problem of poor teaching by many teachers who should have known better. As always for these faults the buck stops with the Principal and the School management. The general impression that sportsmen were only good in sports is totally false as I found out in University and in later life. I hope these issues have been addressed and changes have been made for the 21st century. Even God can't change the past.

In the 50's we had discipline with a capital D. It was administered through Dickensian rules in a climate of fear. I was sent to the Principal with a another boy for using bad language. I protested my innocence but we were both caned. I lost faith in the rule of law when a respected principal could not be bothered to question us to find out the truth. It was a miscarriage of justice and the principal set a bad example. The teacher could have sent us to Ranis or Marshall for the caning if it was too much of a bother for the Principal to question us. Throwing a tantrum how could he retain the respect and confidence of his students. I was just 8 years old but had a strong sense of right and wrong. Well that was the way I felt until I left school. The Principal cared for all of us. His great passion in life was the school. I suppose certain people thought he terrorised the place, but you've got to be man enough to accept punishments and move on. Corporal punisment has now been excluded from schools in the West. I hope it has disappeared from the 'menu' at Wesley!! At University and beyond I realised life was never fair. Whatever happened at school was never a personal vendetta. His enthusiasm for the cane has beeen vindicated over time.

Reading this if you think Wesleyites at school lived our boring and fearful lives always in the eye of a storm, you are wrong. It was a cross section and an overview of our total lives complete with highs and lows. We loved the applause and hated the brick-bats. For many of us school was the best preriod of our lives. Friends we made became friends for life. The lessons we learnt on and off the classrooms prepared us well for the wider world beyond. It was a sublime experience. We were less in control of our lives while at school than later on. But in our adult lives too, although it seemed we had more control destiny played its part and influenced and changed our lives greatly. Those whom we thought were "no hopers" at school became immensely successful and the ones whom we thought were destined for greatness, faded away into oblivion. This I would call the awesome force of destiny of which we have no control.

Refusing to conform to the rules, regimentation and the doctrine of the establishment was then taken as a serious offence. On looking back at history, if one puts aside pure mischief, non-conformists were often intellectuals and free-thinkers whose actions formed the bedrock of the modern civil liberties. Throughout the ages non-conformists fought for a more tolerant society.  They weren't afraid to be different or stand up for what they believed in. Like in most institutions nowadays there has to be a forum for dissent which acts as a safety valve. Sadly in those days the students' voice went unheard and occasionally youthful anger boiled over. This resulted in drastic action like expulsions from school which could have been avoided. Discontent like anger is a part of normal human behaviour. It is the duty of educationists to train students to deal with it appropriately. I do not think the world in the mid 20th Century was ready to hear students' problems. Student 'dissent forums' was then a luxury the teachers could not afford. They felt threatened and thought it would encroach on teachers powers and rights and their comfortable life style. I am certain the wisdom that comes with age will allow us to be gracious and understand the quirks of an era now long gone.

Finally I must mention the sale of "small park". It was prime land, in an excellent position and this was the only way the school could have expanded adequately. With its sale went my childhood memories and the dreams of scores of old Wesleyites. Now it cannot be undone. The sad saga and the intrigue of the loss of small park is best described in the words of Winston Churchill " It is a riddle surrounded in mystery wrapped in an enigma" Its flames still smoulder even after 30 years. Was it a muddle or a fiddle? When one goes into the history of any school there are these skeletons in the cupboard and it is for us to forget the past and remember the good times and the wonderful friends who enriched our lives.

As for me Wesley occupies a special place in my heart. Without the encouragement and support that I received from the Principals and Staff I will not be where I am in life.

The good the bad and the ugly experiences we have had are all part of the rich tapestry of life.

Sad and disappointing time, of my school career.      Ranjit Aaron NZ      1st March 2010

My happy school days out weighed the bitter one. Yet I cannot help but voicing one sad memory, which I bottled all these years.

When I moved from my junior school studies to Form I.  It was extremely difficult to follow my studies in Tamil. Although Tamil was my mother tongue, getting past the 5th Std was a big struggle.  Neither my father nor my mother was educated in Tamil. We never ever conversed, even at home in Tamil. My father and mother could not read or write Tamil. At school, I mostly mingled with those who spoke English, because I felt comfortable with my fellow Sinhala and students who conversed in English. I conversed better in Sinhala than Tamil
In the light of the above facts, further studies in Tamil was a night mare.
My father and I made an appointment and presented my case to Mr.P.H.Nonis, who was the principal at that time. Pleading with my inadequacy, to continue my studies in Tamil. I requested, that I be granted an exemption to prove my competence by following my studies in English. I even challenged, if I did not prove my self, I was willing to leave school.
Mr.Nonis did not want to even listen to our plea. His body language from the very inception of my presenting my case. Gave us the indication that his mind was set, not to heed my request. I was lost in the wilderness, to fight alone battle. After an unsuccessful attempt at the GCE (Ord level)  I forced my self out of college to continue my studies in a private instuition in the language of my choice and succeeded..
My elder daughter, who studied at HFC Bambalapitiya, when faced with a similar situation, was granted an exemption. She successfully passed the GCE (Ad. Level) with flying colours in English..
When I look back, its not anger, but saddened by the fact I could not continue my higher studies in the school I loved and cherised so much.. .

Addendum by Shanti McLelland

Mr.L.A.Fernando used to remind me that life is like colour grey. More white than black. Enjoy and appreciate the white than sulk with the black. The small park is where we got our practice in hockey with tree branches, soft ball cricket with our hard, box like 'Ford' school bags serving as wickets; playing soccer with only socks or white 'Sinva' or 'Bata' canvas tennis shoes; they looked more red or brown, the color of the gravel; or we enjoyed counting the rounds we ran around the rectangular edge of the 'small park' where the "nidikumba' grass grew beneath the large ancient looking trees, which served as shelter on heavy rainy days, and flowered red, white & yellow during the months of April, May, & June. Small Park was the training ground for most of Wesley's great sportsmen. This was because Campbell Park was too far and risky for the primary school students to go and play during lunchtime, before, or after school. I remember the hard gravel grounds, which left bruises with blood soaked skin peeled on our elbows or knees. The straight semi-circular drain that ran along side starting from Campbell place to the end near the 'thambi boutique' at Mt. Mary where Suranjan Range, Jayasinghes, Ahamaths, and Nazmi Ziard lived: just before the Railway flats where Patrick & Malcome Jansz stored there cricket and hockey gear. The supreme sacrifice to sell this desolate, highly dangerous park that bruised and skinned many of the best athletes was a necessity to keep the school without having to close down. As such the best brains of the Methodists that Wesley depended should never be questioned, although the princely sum of Rs.100,000 (to be verified) that may be valued at over 50 million now.

The Wesley Staff quarters and the Tennis courts were situated next to the Highfield Block. We used the side pathway to reach Campbell Park very quickly. As, 12 year old I remember staying over after school to play with Prem de Mel who lived at the ground level in one of the four units. Mr. Fred de Mel was the Head Master at that time. We use to watch the teachers play Tennis while we either climbed the cherry trees or enjoyed a cup of tea. Mr. Edmund Dissanayake currently live in the same unit. My friends Kuwera and Kuweni lived upstairs highly diciplined by their father Mr. Felix Premawardane, who was famous both for the 'King Rajasingha' moustache and the 'Kaluware Jaramare' drama, which he successfully directed and staged over 100 times. Mr. Wilfred Wickremasinghe occupied the other unit on the second floor. They all just were a whole big family and friends for all of the students at Wesley. But sad to say ' truth is stranger than fiction' for it turned to be colour grey for Wesley. Overwhelming opposition by Old Wesleyites, parents, and students and after very much emotional pleas, this beautiful and solid Wesley staff quarters met with the same fate as the Small Park. This had to be done, there was no choice, Wesley's strategic planners had no other alternative, or the vision like the Rev. Henry Highfield. The tall, the bald, the short, and the fat could not put the broken state of Wesley's coffer's, as it had opted to be a community serving non-fee levying assisted school rather than a private fee levying Methodist Missionary School. Fortunately, we are ever grateful these decision makers did not stay on to serve the Wesley's cause longer, as it saved the Tennis courts and the Wesley Pavilion which otherwise may have been sold off to meet the commitments of staff salaries, lab facilities, and all extra-curricular activities that was poorly provided to and continued to keep everyone 'unhappily' happy. But the color white was that without such a strategy of raising another 100K, Wesley, may now be just a name on the history books, with forty years of students names not on record. Without these last source of funds; the best brains and the great names I admirably read on the web articles, all of the Double Blue fates, the pin prick fund raisers, or the donations would not have been able to put all of the 12 shells back on the College Crest. Wesley College which opted remain a Non-Assisted private school could not have lasted to serve the Methodists and everyone else who clamoured to be part of "Ora et Labora". So, let me quote one more of my guru's famous cliché's, Mr. L.A.Fernando, "to those who understand no explanation is necessary to those who don't no explanation is possible."

Eric De Silva - A Portrait of Greatness by L.A.Fernando (From the Centenary Souvenir)

If you did not know Eric, you obviously had not been either to his home or to Wesley College. But if by chance you were traveling between Wesley and the Kanatte cemetery On Wednesday, November, 7th 1973, between 3.30 p.m. and 4.30 p.m. then you would Have witnessed a most memorable and Impressive sight. it was the final lap of a simple man who achieved greatness by simple living. A silent line of schoolboys, dressed in immaculate white, headed by a senior member- of the teaching staff of Wesley, winding their way in hushed silence led the adults who walked behind a hearse that carried the remains of Eric, now in a coffin draped in 'Double Blue.' The total school community, comprising members of the Board of Governors, representatives of the Methodist Church, the tutorial and clerical staff, members of the Clergy of other denominations, the minor staff, past pupils and parents, friends and loved ones, were paying public homage to a humble man who lived a private life. For over 35 years, Eric had foiled behind a green-topped desk, day and night, almost everyday of the week, budgeting the finances of Wesley in a way he only knew. Eric, in his own inimitable and simple way redefined greatness. Humble he was, quiet unassuming and self-effacing, always concerned about the lowly and the underprivileged , loyal and devoted to his task as his superiors, forthright and outspoken righteous indignation on occasion, laughing and smiling in times of stress, digging deep into the reservoir of spiritual power by prayer and in faith, obedient to the Master he chose to serve.

Eric served Wesley in almost unique manner. Tall and lean, he carried a big heart, almost too big for such a frail frame. He sang lustily in a loud voice, and spoke softly, infrequently and wisely. What mattered to Eric was not what others thought of him but what His Master thought. The only remunerative work he engaged in was as bursar of Wesley and the sole solid custodian of the school's finances for over -35 years. He worked within his own system accurate. The system demanded much labour and sweat. With Wesley opting to be a non-fee levying private school, his burden was made heavier but he wanted no assistance, for funds were too lean to take on another. However, he was not a mere bursar. He was a great educator. Everbody who came to Wesley, parents and pupils alike, had to meet him, had to know him. Once the) knew him, he was irresistible. His influence was infectious and immediate. He taught more effectively than most classroom ins- instructors, not 'examination subjects' but the 'stuff' that goes to make real men. Parent' came to see him even after their children had left school.

Past pupils never failed to greet him whenever they saw him. Wesleyites loved him for he always had time for them He was never so indecently busy as to irritate others who wanted to talk to him. He had no favourites, he wore no mask he had no guile. Words he did not much use to debate and to convince; his silence was too often most eloquent and more effective than words. His strength of character, integrity an uncompromising honesty, these were sufficient for him. When the tutorial staff once , elected him unanimously to be the President of their Guild, it was a silent acknowledgment of the high regard the teachers had for him. His last journey symbolised the true Eric we knew. What remained of his mortal self passed from hand to hand. The college servants, the tutorial staff, the prefects of the school, past pupils young and old, they carried him along. So he was left in that little plot of land had finally acquired for himself. Silently the mourners moved out, one could not help but ponder on Eric's concept of greatness.

The Wesley that I knew by R.L.Kannangara (1906-1917)

I joined Wesley in the year 1905. A slip of a boy, timid to an extraordinary degree, I trembled before the enormous man, with a bulbous pose, who 'examined' me and another, dressed entirely in black and as- self-possessed as I was nervous. This was my first contact with C.P. Dias, the great Headmaster of Wesley , In 1907 the school moved to Karlshrue Gardens. What a contrast the new habitation was to the one we had vacated ! But, alas, our new master was even worse than the old; on the very slightest provocation out came his cane to punish us for errors, which were largely the result of his own inadequate teaching. I walked to school each day with leaden feet; the last bell made the sweetest music in my ears. What the classroom failed to achieve the playing field at Campbell Park did. There we played soft-ball cricket with the chalked trunk of a mango tree as our wicket. As schoolboys all over the world did and still, do, we made heroes of the First Eleven, among whom were batsmen and bowlers as great, or even greater, than the best of today. C. A. Perera, R. E. S. Mendis, F. W. Dias and Sammy Gunasekera will all find a place in the best eleven that Wesley has produced in the long years of its existence. I made up my mind that one day I would skipper the school team and, if my good fortune permitted it, stake acclaim for myself among the elect of Wesley.

I cannot remember whether I was equally resolved to do well in the academic sphere I I began to like school in my third year. E.W. Wickremasinghe, the master, was a stern disciplinarian yet a just and kind man. It was my good fortune to teach his three sons at Trinity many years later. School began at 10 in the morning an( went on till 4 in the afternoon, with a break of one hour for lunch. The boys of the Lower and Middle School came attire* Buttoned up to .the neck and in trouser Which reached half-way between knee and ankle. On five cents one could do one self well on grain and veralu-achcharu; on fifteen he could dispense hospitality on a lavish scale.

Wesley, in my early years, were in the champions of School cricket. F.W.Dias led us to the top of the table in 1908 and 1909; and in 1910 M.K. Cassim kept us there. Memories crowd on me as I write this. Freddy Dias, that genial six-footer, drove with the power of a Walcott; R. E.S. Mendis and Sammy Gunasekera were left arm bowlers-of great ability ; D.M. Rupasinghe C. S. Jayasinghe, S. Nagendra, M.Molligoda and T. Sathasivarn were better that the average, each in his own way. The present generation, accustomed to professional umpires, will be astonished and Even amused to hear that Highfield and Hardy, the Principals of Wesley and Royal, Were in control of this game. It was nothing Unusual, for it had been the practice for Many years for the Principal of a school to extend his immediate authority to the more important extra-mural activities of his school.. These men too intent on being fair to the other side, were, not infrequently, unfair to their own ; the benefit of any doubt always went to an opponent, hardly ever to one of their own !. Their presence on the field had the added disadvantage of cramping - our style.

No one regretted the day, when they decided to make way for the coach, the master and the old boy. In 1917 I realised my ambition, when I was appointed captain of the first Eleven I hope I do not appear boastful, when I say that I am proud of the three centuries I made for the school. Eric Gunasekera, our coach, was a good batsman , and what he did not know of the theory of the game, was hardly worth knowing. Sixes punctuated his score sheet as he went his adventurous way to a big total He was respected and much liked by everyone of us. Highfield of Wesley Picture to yourselves a sturdy Englishman riding on his 'push' bicycle or walking long distances to the o remotest parts of Ceylon in search of old I boys" who would help him to shift Wesley to a site more worthy of so great a school. He had not the money to buy a car; I do not think he ever possessed one; buses had not made their appearance on our roads in his day; the train, his ancient bicycle and his sturdy legs were the only means of transport available to him ! We, who knew , the old school, were delighted to find ourselves at Karishrue. C. P. Dias, affectionately known as 'Dia Pappa 'was a colourful personality. Tall and well-proportioned, he walked the corridors of the school like a Colossus. W.E.Mack, l can still see him in my mind's eye walking up the school drive-his shoes a glossy black, his trousers smartly creased, his coat and vest well ironed, a bowler hat on his head and a neatly rolled-up umbrella in his right hand. He was an exceptionally able teacher,English and Latin were his subjects C.V. Honter was as able a teacher as Mack; but, while the latter was aloof in manner, Honter was always ready '-with a quip and crack to. relieve the tedium of class; routine.. P. T. Cash was shy and diffident in his early years at Wesley. His sensitive nature perhaps fed on the stories he had heard and, read of the Orient, made him either too strict or too indulgent in his dealings with us But, before he left us to become the Principe of a school in Jaffna, he had found his feet and had earned the respect-and affection. A.H.Kukul De Silva taught us Maths in the junior form. It was his belief that a stinging two-finger Slap accelerated the mental processes of the more slow-witted among us. We were forced 'to this conclusion by his frequent resort 'to this practice. Jimmy Ratnayake was one* of the kindest men I have ever met: he-was also one of the most excitable. OEGoonetilleke an affable man generous almost to a fault was on our staff for a few years.

Writing in these reminiscences has helped me to capture the carefree abandon of my schooldays; for a brief hour I have walked hand in hand with old friends and shared their joys and sorrows. Of the Wesley of today I fear, I know very little It has changed, it should have changed as all else around it has done. But in the essence, it is I believe the Wesley that I knew.

Fifty Years: Reminiscences of an Old-Old Boy by J.C.F.de Silva (1915-22)

What memories of the past the above title conjures up! What visions of an era long past, those spacious days of long ago when life moved at a slower tempo and was not the hustle that it now is 'from the womb to the tomb' Here are a few thumb-nail sketches of some of my old teachers as I picture them after a lapse of fifty years and more. I studied at Wesley during the period 1915-1922 when Rev. Henry Highfield was our Principal. What a man he was : short, stocky with a luxuriant moustache and an ever-ready smile, willing to help us boys with our troubles. Endowed with a fund of energy and almost inexhaustible stamina he used to set an example to the boys by himself helping to weed the grass on the old Wesley cricket grounds at Campbell Park.

The older generation used to talk with pride of his legendary exploit when he went round a good bit of Ceylon on his bicycle collecting funds for building the College which had then recently moved in to its present location from the Pettah. His unfailing smile withal he was a strict disciplinarian and never hesitated to spare the rod when necessary, as so many of us found to our cost! In contrast to him was our Vice-Principal, Rev. Percy Cash, tall, soldierly he served in World War I remember right, and of a serious turn of mind. Sarcasm was his forte and. we used to be at the receiving end of many a caustic remark when he took us in Geography. He was not such a popular figure as our Principal but he was a very good teacher. Now, the lay staff, chief of whom was C. P. Dias 'Papa Dias' as he was generally known) our Headmaster and also doyen of the Colombo Municipal Council, of which he was a Member. Grand old man 'he was loved and respected by all, his outbursts of temper, were looked on as a joke by us boys, though sometimes with dire consequences to us. Well do I remember one occasion when I had incurred his wrath by laughing or some such thing. He caught hold of me by my throat (nearly strangling me in the process), pushed me against the balustrade and tried to kick me, so making a ludicrous picture, as his efforts were hampered by the cloth he wore over his trousers. He then pointed out to me the Welikada Jail opposite and, said that I would some day be an inmate there! The old mans prediction has so far not come true, although fifty years have passed by however, one can never say what the future holds for each of us. Here I must digress a little to say that each bestowed on them in malice: but just as a result of our boyhood exuberance; Next, we had W.E.Mack (Balu:Makka) who used to take us in Latin, Arithmetic and English. (They were really versatile, those teachers of old). He used to sport a waistcoat (a status symbol of those days) and was a great snuff-taker, a habit which, I think, was responsible for the reddish- brown colour of his walrus moustache.

In our Virgil class there was one particular name in the text-book-Othrys- which used to tickle me a great deal. This was commented on by Mr. Mack who himself laughed heartily as a result. I must say that the Arithmetic- he taught me has stuck in my head alright and stood me in good stead when I sat for the Survey Clerical later. Then there was C. V. Honter who used to take our English Text. He was christened 'Mike Lambourne' after a character in 'Kenilworth' which was our text-book at the time. A round, podgy figure he had a bristly moustache from which he used to pluck hairs at times while looking down beneath his spectacles and down. his nose and murmuring speak up speak up to us" - The fact was he was so absorbed in this hair-plucking business -that he couldn't hear what we were saying repeating the phrase above. So we come to A.H. de Silva (Kukul Silva, from his gait, resembling & rooster on the warpath). With him. snuffing was a ritual, involving the removal and cleaning of his spectacles, a task which occupied about 5 minutes. He was noted for his two-finger slaps (just like that) which he used to administer while holding a pencil between his teeth. I came within an ace of receiving one of these one day, but I stood up to him rather cheekily (up to then I had been rather timid); this must have surprised him, so he said, "You also! " and stopped short, only biting on his pencil! I was surprised , too and now, Sam Van Hoff (Sambo), a tall figure with a scholarly stoop, to old bachelor who had his 'den' in Karishrue behind the College. Due to a physical defect he was unable to climb the stairs and so took all his classes on the ground floor. He too was an adept at caustic comments. I can still picture him in his room surrounded by books

Next, Eric Gunasekera (Ettaya), tall, wiry and athletic, master and cricket coach. His specialty was tweaking our ears, a form of punishment that could be very painful. One day, when I was a new boy, I had no textbook and through fear was hiding in the lavatory. Suddenly Ettaya came in there, questioned me and took me by my ear into the class. That ear sure hurt for a couple of days ! Some years ago I met him some- where near Campbell Park one evening. His sight was rather impaired at that time. F. J. Lemphers was our Drawing master, a calm, unruffled man whose placidity was almost bovine (I don't mean to be derogatory but that's Just how it was). When he did get angry with one of us, which was very rarely, the most he would do was to say, "You buffalo!" and the matter ended there. In fact I think we used to take advantage of his kind nature by resorting to all kinds of pranks during the Drawing period. History was taught us by M. A. Samarakoon (who later became District Judge, Colombo), a short, stocky, well-built man who reminded me of Napoleon Bonaparte. He was- the only master I really feared! For a good reason too; one shot from that massive forearm would have downed anyone of us. Of this power I had ample proof one day! We had been asked to revise a particular lesson relating to the 17th century Civil War in England. In class, a map was hung on the blackboard and we were asked, one by one, to trace the course Prince Rupert took to (or from,. I can't quite remember) Marston Moor. Most of us had neglected revision and were unable to give a correct answer. When it came to my turn I went to the map and was trying to bluff koon specials, a haymaker on the nape of my neck, and I went sailing out of the door into the corridor to join the other boys who had received the same treatment ! All these revered teachers have now gone beyond our ken, gone to 'the bourne whence no man returns', but memories of them still linger in the minds of those of us who studied under them and studied to such good effect. 'Requiescat in pace'.

However, there is one who is still with us. I refer to S.J. V. Chelvanayagam. Yes, none other than the 'Father of the Federal Movement'. He was the youngest of the lot when came to Wesley and taught us Mathematics (English, too) for a few years before he joined the Law College. A gentle soul he was, one who never used the cane on us, a fact which we boys exploited to the full. When we annoyed him unduly he would dash the chalk or pencil on the table and walk away leaving us to our own devices. And so I close this little chapter of memories in the hope that these vignettes of former, members of the staff will be of some interest to the present boys of Wesley. This may sound like a cliché, beloved of old-timers, but it is a fact that cannot be gain said; those teachers of old were indeed a dedicated lot, men who taught us to remember, not to forget, men the like of whom, in the context of present circumstances, may not be seen in this generation. For myself I can only say : 'Respice finem'

My School Days At Wesley (1926-33) by J.C.P.Wickramanayake

As I take up my pen to write on this subject, memories rush to my mind like ghosts beckoning from the past and pleading to be let in. My problem is what I should leave out in order to keep this article within a length to match the space that could be allotted to it. My period in, school was 1926 to 1933 - only 7 years as I had attended other schools earlier. The number in school was small, about 600, which is unimaginable in this age when the number of about 1,350 which the school has must be considered a small number compared with numbers in other schools of equal standing. I must say that I enjoyed prayers mainly due to the hymn singing. All the boys of the school, irrespective of their religion, attended prayers, but it must be said that in this there was not even a hint of an attempt to convert, or subvert, boys of other religions. In fact, boys of other religions enjoyed prayers as much as the Christian boys and went to their classes unaffected, by the prayers so far as their attitude to their own religions was concerned, though it can be said that the feeling of piety and goodness -which prayers should evoke in a Christian I expected to have conveyed Itself to most of them. My colleagues at school were. of all races and of all religions and difference? of race or caste or creed caused no barriers between us. The unifying factor was the language as we all spoke English in school.

We were fortunate in having a set of very capable and conscientious teachers. I remember the pains our teachers took to pass on to their pupils the knowledge they had of the subjects which they taught, and with what selflessness they worked. The boys in the school during my time were as mischievous, or more so, than the boys today. One instance of mischievousness which I recollect was associated with the famous boxer. Gunboat Jack, who visited Ceylon at that time. He had almost massacred a local challenger Roy Wells. We were surprised when Gunboat Jack called at the school with. his Manager one day. He asked for one of the teachers the teachers and when he was taken up to the teacher he told him that he had come in connection with the challenge he had received ed from him. The teacher, a timid man by nature though a terror to his pupils, was all consternation and, waving both his hands he said "Oh!; No, No. Mr.Gunboat Jack, I did not challenge you!". He was so shaken by the event that he was not fit for any more work on that day and that was all that the mischief-makers Who had sent the dud challenge wanted!

At Cricket, we were the wooden-spoonists during the period. The interest we took in the game was, however, tremendous: On match days, everyone awaited the close of the school with impatience to rush to the grounds. An incident Connected with cricket of my period in school recurs vividly to my mind how a ''pair of spectacles" scored by one of our batsmen was received. The batsman was Ponnusamy and the match was against St. Benedict's In 1927 which was played on the- Railway Grounds. In both innings Ponnusamy came back after being dismissed for a blob. Smiling all the way from the wickets to the Pavilion, and his smile was most noticeable against the background of his swarthy face. We won-the match . and our Principal, Rev. John Dalby in, referring to the match at Assembly on the' next school day commented on the spirit of sportsmanship which was displayed ' by Ponnusamy when he walked back to the Pavilion with a smile after having scored, '0* in each innings and said that it was the correct spirit and the 'Wesley' spirit. We were all highly impressed by this example of sportsmanship and, applauded lustily. As I said earlier- there are many more events which occur to my mind when I think of my school days. The memory of which has also been such as to evoke in me the utmost loyalty towards the school loyalty, which I make bold to say is as great as that which any alumnus of a school

Reflections (1933-74) by Edmund Dissanayake

My association with Wesley College Began in the year 1933 when I was admitted to the Lower Kindergarten. Wesley 'College has been fortunate in having had several devoted teachers, who have served the cause of Education, regardless of private gain. No disrespect is implied to others if I were to mention the names of a few teachers who exerted a profound influence on me in my formative years. Miss. Iris Blacker, Mrs. Joyce Leembruggen, Messrs. R. A. Honter, J. E. de Silva,L. C. de S. Weragoda, Eric Gunasekera,J.L. F. de Mel, F. J. Senaratne, E. D. Thambimuttu, P. H. Nonis, K. M. de Lanerolle and Rev. James Cartman. They were teachers of the highest integrity and sincerity of purpose. Among my school mates who particularly influenced me was Shelton Peiris, our Senior Prefect of 1946, who appeared to us as the very embodiment of all that Wesley stood for. When I was very young, I had a strange fascination to be a teacher. Perhaps the good example set by my own teachers may have influenced me. And so, in September 1948, Rev. Cartman gave me my first assign- ment as apart-time teacher; and in January 1949, I formally joined the Tutorial Staff, as a full-time teacher. Although more lucrative employment was offered to me elsewhere both in 1949 and in 1960, I do not regret my decision to have continued as an Assistant Teacher at Wesley. For, in the ultimate analysis, one's fulfillment lies in accepting an occupation that brings one joy and satisfaction. I believe that the less one 'has to chastise, the less one has to use the cane, the greater would be the rapport between teacher and student, and greater the response from the student. Wesley has also been fortunate in having a loyal and devoted domestic staff. Ranis and Wilbert, both, alas, no more, being outstanding. Men of their calibre are a rare commodity today... I believe that a student's education is not complete unless he has been resident in the school hostel for even a short period. It has been our experience that hostellers have generally be on far more resourceful than day scholars. Hostellers have shone both in the class-room and on the field of sports. Their mischief, if at all, was quite healthy. Once, late at night, we heard the school bell ring. The hostel masters presuming that a hosteller was responsible, switched on the lights in the dormitories, but found all their charges in that the culprit was a cow whose tail had been tied to the rope of the college bell ? The particular hosteller who was responsible for this bright idea, works today as an executive in a high-powered corporation. Mrs. Ruth Hindle who was hostel matron from '1949-1957 was a "very popular figure. Her humane approach to all problems in the hostel, endeared her to everyone. Shelton Peiris and Aelian Fernando in their capacity as Senior Hostel Masters in the early fifties, were largely responsible for setting the correct. tone in the hostel. Their enthusiasm and devotion to duty were unparalleled. The versatile Kenneth M. de Lanerolle, who was Vice Principal and Hostel Superin- endent, was a great source of inspiration to both staff and students. Indeed he was their hero. Mr. C. J. Oorloff who succeeded Rev. Cartman in 1950 is remembered for his efficient administration, and discipline. ' Mr. P. H. Nonis is unique in that he was the first Wesleyite to be appointed as ,her Principal. It fell to his lot to pioneer the school through the new educational set up, as a private non-fee levying school. Mr. A. S. Wirasinghe came to us from Richmond. He introduced the system of teacher-supervisors throughout the school. This helped to decentralize the administrative machinery, and has materially contributed to the smoother functioning of the school. Messrs. John Vethanayagam and Wilfred Wickremasinghe who were active hostel masters twenty five years ago, continue to serve Wesley, devotedly. Mrs. Elsie Perera nee Peiris, and Mr. A. V. Gunaratnam who have completed twenty five years service are also with us. Mrs. Sheila Wijeykoon nee Drieberg and Mr. Felix Premawardena left for Australia and Zambia respectively, after 24 years at Wesley. Mr. Charles de Silva will be retiring in December, 1973 having served Wesley for 28 years. Students affec- tionately remember his earlier Morris 8 car which was reminiscent of a padda-boat. This car was made available to staff and students in wet weather. His appointment in 1972 as Vice Principal (Acting) greatly redounded to the credit of the Governing Board, as he was the first Non-Christian to hold such office at Wesley. He filled this post with much acceptance.

The death of Mr. Eric de Silva has taken away from our midst a pillar of the school. He was Bursar for 36 years. I remember Rev. Cartman telling me in 1947, that if Erie left Wesley he would be compelled to employ at least three people to take his place. If Rev. Cartman had such a high regard for Eric's work twenty seven years ago, one 'can imagine the tragedy that has befallen Wesley today. The late Eric de Silva was one of the finest men I have met. In truth, he has not passed away, 'for he continues to live in our hearts. Cricket has been one of my great "loves". Boys remember with pride the enthusiasm engendered by Rev. Cartman. Wesley's success in cricket during that period was largely due to the personal interest taken by Rev. Cartman, and the Masters in charge, Mr. F. J. Senaratne, Mr. G. Joseph and Mr. J. L. F. de Mel, For the record, the last occasion when Wesley beat both St. Thomas' and Royal in the same, season was in 1947., Wesleyites who. read this article may be reminded of their debts to "Uncle Joe" for books purchased at the School Book Shop! The indefatigable Mr. de Mel's devotion to duty, traveling to school from far away Panadura, was an object lesson to everyone. The tremendous interest evinced by our Old Boys in their Alma Mater, is indeed the pride of any school. No one could gainsay the great devotion and concern shown particularly by Mr. J. C. P. Wikramanavake.

Among the Wesleyites who during the last twenty five years have served as, teachers at Wesley, and have wielded much influence among the students.. are Sam Silva, Shelton Peiris, Fred Abeysekera, Watson Wijewickrema, the late Rev. Maxwell de Alwis, Agbo Karunaratne, Graham Dissanayake, Lou Adhihetty. N.A.B. Fernando.D.B. Welikala, M. Mohideen, Sam R. Thevathasan and Prasanna Wijesinghe. It is our wish that the few Wesleyites who are presently on the Staff would continue to serve at Wesley for many more years. I refer to Messrs Lalith Wijesinghe, Marshal Fernando, M. A. P. Fernando, Srilal Karunaratne, Nimal de Silva If Wesley is to continue as a Private Non Fee Levying School in the great tradition she has been heir to during the last one hundred years, it is respectfully submitted, that every inducement should be provided to Wesleyites to accept appointments in their Alma Mater. ' "And when Wesley's call shall sound 'Ready Aye' shall all be found, In duty and in honour bound Wesley to the fore.''

A Drive Down Memory Lane by H.S.A.T.Peiris

The morning, of 10th May 1934, was gloomy when the Cowley Crunched up the drive and halted in the portico of the stateliest of all mansions the child had even seen Wesley College Wesley College. Hordes of little, boys, blue and white uniforms, crowded round and peered into the limousine. "Poom -Oom - Poom"', they squeezed the rubber, bulb, much to the annoyance of the driver! "New boy, new boy" they all shouted and-giggled, as the reluctant, lanky specimen was scooped out , of the car by his mother. The wretched tormentors followed. Now in the frequency of memory, I reach him as he stands one in those wretched tormentors followed. Now in the frequency of memory, I reach him as he stands one in those many rows in the spacious stained glass windowed hall where the entire school had assembled on the first day of term._The speaker is a calm and be-spectacled, tired looking, Englishman in cap and gown-the Rev. John Dalby as he was later known. The Staff, prim and proper, sit behind him.. There is a pin-drop silence among the rows of boys. What he spoke is forgotten through the passage of time, but what remains is the tattooed impression of discipline and order and obedience. This was indeed a significant day day in the life of a new boy for over the years this boy, instructed and guided, followed an educational-oriented training for life ,a training which has guided him over the storms and stresses and the changing phases of life. It opened up to him new vistas, new experiences in understanding, in tolerance and in all those things of value and of good report. That new boy was myself. Many are the incidents both in the class- room and on the playing field in my early formative years. Many were the teachers in those same years.

I can never forget Mrs. Rachel Lembruggen is the most perfect Of all teachers, immaculate .in dress .and as beautiful as an angel to our childhood observations. observation. The Other Mrs. Leembruggen, Joyce, plump and comely, taught' me in her broad deliberate speech my very first poem- Little drops of water, Little grains of sand, Make the mighty ocean and, the pleasant land. So convincing was she that even as tiny tots this poem made us feel important, the way she delivered it.; Another teacher who created an indelible impression on my life was the diminutive Miss Iris Blacker whose most formidable form of punishment was a severe wrap on our knuckles with a blue pencil, in inch taller than she.' One important facet in the syllabi of Wesley then was handwork ; what fascinating .hours-we spent in these classes! Handwork. included woodwork, 'modelling with clay and plasticine, rattan, work including basket' weaving, elementary metal work, sign.-board writing, leatherwork etc. .How we rushed to the hand Work Room with its many gadgets and instruments. To be met by the most skilful of teachers, who with patience, tact and firmness, took us through our paces year in and year out Under his guidance we became confident, and collected, unruffled and methodical. For his labour' of love we are indeed grateful, as his instructions 'certainly helped us to be the handymen we are. This teacher is no other than Mr. J. E. De Silva yet dynamic and creative. Two other teachers both Wesleyites to the core helped us. The cigar smoking Ataya and the other the soft spoken "Hulang".. Eric Gunasekera and L.C.de S Weragoda as they will be remembered by numerous old boys. Nor can I forget D.R.Victor- He was a storyteller par excellence. And So time sped on till we were forced to breakup school as a result of World War II. During the war tears we were commandeered and scattered away from Colombo. We went to Kittiyakkara and old fashioned bungalow near All Saints Borella. Numbers increased with the arrival of Rev. Holden who came from Mandalay. He was a disciplinarian and did a wonderful job at Kittiyakkara.

My mind goes back to when I was a. Prefect and leader of the debating team of that year. Wesley College proposed for debate "THE BAN ON THE NATIONAL DRESS MUST BE LIFTED". The feature debate, with our sister college, Methodist, was eagerly looked forward to, for, even under the eagle eye of Mrs. Loos, we had a fine time with the girls.! On my part I thought I should be a little imaginative and original-but alas it was brought to the notice of Rev. Holden that I intended to lead the debate clad in sarong o and coat! Rev. Holden would hear nothing of this. He threatened to call off the debate. ' The debate in itself was not that exciting until our last man the "chuttie" member of the team, waxing eloquent and lost in excitement demanded that "THE NATIONAL DRESS SHOULD BE LIFTED"! The House roared and even the ranks of Tuscany could scare for bear to cheer! Weeks later I made it bold, however, to attend College in coat and sarong. By and by in College life Edmund Dissana- yake and I had teamed up and we had as Senior Prefect Sam Silva. Now one of Sri Lanka's finest administrators, Sam, even then was unassuming, composed, collected and always willing to help a junior. Of him it could be said-''Nihil tetigit, quod non or- navit" - he touched nothing which he did not adorn. How true of Sam even now! I had by now assumed greater responsibilities at Wesley and was appointed Senior Prefect and had the privilege, as a student in the Varsity Entrance form and later as a member of the College Staff, of associating myself with one of Wesley's most capable principals in recent years-the Rev. James Cartman. 'Carti', as he was affectionately called, had the unenviable task of restoring Wesley to her pre-war status-This the Rev. Cartman did with distinction and. aplomb. His was' certainly, a formidable task, I repeat. The traditions of Wesley, rich and hallowed, could not easily be interpreted in improvised buildings, but the Rev. Cartman with his vision and drive, with his tact and under- standing inculcated that spirit of Wesley in us.

With some of Wesley's finest teachers like E.D. Tambimuttu, Kenneth de Lanerolle and Fred de Mel away in the various Civil Defence branches, the Rev. Cartman drew heavily from remaining teacher and student. I recall now that this was group work at its optimum. It infused a spirit of cooperation ; it gave him the opportunity of walking close with both teacher and student. Edmund Dissanayake and I were asked to' organise 'the guarding and hatching and this we did with other senior student. I recall the entire school entering the hall. Edmund led the students, opening the stage side door with a silver key. The Wanderers had returned' .,. The Rev. Cartman steered on. An. enthusiastic cricketer and the President of the Schools' Cricket Association, he presented a new dimension to the younger students, tapping their enthusiasm. On match days. the entire school assembled would yell, led by Rev. Cartman the Red Indian " "War Cry", as we called it-

ZAM, ZAM, ZAKAY ,. ZAM, ZAM, ZAY ISHUBA, ISHUBA . OOH, HA, HAY ! -

The tamarind tree at Wesley has been a silent sentinel over the many decades. Its origin is lost to us in the mists .of forgotten years, but whenever I see it I begin to regress. For at its foot, during the intervals, we mugged up our Latin, memorized poetry and mouthed gossip. Under its spreading branches and in its cool shade we admired the cuties of Mt. Mary. Who of us can forget dear old Ranis whom we once tied up to the tamarind Tree with that unending silver chain and. coiled round his waist! We had our fun, strong healthy fun, some of which caused us fear and foreboding like the day when we played barber by clipping off the whiskers; of 'Garandiya' alias Silva, and we were reported to Mr. Nonis. Garandiya withdrew his com- plaint on our threatening--to expose his selling glass bulbs to us". Or when we ate all the 'achcharu' made by old Babun's ancient wife and accused Babun till she hit him with the coconut shell spoon. What a fight it was the late Mr. C. M. Fonseka Had to rescue Baboon, and the .old lady, growling, retreated, stuffing back her breasts which had slipped the confines of her jacket! : And as the canvas of time unrolls I see in retrospect our own contributions as students in the life of the school. Prize Givings Weekends, were weekends to remember. Having worked like galley slaves on the eve of a Prize Giving I remember once creeping with some others, past mid-night, to the *Tram View Hotel the then Wesleyites' Inter Continental! After a satisfying repast we saw on our return Raman the rickshaw puller who abused some of us daily. He was curled up and fast asleep in his rickshaw. We trundled the viper along with bated breath.

What if the sleeping devil got up ? Then as we reached Wesley we lifted the contraption with the snoring spitfire over the gravel drive. Merty, Chinni, Cruze(shy and coy), Gemba, Edmund and many other willing hands helped. Gently, ever so gently, we placed the rickshaw under the porch and chained the College gate. At dawn a trapped and demented Raman tore his hair and hissed invective, till he was released by the gardener! I have had the most pleasant memories both, as a student of Wesley and as a teacher; studying, living and working with so many noble lives. Eric Silva, played his part unostentatiously till his death. A very ready help, Eric's witness for the' Master, in his own sphere of activity at Wesley, was indeed appreciated. Bertha Weerapass~ (now Mrs. Bernard) in her charming way, was also a great asset in the College office. I recall the splendid work she did for the Jubilee celebration in 1949. * (Now. .unfortunately no more~ Where it once stood is today just a broad stretch of pavement.) Many others, too numerous to mention, also gave of their best to Wesley .. But I have to mention Edmund Dissanayake as outstanding. Edmund is the symbol of Wesley, loyal and faithful. Already index, nay, an encyclopaedia of the Colleges history for nearly 40 years. His contributions, as & student, in the field of cricket is legendary. His adventure on the memorable occasion when Wesley played St. Thomas and Edmund was struck down by a ball off- a Thomian bat was indeed a startling experience to us all. I remember, returning at mid-night from the nursing home where he was, meeting a ghost. What a ghost! I had related this to Dunstan Thuring (now Rev). Well, that is another story, the recalling of which gives me the creeps even now. Ask later and it shall be related unto you ! What was so wonderful of Wesley The reply to this .I found embodied in the lives and actions of my teachers. True, I had been given directions and advice, but as a young teacher I too had to fall in line, live out and activate those Values, both in the class room and in the playing fields, deep and abiding, which superstructure was based on the rock bottom of Truth, Understanding and Honesty.

My short sojourn as Senior Hostel Master introduced me to many a rich young life which has been translated over the years into men of grit and honesty. This rare climate in the hostel of Wesley was was also due to people like Lilian Welles and Ruth Hindle-matrons who spared no pains to make our lives so comfortable in the hostel. I recall men like L.Aelian Fernando and Rev. David Wilson who enriched and guided the lives of both hostellers and young teachers. Nor can one forget those Hostel Aides-great men who unobtrusively laboured as cooks, dormitory boys and sick-room attendants. In presenting this brief resume of events I cannot but recall the singular guidance received, both as a student, and as a young teacher from that versatile virtuoso - Kenneth de Lanerolle. To me, as to countless WesleyiteS the shall remain their Inspiration, for as Singer, Musician, Actor, Mimic Wit, Playwright, Poet, Artist, this prodigious teacher, was our hero, our guide and our friend Another place we loved very dearly at Wesley was the Small Park, where we played and fought, and nurtured and nourished the very fibre of our young lives to stand out as characteristic Wesleyites. It is a great shame that designing minds have caused the rape of this valuable lung and dissected it to accommodate a scheme, which, in the-context of robbing young Wesley from its rightful heritage, is indeed a very perfidious act. And so Time has sped. The noble College has reached its Centenary. It has weathered every storm, the vicissitudes of circumstance and time have not marred her progress nor dulled her contribution to the nation's development. We remember .with prayer and gratitude the pioneers and those, great men who have gone before us and who have unhesitatingly blazed a trail -even scorning fame and fortune-in toil and labour to make; Wesley a better place to those vast numbers who enter her portals. They have sown, with fortitude and vision, they have sown with a steadfast and a strong arm, whilst we have continued to reap the abundant harvest of their toil and those following us - shall surely garner. Who can be unmoved on such a pulsating, momentous occasion as 'this? A hundred years of a rich and noble heritage; and who can remain untouched as one walks through those long corridors of Wesley or ponder in The North Tower, where we as Prefects met to deliberate; or gaze-in the self-same stained-glass-windowed hall of our childhood- at the portraits of Wesley's genial giants- Henry Highfield having an eye on them all! And we Wesleyites as we Pray and Labour on the highways and byways of life-repledge our loyalty and "together stand" to toast the best school of all, for

On those bygone years -An Interview - S.P

"Somehow it is so clear in my mind that 4th of June 1914, When I travelled as a small boy from Madampe with my father to join Wesley College as a Boarder". And as he spoke' with such clarity and detail I found myself transported to a distant age of an unhurried and even tempo. Then the State provided horse and bullock drawn coaches and a steam boat service on the Colombo Puttalam Dutch Canal. The single bus service from Colombo to Puttalam was well patronised, and as a rule seats were booked in advance for the entire journey, and as it chugged along it raised, clouds of dust. Horse traps, buggy carts and rickshaws moved around the station entrance of the Railway stations soliciting for passengers. The speaker was Arthur Ernest Herat Sanderatne, Attorney- at-law and formerly of the erstwhile Ceylon Civil Service. What memories he yet had of the Revd. Henry Highfied who had kept a steady correspondence with his old pupil. Though late that evening in June when father and son arrived-there was the Revd. Henry and Mrs. Highfield to make the small lad comfortable and at home. Memories flooded into Authur's mind with consu- mate ease and his trained mind sorted them all out for me as he spoke of the 1918 riots and the disturbances round Wesley when the "down" boutique, known to so many generations of Wesleyites was also looted.

The Powder Magazine opposite the college was a hive of activity and it was guarded very heavily indeed by special contingent of Punjabi soldiers-what tough, grand specimens of manhood, Arthur recalled , they were! Those were very disturbing days indeed. Capt. Pedris was court- martialled and shot. Wesley too shared the anxiety of those days for, beside other leaders, a prominent Wesleyite-Don Baron Jayatilleke - was hustled into prison. Here the Revd. Highfield took a bold step in fearlessly fighting and shouting at the excesses that were committed by a set of thoughtless Britishers. It was Revd. Highfield's intervention that obtained their speedy release. Arthur also spoke with nostalgia of the work and labours, particularly in the Boarding House, of Revd. Percy and Mrs. Cash. He recalled vividly the life of companionship the Boarders had their fun and escapades. The Boarding House had even then fine exemplary men - S. V. O. Somanader, S. J. V. Chelvanayagam and F. J. Senaratne. Among those great men. of S. J. V. Chelvanayagam, Arthur Sanderatne had to say many fine things like his personal sacrifice of time and labour to help the boys, his great devotion to teaching and the valuable contribution he made in improving the college Science Section.

He had a serious outlook and was called "Ghandi". In response to the "Empires Call" Ceylon too sent her volunteer contingents - many a young Wesleyite too joined - many never to return. The Boys of Wesley, apart from qualifying for external exams had scounting, boxing and cadeting included among other extra mural activities. Regular outings were a feature. The Revd. Highfield on bis push bike always accompanied the boys and teachers who travelled in double bullock carts. Among the old brigade C. P.Dias Wesley's Head Master for over 40 years, was an institution within an institution. He was feared and yet loved. He was noted for his daily walks from Cotta Road to Kotahena and back. This exercise he claimed made him alert and fit. He was a City father for a long time. Wesley had a loyal and devoted set of minor employees, of those Ranis played a grand "innings" and his services were available to many generations of Wesleyites. And so we kept talking with Arthur Sanderatne in reminiscent mood- I reluctantly left this great andloyal son of Wesley whose unflinching loyalty to the old school is an example worthy of emulation- "Wesley" he mused as we shook hands ''always endeavoured to provide asound education with a view to build character with emphasis laid on the necessity of im- proving the mind body and spirit." - yes how true of Wesley.

Skimmings - In Retrospect (1949-74) by T.A.S.H

In turning back the pages of Time, One's thoughts regress to the Wesley's Diamond Jubilee March 1949 into which celebrations were woven Thanksgiving and Rejoicing. Apart from a mere chronological event, the celebrations of, the, year were also a finale to a short yet devoted and inspiring period of dedicated service to Wesley by the Rev. James Cartman, 8. Wesley's energetic and popular Principal from March 1945 to September 1949. Those who had the privilege of being associated with him will recall the Himalayan task the Rev. Cartman had to grapple with during his tenure of office. The College buildings for which he strove to get back, after the fall of Singapore-and into which a few hundred of students processed on the 3rd of December 1945, led by Edmund Dissanayake-were in shambles. A handful of pre- war teachers and students formed the nuclei for the Rev. Cartman to rely on. Foremost was Mr. Eric Gunasekera, of revered memory who through all those exacting vicissitudes, remained a trusted custodian of Wesley*s ' tradition'-a source of inspiration, a loyal counselor and truly a very present help to the Rev. James Cartman. Eric Gunasekera spared no pains to serve his Alma mater and to this end it could be said he spent himself even after his retirement in Wesley's service, Beside the others who rallied round were loyal old boys of the staff like L.C.deS. Weragoda and F. J. Seneratne who together with a group of young teachers "and senior students spent much time to build up and initiate those who joined Wesley-post-war to the Wesley traditions.

A special tribute must be paid ,to the youth of Wesley who answered her call undaunted and unselfishly led by Shelton Peiris and Edmund Dissent- yake. The youth of Wesley then as now played their part magnificently. The in played their part magnificently. The .in- creasing numbers of this post-war period of admission to Wesley was indicative of the acceptance of Wesley. With the near approach of the Diamond Jubilee the Rev. James Cartman spearheaded a drive with such feverish enthusiasm that one could not believe one's, eyes at the rise of the Diamond Jubilee Fund Barometer displayed in the College Hall! The call to help was a sincere and stirring one-the response was heartening. Contributions poured in; even the youngest at Wesley gave his mighty mite. Extensions were initiated and completed in time for the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations in 1949. The present College Library, which is a portion of the extensions, was named after the Rev. James Cartman in grateful acceptance of the splendid work he did at Wesley. Short though his stay was one could see the progress Wesley was striding towards,' both in the academic sphere and in the field of sp6rt as well What was more was the awareness of youth as it was called to play its part and the plea Cartman often made for the building of a "Wesley Spirit" producing "Men of Grit and Industry" was not in vain.

Certainly Cartman's influence was deep, profound and abiding. One recalls his choice of M. A. M. Sheriff whom he had handpicked from a provincial school and encouraged and guided by Cartman made history a few years later in being selected to participate yet as a school boy in the Empire Games of 1950. The Poets exclaim of the One crowded hour being worthier than an Age without a name is truly fitting of the Rev. J. Cartman"g contributions to Wesley-Well played Sir! On the departure of the Rev. J. Cartman the then Governing Board called upon Mr. Kenneth M. De Lanerolle who. had been appointed Wesley's Vice Principal; and who snared in no small measure the heavy burdens of Wesley during the Cartman regime, to act as Principal, Wesley College. This request was graciously accepted by Mr. Lanerolle and, as a natural sequel, those who had Wesley's welfare at heart, waited with bated breath; for his confirmation.~ Principal of Lesley and in which high office he had already' accomplished so much in so small a space., of time and under much strain-and stress. Certainly a new Epoch was to begin with Kenneth De Lanerolle the superlative administration But alas those Prudish Pundit Prattlers conferred otherwise and Wesley was denied Mr. Kenneth D Lanerolle as her rightful Principal. However, in spite of this abortion of justice Kenneth De. Lanerolle did not betray the trust and confidence placed on him by students and colleagues alike and it is to his lasting honour, that, this fine gentle- man gave of his best even after the appoint- ment of Mr.Cedric J.Oorloff ,-C.C.S who in turn settled down to reorganize Wesley with the object of securing greater financial stability. Mr. 0orloffs& used to office routine and administration, though at first aloof was found to be a very valuable asset. His rich experience in the then Civil Service and an ingrained culture resultant of a classical education, gave him at Wesley the necessary leadership at that time Wesley joined the free scheme of education. Nor can one forget the contribution to Wesley of Mrs. Oorloff a lady with an old world charm and a dignity which sets the right tone in any disturbing Circumstance. Together both placed "Wesley' need foremost. It was their joint effort that gave reality to the extensions at Wesley now called the Highfield Memorial Block-- In which effort Mr.Oorloff was ably assisted by a band of teachers too numerous to mention, old boys, students and well wishers alike, whose contributions, services and efforts have been gratefully recorded else- where.

One finds it extremely difficult to mention by name all those wonderful men and women who strove silently yet valiantly in the service of Wesley. Mr. Fred De Mel whose name is a close link with Wesley, retired as Wesley's Head Master. He was a teacher and an excellent one at teaching, a stern disciplinarian yet every approachable man. It is a matter of deep regret that Death had snatched both Mr. Fred De Mel and Eric Silva another of Wesley's pillars who had laboured so unostentatiously and ungrudging- gly, on the eve of Wesley's Centenary. Miss Iris Blacker that diminutive stalwart of Wesley had at all times given of her best and so very many of us have had the good fortune to be guided by her as students at Wesley. Nor can one forget the contributions to Wesley's progress made by men like W. T. Canaga Ratna, Ivor De Silva, L.A.Femando, Fred Abeysekera, Ivan Ondaatjee, Frank Jayasinghe and Austin Salgado to mention a few they were all young teachers when he did credit to the cause of education at Wesley in no small measure. Wesley was fortunate to have at least some of her alum- ni associated themselves with their Alma Mater as teachers. One recalls the work of Fred Abeysekera who excelled not only in the classrooms an-inspiring teacher but also Joined in the hurly burly of sports particularly in Hockey. One recalls with pride men of the calibre of C. J. T. Thamotheram, C.S. Ponnadurai, Felix Premawardena, Arnold -Sethukavaler David Joseph, Bertie Van Sanden and the late Maxwell York de Alwis who later became the Rev. M. Y. de Alwis- His premature death had caused a void that is hard to fill. - Wesley had great teachers and one recalls to mind the late Messrs G. Joseph affectionately known as Uncle Joe, silent strong man, C.M.Fonseka and Mrs. Rachel Limburger A gracious lady who served the school for many years. This is indeed a very inadequate List of those devotee and dedicated men and women not to mention Wesley's youth, who had at all times and often under extremely difficult terrain had not spared their time, effort and energy to urge the progress of the school they so loved. With all humility the writer of this article craves the pardon of any whose name had not been included even in passing and would affirm that such omission is without design.

Wesley though a Methodist Institution had always enjoyed a Catholic outlook and besides having the good fortune to have men and women of the Anglican faith, apart from Other faiths has a unique record of being so loyally served by those belonging to the Buddhist fold. This article is deemed incomplete if one fails to record the service of dedicated labour of Two great Buddhist gentlemen, Messrs Charles de Silva and Edmund Dissanayake. Charles de Silva's loyalty to the college and his contribution were so great that the Board of Management decided to appoint Charles as Wesley's Vice Principal. Edmund Dissanayake's name is so closely woven with that of Wesley forever 4 decades he ad given of his best and continues to do so be it in the cricket field, or in the class room. If Wesley had so easily pulled itself out of many a tricky period when the wicked of circumstances were equally treacherous and risky it was due to men like Edmund that Wesley regained an even keel and her composure. It is not always that the kindergarten comes into the glare and lime-light of a school yet the most important years of a child are nurtured and cultivated in this region. This task is indeed an exacting and demanding one. Wesley has had the good fortune of women of the calibre of Joyce Leembruggen whose devotion to service took priority over all her other interests. Her worthy successor Mrs. S. E. G. Perera yet continues the good work of her guru in the kindergarten. Other teachers associated with the lower and middle school were Miss Christobelle Mendis (now Mrs. Peiris), and Sheila Wijekone (nee Drieberg.) Mesdames Isla Perera and Dulcie De Mel together with other ladies had played a very prominent role both in the lower school and in the middle, and had helped in .no small measure to create the correct climate to accommodate- the wee Wesleyites.' Wesley was also fortunate in having chaplains like Rev. D. K. Wilson whose period at Wesley brings to mind his Warm and gracious Ministry particularly with the hostellers. Silent and self. effacing the Rev.' David Wilson (now Dr.) offered the service of love and affection to all who came in contact with him. His wise counseling gave' the necessary guide lines to many a baffled youth.

Rev. Cyril Premawardene of the Baptist Mission also functioned as chaplain of Wesley. His period of service was also one of deep spiritual assistance to many. The Rev. Pile is also remembered with gratitude for his contributions to the Christian Union in particular. So also the Revs. John Trevenna and Hugh Tattersall. With the departure of Mr. C.J. Oorloff who assumed duties as Principal of Trinity, Wesley welcomed her first old boy Principal. Mr. PH.Nonis a thoroughbred Wesleyite who was on6 time acting Principal when Rev. John Dalby was Principal. He was largely instrumental in the purchase of the College Cricket Pavilion at Campbell Park. The difficult period that Mr. Nonis had to face at Wesley he did so with fortitude and courage and brought to bear many a decision with the welfare of Wesley foremost in 'his mind. The life of the college had at all times been enriched and enlivened to a great extent by the college hostellers. These lads took upon themselves to maintain the key and' tone of 'Wesley tradition. One recalls with gratitude the services rendered to the college hostel by men like Mr.O. A. Weerasooriya, R. R. Ariyanayagam, John Isaac (now Rev) Shelton Peiris, Ivor de Silva and L.A. Fernando, and at a time when Wesley was at Kittiyakara. the yeoman service rendered. to the handful of hostellers by the late Eric de Silva. Nor can one {or get the Hostel Matrons of this period. Lilian Wells who kept an eye on her wards with tact, firmness and love was indeed a very capable lady and so was Mrs. Ruth Hindle who 'heaved up those narrow stairs with such determination that her approach and departure was always known particularly by the errant! Miss P. Gomes who had for a number of years laboured patiently is indeed a worthy successor.

Wesley has had the distinction of having very distinguished old boys and within the' last few decades among other worthy 'alumni was Sir O.E Goonatilleke. Ceylon's first Governor General who heads the long and illustrious line of Wesley's great sons who had done credit both 'to their country and abroad. A school such as Wesley ,has to have necessarily a multitude of persons composed in outlook different from each Other yet all having 'the one goal and object the welfare' of their Alma Mater. Nor can one forget others who had been adopted to the Wesley way of life and who in their turn had spared no pains to give of their best in whatever role They may be called upon to perform their duties.. One recalls with reverential gratitude the service rendered by the late Ranis truly he was an Institution within an.' Institution. Ranis was indeed a very loyal person and in his own way, style habits perpetuated the tradition 'of his dear Wesley. One also remembers men Like the late Wilbert. ground boy, and Silva (Laboratory aide) and 'the present Marshall Perera. Wesley's lustre can also be referred to such loyal helpers which in their unobtrusive ways and behind the scene activities have helped her in no, small measure.

One recalls with gratitude their labours. WV. Rodrigo also' belongs to this group of loyal men; This cursory record has also to note that the 'enthusiasm displayed in deciding that Wesley should remain a private school had shown' a marked deterioration which had its gaunt shadows casting themselves on the financial, aspects of the. school." Here though it is' humanly impossible to' record individuals and their valiant efforts to keep the old flag flying one is urged to record the inspiring work by a band of loyal Wesley lovers in. initiating the Wesley~ College. Welfare 'Society' whose concise objective was to liaise between the Management and the other ancillary associations towards this effort. Much grueling work on a foundation basis was laid by its first President the late Mr. A. M. F. Siriwardene and Mr. A. R. Silva its Vice President. The work of Mr. Emil Loos and the husband and wife team-Mr. & Mrs. H. L. Joseph is "recorded with gratitude. The Herculean efforts of the late Mr. A. M. F. Siriwardene to serve. Wesley remains in one's memory as a monument, better than that of bronze or marble. As a firm foot hold was established rapi4ly. And men of the calibre of F. V. H. Labrooy, the late J. L F. Dc Mel, and Mr. J. C. P. Wikramanayake who in their turn spared no pains, the Wesley College Welfare Society grew into a very substantial arm and 'a very valuable, link indeed.

The College with the rapidly changing conditions. of the 'country had also undergone various changes-lack of adequate accommodation, the need for more laboratory equipment are the most, glaring of Wesley's needs. Wesley's present Principal Mr. Shelton Wirasinghe had certainly an uphill task from his induction at Wesley, a very versatile and talented gentleman. Mr. Wirasinghe often had to ride on the horns of a dilemma in the throws of financial difficulties. However his grit and tenacity has never failed . It is refreshing 'therefore' to note that grit and industry has formed an oasis in an arid zone 'and Wesley offers Drama, oriental dancing and music, opportunities for radio and literary competitions~ the Student Christian Movement. the Sarasavi Saba of the finest school choirs whose timbre, vivace and depth is a reflection of Wesleys great maestro --Haig Karunaratne and his 'associates. And to strike the balance in the adage 'Men Sana in Corpore Sano cricket and hockey Wesley offers cricket -Hockey and Rugger and Swimming among the other games. It has to be proudly accepted that in spite ' of upheavals 'and difficulties, the pledge of supporting Wesley as a non-fee levying private school is being carried on. It is our fervent prayer' that the Centenary Year will enlighten those who have stayed away from Wesley-their Alma Mater to draw closer at the call of Wesley. in her every hour of need; for Wesley as it has been so correctly stated will certainly' not apologies but shall at' all times valiantly and honorably justify her existence. This is the Toast for -the long years ahead.

Wesley as I remember (3) by Shanti McLelland

Article # 52. Wesley: as I remember by Shanti McLelland The best all round sportsmen would be many in the 125-year history of Wesley. The names listed here are only those come to my mind at the time of writing, and in no way comprehensive. Lou Adihetty National Hockey Goalie, Athlete, Cricketer and Cambridge Blue probably top the list along with his accomplishments in studies. We always looked forward to the centuries, and were let down if Lou fell short of our expectations. Darrel Maye in my opinion was outstanding, especially as he never would extend himself to look for fame. He was equally good in Athletics, Hockey, and Cricket. The best was when he demolished Royal to silence the pundits from the media, to change the headlines in Wesley's favour. Upali Samararatna was an outstanding Wicket-Keeper, if I remember right he did carry-on with a bleeding forehead for daring to be so closely behind the sticks. Soccer a sport he favoured like his brother Ranjit and he did excel in athletics. Sarath Wickremaratne, just made it look so easy, whenever he sailed a six straight on, or bowled when things looked bad. I watched vaulting over the bar to finish in the top three in pole vault, represented the University, Colombo & State Services in Hockey. Clifford Rodrigo was an unpretentious cricketer, like Darrell he has the honour of some of the best bowling figures. Left arm or leg spin I cannot remember. A national hockey player represented Mercantile and Colombo Hockey Association for many years. The last time I watched him play was at the Nationals in Matale 1971. A few minutes to the final whistle, he darted through the center, collected a long pass from the right extreme at the 25yds line, dazzled past the two Sri Lankan full-backs playing for Matale and twisted on his toes to just to spin and drive into the right corner of the goal to leave the goalie flat on his back. Colombo won this final with this goal. Mr.Walter Jayasuriya, the king of Hockey was there to hug C.T. as proud as he could be. Kenneth de Silva will be remembered more for his Cricket. But, he did excel in Hockey as a fullback, along with Diane Herft & Ratnavel as goalie. Kenneth also proved to be a good athlete (putt shot). Mervyn & Russel Harmer, both excelled similarly in Cricket, as wicket-keepers, in the Javelin throw in Athletics, or in Soccer. Bashudeen Musafer was one excellent sportsman. Rugby football was his favourite. He wore his pair of golden boots, whenever he kept hockey goals, played as a forward in soccer, or converted the goals in rugger. Was a good athlete; one of the most versatile sportsmen Wesley was fortunate to produced. Rajah Jayasuriya captained College Hockey to win the Schools Championships in 1965, Represented the country many times, a member of the Asian games team, and a National Hockey Umpire. A good athlete and made the College team in cricket & athletics. Reginald Batholomeusz was another exceptional Wesley Athlete. Broke the 100yds & 220yds college record in 1965; he had perfect style in the Long Jump. A public schools athlete; was awarded the best all-round sportsman award that year. Represented the Country in Rugby-Football, played cricket and hockey for Wesley to make it four sports to his credit. Article # 52(a) Wesley: as I remember by Shanti McLelland Rodney Perera was another sportsman who enjoyed playing cricket, hockey, or taking part in athletics. His quick, faster than the clock run rate in batting was always a treat to the cheering squad that followed him one end to the other. Donald de Silva should not be forgotten as he represented the school in Rugger, Cricket, Hockey, & Soccer. Amaresh Rajaratnam & Diyanesh Rajaratnam were outstanding at Cricket, Rugger, & Athletics. Jayantha Wijemanna was a dependable hockey player, a good batsman in cricket, and did his house proud in athletics, he was well supported by his brother Prakrama. Rohan Amarasinghe followed the footsteps of Walter Jayasuriya to become an International 'A' grade umpire had the distinction of being selected to officiate at some of the prestigious International tournaments. Rohan was a Sri Lanka Schools Hockey player, captained the school at hockey and athletics. Champion athlete winning the 100 & 200m, possibly with new school records. Patrick Edema & Anton were excellent athletes. Anton a Sri Lanka Schools athlete was the best Long Jumper I had seen after Reggi. Patrick kept hockey goals, great in the field events for Wilkin house. Sridharan & Hariharan Jeganathan the unforgettable twins as they were outstanding sportsmen. Represented nationally in Cricket & Hockey, good athletes and helped the House in rugger and soccer. The other twins I should not forget are Aliph brothers, I remember one first name as Ray. Keen rugged players, good at cricket & athletics. Ponnambalam Sivasubramanium played cricket, did well in the 100m, and gave a lot of much needed strength to the rugger team. Excelled in college debating and was a college prefect. Siva was one of Wesley's AFS scholars, along with Selvanayagam, & Thalisingham. Siva's brother Purushothakumar was a public schools athlete, a top high jumper and a good criketer. Mano Gnanapragasam a sleek 400m & 800m runner, a outstanding rugger player. Brothers, Shee Hung & Ma Hung were tough Rugger players, strong at soccer, did well in cricket, and were in Moscrop's athletic team. Both were long standing hostlers, until both entered Medical College. Lal Jayasinghe from Katunayake opened bowling for College, participated in athletics and soccer. Lal was a college and hostel prefect. Sunil Fernando captained College cricket, and was a member of the first XI hockey team & the Colombo District team, and was a good athlete. Neil Harive, Christopher Harvie were outstanding on Hockey, Athletics, and Cricket. Above all they were just great friends. Tyronne Harvie represented proved to be good left half at hockey, the sport he represented Nationally.

Article # 53 (a). Wesley: as I remember by Shanti McLelland The Inter House sports meet was one big event that was enjoyed by all students. The senior and junior houses were named after the school's principals and Head Masters. Wilkin & Dias (red), Passmore & Hunter (blue), Hillard & Mack (green), and Moscrop & Lemphers (Yellow). All hostellers by default were assigned to Moscrop. This however was changed in the 1960's as the other houses was at a disadvantage with those in the hostel having the advantage of having more time for practice, and access to all the facilities. But this resulted in the breakup of an established tradition as well as the coherent team spirit. The most coveted event was the One-Mile (a five & a quarter rounds on our 330yds. Track). The winner of this event was always looked up to as the hero in athletics. Since I was not a good sprinter, and was never even able to make the house team in the sprint events, I changed to the much tougher 880yds and 1mile events. These middle distance events required stamina, endurance, and the will to train hard. I first started following training for this event when I was in the primary school, as I never had a chance in the sprints, with top athletes like Reggi Bartholomeusz & Chandra Kaluphana. I can only remember the 1-mile event from 1962. I can still picture the lanky, very agile Darrel Maye striding the last 60m from the east end of the grounds to the finishing line. He gave me the impression that he was not after the record. I am sure it was this year Rev. Neville Koch was a winner in the 880yds. Both were from Wilkin House. The next year, 1963, I was amazed by the dedication of Ranjit Akmeemana from the Hillard House training with extreme intensity with the determination to win the 1-mile race. To him it was an obsession to win and break the record. I had the opportunity to train with him, being allowed to pace him in the training session each evening at Campbell park. I was always about 50 yards behind him in his 440 yd interval running. Ranjit did win the 1-mile but was off a few seconds from the record. This year the honours went to Condrad Fernando another outstanding athlete for his 880yds. Condrad won the pole vault, beating Sarath Wickremaratne & Rodney Perera. However, J.Winslow's record remained intact. (Winslow was a public school & National pole-vaulter). Conrad excelled in both his events at the public schools. Reviewing their performances I could never imagine that I could have ever surpassed these great athletes. In 1964, the college hockey captain, Rajah Jayasuriya came very close to winning the event but looked back at the last 20m, to finish second. In 1965, Tyronne Maye tried to clone his brothers performance, but was edged out by Mohan Abraham, who very wisely trained with champions to become second. The 1-Mile and the 880yrds were challenged by two determined athletes, Jagath Fernando and Mano Gnanapragasam. Mano won the 440yds but had to concede the 880yds. Jagath failed to walk away with the Mile but performed excellently to come a close second. The best time-keepers were always nominated for this event: Mr. D.A.Pakkiyanathan, Mr.V.Chandrasekaran, Mr.Thambiah, & Mr. V.R.Roberts; they were our best teachers of science & mathematics, as such there was no chance of a challenge for any missed records. The one mile was replaced by 1500m when the weight and linear measurements changed to Metric in 1967. The prized I mile remained in the record books as it was from 1947. Ahamath whom I met a few years later at the College pavilion, was proud and honoured, that none of Wesley's best could wipe out the best 4 minutes 51 seconds of his life at Wesley.

Article # 53 (b). Wesley: as I remember by Shanti McLelland Reginald Bartholomeusz in my mind still remains the best sprint athlete. He won the 100, 220yds, and the Long Jump. The first two breaks the record. At the public schools he changed to the 440yds. Reggi was best all-round athlete in 1965, and was one of Wesley's best. The other athletes during the period of 1962-1969: J.Winslow (pole vault), Asiriwarthan (440yds), Alfie David (440yds), Lal Fernando (Triple Jump), Darrel Maye (1 mile), Rev. Rohan Wijesinghe (Putt Shot & Discus), O.K. Hemachandra (hurdles), Condrad Fernando (pole vault & 880yds), Mervyn & Russel Harmer (Javelin), Somaweera Mendis (Javelin & Discus), Upali Silva (400, Triple Jump), Mano Gnanapragasam (440, 880yds), Jagath Fernando (I mile), Malik Suraweera (110m Hurdles), Chandra Kalupahana (100 & 220 yds), Rohan Amarasingha (100 &200m), Sextus Taylor (100 & 200m). M.C.A.Cader ( Putt Shot, 400m). Swarnin Wimalasena (Discus), Neville Koch (880yds), Hubert Silva (440yds). Christopher Harvie (800m & 1500m) and the rest of the best is to be filled in by those who remember.

The Wesley College Welfare Society By an Office-bearer of the Society

Wesley College elected to be a private school under the Assisted Schools and Training Colleges, Special Provisions Act No. 5 of" 1960 as from 1st. December 1960. This decision was made by the proprietors of the school - the Methodist Church of Ceylon, with the blessings of the Parent-Teacher Association and . the Old Boys' Union, which had earlier met and passed resolutions calling upon the proprietors of the school to opt to run 'it as a non-fee levying private school and pledging their wholehearted support to the management if this course, was adopted. The Wesley College Welfare Society itself was inaugurated at a meeting of parents, old boys and staff 'held on 27th November 1960. The' objects of the Society are to co-ordinate 'the efforts of all interested in the school and to render all the assistance financial and otherwise to maintain the school. Membership in the Society ,is open to all parents who pay donations, and to Old Boys and well-wishers who contribute a specified amount to the "Society annually. The main task of the Society is, however, to collect, the funds necessary for paying the teaching staff. The main source of these funds. 'are - the monthly donations which parents promise to pay as donations to the Society to meet the cost of educating their children. The first task of the Society was to meet parents and obtain from each a promise of payment of a monthly donation. This was a tremendous task as over 900 parents had to be contacted. The Society was most fortunate at the time in having the late Mr. J. L. F. de Mel, who had retired from the Staff after years of service, including over 10 years as Headmaster' to take on the duties of Hony. Treasurer of the Society. Mr. de Mel was a tower of strength to the Welfare Society in its infancy. He contacted almost all parents almost single-handed and obtained from them promises of payment of donations. He served the Welfare Society as Hony. Secretary till November, 1969, when the state of his health made it impossible for him to continue to do so. If any one person can be given the credit for the success of the Welfare Society it must be Mr. de Mel. His retirement caused a wide gap in the ranks of the office-bearers of the Welfare Society. His death in January 1974 has removed from Wesley one who had the interests of the school' very close to his heart, and who served Wesley College for, nearly 4Oyears most faithfully The late Mr. A. M. E Siriwardena, the first President of the Society, served in that capacity till his death in 1962. The late Mr. F. V. H. La Brooy succeeded him as President and he served in this capacity till his death in June 1971. The late Mr. La Broody rendered very great service to the Welfare Society. Though he resided as far away from Colombo as Hatton he traveled down to Colombo to attend the meetings of the Welfare Board. His death Was a great loss to the Society. Among others who served the Welfare Society, are' Mr. E. T. Laos, who was the first Hony. Secretary, Mr. A. R. Silva who served as a Vice-President and Mr. J. C. P. Wikramanayake who has served as the Hony. Treasurer from 1962 and is continuing in this capacity even today. The Society has received the fullest 'assistance and Co-operation 'from the proprietors of the school the Methodist Church, ~Ceylon. The advice and assistance given personally by the Presidents of the Church during the period, the Rev. F. S. de' Silva, the late Rev. Dr. D. T. Niles anti the Rev. 0. XX de Silva, have been invaluable and have helped the Society very greatly. As stated earlier the Welfare Society's main task is the raising of funds for paying the salaries of the teaching staff, which is a -most difficult one. The salary bill has risen 'from about Rs. 13,000 per month in 1961 to over Rs. 33,000 per month today.- The fact that 'the Society has been able to fulfill this task for 14 years now speaks volumes for the hard work done by its office-bearers. The total collections have been increased from 7Rs. 109,000 in 1961 to Rs. 330,000 in 1973. When one considers that these amounts have to be collected in driblets of Rs. 25/-per month from each parent, one can realize both the magnitude and the difficulty 'of the task.

Besides the collections by way of monthly donations by parents ,it has been necessary to raise funds from., other sources to keep the school going. The main source of these funds are special donations which are collected from the parents of new boys who are admitted each year.. Other sources are profits from the Karlshrue Nursery, which is run. by the Society, profits of the school Tuck-shop, which is run by a group of parents and Old Boys to help the school, contributions from non-parents,, Old Boys and collection on Collecting cards. issued to the students each year. At present about 35 per cent of the collections made annually come from these other sources. On paper the running of a school on payments made voluntarily by parents who promise to do so when admitting their sons to the School would appear to be an easy task. In fact, if al parents honour their promises the collections would- be enough to meet the salary bill and even more. It is, however, a sad fact that many parents who put in their children after making a promise of a monthly donation fall back on their promise~. The fact that school authorities can not do anything to make parents pay the donations they have promised and that the school must continue to keep on the children of parents who choose to break their promises and to treat them in the same way as the children of parents who honourably keep their promises, no doubt encourages such parents to do so. This tendency has caused great difficulty to the office-bearers of the Welfare Society. It is impossible for office-bearers to visit parents. Even writing letters means additional work to those honorary workers. If only parents act honourably and pay what they promise regularly the task of the office-bearers would be so much easier, and the funds collected from other sources could be diverted to meet the other pressing needs of the school, such as the proper maintenance of the buildings and grounds, the provision of all the other amenities which a school of the standing of Wesley College should provide, including the proper equipment for science laboratories and commercial classes and the best facilities for sports. The writer closes' this with the fervent hope that the co-operation of parents will improve sufficiently to enable the Society to achieve this happy position very early.

Memories of the 14th Colombo by D.F.Abeysekera

They were great days. Days of immeasurable fellowship. Good fun. Clean laughter. And the Joy of living! The 14th Colombo was a way of life to us-a way of life that meant, thinking for oneself; accepting leadership and responsibility; coming out fighting against odds; making the best of a situation; ascertaining the interests of a group; looking at the cheerful side of things; breathing the cold, crisp air of the mountains; getting up at dawn in icy winds; losing one's way in the thick mists of the mountains; testing the tang of salt air; regulating one's life to the pulsating, throbbing life of the immense ocean; burning 1one's breakfast of Quaker Oats and Green Peas-or knocking down a tin of Golden Syrup in one's tent! The smell of wood smoke in one's hair: eyes tearing-the peeling of onions; figuring out a clove hitch from the sheep shank-or square and diagonal lashing from the timber hitch and the fisherman's knot! Crane fires and trench fires- signaling-getting soaked to the skin in the rain; trekking through forests and climbing like the chamois-up hill and down dale-being fashioned to be rugged and self reliant to think of others

The 14th Colombo was all this and more to us. o People were a predominant feature of the 14th Colombo and People meant life in all its complexity. One hardly realised then that one was growing up and being attuned to the World and human relationships-Life itself, One met a great variety of persons-the stolid dependable types, the casual indifferent and inactive ones (whose sojourn in the Troop was short-lived) the calm, and excitable types-and out of this medley grew the 14th Colombo (ordinary, average people) into an interdependent community at Wesley. And thinking of persons one cannot but recall the Revd. James Cartman (Carty as he was affectionately called) who spent many a day with us at camp, in Bouna Vista, Galle, in particular riding the waves with us, and taking part in an improvised game of water polo. J.E. (J. E. de Silva, GSM later, to be known to the Scout World as "Blue Feather) on whose dedication and keenness rested the 14th Colombo for over 20 years. A man of varied talents, loved by us for his fairness and integrity, Kenneth de Lanerolle familiar figure on Visitors Day giving us the inspiration to get more involved, and to be dedicated to the ideals one cherished. B. R. Blaze "Bruised Reed" SM 1947-1948, a talented man with a great sensitivity and feeling for Nature and its immense grandeur. I often recall his "Shakespeare for .Scouts"

i. The Daily Good Turn How far that little candle throws its beams So shines a good deed in a naughty World

ii. A Word in Season Good name in Man and Woman, dear my Lord Is the immediate jewel of their souls Who steals my purse, steals trash But he that filches from me my good name, Robs me of that which not enriches him, And makes me poor indeed.

Shelton de Silva (now the Revd. S. A. de Silva) S. M. for a short time; Cyril Ferdinands (Troop Leader) my predecessor, the high pitched Soprano, a constant source of merriment in camp!- Shelton Peiris, a born Leader and one time Senior Prefect of Wesley, took over as SM at a time when the Troop was literally without a Staff Adviser consequent on the. departure of "J.E." to Royal, in March 1949; Edmund Dissanayake, yet another former Senior Prefect, acted as ASM. Of my contemporaries, I think particularly of Hilary de Alwis (Director Browns Group of Companies) Ranjit Seniviratne, Engineer Walkers, Durand Goonetillêke (DO) Electrical Engineer, the late Gordon Amarasekera, fondly known as "Python" Leonard Perera (he was a capable scribe) Dr. C. S. Chang, Neville Weerasekera, General Manager of the Ceylon Petroleum Refinery, J. E. Gunasekera (Attaya Junior) Attorney-at-Law, Matale; Dr. Maharoof Ismail of the M.R.I., Jauffer Sadique, Chief Assessor, C.M.C., D.B.C. (Balu) Mack, now in Australia, who excelled as a sportsman for the University of Sri Lanka and the Navy, G.B.S. Seneviratne, reported to be doing free lance journalism in the U:K., Srilal Karangoda, Motor Engineer, Mahinda Upasena buyer for the Iraq Government, A. P. Batuwitage, Gladwin Wijeyara tne (of Jonathan & Co.,) W. G. de Silva, the famous "Camp Dog" (now turned a very responsible Pharmacist) to whom the loss of many tin of corned beef was traced, and who growled and barked like a real one, that dark and mist-wrapped night at camp in Bandarawela, as he was lassoed and tied to a tree, by Shelton Peiris, S. M. whose hands were also bitten in the ordeal! The late Revd. Maxwell de Alwis, Dan Ahmat, Neil Joseph (now in Australia), Dr. Bernard Peiris, Department of Agriculture, Peradeniya, B. A. P. Mendis, Wyville and Orville Mottau, the late Maxwell Rodrigo, Errol. Juriansz (Excise), M. Lameer H. M. Ghouse, D. P. Sirisena, M. Faleel A. B. Corner, D. P. Ekanayake (Air Ceylon ) P. B. Herat, 'R. .Jayatunge, and M. Samsudeen (later to be "Selvyn Sam" the Singer!) Harold Matbysz, Brian Jacotine, Gladwin de Silva, Alan Ratnarajah, E. G. de Zylwa, Neil Algama K .D. Zoonoob, were the Seniors of the time. The following excerpts from my Log Book would be of interest to readers:

Nuwara Eliya Camp-April 5th - 12th 1948

We reached Nanu Oya by 7.30 a.m. and left for Nuwara Eliya by bus, and after a record breaking breakfast went to Gamini Vidyalaya our destination.... The Camp site was tidied dry and wet pits dug and the Eagles started cooking 42nd Colombo - Royal College - were also camping in Nuwara Eliya and we had visits from .(Dr.) Trevor Anghie and Kaleel who invited us to their camp fire.... We left for the Camp Fire by 6.30 p.m. with the temperature recording 440 F outside Coming from Colombo, it was like being locked up in an immense Frigidaire! Early the next morning, the Peacock Patrol left on their hike to Pedro-with a few Eagles, Foxes and Woodpeckers for "company"! . .. . Gordon Amarasekera, who was. leading the way till we came to the 6000 feet mark suddenly jumped out of his skin, yelling, "Python! Python !"doing several cartwheels into the scrub! -.... Everyone ran helter-skelter to discover that he had only seen a mottled fir log, old with age! Dinner ended, Hilary de Alwis entertained us at the top of his raucous voice-"Nonage Ale"! shattering the tranquility of a peaceful, sleepy Nuwara Eliya. .... Saturday had dawned and we were on our way to the Hakgalla Botanical Gardens- Sam Silva and Durand Gonetilleke having left for Adam" s Peak-when we encountered "Bruised Reed" in his battered Austin, his radiator emanating steam from every pore! An Old Wesleyite- Ishak-passing by in his Citreon-hailed us on his recognising the double blue scarves and Hilary who groaned and creaked was given a lift.... We less fortunate guys plodded on in~ the thin drizzle, eager to see the famous Sita Amman Temple at Sita Eliya. .

Sunday the 11th April: The Ferdinands brothers and Hilary-a Saintlier crew' one hardly met-went to Church to ostensibly pray, but in fact to find out who the girl in red was we had met many a time on our buying spree~ via the Nuwara Eliya Park! ... Went to the Clifford Pavilion and saw -"The Upturned Glass" that is, those of us not on "The cooks on Duty List!" to encounter Mr. Kenneth de Lanerolle, who discreetly failed to recognise us! . . .Back at Camp... a hot dinner of corned beef and Bachelors' Beans in tomato sauce with hot crisp bread. What luxury! ... free entertainment of the highest order, again-by Hilary- - Nonage Ale, of course, to the accompaniment of saucepans, ladels, spoons and forks and a wild dance by Hilary never seen before. (We were reliably informed by Ferdi that he had 3 glasses of .Sanatogen, 3 spoonsful of Radio Malt, 10 cod liver oil capsules and 1 tin Camp pie before the performance!) ... and so Good Bye to Nuwara Eliya and visions in our minds of another Camp ! -

Bounavista, Galle - 16th - 21st August 1948. Monday, the 16th August ... 9 p.m. Maradana Railway Station-Shelton de Silva's "Roll pang" and Sakkili Band enabled us to get a compartment to ourselves-including a section that was reserved for us! On reaching 'Galle, we were packed into a bus (we thought we now knew what sardines in a can felt like!) - Neil Joseph was so completely squeezed that he did feel he had shrunk a couple of inches! (He was obviously not sanforised, as they say in the ads.) Led by D. F. (Durand Goonetileke) puffing and panting, bathed in our sweat, we reached the breezy hill of Bouna Vista to be greeted by the Rev. James Cartman, and Mr. I. K. G. Chandrasena A. F. C. Galle-the latter an Old Wesleyite and keen Scouter himself. ... a dip in the sea. . . water polo-.. .Maxie Rodrigo, on Carty's shoulders.., a water fight... Carty's team'vs Shelton's... sand in our pockets.... heavy as lead.... blocked ears... a dry towel. .. dinner... and bed after a half hour's singing.... The Inter patrol competitions had commenced... The camp site was spotlessly clean .... "gadgets" sprung up everywhere pounds of cheese consumed.. .The Double Blue fluttered proud and high. Fires burned, fresh fish sizzled in the pans... The camp was a hive of organised, planned activity.

"Monty" (Carty's pet hound) had just licked Freda's plate clean.... The results of the day's competitions 1st Eagles 2nd Foxes ~Wednesday, the 18th August. The Rev. Cartman left camp as it was the eleventh anniversary of his wedding, taking home with him a resounding BRAVO? Ghouse established a new "those" record ... 18 and very sick and clean out!... Friday, the 20th-Orderly Patrol P/L M. Ahmat (Foxes) P/L Fred Abeysekera (Eagles) P/L Leonard Perera (Woodpeckers) a splendid Camp fire. J. E. de Silva, Group Scout Master, was ceremoniously named "Blue Feather" by I. K. G. Chandrasena, Commissioner... Recruit C. S. Chang was invested The moon sparkled on us with a greenish brilliance and created a glow of warmth-particularly for the girls of the Galle Convent, at. Southlands, who were present at our Camp fire! (Note: I shudder to think of them now, with their double chins and preoccupations, for they like us, have, surely grown old!) Saturday the 21st.... Hopes of extending camp were shattered and we were homeward bound -on .The C.G.R.'s 3 p.m. Diesel Express, -with "Roll Pang" echoing and re-echoing down the train's corridors!

The next ......... I yet have with me a circular issued to all campers, dated the 13th March, 1951, and give in some detail the list of dry rations one had to take along, with notes as then written, as it indicates how little one had to pay for so much! Needless to say this camp was the best camp of our lives. We did not labour up, climbing up to the plains by the tunnel in Ohiya, as we had done before, but in a sense floated in. the air-with visions of University life ahead but with a nostalgia-that this was our last camp at Wesley. -. - - Diyagama East, Diyagama West, West 'Haputale, Kirigalpotta-World's' end, mottled trout for breakfast-the rainbow trout - that got away; Camp fires, songs and jollity Great Friendships'. This was the nadir of our association with the 14th Colombo.... It had ended all too soon! As I now recall those joyful and carefree days, I literally travel back to my boyhood, and I am personally glad I kept notes of our camps, and somehow preserved my Log Book, which is, if not historical, at least a version of those happy days we spent together as the 14th Colombo. When' the Revd. James Cartman (Principal) left Wesley, and the Troop accorded him a farewell on the 20th September, 1949, he wrote the following in my Log Book: "It has always been a joy for me to be associated with the Boy Scouts, and I have always been proud of the 14th Colombo Scouts. On several occasions I have visited them in Camp. At Galle I spent two nights in camp and thoroughly enjoyed every - moment of it. - I am glad, Fred, that you are so keenly interested in Scouting. I know you will get a lot out of it and you will look back on these ~days with joy and happiness;.." Those were prophetic words!

14th Colombo - Wesley College by Riza Azoor District Scout Leader.

It was in 1917, that Acting Principal. Rev.Percy T. Cash M.A. B.Sc., founded the Scout Troop at Wesley - registered as 14th Colombo. He was the first Scout Master, and was assisted by Mr.S. Wijesooriya, a Kings Scout from Galle; who was the Instructor. That year the College had a strength of 64 Scouts forming 98 Patrols. the keenness of the Scouts was demonstrated, as before long there was 5 Kings Scouts.It was in March 1918, that the Troop made its first public appearance when they formed a Guard of honour to to the Colonial Secretary, the Hon. R. Edward Stubbs, when he presided at the College prize Giving of that year. Then again, a big event was the celebration of the Troop's Anniversary on the 25th of July 1918, with the Director of Education Mr. E.B. Denham distributing the badges and opened the 14th Colombo Scout den. On that occasion he was welcomed by the Deputy Colonial Scout Commissioner, Mr. Vernon Grenier and the Scout Master Rev. Percy T. Cash. The occasion was presided over by the Rev. Henry Highfield, Principal, who was back from furlough.

Over the years that followed, the 14th Colombo grew from strength to strength actively participating in the National events and also in the rare Jamborees held here as well as abroad. It was in the early 1940's that J. E. de Silva, the Scout Master and Kings Scout T. M.N. Mahmooth attended the World Jamboree in Agra, India. The name of J. E. de Silva is synonymous with Scouting at Wesley, a keen Scouter who made scouting and the regular camps occasions of great experience and no doubt enjoyment. Mr. J.E. de Silva had a flare for outdoor life and he inculcated it among the Scouts. Wood work, Pottery, Sculpture, Art, Leather and Rattan work were taught to the Scouts apart from getting them interested in other hobbies, particularly those that had an award. It was a great privilege to be trained by this all time great Scout Master. As subsequent Scouters the names of Messrs. I. G. K. Chandrasena, Shelton Peiris are among the many who were trained Scouters and from time to time took command of the 14th Colombo. The 14th Colombo was fortunate to associate men of the calibre of Ratnam Abraham and Lionel Silva and Cyril Ferdinands. There were many many more who had helped in the growth and the maintenance of the highest ideals in Scouting.

In this connection we must remember the Rev. James Cartman, Wesley's vibrant Principal who was responsible in getting the Troop reorganised after the return to the College at Karlsrhue after the war. The war years had completely disorganised the Troop and loyal scouts had left the school. The Rev. Cartman not only organised camps but had also visited these camps. Both Scouts and Scouters looked forward for his visit with a car load of goodies. Patrol Leaders like Fred Abeyesekera, M. Ahamat, Leonard Pieris, Gordon Amerasekarare but a few who put back the 14th Colombo on the rails.
My association with the 14th Colombo goes back to the latter part of 1972, just after the late Group Scout Master George Peiris was in control. He was a Head Quarters Commissioner and a parent who had been involved from 1970. Ill health did not permit him to continue with the activities of the Troop as much as he desired. It was during this stage that the movement was rejuvenated by Mr. A. H. G. Ameen of 28th Colombo - now an Attorney-at-Law. We owe a great debt of thanks to Mr. A. H. G. Ameen the 6. S. M. who infused a spirit of activity. He was followed by Sarath Fernando, who was the Troop Leader who did yeoman service and had to leave on being commissioned into the Army, and now serves as a Brigade Commander. One recalls the very exciting camps to various parts of the island when as Troop Leader, I together with Sharir, Elmo, Shankar, Ben and Riya was involved in the planning as members of the Court of Honour of these camps. We yet remember the camp spirit and the unity that scouting stands for. The College Chaplain, the Rev. John Trevanna was also associated with the 14th Colombo prior to the seventies. It was during this time the very last Queen's Scouts -A. K. Nazimudeen and Rohana de Silva won this award. The award has now been replaced by the Presidents Award which had been regularly won by our Scouts.

When I took over in 1978 after course of Scouters training, I closely followed the footsteps of Sarath, taking full charge of a very lively Scout Troop. They were very keen. We participated in all National and District events and also in the college events particularly the guards of Honour at the Prize Day. I have been associated with the Troop for 18 years as its Scouts Master apart from my association as a Scout. the following Scouts; Madhu Siriwardena, Gishan Mendis, S. H. M. Zabith, Nalin Ariyaratne. Roshan Weerainghe, Shane Philips, Thakshila Codawatte, Poojitha Rajapakshe, Samira Kulatunge, S. M. S. Azmaan, and Nadun Alwis participated in foreign jamborees. I would like to mention here, the services rendered by Mrs. Lakshmi Amaratunge, Akela who was associated with the Cubs dating back to 1960's. Mrs. Moline Philips who assisted Mrs. Amaratunge since the 1980's succeeded her as Akela in 1993. She is now a District Cub Akela.

It was my privilege to be able to organize over the 18 long years many camps which were set up in very many parts of the island. Many of the interesting camps were to Anuradhapura, Horton Plains and the Sinharaja Forest. It seemed to be we were in a world of our own. These camps had certainly given the practical approach
to the challenges a scout faces in life, which on test, the keen and the alert are awarded the Presidents Award of which the Troop have many. There was also the stiff training and the keen competition at the Scouters Wood Badge Course, the holders of which are, Riya Azoor, Sarvanraj and yours faithfully!

The Troop, their Patrol Leaders, many assistant Scouters and I have logged many memorable events, nostalgic now as we look back! I shall be failing in my duty if I do not mention for record, the names of former Scouts who served as ASL's from time to time; Sarvanraj, Fawaz, Madhu Siriwardena, Prasanna Gunawardena, Murtaza Mamujee, Roshan Weerasinghe, Shane Philips, Terence Christopher, Samira Kulathunge, Adrian Vanheer, Pradeep Priyanga and Ranjeewa Senanayake, and Riya Azoor, on whose shoulders has fallen the responsible mantle of Scout Master and of course every single member of our Troop, who when called on duty had given of their best without exception.

As Scouts we must remember that we need not wait for a special call but be always alert to the demands made to express and demonstrate our training and experience so always "Be Prepared."

The Welikada Prison - A disappearing memory by Dr N.D.Amerasekera

The Front Gate

The Welikada Jail, as it was called then, has always been a part of every Wesleyite. We saw it everyday and developed a love-hate relationship to this massive expanse of bricks and mortar that housed the country's worst criminals. The Death Row wasn't far away. There were numerous jokes about the prison amongst the teachers and students.The guards marching in the morning with their 'Topee' hats and Khaki shorts and gangs of prisoners wearing white being marched for their hard labour was all a part of prison life which we saw day after day. I can still picture the massive multi-storey buildings inside the tall perimeter wall , all painted a drab magnolia. A new remand Prison was built to house the Coup suspects in the 60's opposite our Primary Block . Some of the prison guards and Commissioners sent their children to Wesley College and their ambition was to be guards themselves - not prisoners. I can still recall some of the prisoners waving to us from behind bars far away.

As I looked out towards the prison many things crossed my mind. For many of us even now prison is almost an unknown place and very few knew what happened behind the grim gates that swallowed the convicts. We imagined that its inhabitants were desperate people and dangerous criminals. In our minds the place was associated with isolation, humiliation and suffering which were all part of the punishment. To the prisoners the greenery and the wide spaces become a distant memory. The images of the family and loved ones must be at the forefront of their confused minds. Sometimes the sheer lack of privacy and at other times the loneliness of solitary confinement must be soul destroying. The sky , the grass, sunrise and sunset and the even the weather must feel so far away. The horizon is always hidden. Time then is not a luxury but a burden to endure. A few had the benefit of work and exercise. I would hate to think of what food they received. Above all I wonder how they faced the world again on their release.

Moves are underway to convert the Prison Complex into an Urban Development in the near future. New prisons are to be built elsewhere. A large slice of our past and memories are to disappear forever. The Prison has stood there for over 150 years. Being a remnant of the British Raj built in Victorian times it is a part of Ceylon history. It is my wish that the architects, planners and developers will have the foresight to preserve at least its facade and the front gates as a reminder of its inglorious past in memory of those who served, worked and died there.

I hope the OBU Colombo will take some photos of the views of the prison from Wesley College before they reduce those buildings to rubble and our memories to dust. The landscape of the front of the school is to change forever and the scenery will never be the same again.

Addendum by Shanti McLelland

It would be with a mix of happy and sad memories; with the famous Welikada prison gone. It will remove from the scene some of the legendary memories of the 1960 'COUP', the lyrics of 'ERIC BATCHO'. But, I think the loss would be all those student Wesley would have from the Serpentine Road, Magazine Road, the prison flats and the officers quarters from the wide spread prison complex. How many Wesleyites would miss the famous haunts, and the names like Jansz, Kern, Perera, Jayasinghe, Bartholomeusz etc. Wesley certainly could benefit from a much more invigorating and motivating environment, than the gloomy walls facing the main entrance to the school. This gloom and doom blocked the beautiful mountain range and the aesthetic sunrise. On a crisp clear morning, some students who happen to be in school very early would run up the stairs to the Tower room near the Biology lab, to take a splendid view of the misty blue mountain range, over 100 miles away.

Those with a 20/20 vision would have hold still as if taking a picture from a telescopic camera to get the best view of the peaks. One would position perfectly, lean to the right of the grand old Tamarind tree and bend the head to the left of the third story, iron grilled prison cells. Strain the neck through the tower window, to encapsulate in memory for ever, the serene and distinct shape of the world famous Adams peak. This view may be lost forever. If I have to single out one person that I would connect with the 'High Perimeter Wall' would be Wesley's outstanding gentleman Prison Commissioner, Mr. C.T. Jansz. "Cutty" as he was to his friends would make it a point to done the his old double blue shirt and be ready, able and ever willing to participate at the Old Boys Hockey match on the first Friday evening in March, along with the ever present Walter Jayasuriya, T.M.N. Mahamooth, A. Mylvaganam, Mervyn Peiris, Prof. Mahroof Ismail, and D.S.Wijemanne. Lest but not the least, I would not forget one of the infamous reminders of some of our noble teachers who would make it a point to grill into heads of those who used fall short in the formative evaluations. "Either mend your ways or end your days over there." Of course the prophetic words have remained insignificant.

From the Daily Papers:

The first Prison's Ordinance was enacted and enlisted as the Prison's Ordinance No. 18 of 1844 and it was also in the same year that the Welikada Prison was opened. It was after the enactment of the First Prisons Disciplinary Commission Act No 1 of 1867 that pingo carrying was determined as a punishment. The Prisons Department was under the purview of the Police Department from 1905 under the then Major Diwillon in his capacity of Inspector General of Prisons, who was also the Inspector General of Police.

When one enters through the massive gates of the Welikada prison the first thing one sees is the semi-circle about three feet above the ground. It's painted in white and in black - weradhi nokaramu api hademu - meaning, we will do no wrong hereafter and rehabilitate . This is the first thing that greets every new convict . The Welikada prison was established during British times in 1844 under the inspector general of the police department. In the year 1877 the prison ordinance was introduced and the prison department was brought under the commissioner general of prisons. The present chief of this department is Upali Samarasekara, attorney-at-law, former additional judge and magistrate Narahenpita. He took up this position only four months ago. The Commissioner General told The Sunday Leader that there are 25 prisons in Sri Lanka, housing convicted criminals and suspects. There are about 15,000 suspects and 800 convicts in all of the 25 prisons in the country. In the Welikada prison there are 368 female prisoners, of which three are convicts sentenced to death but whose sentence is commuted to life imprisonment. Among the three female condemned prisoners, there is a 56-year-old woman who had murdered her husband's mistress 20 years ago. She say's that she's tired of living within the confines of the prison and prefers to go to the gallows than to go on existing like a caged animal. She said that her daughters still visit her once a month and she is treated well , but unlike other mothers she cannot boast of taking care of her girls let alone being there for them. Most of these convicts have committed murders, contract killings , robberies or peddled drugs. The only alternative to life imprisonment is the official pardon,but that too can only be done by the President.

The relatives of the condemned are allowed to visit once a month.Food is only allowed only at Christmas or the new year. The Commissioner General says that except for the condemned convicts the other prisoners are rehabilitated and trained in various fields where he/she could re-start life once released. The prisoners are trained in cottage industries, as well as masonry, plumbing, electrical wiringand wood work. The also have a mini garment factory as well as a bakery catering to the requirements of the inmates within the eight acre premises. Unlike before when the convicts are said to have been fed on rice and salt, today the government spends a lot of money on their food and also to rehabilitate them and train them in various fields. The Sunday Leader learns that about 550 coconuts a day are used to make sambol for breakfast, each prisoner is given a loaf of bread weighing about 170 kgs which is made in the prison bakery.For all three meals they use about 1300 coconuts, that's roughly about 1781 kgs.They consume 1350 kgs of rice and 227 kgs. of fish daily. It was a heart rending sight to see tiny tots with their mothers serving the sentence, along with their mother - paying for a crime they didn't commit. Children stay with their convicted mothers in jail. The jail is a pathetic place where offenders pay for their sins. But what we often forget is that crime is social misconduct and it is not only the offender who suffers, but even others around him or her.

The Government has launched an ambitious project to convert the 156-year old Welikada Prison premises, spanning a land area of 54 acres, into a state- of- the-art commercial township, Urban Development Authority Chairman Prof. Nimal De Silva told the Daily News yesterday. This project will seek to transform the present Welikada Prison premises, which presently houses over 4000 inmates and of which the land value is priceless, into a township which will house commercial establishments, supermarkets, highrises and residential apartments, primary schools and also recreational facilities such as swimming pools, gymnasia etc,

5000 inmates of the Welikada Prison will be relocated at three prison premises which will be constructed at Hulftsdorp, Homagama and Welisara.

The Changing Face of Baseline Road by Dr.ND Amerasekera

Baseline Road is the main gateway to the school. I knew every inch of it from Kanatte to Dematagoda. I can still picture the narrow straight road stretching from Borella to Peliyagoda past Dematagoda and the new Kelaniya Bridge. During the hot dry spell in April the tar melted and when the monsoons came its edges got washed away leaving gaping holes. Morris Minor cabs , belching CTB buses and the bullock carts smearing the road with dung is the scene we all have etched in our memories. The short stretch from Borella to Wesley College dipped into a valley and was lined by beautiful large spreading trees. The Maliban Hotel, The Borella Market, The Colonial building that house The MRI (Medical Research Institute) and the Government Printing Press were the Landmarks we all knew and loved. In place of the present Lady Ridgway Hospital there was an old Victorian building - The Home for the Incurables. In Dematagoda the Baseline Road Railway crossing, The Cattle Mart ,Manil Theatre and St.Matthews School too will change beyond recognition. Baseline Road has got its name from the Surveyors who measured the city of Colombo when they used the straight road as the baseline for their calculations. The advances of the 21st century has reached this narrow road. It cannot hold the rush hour traffic. The accidents, pollution and the inevitable delays due to congestion has reached its peak and the Government has decided to convert it to a wide 6-lane road. This will no doubt change the face of Wesley College as we knew it. Memories and nostalgia cannot stand in the way of progress. It is my hope the low front wall of the school and the gate posts will survive the advance of the bulldozers. I wish the OBU will photograph the front access to the school to keep a record of how it used to be in the 20th Century before "progress" changed it forever.

From the Daily Papers

The work on the Baseline Road Improvement and Extension Project funded by the Japan Bank for International Co-operation (JBIC) continued in 1999. Under Stage I of this project, the Baseline Road is to be transformed into a dual 3 lane causeway from the Kelanitissa roundabout to the Kanatta roundabout with a fly-over across the mainline railway at Dematagoda and a pedestrian subway at Borella. About 65 per cent of the project has been completed and the work on the balance section from the Kanatta roundabout to the High Level Road section will be commenced in the first half of 2000. Work on the new Baseline Road should have ended last November. But now, five months later, the project looks nowhere near completion. The new date for the completion of the project, we learn, is December this year. But there are no guarantees that the road will be ready for traffic even then.

Why? What delays our infrastructure projects so much? When the Baseline Road development project began, after much delay, in 1996, it promised to have a super six-lane highway in two years. Motorists who used the road constantly dreaded the construction phase but were happy to see that the narrow, badly- maintained road was at last to be developed into a proper highway with fly-overs at the railway crossings. They were willing to go through the inconvenience of negotiating a road under construction for a better road in two years. But unfortunately that is not to be. Driving on Baseline road is a nightmare. On one hand there are the earthmoving, bull-dozers obstructing the already unruly traffic, and dust from the construction affecting visibility. One has to also steer clear of trenches, pits and huge potholes on the sides and middle of the road. On top of all this there are the messed-up junctions made worse by indisciplined motorists.

Then there is the crawling traffic weaving through workmen and a horrible road surface due to the construction work. "I use Baseline road every morning," S. Dharmarathne, a businessman working in Borella said. "It's the easiest way to work. But the drive is terrible. There's traffic from all sides, because the work shifts from section to section. Very often you don't know which direction to take." "We welcome the improvements to the road. It looks like it will be a great road with six traffic lanes and a flyover over the level crossing. But how much longer are we to wait for the road to be completed?" he asked. "It's terrible," complained Ariya Ranawana from Kelaniya who travels weekly to the Rajagiriya Ayurveda Hospital. "I take the bus down Baseline road. It used to be a terrible bus ride but now, it's crazy. The dust and the pace of traffic- it's killing. I feel sorry for the people who have to travel daily.When will this road be over?" It looks like motorists and passengers will have to put up with dust, congestion, and construction for at least nine months more. "Hopefully the road will be ready in December," Road Development Authority General Manager P.B.L. Cooray said. The delay, he said, was chiefly due to utility lines which were found underground while construction was on going. "These had to be removed and relocated. This was the biggest problem," he said. He said that these lines- water, electricity and drainage- were not surveyed and even the departments, which owned some of these lines were not aware of their existence until they were unearthed during construction. The best example was what happened to the flyover.

One side of the flyover was completed nearly a year ago. When the contractor was pile driving for the columns to hold the other side of the flyover, they came across some long forgotten service lines. The Department concerned had to then remove and relocate the lines, which took months. The flyover columns are beginning to take shape only now. The contractors, Kumagai Gumi of Japan have asked and received approval to extend the date until December 1999. Mr. Cooray said no penalty was involved since the RDA approved the reasons for extending the deadline. "It's not the contractors' fault," he said. The cost of constructing the six-lane road, with the sub-way pedestrian crossing and flyover is Rs. 2.5 billion - funded by the Japanese OECF (Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund) on a soft loan. Baseline Road, Phase one, extends from the Kelani Bridge to Borella junction. At Borella, an underground underpass for pedestrians will make sure that traffic is not disturbed at the junction. The second phase of the project will widen the road going past Kanatte to Edmonton Road in Kirulapone.

The idea is to link the Baseline to Galle Road at Ratmalana creating an outer city road, which allows vehicles travelling north to south of Colombo to avoid the heart of the city "The delay in phase one will not affect the other phases of the project," Mr. Cooray said. But the four-kilometre stretch of Baseline road from the bridge to Borella is also the most important. It connects to the Low Level Road a road which carries a large amount of cargo traffic and it travels through the bustling township of Dematagoda, carrying a heavy load of traffic every hour. No one has calculated the loss to the economy by such undue delays in completing essential roadways- the lost hours in traffic, the congestion and late cargo. It reflects badly on the country if extending a four kilometre stretch of very important roadway takes over three years. It is just as important to have the road ready on time, as it is to build a good road. The development work on the Baseline Road between Borella and Dematagoda, a key section in the city road network, having a direct bearing on traffic congestions, is in full swing. The Road Development Authority (RDA) is confident that traffic blocks would disappear once this is completed. The present development scheme is categorised as the Baseline Package I. It involves a section of the road from the Kelanitissa Power House junction in close proximity to the new Kelani Bridge upto the Kanatte roundabout, a distance of approximately 4.2 kilometres.

The project started in December 1996 was earlier planned to be completed by December 1998. But due to various unforeseen contingencies, the road engineers were unable to finish the work as scheduled. As a result, a new target date was fixed for December '99. The estimated cost of the project is Rs.2500 million. The fundings is by the Overseas Economic Corporation Fund (OECF) of Japan. According to RDA Director (Special Projects) J.M Chandradasa, the four- kilometre stretch would involve a six-lane highway. An overhead bridge now being built skipping the level crossing at Dematagoda is nearing completion. This section has been a severe bottle neck over the years for both, the motorists and the pedestrians. Many trains pass this point daily and the railgate had to be closed obstructing the road traffic. The most difficult times had been the peak hours in the mornings and evenings. The situation would soon improve once the traffic is diverted making use of the overhead bridge.

A subway is now being constructed under the road at the Borella junction. It is for the use of pedestrians. A number of traffic light signals too would be built at important junctions on the stretch. A new street lighting system too is designed. Footpaths for pedestrians are separately marked-off in addition to the pavements. The RDA, in the near future, will call for tenders for stage II of the project. Officials say it would be the same funding agency, OECF of Japan. Some RDA engineers at the stage I sites said they had to grapple with undue delays arising as a result of poor coordination by some of the other government departments. Water Board, Electricity Board and the Telecommunications were listed as some of these. Any changes or dismantling jobs on equipment belonging to these different departments had to be carried out with their permission. "Even if such requirements were notified to the respective departments, the attitude shown by them is found to be extremely poor and the work program suffers," one engineer said.

Report of the Wesley College SCM by The Rev. S. K. Kadirgamar,Chaplain.

Student Christian Movement

Being the 125th Anniversary of Wesley College, a brief reference to the growth and impact of the specifically Christian Organ of the Institution-the Student Christian Movement-will not be out of focus. Founded on the Universal Christian Ideals of Brotherly Love, and Charity-and good will to mankind-the College Strives to foster the belief that all things and all creatures great and small come within the purview of Gods love and concern for us hence encompassing the totality of the Wesley Family.

From the inception of the college in 1874, Wesley's Founder, The Revd. Daniel Henry Pereira- and all the Principals of the College, without exception, nurtured the Ideal of Christian Education, based on the noble concept of the Oneness of Mankind. The immense richness and variety of Wesley- the blending of children of all races and religions in the land into one. Wesley has been its strength throughout the years. This great concept now a firmly entrenched tradition goes on.

Thoughts and ideals and concepts tend to get crystallized over the years; also formalised- In 1882 commenced, The Young Men's Christian Association of Wesley enabling the Principal, Staff and Students to become an Organized cohesive whole based on Pray and Labour

During the Stewardship of the Revd. Henry High field (1895-1925) the School's Christian activity was given a significant Impetus with the opening of the College Hostel, in 1910. Sunday School classes flourished under the able guidance of The Revd. P. T. Cash (Vice Principal) who is known to have donated his entire salary he drew as Vice- Principal towards the construction of the Physics Laboratory at Wesley. lie lived on his modest stipend as a priest.

His wife Edith trained Wesley's first choir in 1907, starting another noteworthy tradition of bringing music into the mainstream of Wesley life. The Wesley choir trained by Edith Cash was adjudged the winners of a shield for the Best Boy's School choir bringing much joy to the college. SCM work has been continued over the years by dedicated men and women such as Joyce Leembruggen, Ivor de Silva, Maxwell de Alwis and Haig Karunaratne. Carol Services became a regular feature of college activity in addition to Nativity Plays. One has to give Haig Karunaratne a place of prominence. His work had a big impact on the SCM.

In 1926 the YMCA was re-styled. The College Students' Christian Association.

The CSCA latter became the Student Christian Union ; superseded by Christian Union ; and finally The Student Christian Movement of Wesley College.

The Christian Union indulged in Dramatics, as well. The CU in association with Kenneth de Lanerolle, produced two plays - Arnor Christi (1947) and Judas of Kerioth (1949). This tradition has continued over the years.

The SCM & the College had chaplains of vision. One-man stands out - that of Red. (Dr.) D. K. Wilson. lie built up a fine group of Christian students, Who were like 'leaven' in the life of the school.

In recent times the building of the Wesley Chapel was the most welcome news in Wesley's 125 year existence! With its consecration on the 14th February, 1993 a long left need has been satisfied. The building itself has been described as "an architectural gem" by The Anglican Bishop of the Diocese of Colombo - the Rt. Revd. Kenneth M. J. Fernando, who was Guest speaker on the occasion. The President of the Methodist Church in Sri Lanka and Wesley's then Manager, the late Revd. Dr. Kingsley Muttiah officiated at the Service -All those who contributed in cash and kind, those who gave of their time in the planning of it and its execution the services of Rev. D. J. J. Koilpillai, Principal Mr. Dunstan Fernando, Mr. Lasantha Fernando the Committee and Vice Principal Mr. M. A. Fernando are sincerely thanked.

The good work which the SCM persons continue to Wesley's 150th year with the certainly that God's guidance and his Grace will always he forthcoming with new targets set, striven for and achieved. If this is the goal we must start now. We have to be progressive.

Besides its activities the SCM had unearthed vast talent in various fields such as Christian Drama, singing, writing, poetry, speech, and service leadership. The SCM Day which includes a concert and awards ceremony which has become a regular event in the school calendar. The magazine titled "The Scroll" has been released in the last five years. At present counseling, based on training and service has been inaugurated in the chapel..

Regular Sunday services are now introduced during School days. A Historic event took place on November 17th 1997 at the Wesley Chapel by the confirmation service for eight boys as full members of the Church. From this day a regular monthly sacrament service of the Lord's Supper is held at the Wesley Chapel.
And as we face the future in total faith and in hope, we pray to God Almightily our Creator that our efforts will be like leaven in the bread; and will be fruitful, and yield good, with His grace and love and concern for us, we are hopeful that wonders will be performed for this our country.

Wesley has always been a safe haven in times of crisis as was very evident in the communal disturbances of 1915, when The Revd. Henry Highfield gave refuge and sanctuary to many of our neighours.

This is the Wesley spirit that will live on ! Unity in diversity.

Snap Shots (1): Wesley College - As I remember by Shanti McLelland

(a) The first five minutes
Assembly started after Ranis rang the bell for the second time, five minutes after the first. Between the first and the second, attendance was marked in class. The prefects were expected to make sure discipline was maintained during this time in particular, when a thousand students would just converge from all sides. Most of the juniors entered from the back gate at Karlshrue Gardens. Some late runners would hurriedly sneak through the path between the teacher's flats and the tennis court. A few parents would stop their cars briefly in front of the double swing gates on Baseline road; to drop off the a few who did not have the courage to take crowded public transport. But I am sure they missed a lot of fun and rollicking tales, upstairs and down stairs, sitting if one was lucky or hanging on to a aluminum pole, which sliver on the palms. The very familiar red coloured double deckker CTB later known as SLTB bus would bring a load from Moratuwa picking up a few more dozens from Ratmalana, Mt. Lavania, Dehiwela, Wellawatte, and Bambalapitiya. This bus was well in time. But the Nugegoda, Nawala route was always on the nick of time. Most of the bus travelers had student season tickets. Those who boarded the bus last usually hung on to the 'foot board', which gave them, at least the satisfaction of, last in the bus, first out at the gate, but certainly a regret on rainy days.

(b) Morning Assembly
It was the practice for all students to meet each morning in the College Hall. If I remember right, Mondays and Fridays were general assembly days and it was 'Chapel' days for the christian students. Usually the Principal addressed the Assembly on Mondays and the Vice-Principal on Fridays. Christian chapel followed the general assembly which was used for impotent announcements for the week beginning and the week following. A teacher was responsible for the days reading on the other three days. The prefects assisted the staff to maintain order. It was a very serene and grandeur sight each morning to see the whole school at assembly. The prefects, always in white, standing in full control at the door aches, some at the Highfield Block, at the Junior School, or at both the gates. The teachers led by the Principal walked majestically from the school office along the corridor, and entered the stage from the door about eight feet high, symmetrically placed at the circular back wall of the stage. The Principal's engraved, high backed & cushioned chair was certainly from the Highfield days. There were two other chairs in front of the stage, one for the Vice-Principal and the other for any guest in attendance. The teachers along the back wall. The balcony was open on General Assembly days, and was the domain of the juniors. For many years the students who came in to the hall first or who desired not to stand at the back, were provided with seats. The College Song was a definite on the first day, Founder's day, and last day of each school term. I would always remember the voice of
Mr. L. A. Fernando, so full of emotion and passion - the hymn was "Jehovah Thou has Promised".

(c) Public Address System
The Wesley College Public Address System was an important bit of equipment for morning assembly and special events. Usually, the PA System was hired from an external source for any big event such as the Prize giving. A name I remember vividly is 'Parakrama Radio'. For many years students who were members of the Radio Club took responsibility to provide a quality service during all of the other 220 school days. The amplifier, microphones, and speakers were all maintained with very little down time. If I remember right there were many changes to the service over the years and the school may have a 'State of the Art' system now. The names that come to my mind in the 1960's are Rosa, Jayantha Fernando, Rohan Soysa, Rohan Amerasekera, & Sadanandan. Can picture a few more faces, but the names and some initials appear to be lost with time. I could remember these familiar faces each morning before assembly in the College Hall with testers, spare red & black twisted wires, and black or grey insulated tape in their hands highly focused and conscientious to make sure the communication system was in working order. Lalith Wickremeratne was one other that I could link with electronics, but I am not sure if he was a member of this group. But I am quite sure almost all of the members were from the hostel. A big 'Thank you' for that invaluable service, which was then, just taken for granted.

(c) School Uniform
It certainly was a delight to see teachers and prefects in the double blue tie and white suit on special days. The graduate teachers could be easily distinguished. The upper school students all in white cotton pants popularly termed as 'Longs' with Short or Long sleeved shirts. Most dressed in the more the more popular brand of shirts labeled machine wash, 65% cotton, 35% polyester. Some wore the collar slightly flicked up, which was a sore sight to some of the teachers. This habit caused a bit of pain to those continued this habit to get a bit of a 'High' or to show off their true colours. The 'Middle Schoolers' wore either wore blue or white shorts and white shirts. Some wore short shorts, and other long shorts, depending on the quality of the cotton. Imported or local, Blueline, Indian, Chinese, or from the "Wellawatte Spinning Mills" with 40x40 yarn count. . One wash by the 'Dhobi', Laundry, Dry cleaners, or at home would decide on the fate of the shape and size of clothes. Some wore their hair very short with a real good boost of the barber's cutters, or long as faithful followers of 'The Beatles'. Unforgettable was the Elvis look 'Bylcream bumps', I will refrain from naming a few of these handsome souls. Some teachers wore John White shoes from Apothecaries, students would be happy with the local DI leather shoes, the laced type, which doubled as boots for mid-day football/soccer. Bata rubber soled 'Pumps' were good as an easy slip on, for those who had to change their shoes for cricket or Rugger boots, after school. The Sinva rubber backed canvas shoes, thin or the thick was a cheap all-purpose school-wear. These were easily and quickly made bright and white at home with 'Swan' & water, or in the class, with bits of discarded chalk beneath the 'black board'. Uniforms was popular inspection target for some teachers and prefects, they were sure of getting a victim who forgot that 'dress maketh the man'. The Hostellers had very little change of breaking the dress code, as they went through the inspection routine twice.

Snap Shots (II): Wesley College - As I remember by Shanti McLelland

(d) Support Staff
It is hard to forget those who kept the school in fine tune on a daily, with all of the supporting facilities in proper order. Ranis was the icon that everyone remembers. The Arachchige look, at the bell or with the class registers, and would act as a guard at the main office. Marshall now the chief, was an apprentice at that time. Both have served Wesley for rare half a century. Marshall acts as a tour guide to the Old Wesleyites who infrequently visit Wesley from Australia, UK, Switzerland, New Zealand, USA, or from the Lush Hill Country or the Sea Coast of Sri Lanka. The 'beeta' chewing Raman made sure the botanical gardens like school surroundings were maintained in great shape, green, pruned, and mowed during the 365 days of summer. Perumal was probably appreciated most after his retirement. The Hostellers depended on him most, as they lived in the campus most of the time. We certainly owe a big Thank you for his devoted service. Basanayake was the long-standing controller of the hostel kitchen. I am sure those who had the pleasure of living in the Hostel for many years would appreciate his service, along with all the others who toiled for years to keep the boys away from home with 'Home' cooked meals and service at the long barracks like dining hall. Another Gunaratne joined later on to assist in the office. He was a very happy, fun loving person who apparently cut it short at a young age. The sick room staff, Mrs. Gnanaiah too over in the early sixties from another long-standing matron, Ms. Gomez. Ms. Gomez will be remembered by many who walked the plank in the 1950-60 era. It is the same with the sick room care taker who was good as a male nurse, made sure the sick hostellers got the best of attention, or was taken to the physician "Dr. Wjegunaratne" near Donald studio at Paranawadiya. I hope the other names missed my attention or memory would be filled in due course.

(e) Lab Assistants
Rodrigo was a lab assistant in the Chemistry lab. It was the smarter way to get his advise for a quick identification of a acid, salt, or any other chemical that were required for an experiment. He would put us to shame with the periodic table at his fingertips. Rodrigo in his Khaki shots and white short sleeved shirt will be always remembered for his loyal service. "Physics" Perera in his round glasses was equally competent and careful with all of the measuring equipment or 'Bunsen' burners. He had an uncanny sense of smell for gas, either leaking or purposefully left by a prankster. I am not quite sure who was responsible for all of the dead snakes, frogs, or live rats at the Biology lab, close to the balcony. But I do remember Gunaratne certainly did serve in the last few years I was in school. 'Sara Bulath' was his way of handling the formaline smell in the lab that served for Botany and Zoology. All those doctors, engineers, and the not so great science students would remember the labs and the assistants as equally good or better than in University.

(f) Pavilion Staff
Pavilion was the favourite haunt for most of the sportsmen. Wilbert I remember who slim in build but would roll the matting for the wickets with ease. Then walk the distance around the grounds to hammer in the pegs and tie the boundary cord in very little time. The wicket watered and rolled in the evenings to keep in good shape. As a youngster I would watch this routine for years and be amazed at the loyalty and dedication. Wesley was very fortunate find an equally loyal and dedicated ground's staff in Vincent Perera. For those who spent most of the time between two and six o'clock each day during our school days would not forget the yeomen service provided by Vincent. Looking back I am quite sure their service was extraordinary valuable because it was the time when Wesley had to more with less. Charlie joined to assist Vincent and he too served well. Rarely did we find the pavilion closed in the 365 days. We, who used the grounds and the pavilion to the optimum, taxed their patience and their energy to the utmost. They kept the grounds marked, rolled, watered, grass cut and raked for soccer, rugger, cricket, hockey, and athletics. The jumping pits filled with river sand and clean. The pavilion facilities for home and visitor teams with no complains at all. The OBU club nights saw these workaholics stay late with all the support and enthusiasm. I am sure there are belated thanks required, as we did show are appreciation then, and I am sure they would miss those good old days.

Report of the Old Boys' Union, Kandy Branch. by D.F.Abeysekera

A Page from the Past

On 25th January, 1970, Samad Ismail, Walter Wijesooriya, Kenneth de Silva, Fred Abeysekera and Stanley Chinivasagam o met at the hotel Suisse to explore the possibility of Old Wesleyites and their wives meeting periodically to chat about old days, to re-live our days at Wesley, and to foster goodwill and fellowship among Old Wesleyites in and around Kandy. The accent was to be on fellowship, and the gatherings planned out were to be informal and light. Consequently, a communication was sent out by Walter Wijesooriya, dated 26th January, 1970, the first paragraph of which read A serious effort is being made by a few Old Wesleyites who met at the Hotel Suisse yesterday, to have oa gathering of the Double Blue Clan in the hill country, regularly. Such gatherings will be informal, and the inevitable chatter on the 'good old days' will form the basis of these occasions

The response was encouraging, and the first batch of Old Wesleyites and their wives met in the home of Kenneth and Shireen de Silva, overlooking the picturesque Kandy Lake. This was a dinner-meeting, and the fellowship was excellent, the following being present; Justin and Erica La Brooy, Stanley and Therese Chinivasagam, Samad and Shea Ismail, Walter and Shanthi Wijesooriya, Fred and Indrani Abeysekera, Spencer and Beryl Patterson, Bertie Adihetty, Sarath Wickremaratne, Alan Moonesinghe and Neil Dolapihilla. Similar dinner-meetings were held subsequently in the homes of Samad Ismail, Fred Abeysekera and Stanley Chinivasagam, when the idea was mooted that it was well worth exploring the possibility of starting a branch of the Old Boys' Union in Kandy. By this time it was 1972, and we were meeting as a group from time to time; and with Fred Abeysekera as convener, an announcement was made that a formal meeting was to be held to discuss the feasibility of this suggestion.

A formal notice calling a meeting was sent out on 28th October 1972, the text of which was as follows "OLD WESLEYITES GET TOGETHER IN KANDY - In view of the centenary of our alma mater, to be celebrated in early 1974, an effort is being made to inaugurate a branch of the Old Boys' Union in Kandy it is suggested that we all meet on the 20th November, Monday, which is a full moon poya holiday The following was the agenda of this meeting, which was the formal inaugural meeting of the Kandy Branch of the Wesley College Old Boys' Union. 6.00 p.m. Meet at the Masonic Lodge, Seibel Place, Kandy. General Meeting - feasibility of a branch Union ; discussion of matters of mutual interest with visiting Colombo Old Boys. Matters arising therefrom. Discussion of the proposed Centenary Celebrations; A steering-committee, etc. Of the 48 Old Boys in and around Kandy written to, the following were present: J. C. P. Wikramanayake (Colombo) in the Chair; Watson Wijewickrema (Secretary, Colombo), Justin La l3rooy (left Wesley in 1928 : College Staff 1933), Spencer Patterson (left 1925) Dinsdale de Silva (left 1935) ,Samad Ismail (left 1941), Stanley Chinivasagam (left 1946), Durand Goonetillake (left 1948). B. J. S. de Z. Adihetty (left 1928), Fred Abeysekera (left 1951: Staff 1960), Shantha Premawardhana (left 1965), Walter Wijesooriya (left 1951), Sarath Wickremaratne (left 1963), Cyril D. E. Premawardhana (left Staff 1963).

The ladies present were Erica La Brooy, Beryl Patterson, Shea Ismail, Indrani Abeysekera, Maheswarie Goonetillake and Therese Chinivasagam. The following pledged their support of a branch union, but regrettedo their inability to be present: Lister Fernando, Wickrema de Alwis, Kenneth de Silva, Bruce Baptist, Kenneth de Lanerolle, K. Arumugam, Jackie Carnie, John Isaac and Clinton Rodrigo. J. C. P. Wikramanayake addressed those present, and the following were elected office-bearers

President W. J. F. La Brooy

Vice-President Dr. A S. Ismail

Treasurer Fred Abeysekera

Committee Members Bertie Adihetty, Stanley Chinivasagam, Spencer Patterson, Durand Goonetillke. Very soon, however, Shantha Premawardhana was compelled to give up his duties as Secretary, consequent upon his admission to theo Divinity College of Sri Lanka. Fred Abeysekera then took over as Secretary; and Durand Goonetillake as Treasurer, from Fred. Four meetings of the Executive Committee have been held thereafter, and the Kandy branch of the Union is in many ways yet in its formative period And so, to the second year of its life, with the hope of greater support from those around us! Secretary Shantha Premawardhana,

Fred Abeysekera Hony. Secretary.

The Centenary Year Prize Day by Shelton Peiris

The College stood dignified and majestic in a fresh coat of colour wash and on a' new laid tarmac, with her Flag flying high, on that brilliant evening oof Friday July the 5th nineteen, hundred and seventy four. 'What excitement was shown as last minute details were attended to! A neat extension Aluminium Tent. was erected between the base of the. North 'tower and the portico, to seat nearly 200 additional, guests. The quadrangle opposite the college office was also provided with chairs and was filled, to capacity. A portion of the hall was reserved for invitees and special guests. The platform' decorations were simple yet effective. The gallery was. filled to capacity by a section of the students, who as usual observed the traditional "Wesley etiquette. The wonderful stained-glass windows lent 'a. subdued charm' blending with the colour of the ladies costumes, in that time-hallowed Hall of our pride. The Chief Guest, the Hon'ble Mrs. Sirimavo R. D. Bandaranaike, Prime Minister of the Republic of Sri Lanka, was expected at 5.30. in the evening. Excitement surged to a new high when the Police Pilot car was seen approaching and the Prime Minister's Benz, with the Pennant of the Republic flying, swung in.the Scouts formed a Guard of Honor The Principal, Mr. Mr. Shelton Wirasinghe, Mrs. Manel Wirasinghe, The President of the Methodist Church, the Revd. Denzil de Silva, the Vice-Principal Mr. Dunstan Fernando, two. Past Principals of Wesley, Messrs - P. Harold Nonis, and Cedric J Oorloff, Revd. (Dr.) David Wilson, and Mr. Shelton Peiris Actg. Secretary of the' Old Boy's union, stood at the porch to welcome thedistinguished guests. Proceedings began with' the traditional manner of wel6ome, when little Indaka Nanayakkara, the youngest student in grade I, offered in oriental fashion a "hand" of betel leaves" to the Prime Minister, while little Ajitha Fernando 'presented a bouquets of flowers.

The captivating Hymn by Kipling "Land of our birth we pledge to Thee" was sung lustily after which the Rev. Denzil de Silva offered the opening prayer. The Principal' of the School in his welcome said," It is with the deepest sincerity that Wesley past and present greet you at ouro Centenary Prize Day this evening. We are indeed grateful that you have been able to find the time for us in the midst of all your duties in the service of Sri Lanka. Your presence with us gives us 'great joy." He added we watch with the greatest interest the tremendous social, cultural and economic revolution that is being achieved in our time in the quietest of ways, and the very significant changes in education that must necessarily go with such a revolution. And in all 'tbis 'Wesley. pledges her support as she has always done in "whatever is true and noble, just and pure, lovely and gracious, excellent' and~ admirable" o Continuing he o said "Wesley steps forward. into her second century with renewed hope. Within these hallowed walls boys will, in the words of Revd. Fr. 5. 0. Perera, one of our distinguished alumni, "be ,booked-and birched and in due 'course promoted. 'And as Revd. John Dalby has ,reminded us Work. and. -Prayer o will remain the Salt of Life;' The Shield of Faith, the ,Cross of Sacrifice and the~ Scalloped Shells of Quiet and Adventure will surely see us through." The Prime Minister speaking in Sinhala said the need of the day was for schools in Sri Lanka to prepare Youth to fit into life and society, and be useful citizens instead of solely producing scholars. She added that Wesley College had made a significant contribution to Sri Lanka, during its 100 years of existence-producing men of distinction, who were found in many walks of public life.

Commenting on the earlier system of education, the Prime Minister said that system suited a different society. The present government had felt the need for a change so that education could be geared to meet the demands of the day and' had accordingly introduced a new educational, system in 197e, designed to overcome the differences between the village and the 'urban schools and effect a' uniformity, thus to afford equal o opportunities for every child; Under this new set up, the ability of every student could be recognised and every opportunity could be provided to develop to a maximum. The distribution of Prizes then took place, the' Junior Prizes being awarded first, after which the Wesley Choir, under the baton of Haig Karunaratne, rendered a Sinhala lyric, words of which were by Jayantha Premachan dra, set 'to music 'by Haig. This intèrlude was refreshingly appreciated by the audience. The Senior Prize list was read out by Mr. Dunstan Fernando, the Vice-Principal. Others assisting at the distribution of prizes were, Mrs. S. E. G. Perera, Messrs Edmund Dissanayake,' Wilfred' Wickremasinghe, S. Sivanayagam B.G.R. Fernando, J. Vethanayagam and.S( G. Thambiah. The vote, of thanks was proposed by the Actg. Secretary of the .Old Boys' Union, Mr.Shelton Peiris, and seconded by the' Senior Prefect of the College, Mr. J. K. Wickremaratne, in' whose speech was the time-echoed plea, for the traditional full holiday, which was graciously granted.

The College song was then sung with feeling: and this was followed by the Benedictions ~pronounced 'by the Revd. (Dr.) David' Wilson. The 'evening's Ceremony was brought to a close with the singing of the National Anthem, and the calling Out for three hearty Cheers, foil the Chief Guest. Post script" thought it be, one must add that the Principal and his very-hard-working Staff, have to be congratulated for their splendid work in planning and organising the evening's programme. One cannot forget behind the scene workers 'like Messrs. S. .Sivanayagam and S. 0. Thambiah who prepared the Prize-lists; Messrs M. U. De S. Kalupahana Edmund Dissanayake and their band of good men and women, who displayed much tact in handling the delicate o job of ushering in such a large crowd into the College Hall, and into the other places of accommodation. Nor can one forget the minor employees of the school for All their labour 'of love; the Prefects and the students of Wesley for attending to so 'many little jobs in such a big way! Well' done young Wesley and now to the FORE and to your .places of responsibibty ahead.

To give thanks and to celebrate 125 years of Wesley College by Paul R David

Wesley has stood for the freedom of the human spirit and the community of all her sons to what ever race or religion they may belong ... . To the wider life of Sri Lanka the school has continued to give fine men of vision , scholarship, ability, understanding and simple faith "

-(Late)Mr A.S. Wirasinghe , Principal 1962 -1983

My wife Ami and I were in the party of old Wesleyites and their partners who went from the United Kingdom to Sri Lanka to take part in the events and activities that took place from the 27 of February to 7 March to mark the 125 th Anniversary of Wesley College, Colombo. We were fortunate that we were able to take part in the acts of thanks giving and the celebrations to mark 125 years of dedicated service to the nation by Wesley College, her staff and students over the years. Old boys of Wesley (most with their partners ) came from Australia, Switzerland , Pakistan and Canada to take part in this momentous occasion in the life of Wesley. These old boys from abroad included Mr Lou Adhihetty (also a former Principal ) and Mr Alfred David (a senior member of the Department of Foreign
UK OBU Cricket Tour Team arriving at Hotel Oberoi in Colombo Affairs and presently Sri Lanka's High Commissioner
to Pakistan ). I was particularly pleased that most of the old boys who came from abroad for the celebrations belonged to my era at Wesley. There were several occasions for us to meet up with our boyhood friends recollect happy memories exchange latest news while also partaking of two or three drinks to keep up the momentum of high spirits.
There were so many happy memories as well as memorable moments , but I shall summarise below only the major events and the main points to be noted:

Founders Day and Thanks giving Services.

The Founders Day Service was held on the birthday of the College on 2 March 99 in the College Hall and brought back memories of our School Assemblies and Prize giving days. The Service started with a procession led by Kandyan Dancers and the College band with the Prefects carrying the Sri Lankan and College flags. The procession was headed by the Principal Mr Ben Fernando , Mr M A P Fernando and several old boys of Wesley. After the address by the Principal the service was mostly conducted by the present students of Wesley and contributions both in verse and prayers were made in English , Sinhalese and Tamil. There were thanks offering by representatives of the Christian, Bñddhist, Hindu and Moslem religions aptly reflecting their representation in Wesley over the years. The Choirs (English, Sinhalese and Tamil) and the School band performed with precision and care that warranted the occasion. The vibrant rendering of the College song and the War cry brought the service to a rousing close. The ladies in our party from the UK OBU told us that we should be proud of the present boys of Wesley and they also made it a point after the service of giving their personal thanks and congratulations to the students who participated and those who took care of all the arrangements during the Service. All of which reflected the sense of order and attention to detail learnt by all of us who attended Wesley College.
This Service was followed immediately by a service conducted by Rev Duleep Fernando (President of the Methodist Church), for the dedication of the new Building which is still to be completed. Some of us more daring than the others joined Rev Fernando and the Principal in going down into the basement level of the Building for Prayers of Dedication. The Thanks giving service held on Sunday 7 March in the College Chapel was led by Rev Duleep Fernando and was another occasion to give thanks to the achievements made by Wesley. More than three hundred people including past teachers and pupils attended this moving service.

The Double Blue Ball.
The highlight of the celebrations was the 125 th Double Blue ball organised by the Old Wesley Sports Club (OWSC) at the Hilton Hotel on Saturday 27 February . The OWSC did the college proud by putting on a grand and thoroughly enjoyable show with several innovative ideas . There were more than 600 attendees who were entertained by two of the best bands in Colombo playing old time favourites and Baila music. The memorable night was enjoyed by all guests and the Dinner was plentiful and very tasty. The proceedings and dancing went on till the early morning and was fittingly concluded by traditional breakfast of Kiribath and sambols.

Gala Banquet.
The Gala Banquet to mark the Anniversary was held 6 March 99 at the Oberoi Hotel and was indeed a grand and dignified occasion . The very much respected Speaker of the Sri Lanka's Parliament Dr K B Ratnayake (an old boy of fellow Methodist educational institution Hartley College ) was the Chief Guest and spoke eloquently of the influence of Methodism in Sri Lanka. Other Speakers included Rev Duleep Fernando, Mr Lou Adhihetty and Mr M H Mohamed. The Vote of thanks to the guests was proposed and seconded by Mr Keith de Krester (Australia OBU) and Mr Senthil Sinniah (UK OBU) respectively. It was a pleasure to see this occasion being graced by several past teachers of Wesley and friends of Wesley including Mrs Wirasinghe, wife the late Mr A S Wirasinghe (a past Principal) . The occasion as is the custom was brought to a rousing close with the rendition of the College song and the college war cry of "Zam Zam Zacay

Sports Events

The high light of the sport events was the Triangular Cricket Tournament Between the Over 40's teams of the Colombo, Australia and UK OBU's. It was a very enjoyable day bringing back memories of the days when we as youngsters watched our seniors perform and also recalling when some of us represented the College on the pitch at Campbell Park. It was also a chance to meet many school friends whom we have not met for a long time and to exchange news, gossip, telephone numbers and e-mail details. The youthful Colombo team beat the UK Team in the finals with the Australian team coming a respectable third.
In the ensuing days the UK OBU Cricket also played matches against a combined Sri Lanka I Australia XI and A Tamil Union XI. A team composed of the past Cricket captains played a match against the present Wesley Cricket team on the 6 March 99.
A Hockey match between the present Wesley team and a team composed of the past Wesley players took place and provided good entertainment to the spectators. Social Events and get togther's. Mr Afgar Mohideen held a Dinner party on the 26 February 99 ,to host the old boys visiting from abroad and the invitees included the Principal and several of the local old boys. It was a memorable re-union when we met many good friends with plenty of liquid refreshments and an excellent dinner to enliven the occasion. Thanks to Afgar and his family for hosting this event which set the tone of the social evenings that were to follow. The UK OBU and the Colombo OWSC hosted club nights at the Campbell park club house for the visiting and ( several local) old boys on the 2 and 3 of March respectively. These club nights again provided us the opportunities to meet in a relaxed atmosphere and to strengthen our fellowship with our old schoolmates.

GRAND FINALE
The formal events to mark the 125 th Anniversary of Wesley were brought to a close by the Grand Finale held on 7
March 99 at the BMICH with the Chief Justice of Sri Lanka ( deputising for the President of Sri Lanka ) as the Chief Guest. The Prize giving for the winners of the All Island Art competition organised as part of the Anniversary
Celebrations was included in the programme and greatly increased the already high profile of the occasion. A memorable item was the Tableau which was presented by the students of Wesley which summarised the history of Wesley particularly the valiant efforts of Rev Highfield , to set up the permanent home for Wesley College

IN CONCLUSION:
The twelve days of activities in Colombo to mark the 125 Anniversary brought back happy memories of school days and helped to rekindle friendships . We are proud of what the past and present boys of Wesley united by that one fraternal band - the band of Double Blue have achieved in several walks of life. We were reminded throughout the festivities that Wesley has produced several men of grit and industry who have gone forward to serve our dear Sri Lanka and in the case of the expatriates their adopted motherlands. I am sure that the rest of the Wesley OBU UK members will join me in thanking the Principal, the Vice- Principal , Rev Duleep Fernando , the staff and boys of Wesley , the OWSC , the Colombo OBU and all others who organised and participated in the numerous activities to give thanks and to celebrate 125 years of excellence and service to the nation of Sri Lanka by Wesley College, Colombo.

The Small Park - A shattered memory by Dr.N.D.Amerasekera

It was the cradle of sports for all Wesleyites. We learnt to bat, bowl and kick a football in a small gravel field behind the school called the Small park. The likes of Neil Gallagher, AR Chapman, Nalendra Abeysooriya, Kennethe De Silva, Sarath Wickramaratne and the Carnie brothers all started their cricket in the Small park. It was situated between Karlshrue Gardens and the Nalanda Grounds, both ends lined by tall Andara trees. The passage from Karlshrue Gardens was a steep slope. A parapet wall separated Dr.Jayasundera's house from the Campbell Park end of the grounds, tall enough to save his 4 daughters from the prying eyes of the boarders constantly snooping in that direction. At the opposite end was an old house with a pretty verandah and porch separated by a barbed wire fence loosened by boys creeping through to collect the ball. A tall Kottan tree was at the far corner beyond which was a 2 storey house where the occupant was a keen cricketer and watched the games as they unfolded. He couldn't resist the temptation to clap for a boundary or comment forcefully about the umpiring. The grounds itself was a mainly gravel pitch with a few patches of dried grass at the Nalanda end. Due to many decades of cricket in the middle was an oval basin which was a our pitch. The stones and the slope gave the bowlers the advantage of viscious spin or a fast break. The conditions were the same for both sides and all was fair. The grounds was no place for leather and willow. The tennis ball was a fine substitute. We used them until the skin came off the ball and the grey rubber showed. M.W.Wickramaratne, Nelson Jayasinghe, Lakshman Gunaratne "lubba" ,SSP and ASP Ranasinghe A.R, Cecil and NGA Fernando, Kalinga De Silva, DMC Gunasekera, Senaka Jayasinghe ,Milroy Bulner were the great exponents of the tennis ball game. The bouncers were rare but "hooruttu" (ball traveling along the ground) or "goondu" was in every good bowlers repertoir. Tennis ball game had a vocabulary of its own. "pol adi" was the answer to a tight situation. Those who scored slowly were shouted at " hit out or get out". There being no replays and 3rd umpire this was a crucial job and " hora umpiring" done discreetly was part of the game. Missed catches was called " catching frogs". Misfields between the legs were " bowkku". The grounds sloped towards Nalanda and fielding in that area was a nightmare.

My first recollection of the park is watching " Challenge fights" in the small interval. There were a few on at any one time and the choice was entirely ours. Facial injuries were avoided by both parties but torn shirts and cuts and bruises were a part of the fight. On returning to the classes they got punished further for their ungainly appearance and the person to avoid was Mrs. Blacker.

In the lunch break the pitch was taken over by the seniors and I recall Richard Dwight, Baafi and Mihlar being the heroes of the many games of cricket I had watched. During the marble season they played "bungkings" and 3 holes where the loser hands over a marble each time. Soccer in the park was very popular too and the permanent goal posts were a great help. The boarders played in the park everyday from 4-6pm on weekdays and wholeday Saturday. The hostel House matches took place there. The cheering and the jeering for those was intense. There were those who loved to commentate on the matches and Upali Siriwardene had a special knack for this. The park being mainly gravel falls resulted in cuts and bruises or more severe lacerations. The matron kindly dealt with these running repairs. We even had Athletics on Saturdays. The proximity of the grounds was its main advantage. The midday sun beats on it mercilessly and playing games on it is not for the faint hearted. On numerous occasions I have seen the sunset behind Nalanda College when it was time to return to the hostel.

It is with great sadness that I note the park is no more and has been gone for nearly 30 years. It was part of the land that Rev Highfield toiled hard to buy- cycling and "begging". We will never know the intricate details of the need for this sale and the financial transactions thereafter but Wesley College has lost a plot of prime land just behind it where the school could have extended its buildings if the need arose. Their decision deprived future generations of Wesleyites of a playing field virtually in their back yard. I wonder whether those involved in the intrigue were pleased after the sale of a part of our heritage and our memories. Controversy and innuendo will rage on until the air is cleared by someone who knows exactly what happened behind those closed doors.

The sad saga and the intrigue of the loss of small park is best described in the words of Winston Churchill " It is a riddle surrounded in mystery wrapped in an enigma" Its flames still smoulder even after 30 years. Was it a muddle or a fiddle?

Wesley College is an institute reputed for racial harmony - by Peter Christie

Speaker Dr. K. B. Ratnayake speaking at the Wesley College 125th anniversary celebrations banquet said that the school had grown from one built to accommodate the children of merchants in Dam Street, Pettah to an institute reputed for racial harmony and opened to students of all walks of life. He was speaking at the Banquet that was attended by the Principal of Royal College Lakshman Gomes, the Sub Warden of St Thomas' College, S. Pakianathan, Senior Diplomat, Vernon Mendis, Managing Director of the Hatton National Bank, Rienzie Wijeytillake, Former Principal Lou Adihetty, Halim Ishak MP., Keith de Kretser (President OBU Australia) Former Minister M. H. Mohammed MP., Sentil Sinniah (Representative OBU United Kingdom) other Old Boys and well wishers. Dr. Ratnayake said that lot of problems could be solved if everybody, Sinhalese, Tamils, Malays, Burghers and Muslims identified themselves as Sri Lankans and not put racial connotations in identity. Dr. Ratnayake said that party politics had done a lot of damage to the country criticising those politicians who fought each other on divides of language, religion or race. He also said that as a nominated Member of Parliament he had one electorate to look after. The electorate of Sri Lanka. He said the advantage of being a nominated member unlike his predecessor Mr. M. H. Mohammed an old boy of Wesley who represented Borella, is that his loyalties are island wide. He was impressed, a poor villager from Point Pedro to be invited to such a prestigious occasion. An old boy of Hartley College another Methodist institution said he though a Buddhist had memorised the New Testament and always quoted Christ's "Lord forgive them for they know not what they do". For good measure the Speaker repeated the quote in Sinhala and Tamil proving that he is tri-lingual. He further emphasised the need for school children to be taught each other's language. The Principal of Wesley College N. A. B. Fernando said that as an old boy he was making every endeavour to maintain the standards set by the school in maintaining ethnic and religious harmony. The students of Wesley will learn three languages, he said.

Wesley OBU (UK) cricketers in school's 125th anniversary celebrations sent by Mahendra Dissanayake

Almost a quarter of AirLanka's airbus that took off from London's Heathrow airport last Thursday was filled with staunch and loyal old boys of Wesley College, Colombo on their way to their alma mater's 125th anniversary.

Lord Reggie's old and dear friend Ben Fernando who is the present head of Wesley and once upon a time, a very, very popular figure in London's Sri Lankan scene and president of the oldest Sri Lankan organisation here on many occasions. 'The Association of Sri Lankans in the UK', will be truly proud of these lads who left no stone unturned to make this trip, be there on time and play their part well.

Speaking to Lord Reggie on the eve of their departure Lord Reggie's close pal, a former Wesley skipper Ananda Thevethasan said the lads were pleased that the OBU's patron - a former principal - Rev. D. Izzett was travelling with them and will be there to share those moments of glory and happiness when Old Wesleyites in Sri Lanka and from Australia will "be with us as one family".

Thevathasan also expressed his absolute joy about the participation of that famous and mighty Old Wesleyite and Cambridge Double Blue (Cricket and Hockey) Lou Adihetty.

He said; "He was our coach and every move of his on the field was classic. It will be wonderful to see him at the crease again. That alone is worth the trip."

R. Perera will captain the UK team against SSC and Tamil Union on the 3 March and 8 March 1999 respectively at this cricket tournament which has been organised by former Sri Lanka opening bowler L.R. Goonetillake (President, OWSC).

An interesting duel should be the game between the past Wesley skippers made up of Lou Adihetty, Milroy Mutuvaloe, Everad Schoorman, Ananda Thevethasan, Navin de Silva, Delmer Achilees and Ameresh Rajaratnam and others against he present college eleven led by Dharsika Jayakody.

Lord Reggie also wishes to warn the rest of the Wesley teams that the team from UK put on a magnificent show at the Festival of Cricket here in 1997 to get the better of all the leading Sri Lanka schools which gave them that much coveted Sri Lanka OBAs trophy and be it bowling a 'googly' or a 'chinaman' or for that matter batting on a difficult pitch these lads are sure to put on a splendid performance and give the rest a jolly hard time. Queen says 'OK' to drugging of her carriage horses

Buckingham Palace recently admitted that royal horses are on occasions drugged before ceremonial events.

According to a palace spokesman the sedatives are given purely to calm the younger horses for important events such as the State Opening of Parliament and the annual Royal Ascot race meeting.

The spokesman said the drug acepromazine which is given in doses of around 25mg has a numbing effect and stops the horses from getting excited when passing noisy or cheering crowds.

These doses Lord Reggie understands are given as a liquid through a syringe into their mounts or as ground-up tablets together with their food thus making the animal tame and peaceful for some time. 'Late sitting' - a rare picture of Tony Blair

One of London's newspapers Lord Reggie loves to read, the 'Evening Standard" recently held a photography competition that attracted over 50,000 entries taken by people from many walks of life depicting everyday scenes of England from many angles of life.

Those pictures taken by both amateur and professional photographers portrayed sad, happy and stunning moments but the one Lord Reggie really enjoyed was that of the British Prime Minister Tony Blair seated on the carpeted floor of the parliament titles. 'Late sitting: an intimate shot of Tony Blair by Mike Maloney.'

As our picture shows the melancholy faced Tony Blair is seen reflecting over a letter he probably just finished reading but in which oak panelled room in the Parliament building will be even difficult for the longest serving member to guess.

Gain experience from people around you by Richard Dwight

Knowledge alone would not do, you must bring to bear your talents and develop your skills to blend with the knowledge acquired in order to forge ahead in the competitive times, said Chief Guest Rienzie Wijetilleke, Managing Director HNB who was himself an old boy, at the Wesley College prize giving.

Mr. Wijetilleke was speaking from his awareness that everything is performed these days with a sense of urgency, where efficiency experts are called to perfect operations, so that the result will be speedier production and, that if business does not have the latest technological apparatus, it is in danger of, being 'Lost in the dust of Advancement'.

Mindful that there were innovative inventions in the past, he explained that as against those, there are much more advanced inventions that we see today. Progress has been made in mode of travel, communication, be it the print as well as the electronic media. Sophisticated equipment such as dictaphones, recorders and the preservation of comprehensive information in small diskettes or served in memory, for retrieval later on. And so students like you and all over, notwithstanding the challenges you are up against, could face them undaunted with these present amenities and facilities, that were non existent to the pupils of the past, he said.

In order to succeed Wijetilleke felt that one must be farsighted asking questions like what am I going to be in the future? What is my vision in this the fast challenging world? He recalled that Mahathma Gandhi too had a vision for the poor people, wanting to wipe away the tears of the teeming millions. The past Presidents of our land Jayawardena and Premadasa had theirs too. The former to usher in a Dharmista Society, the latter to alleviate poverty - whilst the present President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga is striving to stop the war and bring about peace. You should be stressed, also aim at having leadership qualities, learning to work as a team, the leader with the others.

"Gain inspiration from the people around you, be enthusiastic having at all times a proper frame of mind. Learn to be orderly, managing and organizing yourselves to a planned schedule and adjusting as well, to changes that are necessary. There may be crises in your own homes, sickness, bereavement or whatever, let these be your training ground to build up your confidence with equanimity. So that you will be found credible in the eyes of your teachers and principal, to be entrusted with a job of work".

Striking a personal note Wijetilleke said that at Wesley he came under the principalship of C.J. Oorloff and P.H. Nonis. On leaving Wesley he taught for a while and joined the Bank of Ceylon, which took him to England, where he passed his banking as well as his accountancy exams to hold the present position he is in. "People do have faith in us, for 70 billion rupees is entrusted with us, our word is our bound, if you say something stand by your word at all times".

With deep concern for the boys, Wijetilleke chose to conclude by asking them at the end of the day to reflect on the day's happenings. "Spend a few minutes in self examination, of the things you should have done and not - as to whether you have hurt someone or done some wrong and, striving not to repeat the same mistakes".

The principal Mr. N.A.B. Fernando whilst welcoming the Chief Guest and Mrs. Dhammika Wijetilleke who gave away the prizes, apart from his report covering a wide range of activities, said that many significant and long lasting changes have occurred at Wesley. To illustrate what has happened and adding his own personal perspective he used P.B. Vaill's interpretation of change in "New ideas for a world of chaotic change."

"The organization in this case Wesley, is not a large ship, but more akin to a 40 foot raft. Rather than sailing a calm sea, this raft must traverse a raging river made up of uninterrupted flow of permanent white water rapids. To make things worse, the raft is manned by 10 people who have never worked together (with understanding) or travelled the river before, much of the trip is in the dark, the exact destination of the raft is not clear, and at regular intervals the raft needs to pull ashore, where some new crew members are added and others leave".

"In the past 5 years, during my tenure of office as principal, my colleagues on the staff and I have travelled together on the raft and traversed the raging river full of permanent white rapids. The 'raging river' will continue to be a part of the scene, but I have initiated and implemented changes at Wesley on the platform of school effectiveness and school improvement, that is our destination which will ensure stability. We have from time to time pulled ashore for evaluation and review of our programmes and some staff (crew) have left and others have joined us".

The secretary of the old boys union, Ivor Maharoof delivered the vote of thanks. college, Dilkush Peiris also spoke.

A brief history and origin of Campbell Park by Dr.N.D.Amerasekera

To all Wesleyites Campbell Park is sacred grounds. For those who represented the school in cricket, rugby, soccer, hockey or athletics at Campbell park it is an everlasting memory. It is a vast expanse of greenery extending from Campbell Place to the Lady Ridgeway Hospital and Baseline road to All Saints Church. Intersected by gravel roads running from Welikada Prison to Bloomfield CC Grounds and All Saints to the Medical Research Institute its beauty was taken for granted in those days. Large trees surrounds the park. The old pavillion with metal spikes and bars have given way to a brand new the MH Mohammed building. At the far end were the tennis and basket ball courts. The Lady Ridgway Hospital was built on the site of the Old Victoria Home for the Incurables which was still standing until about 1955.

As a boarder I played cricket there on the sidelines, almost everyday and at other times dreamed of playing cricket there. The sounds of the hourly chime of the Church bells still ring in my ears. I can recall hordes of worshippers going for the Novenas on Wednesdays. The elegant cover drives, the heaving sixes and the shattered wickets were seen in abundance during those 12 memorable years. The lasting memory for me is the sight of the setting sun behind All saints church while watching cricket on a warm sunny Saturday afternoon when the match is set for a photofinish.

The sports meets were a great annual event. The muscle men did the discus, javelin and putt shot. The puffing and panting of those running the magic mile and the intense rivalry between the 4 houses were the highlights of the day. Those who came last in the 440 or 880 yards were given a special cheer. There we learnt to accept defeat gracefully. Many took part but the winners were few.

Campbell Park will always have a special place in the hearts of all Wesleyites.

In the words of Eric Gunasekera: Karlshrue, open, airy was a paradise to the pupils of the Pettah institution. For a satisfactory playing field we had to wait. But we started on the stretch of Campbell Park behind All Saints' Church, then migrated to the marshy patch alongside Baseline Road until we acquired, thanks to P.H.Nonis' (acting Principal) enthusiastic effort, the former Tamil Union Pavilion.

I believe Tamil Union moved from Campbell Park in 1942.

From a local paper: As a young member of the Tamil Union, when their grounds were at Campbell Park, P. Saravanamuttu (Sara Trophy fame)always felt that they needed a bigger place to expand their activities. He realized his ambition when he found what appeared to be a marsh at Wanathamulla that could be converted into a beautiful playing field. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the ground could be developed to international standards. He supervised the work day and night and produced the Colombo Oval. The Tamil Union owes a permanent debt to him because it was mainly his vision and hard work as an official of the Tamil Union that laid out and created the magnificent Colombo Oval to make it the best ground in Ceylon at that time. A great tribute to his memory is the present attempts to restore his life's work to its pristine glory. One of the earliest social functions held at this magnificent ground was on 1st May, 1943

Addendum from The Ceylon Daily News

The Police celebrated the 132nd anniversary, in 1998, of its establishment as a legally re-organised institution with the appointment of George William Robert Campbell (G. W. R. Campbell) (Lately Sir) as the IGP. He was brought here from 'Ratnagiri Ranges' of Rashtapradesh of India. Law enforcement had been in existence in a nebulous form for many years previously in this country. It could have been since June 1859, the Maritime Provinces under Dutch Rule, when four soldiers were detailed (to do Police work) to guard the city of Colombo on a decision taken on June 10, 1659 by the officials concerned. However, the Police was shaped into an efficient and a cohesive organisation by divesting it from most of the civilian functionaries and giving it a distinct identity. Hence it is much reasonable to recall to memory the architect and the pioneer of the modern Police Sir G. W. R. Campbell who took over the Police in the year 1866, when there were 44 Police Stations with a strength of 690 police officers of all ranks. He had been awarded the Mutiny Medal for the services during the suppression of the Indian Mutiny.
He realised that crime prevention could not be properly carried out as all the police inspectors were Europeans or non Sinhalese. So he recruited three Police Inspectors together with 40 young constables from good families. They were interviewed by himself at Colombo. He opened a training school at Maradana to train police officers. He opened up the Police Headquarters at Maradana and the Police Hospital at the same place. He recommended uniforms for the Police Officers and they were sewn by the Prisons Department. When the Police Services were criticized by the media he recommended to buy three journals Colombo Observer, Colombo Times and the Examiner at the Police Headquarters and gave instructions to the Officers concerned to read and get the required informations to give a healthy Police Service to the Nation.
The Campbell Park was constructed at Borella in a land extending over 20 acres by the Government on the request of Sir G. W. R. Campbell, and it was so named as a gratitude to his great service to the Police and to the Nation and he was also conferred with a knighthood "Sir", after his retirement. G.W.R. Campbell took over duties from Captain Drew who relieved Captain Terry at Galle, was born at Campbelltown, Argyllshire in 1835. He retired on April 11, 1891. He was a very efficient administrator and was able to maintain police-public relationship from his appointment to time of his retirement.

From the 1959 School Magazine

Campbell Park: It is of great concern to us that very soon Wesley may not have the Free use of Campbell Park. It was only a few days ago that the Principal, Mr. Nonis,
Announced that we will have no sports f activities whatever on Campbell Park on Fridays. This, we learn, is because Carey College now shares the ground with us. It would be good to remind ourselves that
Campbell Park has been leased to us by the Colombo Municipality, though the pavilion
o Itself was purchased by the college, from the Tamil Union Cricket & Athletic Club, many years ago. Thus if there is even the slightest doubt as to whether in the future, we may not have "monopoly" rights over the Park, it is time that we develop the land the College has leased out at Wanathamulla, near the Colombo Oval. The problem here seems to be that "squatters" have occupied this land, and that the Municipality is fighting shy of acting in the interests of the school. We urge the Principal, the O. B. A. and the Board of Governors of the College, to give this matter serious consideration. As it is we find our Rugger XV, meeting, even for practices, on 'foreign' grounds, when rightly, they should have all the facilities enjoyed by other teams.

"Going for a pump" by Dr.N.D.Amerasekera

Going for a "pump" during the small interval was a ritual of all Wesleyites. A thousand students decended on the urinals next to the Primary Block. Time was tight and so was the urgency. I cannot describe in words the desperation of some but the image above speaks for itself.

There were about 20 spaces separated by vertical sheets of concrete which were our urinals. They weren't any worse than boys urinals anywhere in the world but it had its specific smell towards the end of the day. At night there was no light and the boarders did not venture in there but the few who did often missed the target with disastrous results for the next day. The toilets and the wash area was just next door. Numerous wash basins were in the middle. There were 3 large water tanks for baths with a bucket. Bryan Claessen tells me these were use for "duckings" for freshers to the first eleven cricket team during his time. Several showers were on one side which were popular too. The water there somehow seem colder than anywhere else in the world. The concrete floor was broken up in many places which collected water and stagnated and it was not a pretty sight. The toilets were of the squatting variety with a bucket and a small tin for the wash after the ablutions. When I went to see it in the year 2000 little had changed. There was a rectangular area just outside the entrance to the bathrooms where all the rainwater from the roof converged. This was the boarders favourite spot for a "rain bath" as we called it. It surprises me that progress and the 21st Century advances hadn't reached the Wesley College bathrooms yet. Perhaps they were too far away from the public gaze!!

Recollections on the death of a classmate - Edward C. Roberts by Fred Abeysekera
We met in our formative years - at Wesley College - in 1946 as classmates, and over a short period of time became very special friends - and remained so, for life.

We both lived in Nugegoda in our early youth, along with two other classmates - Archibald Singham and Neville Weerasekera - and we became inseparables. We went on ceaseless rambles across hill and dale, discovering short cuts to every possible place, criss-crossings the length and breadth of Nugegoda (then a small town) and its environs. Such treks were more often than not across private property and never without excitement. Falling into streams and shallow, unprotected wells at dusk, chased by irate owners of private property, outrunning dogs (who joined their owners in the chase) getting bogged down in paddy fields, barely scrambling to safety; and ending up laughing. It was always side-splitting laughter....these were the tumultous days of youth.

Our daily journey to school and back was by train - the notoriously slow, narrow-gauge railway - the Kelani Valley line. To be in time for General Assembly (a daily ritual in those days when the entire school met in the college hall), we had to catch either the 6.55 a.m. train or "the 7.17" at the Nugegoda Railway Station. The Station Master who knew all of us by name was Mr. R. Poulier, and he had a fatherly eye on us. These journeys, however, were always fraught with totally unwarranted risks; much excitement, fun and frolic - with us ending up in school with tell-tale signs of having travelled on the footboard; in open bogeys (which were sometimes loaded with coal) and only occasionally, seated in a second class compartment of Archie Singham's choice (which had more than the average sprinkling of pretty school girls) putting to legitimate use our season tickets for which we paid the princely sum of Rs. 4.00 for a month's travel! When school ended at 3.15 pm each day, we ambled along to the Baseline Road Railway Station when we were not required to be present at Campbell Park for athletics practice, hockey, cricket or basketball. We always went down Karlsrhue Gardens (via Mount Mary - a Wesley-Josephian stronghold) buying chocolate or "bullto" from the "Thambi Kade" at the corner - on rare occasions encountering an adventurous prefect exuding smoke from his nostrils, ensconced in the bowels of the ill-lit interior of the boutique. Like England's hero, Nelson, we turned a collective blind eye in such instances - and sprinted the rest of the distance, only to be admonished the next day for not walking down Baseline Road, as people usually do! Edward was not the fastest runner in our group and was invariably identified - consequently all four of us being roped in and lectured to on road safety - or, the hazards of going off the beaten track.

I recall a particular incident which caused us much raucous laughter at the time, and on recollection, much merriment. Norman Mailer's Naked and the Dead had been banned in Sri Lanka as our prudish politicians (the self appointed custodians of "public" morality) were of the opinion it was totally unsuitable for "young minds" - which in effect meant that the book was not available to the reading public at large. A copy of the book turned up at Wesley and our group of four took turns to read it, with a specially devised brown paper cover bearing the legend "English Grammar by Nesfield", to disguise it effectively. Edward had drawn No. 3 and it was his turn to read the book. The book was handed over to him at the Nugegoda Railway Station by Neville Weerasekera who had completed reading it. It had been securely wrapped by him in a myriad layers of brown paper, with stout twine and sealing wax complete. Edward was cautioned not to open the package until bedtime. It is reported that his brother George (with whom he lived) had been informed around 9.00 pm that Edward had a severe "stomach disorder" which was to serve as adequate cover for his night-long treks to the toilet! (where the book was to be read). About midnight Edward had successfully torn out the last of a layer of covers the book was secured in to find to his dismay that it was a familiar school text-book - Chemistry by A. J. Mee! Thus dramatically ended Edward's voracious appetite for reading, as well as his chronic stomach disorder.

Edward had the capacity to radiate love and concern for people particularly those close to him - his wife Anula and his children Dushan and Dushanthi and his buddies from Wesley. We were always welcome in his home with his elder brother George giving him all the support he needed to generate spontaneously the warmth and fellowship of hospitality. One of Edward's desires - expressed a few months before he died on January 18th, 1999 - was to spend a relaxed evening at The Old Wesleyites' Sports Club with his family and classmates and their respective families. This, unfortunately, did not materialise. He stoically endured a long and protracted illness, spanning two decades with great courage and fortitude. His sense of humour never abandoned him at the worst of times. Edward will be greatly missed at Wesley's 125th anniversary celebrations next month by all those who knew him and came to love him and very specifically by his old classmates.
Fred Abeyesekera

Those School Boy Days……at Wesley College, Colombo… now time stands

by Shanti McLelland - November 14, 2001

Before the spring of year 2001, Dr. Douglas Amerasekera launched the Wesley College (OBU) UK web site. We have to thank Azahim Mohamed, Secretary of the OBU branch in the UK for initiating the venture. This exceptionally scholarly site has helped to unfold Wesley's 127 year history and bring together Wesleyites around the world.Now, six months later, all Wesleyites have been invited to the launch of the Wesley College (OBU) Australian branch web site. This time we have to thank Mahendra Dissanayake for the excellent architecture and construction of the site. I am glad to see my running partner Reg Bartholomeusz an outstanding sportsman at the helm with my fellow scout Nelson de Silva as scribe. This will join the time zones from East to West.I was excited and exultant to read the news letter - Vol. 1 (1) published by the Australian Branch, edited by Bryan Wijekoon. Previous to this it was in 1990 that I read a news letter from the Aussie branch. Cecil d'with Barbut & Keith de Kretser two of the the long-standing stalwarts have to be thanked for keeping the Australian branch active in the 1990's. The article by Norman de La Harpe brought back some of the old memories of the round table stories narrated by Mr. L.A.Fernando during our Athletic meetings before Public schools, Relay Carnival, or the Junior AAA meets. The motivating stories were about our former Wesley's top sportsmen. We have to thank Norman for giving us the first person version. M. M. Sheriff, Harold Matthysz, Trevor Van Rooyen, Ian Campbell, and including the great cricketer N. S. Jayasundara. The students now at Wesley would have never got this valuable information otherwise.

As remembered by Norman, Lucian Dep certainly was an outstanding athlete, national pole vaulter and served the AAA as an official for many years, along with Mr. A. A. Swaris. His nephews Cletus and Srinath Dep both were outstanding high Jumpers and public schools athletes in the 1960's. Both of them competed at the time we were representing Wesley. The other athlete Shirley Perera was once again one of St. Joseph's top athletes. Brothers, Shirley, Neville, and Neil lived near the Medical College, and certainly were great friends.It was certainly a great adventure to see the great cricketer Henry Duckworth and Wesley's front-runners in one of the photos. Hopefully time will come to meet and greet these past Wesleyites in the future. Wesley should certainly be proud of some of our top sportsmen, who were outstanding nationally and internationally. I hope this valuable information on both web sites will motivate the present Wesleyites to emulate the dazzling feats of these past heroes.I must also take a few moments to remind the Old Wesleyites not only to delve in the performance of sports at Wesley, but also concentrate on the academic excellence. I remember how happy and thrilled when the names of those who entered medical college; University of Ceylon, Colombo campus, Peradeniya campus, Vidyodaya, or Vidyalankara was read out after the University Entrance/Advanced Level results. Very distinctly I remember the Hill Medal winners D. Raymond and Paul David. Paul specially because of Charles David who was my classmate, Joe David. Also, not forgetting Alfie David who was an extraordinary sportsman and scholar.

I was happy to all of the faces in the photograph taken by my good friend Mohan Abraham. It was certainly pleasure to see the evergreen Dr. Frank Jayasinghe (who taught me algebra in Form_1), and all of the other eleven I distinctly remember, same as I had seen a few years ago. We have to thank those loyal Wesleyites for holding on to the double blue in Colombo.I certainly remember most of the names I see on the address list. I send my heartfelt greetings to all my fellow double blue colleagues on the UK & Australian web.
Wesley to the fore

The Oases and Mirages of my school life 1950-62 by Dr.N.D.Amerasekera (15th December 2001)

Nostalgia is my great sin, and I remember with a sense of loss a kinder gentler world which disappeared forever as I left school. The most painful of all is the disappearance from my life the people who meant so much to me, friends, teachers, chaplains and Principals in all those years at Wesley. I stepped on the treadmill to carve myself a career and raise a family. Now having reached the end of my working life I still yearn for those days at school even though more than forty years have passed me by.

1950 was a time of idyllic splendour and tranquility in Ceylon. D.S.Senanayake was the Prime Minister. The sense of humanity and decency instilled by the British for over a century was still in place. The Galle Face Hotel, The Queens Hotel Kandy and The Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya were the only Hotels with any star quality. The affluent and the not so wealthy indulged in a weekend flutter on the horses at the Race Course in Reid Avenue. The Parliament was by the sea and the breeze helped the politicians to think rationally and clearly- or so it seemed. You shop at Cargills or Millers , have tea at the Pagoda Tea Rooms in Chatham Street or the Fountain Café at Union Place and buy your Lingus (Spicey sausages), Orange Barley and Lanka Lime at the Ceylon Cold Stores at Slave Island. During April the rich went "upcountry" to Nuwara Eliya to escape the Colombo heat. Galle face Green on a Sunday was packed with people sucking Alerics Ice Cream. When all was said and done those who needed Devine favours went to the "Novenas" on Wednesdays, at All Saints Church Borella . Meanwhile Ranis rang the school bell with the passion and precision of Big Ben.

Colombo in the 1950's was a city of contrasts with the beauty of prestigious estates with pleasant houses in some areas and slums, shanties and tenements in others. The poor with large families lived in a single room in screaming poverty. The falling plaster, broken windows and fences, corrugated iron roofs were the hall marks of the poverty we saw. It is a scene straight from the annals of our urban life of that era. For many the new found political independence did little to give them home or hope. The prized jobs were in the government service with jobs for life. In those days everyone knew his place. The master and servant, teacher and student, rich and poor, parent and child accepted the situation as if ordained by God. Wesley attracted both the very rich and the very poor the majority being sons of middle class Government Servants. The main Maradana Railway yard was where the narrow and broad guage converged. Many of the Railway employees lived at the Mt. Mary housing estate and in Dematagoda. Scores of them sent their boys to Wesley thanks to the good old CGR.

There is some truth in the saying "school is where you go when your parents cant keep you and industry cant take you". I joined Wesley in January 1950 during the 'reign' of Cedric Oorloff. With his Oxford accent he had an air of authority and dignity. He commanded respect and received it. Being just 8 years old and bottom of the pile viewed school life with fear and trepidation. Oorloff inspired terror and always had our attention. In later years as a boarder living just behind his back garden we appreciated his humour and generosity. Mrs. Oorloff was a tall kindly lady, looked after her garden and taught English and History to the seniors. Gillian their daughter, a bubbly teenager, was a pleasant sight playing with her dog in their well manicured lawn. I can still picture his green Austin Devon parked in the porch of their large and spacious bungalow. My first brush with the law came quite early in my school career. I was involved in a serious conversation with a classmate at assembly when CJO spotted my indiscretion and asked us both to stand-up for the whole proceedings. We coped with the embarrassment quite well but on our return to class Mr. MT Rajapakse gave us a rasping blow on the face. I remember being dazed for a few minutes and unable to hear for couple of days. Soon all was forgotten and we both got back to our old ways.

The old Primary Block is no more. It is replaced by the new DH Pereira building. The old block had a raised floor with steps to the classrooms. Every class had a half wall on the side with a wire mesh. The teacher was by the blackboard in a wooden platform with a table and chair. Chalk was everywhere. The students had two to a long desk with its top engraved with the initials of former pupils. There were 30 students to a class. Mr CM Fonseka was the headmaster of the Primary School. He was pretty strict and was in charge of the 5th Std English. Students feared him and gave him respect. His son Robin was a student at Wesley and was a popular boy. Robin later became a Methodist Priest. While he was at Kurana katunayake as the Priest in Charge, sadly, he was knifed to death.

I was in the Primary School from 1950- 53. Life there was rather claustrophobic being hemmed in by "aggressive teachers" and "bullying" seniors. Throwing of dusters at pupils, using the hand to assault students and the liberal use of the cane and ruler for minor offences just didn't seem acceptable. This was how it appeared to me at the time. On looking back it would not be fair to apply the liberal values of the 21st Century to school life 50 years ago. Miss Blacker taught us English until we went to the senior school. Mrs. Iris Muller took some of those classes too and she was a marvellous, kind teacher. My lasting memory of those English classes was the Longman's Copy book which we had to carefully copy down the letters of the English alphabet using a calligraphic pen. MT Rajapaksa was our class teacher in Std 2. He was a superb teacher and his departure to join the staff of the Maharagama Teacher Training Institute was a great loss to the school. Mr.Bharathasinghe was in Std.3 though for a short time when Miss Tissaratchi, a pretty young lady took over. She was unable to control the class and had the habit of sending the students for punishment by the Principal or headmaster for trivial offences. It was an easy way out for her but not for her students. Mr. Wilfred was the teacher in Std.4 and S.T.Perera alias "Poos Bada" was in Std 5. The latter had an apron of fat over his belt. He was a good dedicated teacher. He got us to memorise a book of poems during the year which caused a lot of heartache to those who were not too good at remembering. STP had a short cane for punishment which came out forcefully during those poetry sessions. He left school to become a Headmaster of a village school in Tissamaharama where we visited him subsequently whilst on a school trip with Edmund Dissanayake. It was pretty rural and there was no electricity at his house and life seemed very simple indeed. I wonder how he is and whether he thinks of us too after all these years. The English teacher in Std 5 was a big , jet black Mr. Aelian Jayasekera. He introduced us to the poems of Milton, Tennyson and Longfellow. AJ was a kindly man and controlled the class without reaching for the cane. In the primary classes we used S.F.De Silva's history books which were beautifully written like one long story. He was the Director of Education for the Ministry at the time. I believe he wrote the geography books too. We used J.E.Jayasuriya' s Mathematics books and it was later that I realised he was an Old boy of the school. I recall joining the 14th Colombo Cub Pack when Mr. Wilfred was in charge. Perhaps it was the lovely gear and the cap that attracted me to this brotherhood. The marching and the three finger salute soon became a ritual. We shouted " Ah Kay Lar we'll do our best" and sang a song with rather poignant lyrics

Row Row Row your boat
gently down the stream
Merrily merrily merrily merrily
Life is but a dream

I enjoyed the "chip a job " week immensely and remember scouring the middle class neighbourhood of Borella for work. People were very generous and many were bemused. Mr. EL Rodrigo then joined the staff and supervised the Cubs. I found him too strict and I left when being in the pack was a liablity. ELR was our boarding master and I realised what a caring, kind person he was in later years. This was merely how I viewed it as an 8 year old. On returning to school for a visit as a Medical student EL Rodrigo saw me and promptly took me to the Tuck Shop. We had a long chat about the good old days. I wish him a long and happy retirement. It gave me great pleasure to see his photographs hanging in the college hall with the all time greats like HJVI Ekanayake for over 25 years of service to the school..

Transport is crucial for schools. In common with the development of road transport worldwide, bus operation in Ceylon was pioneered by private enterprise. Private entrepreneurs. Ebert Silva, High Level Bus Company and Ceylon Tours provided the service with many other companies whose names I cannot now recall. Demand continued to increase with population growth and the private companies found it difficult to change, invest and improve and the service began to crumble.The Government Nationalised bus transport in 1958 and the Ceylon Transport Board was born. The red reliable British Leyland single and double decker buses then were a common part of the Colombo scene. Quickshaw Taxis competed for business with the Morris Minor Cabs. Rickshaws in the 50's were confined to Fort and Pettah. Trolley busses were popular for a decade in the 1950's running between Borella and Pettah. Bullockcarts were seen on the roads well into the 1970's. At Wesley there were students from all corners of the Island. Those from far away chose to board. The majority lived locally and walked or cycled to school. There were school buses from Ratmalana supervised by some teachers who used this service. The affluent used their cars to bring the kids to Wesley. Those living in the Kelani valley from Maradana to Avissawella had the slow and cumbersome narrow guage railway. It helped me to travel from Nugegoda to Baseline Road and I remember with nostalgia and much affection the happy band of schoolboys , the steam trains and Hunslets that did their job so efficiently.

Unlike at present the students had no voice at all. Parents took decisions for us at home and the teachers did so at school. Having been used to the vernacular at home my English was appalling and Miss Blacker's efforts with the sharp edge of the ruler encouraged me to read Aesops fables, Grimms and Andersons Fairy tales. Reading then on became a habit. C.M.Fonseka who also taught my father was the Headmaster of the Primary school. He was a strict Victorian teacher good at his job. He inspired terror and had our attention and never spared the rod. I can still picture his dark face with short grey hair and white suit. His son Robin was at school and it was with much sadness I heard he died tragically at the Kurana Methodist Minister's bungalow where he was the parish priest. John Gogerly made us do wood work and carpentry which was a welcome relief from the struggles at Maths and reciting poetry from memory. My desk was full of carved names and initials and I happily added my own which horrified Miss Blacker. The stern warning and ear pulling did not deter me from indulging in the same every year until I left school. It pleased me no end to find my name in the chemistry lab 40 years later. The equipment and apparatus hadn't changed either which did not speak much of the science at school.

I am an only child, a rare breed in times when 4 or 5 was the norm. Being spoilt and pampered at home I was becoming an incorrigible brat. My father being in Government Service was transferred from pillar to post, every 4 years. I needed a stable environment for my education and joined the school hostel in 1952. The boarding gave me more brothers than I ever wanted. The Camaraderie and the brotherhood in the hostel was the best that happened to me at school and feel eternally grateful to my parents for the experience which didn't come cheap. Learning to share was difficult at first but sharing stood me in good stead in later life.

This was the era of amateur sportsmen and winning was never the only motive but to play the game. "Umpires' word was law" was the teaching and often we walked away even when the umpires finger stayed down. I still can recall the many games I played at Small Park with Kenneth De Silva, Randolph Crutchley, Kenneth Anthonisz, Michael Christoffelsz, Boris Schrader, Upali Perera, Asoka Ranasinghe, Mynah Wickramaratne, Arthur d'With-Barbut, R.Ratnavale, Masilamony, Soundravel etc. Cricket was all consuming. We played it several times a day in any corner we could. If the space was limited we tried French cricket. I dreamed a lot about the game too. The first eleven games at Campbell Park were never to be missed. We gathered in our hundreds and it had a carnival atmosphere. So we sang:

Hurrah for the merry,
Hurrah for the land,
Hurrah for the Wesley Boys,
Who do not care a damn,
Everywhere the merry goes,
The land is sure to go.
Down with the battle cry of freedom

Little did I know the real meaning of this poem of Freedom by James Joyce when I sang it then. I associated this with "Mary and the little lamb". Everywhere Mary went the lamb was sure to go. On occasions when the chips were down and our wickets were falling we chanted "What's the matter - minor matter" even when the situation was beyond repair.

Cricket is first and foremost a dramatic spectacle. It belongs with the theatre, ballet, opera and the dance. In the 1950's we had the best decade of cricket at Wesley. DBC Mack, Claessens,Adhihettys Fuards Abeysooriya, Kretser, Ebert are just a few of the names that rolled freely as we speak of those vintage years. I recall going to CJ Ooroff's bungalow in a procession with hundreds of others after a thrilling win against Royal singing "Monday holiday" to the tune of "he's a jolly good fellow". The request was granted to our utter surprise and delight. The setting sun behind All Saints Church as we watched the drama on the Campbell Park matting is an image that is firmly etched in my memory.

General Assembly in the College Hall was pure theatre. First the boys entered the hall then the teachers followed by CJ Oorloff. Good Morning boys he said and we chanted "Good Morning Sir" First CJO read out the school news of matches etc. Then the rebukes followed by the punishments in the way of Saturday detention. The non-Christians were then adjourned followed by a short Christian Service. Built at the turn of the last century the college hall with its stained glass windows and the high timber ceiling is very elegant indeed. I still dream of it and saw it many times recently to appreciate its splendour. Without a full house and the buzz of schoolboys it is never possible to recreate the magical atmosphere we experienced in those days.I remember the Prefects all in white standing guard by the doors at assembly and the sub-prefects on the opposite side standing to attention ticking off the noisy primary school boys. Derrick Wright and subsequently Nimalsiri Rosa and Ranjit Rosa were in charge of the public address system during assembly. Apart from the occasional hiss and crackle they maintained it well. There were times when it all went dead but dark skinned Nimalsiri Rosa was "born to blush unseen".

The boarding taught me the value of regular study. L.A.Fernando, Ivor De Silva, E.L.Rodrigo, AJ Vethanayagam, DB Welikala, Ben Jayasinghe, Frank Jayasinghe, Wilfred Wickramasinghe, Henry Rajapakse and Charles Yesudian were the teachers who maintained law and order and helped the brotherhood to thrive and succeed. Hide and seek was a popular game played on a weekend. We had the whole school to hide in. Under the Assembly hall stage was a fine place for this, dark and quiet. The games went on for a whole day and kept us well amused and out of trouble.

Do you remember the little cubby hole behind the assembly hall where the bookshop was? Mr.Wilfred (cot rule) and "Pettha" E.L.Rodrigo sold the monitors exercise books, Dreadnought instrument boxes, College Hymnal and the Holy Bible. E.L.Rodrigo had his own rules of engagement depending on his mood. You couldn't pass the office without a comment from Eric De Silva or a stare from KM de Lanerolle through his black rimmed bifocals. We often met Marshall on the corridor giving us the bad news that the Principal is walking towards us. The 1st XI Cricketers and the Prefects were at the top of the pecking order and walked tall and with confidence. The rest had to dodge their way out of trouble. " Good morning Sir" to a teacher on the corridor usually got a Brownie point. In those days we were full of "yes Sir - no Sir" . We learnt the art of keeping out of harms way very early on in our school careers. It was as a boarder I came across Eric Gunasekera, an icon belonging to the post war era. He lived in retirement in an old palatial house on Karlshrue gardens with a lovely lawn and hedges full of flowers. Dressed in all white he stood by the roadside to ask the returning boarders for the cricket scores from Campbell Park. He was feeble then and almost blind but his enthusiasm for Wesley and its cricket remained strong as ever. Teachers of that calibre and dedication are sadly a rarity now. I have no such kind words for his bull terrier who took a bite off my thigh which needed a few stitches at the General Hospital Colombo. I must mention the Matrons - Mrs.Ruth Hindle and Mrs.Gomes who looked after the boys with much affection. They did the running repairs for us and to the new boys in the Junior Dorm provided a shoulder to cry on.

W.H.Davies speaking of leisure said "What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare?" Amidst the hustle and bustle of hostel life there were placid moments too. I vividly recall one Sunday afternoon looking out of the dormitory window across the old primary block. In the distance was busy bustling Dematagoda. The monsoon storms were ready to unleash its wrath and the sky was purple. It seemed to be heading directly towards us. Nearer and nearer it came, until I started to worry that it would pick up the school . What descended on us in the boarding was hardly bearable. The lightning scrawled like a violent signature across the darkening sky. ' I was, terrified but enthralled, I watched from the window the wind as it spiralled elegantly across and the torrential rain erupted like a water spout. The thunder was deafening. The wind and the rain cleared as quickly as it came. The sun always won in the end. Analogous to the peaks and troughs of our own lives.

1952-53 the 4th and 5th Stds of the Sinhalese stream was moved to the ground floor of the Vice-Principal's bungalow. The former was in the lounge and the latter in the dining room. We weren't allowed to use the toilets there and had the long march back to our old haunt by the cycle shed and the timing was crucial. We played in the VP's garden and helped ourselves to the juicy and mouth wateringly sour "billing" fruits. Lionel Jayasuriya lived upstairs and parked his ancient Austin 7 in the garage. He is now 101 years old and lives with his daughter. Mr. Wilfred and S.T.Perera kept the noise levels of the classes down to make it bearable for the Jayasuriya's and we complied when we could. The Principal's lawn was strictly out of bounds. Rather cut off from the rest of the pack we had a jolly good time. I believe Mr.Lanerolle was the occupant of that lovely spacious bungalow but was away in the USA for further studies.

In 1954 Lionel Jayasuriya was our class teacher and we were in Form 1 and in the Highfield Block. He loved settling disputes between students and sometimes the whole period was taken to solve a trivial problem. When we realised this most disputes were brought to him. He was particularly kind to me as the Jayasuriya family invited me for meals occasionally which was "manna" from heaven for a hungry boarder on a subsistence diet. He had thin scaly legs which he proudly displayed by placing his foot on the desk in front. This made the boys to call him "Kabaraya". We had another Kabaraya in the class- Chandra Weeraratne from Welihinda Estate Pelmadulla. The latter had a short fuse and was greatly irritated by this nick name. It was in this class that I realised the importance of hard work for a better life in the future. My parents were proud of my reports and I seem to enjoy the challenge and the competition from my very clever colleagues. From thereon I never looked back and good fortune was on my side.

I cannot speak highly enough of the beauty of our school garden and the estate. Raman from Cochin was the man in charge. He was good at his job, spoke little and said it with flowers. The lawn in front extended from the gate to the primary block. It had a border of Coleus and Cannas in full bloom. The front of the school had a tarred surface with stones in places. The tamarind tree must be a 100 years old as it is seen in the photo of 1907. It is time we gave it the respect it deserves. The tree must have seen many generations of students pass through school, Principals come and go and teachers begin and end their careers. There were several palm trees lining the drive up the hill with a few Casuarina trees. Belonging to the pine family Casuarinas produced spiky cones and needles which littered the ground in the dry season. There were many large spreading Flamboyant trees scattered in the grounds producing beautiful orange flowers in May. I was sad to note that a part of the elegant front lawn has been taken over for basketball. This brings me back to the sale of the small park which was ideal for sports. There are no words to describe this irresponsible move. At the rear there were Andara trees lining both sides of Karlshrue gardens forming a green canopy providing shade for the achcharu ladies and tit bit sellers. As boarders living on the premises 24hours of the day we knew every blade of grass,every stone and all the ripening papaw fruits within the boundary. On returning to these very grounds after 40 years the changes seem a flagrant infringement of our cherished memory.

Casuarina tree
Casuarina cones and needles

Flamboyant Tree - Below

1955 saw the emergence of Rock 'N Roll music. The first rock 'n' roll record to achieve national popularity was "Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley and the Comets . I queued for hours in the heat of the day to see the film at the Savoy. Bill Haley succeeded in creating a music that appealed to youth because of its exciting back beat, its urgent call to dance, and the action of its lyrics. The booming base and the twang of electric guitars produced a foot tapping sound. Haley abruptly ended the ascendancy of the bland and sentimental ballads of the crooners popular in the 1940s and early 50s. I was then in the boarding, singing, clicking my fingers and gyrating to the music coming through the Rediffusion set in the Hostel common room. Music of Elvis Presley and Cliff Richard and the Shadows was all consuming to us teenagers. The Colgate Hit-parade on Tuesdays was as good as watching cricket on a Saturday. I cannot believe nearly 50 years have passed since those exciting times in our youth.

1955 we were in Form 2 and were back to the main building in the classroom at the bottom of the stairs to the library. Mr.Felix Premawardhana was our class teacher. He gave us a heavy dose of Sinhala and drilled into us the value of good pronunciation. Mr.Sahabandu taught us Geography and Ivan Ondaatje- English. The year was rather uneventful and passed rapidly.

1956 was the beginnings of the political decline of our country. We moved away from the Westminster style gentlemanly politics into an abyss. The jingoism and the ultra-nationalism was a recipe for division and disaster. It was Albert Einstein who said that Nationalism is an infantile disease and is the measles of mankind. The rapid abolition of English as the state language drove many educated people away from the country. The Burghers who formed a colourful community and contributed immensely to the welfare of the island emigrated in their thousands to Australia, England and Canada. They had a tremendous love for life which they showed in the way they lived . I remember the sad goodbyes when my friends left. The first Dutch Burghers came to Ceylon four centuries ago, when the maritime provinces of the island came under the Dutch East India Company. They joined the legal, medical and teaching professions. The likes of C.A.Lorensz played a major role in the fight for independence. During my time at school the Burghers ran the CGR and did so most efficiently. The time keeping of the Ceylon Railways was second to none. Their departure coincided with the economic and political decline and saw the beginning of the ethnic divisions which ravaged the Island. In 1957 we saw CJ Oorloff leave Wesley for Trinity College just as I had got accustomed to his face. He steered the school through some difficult times after Independence. Mr.P.H.Nonis brought a more relaxed style. He was a kind and gentle person but very efficient and Wesley continued to move steadily onward.

We had our share of sorrow. Devananda Peiris was a tubby, happy lad and played his part in the rough and tumble of boarding life. Once when we returned after the August holidays learnt that he died of complications of appendicitis. I recall we were utterly devastated and it dawned on us of our own mortality at a very young age. The second tragedy was that of DGM Perera who had just left school at the age of 12 to attend Pembroke Academy. For some unknown reason decided to commit suicide. We spoke about this and sulked for many weeks. The loss of Hermon Claessen in a motor cycle accident was tragic indeed. Hermon was an excellent cricketer and a wonderful person too. Shanthi Perera lost his life soon after leaving school and joining the Air force, in an air accident. He was a Senior Prefect and a talented musician. End of the year we gave our Class teacher a present which was the tradition. At the end of every year many left the boarding and the school and I recall the sadness of our goodbyes. Kottachchi ( I believe his 1st name was Sarath) who was a fit, muscular Sea Scout drowned in the murky waters of the Beira Lake, whilst rowing . He lived in Kolonnawa and I remember attending the funeral with numerous other Wesleyites. Even now the demise of school friends and teachers is as hard to accept though it is 40 years since I left school.

In the boarding we were fascinated by the occult and ghosts. We believed the darkness concealed secrets of a world beyond . Numerous stories were told of past principals who walked the corridors at night. They all wore white and disappeared when confronted. Mostly these were confabulations by students to pass the time. I personally have not had any such encounters . As these stories were told and re-told with the passage of time there were interesting additions to make it sound more plausible. The school laboratory was a no go area after dark and boarders had seen apparitions walking back late on a moonlit night. This was our resident ghost. Be it a restless soul of a person who cannot break off his ties with Wesley or a figment of someone's imagination, the stories have been passed down through many generations to be incorporated into the folklore of the school.

Every year around Christmas time, students are faced with two major events. The one most thought about is upcoming exams and this tends to blot out any Holiday cheer. Students are also faced with the Annual Carol Service. The service is a silver lining in the black cloud of exams. It allows people to forget their present worries and experience a little Holiday spirit. Also, it is an opportunity for the Parents and Well wishers to get together in a positive atmosphere. During my years at school we always had an active choir and recall Maxwell de Alwis as the Dickensian Master in charge of the baton. A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols was held in the great hall at school and a Carol Service at the Maradana Methodist Church. They were very well attended and enjoyable occasions. Before the end of term we hired a coach to knock on the doors of various prominent old boys and Methodist dignitaries to sing carols and earn a plateful of delicious cakes and aerated waters. I have vivid memories of Dayaprasad Peries singing "Once in Royal David City" and the husky baritone voice of Joy Jayawickreme's "Good King Wenceslaus". We sang at the British Royal Airforce base at Katunayake. Katunayake then was a sleepy little town. I remember the cool December mornings going to the tap opposite the Baseline end of the Primary Block to wash my face. At dawn before sunrise there was a cool breeze, a sky full of stars and in the distant orange haze the silhouette of Adam's Peak. We spoke and dreamed of going home for the holidays to be pampered once again by our parents. The hope was for a good school report and a safe passage to the next class.

A horse is described as dangerous at both ends and uncomfortable in the middle. 1958- I remember it well as the year when the sport of Kings - horse racing that began in 1922 was banned in Ceylon. I am no punter and it had no effect on me personally but a Saturday ritual of many, rich and poor, was suddenly taken away. The bookmakers and the cutomers went underground and business flourished. The beautiful Reid Avenue Grand Stand and its spacious turf was left to decay and wither. It was 1972 when we changed from Ceylon to Sri Lanka. Street names were changed too. Overnight the well known landmarks in Colombo lost their links with the past. It disorientated the older folk and disillusioned the young. Many still asks themselves whether all this was ever necessary. The cost of this exercise was bourne by our sagging economy. Meanwhile there were changes in my personal life too. I left the boarding. I felt lost for awhile but the impending exams helped me to recover and move ahead. Preparing and sitting for the GCE one feels grown-up. During PH Nonis' kingship the senior students and the Prefects were given special privileges. We were bigger than the rest and some of us represented the school in sports, certainly adding a feather to the cap. There was a hardcore of "honkers" and "rioters" (not terrorists) whose main idea was to disrupt class with jokes and vice cracks. Looking back they helped to break the monotony adding a bit of spice to school life. Those who took it to the extreme fell foul of the law with serious results. It amazed me how little they cared about the exams which for most of us was the passport to a reasonable future. After leaving school, thankfully, they all found their niche in life without being in the scrap heap. Some of them have had outstanding careers having had the best of both worlds.

I enjoyed immensely the pomp and pageantry of the School Prize giving and was fortunate to receive prizes almost every year until I left including the Gogerly Scholarship for the best SSC results. Though it mattered much at the time it is now only a passing memory and matters little in the larger scheme of things in life. Those who never received any prices at all went on to great things later on in Medicine, Law , Engineering and Politics. The event was an opportunity for the parents to see their boys' achievements recognised in public. The Hill Medal was the coveted prize for the best performance in the University Entrance examination. The sportsmen of the school too received their awards. At the end of the event the Senior Prefect proposed a vote of thanks to the Chief Guest and made a plea for a holiday on Monday - which too was granted. I do not believe this format and its rituals have changed over the years but I stand to be corrected.

For every person wishing to teach there are thirty not wanting to be taught. The struggle to educate that thirty was endless. We had a vast array of teachers ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous. Charles Silva was a small kindly man with a round face and taught Pali. He spoke with his mouth closed and the lips hardly moved like a ventriloquist. I had no intention of taking this subject seriously and he just could not fathom how stupid I was. I remember being dismissed as a loafer and a bad influence on the others. He was a dedicated teacher and took his task seriously producing some excellent results. He finally rose to become the Vice Principal of the school. A well deserved position indeed after more than 25 years service to Wesley. Tall gaunt eccentric Sethukavalar taught Maths and Physics. He had an encyclopaedic knowledge of matters scientific but was an absent minded professor. He made a hissing sound at the end of every sentence and many students learnt to mimic him. He once related the story of a gathering of Chemists to decide on the worlds best solvent that would dissolve everything. One bright spark asked "where are you going to store it?" Sethu was a most popular teacher and we were sad to see him leave for Union College Tellipalai. I saw the obituary of Mr.N.E.H.Fonseka a couple of weeks ago in the Ceylon Daily News. He taught Sinhala and looked the part with his national dress. "NEH" tolerated no nonsense and taught well. Felix Premawardene and his brother Cyril were so different in appearance and style like chalk and cheese. Felix taught Sinhala and history, had a big tummy and a handle bar moustache. He barked commands at us and was tough. Punishments came thick and fast. Cyril was gentle wore his "dog collar" and was a man of GOD. CJT Thamotheram was a fine maths teacher, one of the best having obtained a first class in the subject. His last few years were marred by the controversy about the lack of promotion to a higher rank. When he left for England we lost a good teacher. Dabrera taught us Rugby in the Maths and Physics classes. As for the exam results your guess is good as mine. He was a good and friendly person and most helpful if you played in his team. Perhaps "Dubby" believed Oscar Wilde who said " Nothing that is worth learning can ever be taught". He was greatly respected at school. After leaving Wesley he taught in London and spent his retirement in the UK. I was deeply saddened to hear that he passed away in the late 1990's.

For English we had some excellent teachers. Fred Abeysekera, Mr. David Joseph and Ivan Ondaatje. Fred-A and Ivan-O gave us a good grounding and David-J built on it. I met Mr. Joseph at the Ceylon Student Centre in London in 1974. We both had gone there for some gossip and a cheap "buth curry". He was returning to Ceylon after a teaching assignment in Somalia. The troubles in the horn of Africa was not to his liking. We spoke at length on the happy days at Wesley and put the world to right . I wonder what's happened to him since. JLF De Mel or De Mel Pappa never taught me but was the headmaster. He spoke softly and slowly and his manner was gentle. I can't recall hearing him say a cruel or harsh word about anyone. I had many opportunities to appear before him to argue my case. To speak he made a circle with his lips as if to whistle which often amused me. I cannot think of a kinder man. He was a father figure for us all. "Pappa" was a deeply religious person taking an active part in the school services and in the chapel. Miss. Iris Blacker was more than a teacher for the Primary School. She was an institution. Though slightly built and very slim we felt she was like a fire blowing dragon and was capable of reducing anyone to tears by her fierce look and the swing of her hand. She maintained strict discipline and kept us firmly in the straight and narrow path. I think every school needs a Miss. Blacker to instil in the juniors a fear of the law and a respect for the school rules. It is much later in our school life we realised what an invaluable part she played for well over a quarter of a century. Without her at least some of us would have spent sometime in the in the large building opposite Wesley. I wish life treated her kindly in her retirement for her tireless work. We shouldn't forget the Kindergarten and the wonderful work of Mrs. Joyce Leembrugen and Mrs. S.E.G.Perera and also Mrs. Deutrom and Mrs. Sheila Wijeyakoon. The blocks opposite the old Tuck Shop belonged to the little ones. Passing through that way they always seemed to be singing nursery rhymes giving it an air of calmness and serenity. St Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit Order once said " give me the child until he is seven and I will show you the man". The quip proclaims that early education can decisively mould childrens' characters and future. Those teachers did that wonderfully well. I can still picture the swagger of Miss Iris Blacker, "come for a fight" walk of Mr.Wilfred or the 'fielders' walk of Edmund Dissanayake. JLF De Mel always had a kind word when met on the corridor. Physics Silva with his thick rimmed glasses , bless him, walked with a football between his legs. Dabrera never failed to ask why we weren't there for the rugby practices. L.A.Fernando was dressed in white with long sleeves and wore a smile on his face. Meeting a fellow boarder on the corridor is a certain hazard as he would either step on your toes or give a knock on the head. As many of the teachers stayed long the stories about them entered the folklore of the school. There is a story about a teacher who cycled home at night when a policeman stopped him for not carrying a light. As he was smoking he showed the policeman his cigarette saying "this is my light". He successfully defended his prosecution when the law was later amended.

Mr. Eric De Silva who was the College Bursar lived in the room next to the sickroom. He was treated with as much respect as a boarding master. Eric was one of 5 brothers all of whom were Methodist Ministers and he was not far behind as a man of God. He is one of the kindest persons I have had the privilege to meet. His long strides and stooped body was a familiar sight in the long passage by the Principal's grounds leading to the hostel. I believe his son now has taken over the job in the school office. On looking back it seems to me that towards the end of my school career the teachers grew younger as we grew older. Working for exams and the struggle for a better future lay heavily on us. The rapid growth spurt in the teenage years gave us the added height and weight. The facial hair and the coarsening features made us look and feel older. The teachers seem unchanged from whence we started.

During my years at school we wore navy blue shorts and pearl white shirts until the 4th Form when suddenly we became adults and wore long trousers called "longs". The fashion was to wear 'Hentley' white trousers and Diplomat shirts. They were stiffly starched and whiter than white- well, most of the time.

On looking back we believed teachers wielded immense power and perhaps they did. But law enforcement was done with knowing restraint influenced mostly by their faith. Others depended firmly on the swish of the cane. Punishments at school were a necessity to keep the riff raffs on the straight and narrow. The types of punishments were brought to Wesley by the British Principals from English Public Schools like Eton, Rugby and Harrow. They were harsh and on looking back unnecessary. There were times when I raged at the injustice of punishments. In this 21st Century of human rights, corporal punishment is looked down upon as demeaning and humiliating for which there is no real need. Reading the reminiscences from the first half of the last century we get a glimpse of those hard times. By the 1950's when I joined corporal punishment was mostly confined to the primary classes. It felt like capital punishment. The majority of the teachers having been to Teacher Training school learnt to control the class without the need for the cane. Throwing the duster or chalk and slaps with the hand were not uncommon. Standing on the form or outside the class was a favourite too. Mr. Wilfred pinched the tummy quite hard until the tears rolled down. CJ Oorloff liked the cane and gave an almighty swing with a grunt like a Wimbledon tennis player serving for the match. Having received a caning once for swearing when I came out of his office just swore again, this time quietly for the "injustice". It never had its desired effect!! Edmund Dissanayake , Lionel Jayasuriya, Charles Yesudian, Charles Silva and DB Welikala were teachers who never used physical force but taught and controlled the classes well. Saturday detention with the names read out at Friday assembly was a hard one to take but was fair.

The school magazine was produced annually and was a summary of the years activities. The editorship was a prestigious position and usually went to a student in the lower sixth who has excelled in the GCE and had a "free" year in the lower sixth before the University Entrance exams. It had painstaking standards with regard to accuracy, grammar, style and ethics. The magazines were issued in the middle of the year and the hunt for articles started in January. The advertisements were a necessity to reduce the cost of its production and pages were sold to known companies through old boys, parents and well wishers. I cannot remember the cost of the magazine and I didn't care about it then as my parents paid . Sports took pride of place with photographs of the teams and also of the Senior Prefect and his team of prefects who helped maintain law and order. There were often tales from the past of teachers and Principals and also reports of old boys who have done the school proud by their achievements. No magazine was complete without a reference to our roots in the dusty, crowded Dam street and the part played by Rev Highfield in the new Wesley. There was a list of all the prize winners with the Principal's and Chief guest's addresses at the annual prize giving. The obituaries of old boys featured towards the end with the "Valete" of the school leavers. These were published by Caxton Press or Wesley Press and done to the highest standards. I kept these valued journals for many years after leaving school but was unable to safeguard them when I left the country. The loss of these magazines that were an excellent review of my school years remain a deep regret.

There were many clubs and societies at school. The SCM must have been the most popular amongst the devout Christians. The many students who have become priests shows the message wasn't discarded. Despite my Christian upbringing I have become a heathen and moved away from the Church. Nevertheless I have the greatest respect for their teaching and the message. The suffering that I see in hospitals may have made me cynical about religion. There was an active Drama Society expertly managed by Felix Premawardhana and Haigh Karunaratne, themselves very talented actors. There are lots of reasons why people become actors. Some to hide themselves and some to show themselves. Like classical music Drama was an upper class pursuit beyond my comprehension. It was much later in life living in London that the theatre and the classical music began to strike a chord. At school I much preferred to swing a bat or get into some mischief with the boys. A photo is a piece of reality and often a fragment of the truth. There was a photographic club with Nimalsiri Rosa at the helm. I recall his darkroom with a red light in some dinghy corner of the main building. He was the official photographer and must have a tremendous collection of photographs from the 1950's. There was once a craze for bubble gum pictures which we exchanged with friends. Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and Johnny Weismuller as Tarzan featured in them prominently. Stamp collecting was popular too. I never could draw and it amazed me when some students produced landscape drawings so much like the real thing. The object of art is to give life a shape. Mervyn Wickramasinghe was a superb artist during our time and his caricatures of Principals teachers and students adorned the school magazines for many years. He qualified as a Zoologist from the University of Ceylon and contributed immensely to the fight against the malarial parasite in Ceylon. His botanical and zoological illustrations at school were masterpieces. Much has been said about the school choir and its wonderful productions and the names of Ivor De Silva, Maxwell De Alwis and Haigh Karunaratne come to mind as those in charge in the 1950's and early 60's. Performing Bach's Matthew Passion and Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring during lent and the Operetta Alad-In- and Out was for me the highlights of the School Choir during those years. Mary Colin-Thome's excellent piano accompaniment needs a mention for her dedication to music in the school.

True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it be lost. No account of school life is complete without mention of friendships. It must be one of the finest things of Gods creation. I have shared my triumphs and sorrows with my friends. There were occasions when I have owned up for things I didn't do to share the blame and punishment. My friends have reciprocated generously too. On being a boarder they were mostly 24 hour friendships. I felt we will be friends and always together. Sports, choir, SCM, Scout Troup and the various other groups brought us closer together. When a boarder has had a visit from home and was flushed with money and food he had more friends than he could cope with. The parting on leaving school must have been the saddest occasion of my life. Many of the school friends I never saw again. Thanks to the OBU's worldwide they have become a forum and a meeting place for us all. Hearing of the death of school friends and seeing their name in the obituary columns still cause heartache and much sadness. Email and easier and cheaper telecommunications have helped to track down friends and keep in touch. The twelve years in school seemed like a lifetime then. The friends from school were closer than those I have made since, the ties being stronger in those formative years.

As the years pass and the grey hairs appear there comes an irresistible urge to find school friends. The internet and better telecommunications have helped tremendously. It was just the other day when I was to meet MW Wickramaratne after 40 years opposite Bond Street station at 3pm. We walked past each other a few times before we finally made contact. We met Ranjit Rosa at Claridges and had a long chat. The years in between melted away when we spoke as if it was another meeting on the school corridor in the late 50's. The passage of time and the rigors of work and family have taken its toll but the spirit of camaraderie and friendship has not diminished. The bonds were made and firmed in the classrooms and playing fields of Wesley College. How very true are the words of John Milton:

The childhood shows the man

As morning shows the day

The Tuck shop was a special favourite of boarders and day boys. In the small interval it was completely packed out. The metal roof and the wooden walls painted in Solignum black gave it an intimidating look. Wijemanne ran it well and provided what the customers wanted. There were plenty of sweets, bullto, peppermints, hoonu betty, Lanka Lime and Orange Barley. 'Aerated water' bottle cost 25 cents There was plain tea and milk tea specially stretched by Jinadasa to give it a froth.. The fish buns (15 cents) were very special and tastily packed with tinned salmon. In the boarding I enjoyed the mealtimes more than the meals. The hardened string hoppers and the hoppers like flying saucers didn't vet my appetite. Wijemanne gave the boarders on credit to be paid on pocket money day- Friday. Wije gave special preference to cricketers after a good innings the previous weekend. I met him in 1992 when the Tuck shop had moved to the little room opposite the hostel staircase. Being an astute businessman he was candid and outspoken but was a generously loyal old boy. When I met him last we spoke at length about those happy times remembering mutual friends. He even offered me and my sons free Coca Cola, an unthinkable act during my schooldays. For all those years of service we should call the new Tuck shop "The Wijemanne Tuck shop". I just cannot imagine the Tuck without Wije (Senior).

A nickname is the heaviest stone that a devil can throw at a man. At school a nickname was our real identity and they were the bane of our school lives. TW De Silva in his early years had coarse features. They called him "kimbula" (alligator).He was in our class and had an awful stammer starting every sentence with a "ffffffff". Thankfully he got over it. The son of a Methodist priest became "Padiliya". The teachers weren't exempt. AJ Vethanayagam was "Balli" (bitch). Mr.Wilfred became "padlock" and El Rodrigo "Pettha". There was a streak of cruelty in us too. A boy with a crooked jaw from birth was called "monkey".

As we reached the top of the pile, in the sixth form , the end of our school life was upon us. We were then on the edge of childhood when life was beautiful and saw the world in vivid technicolour. Adulthood with its heartaches,responsibilities and accountability was only just round the corner. As we looked to the uncertain future, the poem of Christina Rossetti came to mind.

Will the road wind uphill all the way
Yes, to the very end
Will the days journey take the whole long day
From morn to night my friend

Without leaving the thoughts so negative, I would add

Will there be no joy, no hope, no success?
To overfill your cup, my friend, to overfill your cup

When I left school in 1962 the politics of the country was in crisis and our coffers were empty. The many upheavals, disunity and the workers strikes had brought the country to its knees. The Government grant to assisted schools had stopped and the financial crisis at school began. An optional fee was charged from all students to keep the school afloat. Small park was sold with the Wesley College Flats to balance the budget. This must have been the hardest time for the school since life began in 1874. We seem to have emerged from those hard times bruised but not beaten with a vision of better times ahead.

It is hard to describe my excitement at entering Medical College. I felt in some strange way this was my destiny. Nothing else was more important. I looked forward to hard work anticipating the fabulous goal ahead. I felt the romance of being a bohemian medical student. I felt special. I was proud and arrogant. I presume I am allowed to have these delusions of grandeur as a teenager with all my life before me. I must confess, now approaching the end of my medical career I see it all differently. My degree was a kind of innoculation to make me immune to the rigors of the profession for the rest of my life. After a lifetime of medical practice with its disruptive routines and demands upon time, patience and endurance I now see the light at the end of the tunnel.

After a lapse of 15 years I went back to Wesley College in 1992. The front gates which were open 24 hours of the day were closed and padlocked. There was a sentry on duty with an AK47 which was taller than him. Due to disuse my Sinhala was poor and had to scrape the barrel to string a few sentences together which seem to amuse the guard. GCE pass in Sinhala and years of toil with Felix Premawardhana and Kumara Rachanaya did not seem to come to my rescue. He shook his head, waved his hand and went back into his wooden box. I was pleased to see Marshall Perera come towards me and open the gates. He admonished the guard for his ignorance that I was an Old Boy. 30 years seem to have passed him by and he remained unchanged when all around him had altered beyond recognition. Over 50 years at Wesley must have equalled the record of Ranis and what a feat it is. Marshall remembered everything and everyone and gave me a complete rundown of events. We walked and talked for a couple of hours visiting every corner of the school which brought back heavy memories of friends and teachers. The hostel has been scaled down and there were some new buildings. What struck me most was the neglected state of the school estate which was immaculate during my time. The front garden and lawn were in ruins and the corridors littered with paper rolling about in the wind. It gave the impression of a school in decline. The falling plaster and the greenish discolouration of the walls confirmed this impression. I was happy to see the school in better repair in 1996 and subsequent visits. Meanwhile the Old Boys have acknowledged the contribution made by Marshall Perera and donated a house in Kekirawa for his retirement. Walking along the narrow alleyways of the school, the network of corridors and stepping into those classrooms brought back heavy memories. I remember playing there as a child, but had forgotten the intricate details for several decades having lived abroad all these years. They form part of that landscape of childhood, apparently completely forgotten and yet instantly and intensely recognisable. They are moments that remind you of the things that are so familiar that they shock you into attention. I'm not quite sure why those sorts of experiences are such a jolt. With me the shocks are about the passage of time. There is an eerie silence that leaves me wondering where all the friends and the time have gone. Even the peeling plaster and the green lichen on the outside walls of the school, though trivial, are also a part of the deep strata of memory that permeates my past..After every visit I left Wesley with a heavy heart and a head full of memories. Recovery from this blast of nostalgia took several weeks.

The school owes a great debt to the OBU Colombo for its support over the years. Wesley would not have survived the bashing it received from successive Governments but for the immense support from the Old Boys. The OBU has always been a mixed group which has given differing opinions but united in its support. The militant rebels and the far right have been a strength harnessed by the luminaries who held centre ground like OE Goonetilleke, Terrence De Zylva and MH Mohammed. I sincerely hope the newcomers holding the centre have the courage and the support to move ahead and meet the challenges of the future. The OBU is a powerful body and has been a king pin and a king maker with a tremendous responsibility on its broad shoulders. The past has shown us Wesley College is only as good as its OBU. It is my hope the Union remains a beacon to the head of the school and an exemplary example to the present students of its value. It is our hope in turn they as old boys will provide the same service to the school.

When we first went to Wesley we joined a school with a unique way of life. Life thereafter was moulded by its customs and tradition. The founding fathers of the school have entrusted the principals and the teachers to maintain the academic standards, sports and the traditions that make Wesley so special. It is our hope they would succeed in this task.
I wish someone said to me on the day I set foot on the hallowed grounds of Wesley College " This is the most important day of your life. Nothing will ever be the same again. You have not chosen a school but a whole way of life". And so it was for the next 12 years - an experience that was to stay with me for the rest of my life. Whatever may lie in store for us and Wesley, one thing at least is certain, the magic that drew my father, his brother and myself to this lovely school endures.

Greetings to all those Wesleyites past and present. I consider it more than a privilege to write these notes . Though it is nearly 40 years since leaving school the memories still seem fresh and clear. To all Wesleyites I send my personal good wishes. To my many close and dear friends I send my warmest regards hoping we have the good fortune to meet again.

Thanks for the memory.

Wesley's public figures and contribution to good government - As I remember on January 16, 2002.
by Shanti McLelland.

Sir Don Baron Jayatillake undoubtedly was the most famous political philosopher from Wesley to carve a name in Sri Lanka in the last century. Don Baron as popularly known during his school days, was only another name I often heard in the conversations of the elders of Kotte. HJVI was one of the closest friends and strategic associates. HJVI steered clear of hard core politics and was the front for DBJ's extraordinary vision for Sri Lanka's political future free from the British. The Baron Jayatillaka Mawatha at the heart of Fort will always remind us of the great Wesleyite who turned teacher, diplomat, and political philosopher.

Sir Oliver Goonatillake, will never be forgotten for his Sir Winston Churchill style administration and decision making in critical situations. The first Sri Lankan Governor General after Independence in 1948. We knew him more popularly for his presence at the Queens Scout Badge award ceremony, Presence at the Public Schools for the Governor General Cup award ceremony, and more closely at the Wesley College Prize Giving.

CWW Kannagara was the Father of Free Education. More have been written about CWW, DBJ, and OEG.

Mr. Terrence de Zylva was a true son of Wesley, a man of extraordinary Grit. He was a great social reformer, stood for the economically weak and down trodden. Stood by his political and educational reform convictions even at the cost of his life. He was famous for his Suriyamal (poppy) campaign and for setting up a school almost next to Wesley to cater to those he were not able to enter Wesley College. Wesley would be always proud of Terrence for his leadership.

Messers. Gehan Cassim, P.B. Heart, and J.C.P. Wickremanayake held public office while Rajah Sinnadurai, Kingsley Wickremaratne, A.M.Mohideen were others who entered the political arena at various periods of time.
Gehan Cassim a planner and an administrator, contributed a lot to Wesley during the 1974-1980 time period. He was at the fore front at a time there were no great names or loyal Wesleyites around to rally to help run the school as a non fee-levying, non-assisted private school.
P.B. Heart was the president of the OBU in late 1970's. P.B. infused a lot of enthusiasm to develop the OBU to a strong body with high standards.
J.C.P.Wickremanayake was one of Wesley's stalwarts. He made a gigantic contribution to the Welfare Society in particular and the OBUin general.
Rajah Sinnadurai could be considered the most photographed Wesleyite in the 1970's. Rajah spearheaded the OBU at a time it was just sagging with inactivity. As an All Island Justice of the Peace, Rajah brought in the big names in politics and business to infuse a lot of interest in the OBU affairs in the early 1980's.
Kingsley Wickemaratne propelled himself up thorough the International Jaycees, sheer hard work at his Wicks Advertising organization, and affiliations with the Hotel industry. Kingsley was the President of the OBU just before the Centenary celebrations.
A.M. Mohideen who was Senior Prefect in the mid 1960's. Head of the college debating team, tried a stint with College Rugger, and entered Vidyodaya University from Wesley at time our University entrants were not that many. Mohideen put on many caps, as politician, business magnate, and travel tycoon. Mohideen managed to win the hearts of all whom he worked with a sense of great humor and outstanding wit.

The most outstanding and long-standing name in Sri Lanka's politics from Wesley undoubtedly goes to the Mohameds. Mr. Mohamed Haniffa Mohamed started the race after being elected as a member to the Colombo Municipal Council in 1947. He was at Wesley during Rev. Albert Hutchinson and Rev. John Dalby. Held the post of Mayor of Colombo 1960-63, Member of Parliament 1965 to date. Popularly known as M.H. from the heart of Borella, held the important positions; Speaker 1989-1994, Minister of Labour, Employment, and Housing, Minister of Transport, Minister for Security for Commercial and Industrial Establishments, and Muslim religios and Cultural Affairs. He was the President of the OBU during the resurgence of the Union in the late 1980's.
M.H. Mohamed's contribution to Wesley and Sri Lanka's politics did not end there. He introduced 5 illustrious sons to Wesley. Hussain Mohamed was the first. Hussain followed in his father's footsteps to be elected as Mayor of Colombo in 1989 for a period of 3 years. Hussain was first elected to the Colombo Municipal Council in 1966 son after leaving Wesley and held on to this seat till 1993. He was Deputy Mayor of CMC from 1979 to 1989 and from 1993 to date a member of the Western Provincial Council. Hassen G. Mohamed the next in line opted to support the father and elder brother rather than take a role in public. Ahamed Azahim Mohamed spear headed the campaign for a OBU web site. Azahim had a vision and implemented the OBU International web site with the assistance of Dr. Douglas Amerasekera in the spring of year 2001. I lost track of the next of kin, M.Haniffa Mohamed after leaving school. Finally the youngest Shaul Hameed Mohamed once again took to National politics. Shaul helped immensely to develop the current Wesley College Cricket grounds and the pavilion in the early 1990's. Shaul was first elected to the Colombo District Development Council in 1982, held this position till 1987. Then he was elected as a member of the Western Provincial Council in 1988. He was Leader of the House of the Western Provincial Council from 1989 to 1993. The tradition that started with M.H. Mohamed's father in the early 1900's will definitely continue for many more years.

May Wesley continue produce some of the best in Sri Lanka's Public Administration.

Name dropping by Shanti McLelland January 15, 2002

Snap shot 1.
Lakshman Samaraweera was a prominent Old Boy who made it to all of the annual general meetings without fail. He contributed a lot of time to actively serve most of the committees: Welfare Society, Governing Board, and the OBU Committee. Always dressed in whit, with a broad smile, and never short of serious advice. He was always a keen supporter of the cricket, athletic and hockey teams.
Mahes Samaraweera made sure the father's visions were achieved in Rugger, Athletics, Cricket, and Hockey. Mahes was a college prefect and was an outstanding student. He was an officer of outstanding caliber.
The other names that come to my mind, to link together: Githal Peiris and Ravi Peiris. Both excelled in hockey and were very amiable and great friends who would find impossible to make enemies.

Snap shot 2.
Dallas and Delmer Achillies were two outstanding Wesleyites. Fine gentlemen. Dallas excelled in music and could blow the trumpet as good as Armstrong the great. I remember his feats vaguely, in drama, college choir, and walking up the stage at most of the Prize givings. Delmer was an allround sportsman and in particular a stylish left hand batsman and an excellent cricketer. He could have made the National side without a doubt. Both appeared to believe that dress maketh the man. All contemporaries will remember Dallas and Delmer as outstanding friends.

Snap shot 3.
Neil and Christopher Harvie. Both excelled in sports and studies. Both captained the college Hockey team and played cricket. Both were college prefects and were part of the OWSC hockey team success story of 1972. As hostellers, both were role models to the juniors with great leadership qualities. Christopher went on to break the College 800 and 1500m records after the 880yds and 1mile was replaces with the metric measurements.
Another name that pop up is Tyronne (Buster) Harvie. Represented the school at field hockey and was a definite name in the National Hockey Pool for many years. Neil, Christopher, and Tyronne will be remembered as affable and honest friends.

Snap shot 4.
Patrick and Anton Edema were proud Wesleyites. Both were College prefects, Patrick was senior prefect. They were outstanding sportsmen. Anton excelled in the Long Jump and 100m at the Public Schools meet. Patrick was best in Discus, Putt Shot, and 400M. Did yeomen service as 1st X1 hockey goalie. Both joined the defense services to serve the country.

Snap shot 5.
Nimal, Malik, and Palitha Suraweera will not be easily forgotten by their schoolmates. Just great friends would be the quickest way to describe them. Nimal was best I the choir and to entertain with his unforgettable voice, which he stubbornly and proudly mesmerized both the school boys and the girls. Malik was one of the most technically sound hurdlers that matched another one of Wesley's top athlete's O.K.Hemachandra. Malik also topped the discus and high jump events at any of the sports meets. Palitha with a broad smile was one who made a name with a lot of colleagues in the 60-70's.

Snap shot 6.
Sridhran and Hariharan Jeganathan are just unforgettable. The twins eclipsed to other two elder brothers. Great sportsmen. Made a name anywhere they went. Both were outstanding cricketers and hockey players at National level. Sri represented Sri Lanka in Cricket and Hari in Hockey. Could fill into any Rugger, Soccer, or Softball team. The best of them I remember was a flawless partnership of over 100 against Ananda. There would never be a dull moment with the 4 brothers.

Snap shot 7.
Dr. Shee Hung and Dr. Ma Hung. They were best remembered for those bone crushing Rugger tackles. Highly disciplined with one focus of getting into medical college. Left the College Hostel to concentrate on studies. Both excelled in Rugger, Soccer, Athletics and Judo.

Snap shot 8.
Mahenrda and Danesh Dissanayake were Wesley's best in cricket. Just outstanding in academics and extra-curricular activities. Made both their parents, Grahame and Edmund Dissanayake proud. They could have been easily elected as best schoolboy cricketers in Sri Lanka or abroad.

Snap shot 9.
Mervyn, Russel, and Granville Harmer. Too much is not enough. They were Wesley's pride. Outstanding cricketers, would have been automatic choices for any National side. Excelled in soccer. Both were excellent in the Javelin Throw Event. Walked smart and upright would call a spade with no reservation.

Snap shot 10.
Rohan and Prasan Wijesinghe. Their names are synonymous with Badminton. Both excelled and were champion badminton players. Rohan and Pasan both taught at Wesley and coached the badminton teams. Wesley was giants during the time Prasan was in charge of College Badminton. We were national champions. It was at that time Wesley used the College hall for most of the championship tournaments. Wesley were just famous nationally for badminton. Rohan came back to help Wesley in athletics. Rohan excelled in athletics: Javelin, Discus Throw, and High Jump. Two Wesley's prefects, sportsmen, and teachers.

Shanti McLelland - Wesley College Scout Troop 1960 to 1964

I would watch my friends enjoying themselves in the activities of the College Cub Pack. Mr. Wilfred Wickremasinghe and E. L. Rodrigo had a lot of followers from the primary school. No amount of coaxing by my friends would entice me to join the Cub pack while in the primary, nor the Scout Troop when I passed on to the middle school, grade 6 or Form 1, as we preferred to be known as. My friend who shared the double desk, Anurudha Jayawardane just could not convince that scouting was one great group adventure. But, as always, necessity made me change my mind.
The 14th Colombo Troop had registered to participate at the Colombo Scout Camporee. It was June of 1960. They had one last minute problem; the Parrot patrol had one member sick and could not make the mandatory 8 to compete in the competitions. So two of the best scouts, Anurudha and Mohan Abraham dragged me to join the troop. I had the option to switch back if I did not like the experience of the 3-day camp at Bullers road, at then Divinity school grounds. Mr. R. E. Abraham was the chief Scout Master. R.E. was one of the best scoutmasters who could motivate to take up a challenge. One of the best, Wesley could boast of.

Inimitable Mr.E.L.Rodrigo (Sir)

During the period 1960 to 1964, Wesley went to camp at 1960 (June 16-19) and 1961 (June 29-Juky 02). 1962 Golden Jubilee Jamboree (February 02 - March 03). Hanwella, Mirigama Camp 1962, April 15-20, Preethipura, Hendala 1962, Sept. 12-16, Hanwella 1963, April 05 - 11, and Pedro Camp 1963 Dec. 8-14.
Mr. R. E. Abraham led the 1960 Camporee. The 1961 camp was without a scoutmaster after Mr. Abraham left Wesley. We were left to self-serve. Seniors like Ravindra De Silva, Adanadanesan, Vijith Kuruppu, Tissa Weeratunga, and Sathanandan did a great job keeping the 14th Colombo together. Some of the campers during this period I remember are: Ravindra de Silva, K.Vijith Kuruppu, Tissa Weeratunga, D. Anandanesan, P. Sathanandan, Anurudha Jayawardana, Mohan Abraham, Charles David, Merril Cooray, M.Satahsivam, T. Y. Daniles, S. Ariyanayagam, Anura Perera, and Sextus Taylor, S. Ramakrishnan, M.Fazy, Ronald de Zilva and Hussain Mohamed.

The following year 1962, the most important Golden Jubilee Jamboree year was one again survived with 14th Colombo without a Master, just run by the Patrol Leaders. The Jamboree had 8 representatives from Wesley out of a total contingent of 28.
P. Sathadandan, Ravindra De Silva, Anurudha Jayawardana, Shanti McLelland, D. Anandanesan, S. Ramakrishnan, and Ranmal de Silva. We were led by one of the best scouters. Mr. C.J. Cantlay from Royal College. The other Scout Masters in our team were: Messers.Dayananda de Silva, J. M. Benjamin, W.M.McDougal, and Thilak Godamanna. Mr. Cantlay was a popular District Commissioner during the time of Mr. R.A. Abraham as Scout Commissioner. R.A. was Rajan and Mohan's Father and R.E's Brother. They were a great inspiration to us and guided us like a beacon. Mr. Mithripala Senanayake, Minister of Industries, Home, and Cultural Affairs unfurled the National flag at the opening ceremony.

Mr Rodrigo in July 2009

Mr. A.S. Weerasingha was at the helm at Wesley at this time. Mr. E. L. Rodrigo stepped into help the troop in 1962. Mr. Rodrigo with the support of Troop Leader Ravindra de Silva organized the outstanding and unforgettable Mirigama camp in a beautiful jungle setting. D. Anandanesan acted as camp scribe.

Top Photo: Standing: Anurudha Jayawardane, Ravindra de Silva, S. Sathadnandan, Tissa Weeratunga, Vijith K. Kuruppu, Hussain Mohamed, D. Anandanesan.

Mid Row: Charles. S. David, Mohan L. Abraham, Shanti McLelland, Ranmal de Silva.

Front: Merril Cooray & Anura Perera.

(Hope I got all the Names and initials right).

In May of 1962, Mr. Aruliah joined the Hostel. Mr. Aruliah turned out to be a dedicated and an excellent Scout Master, assisted by Mr. Dharmarajah who was also at the Hostel at that time. Mr. Aruliah organized the Preethipura camp. But once again it was time for a change of the guard.

Middle Photo : Merril , Anura, Tissa, S. Ariyanayagam, Charles, M.Sathasivam, (Center ?), T.Y.Daniels, Ravindra de Sliva

3rd Pix: Ravindra de Silva (Troop Leader and Queen Scout) at camp site on arrival.

Mr. Rodrigo once again took up the challenge to lead the troop for the next year. Mr. Rodrigo steered the Hanwella camp.
Mr. N.R. Dhanapala from Richmond was brought in by Mr. A.S.Weerasingha to assist Mr. Rodrigo at the next and the best adventures of all at Pedro, Nuwara Eliya. We left Colombo Fort Station at 10.00pm and reached N'Eliya at 3.45pm the next day, 14th December 1963. The program included visits to Pedurutalagala the highest mountain peak in Sri Lanka, over 8000ft, Nuwara Eliya Park, Sita Eliya, and Hakgala Botanical Gardens. Ravindra de Silva, Vijith Kuruppu, and Anandanasan were the senior leaders.
Mr. Dhanapala organized the Patrol Leaders camp at Campbell Park, January 23-25, 1963.
The hiking memories: Second Class hike from Wesley to Talangama boys town (6th August 1960). Parrots Patrol Hike Borella to Kotte (28 Sept. 1961). Hike at Mirigama (17 April 1962). First Class Badge Hike ( 25/26 April 1963) Urugudawatte/ Nugegoda back to Maradana. Venturer Badge (20 July 1963) Victoria Bridge to Negombo (approx 20 miles). Hiker Badge (10 July 1963) Borella to Kalatuwawa Reservoir (approx 40 miles).

1964 was my final year of Scouting. Mr. Dhanapala led the 14th Colombo Troop to the Colombo Golden Jubilee Camporee from February 26 to March 01 at the Divinity School Grounds. It was time to end the adventure as quickly as I enrolled. With the first class, green cord, Queen scout badges, and the school award for best scout junior and senior scout it was the right time to explore some other avenues to spend my days at Wesley. Mr. L.A.Fernando, was instrumental in my leaving the Scout Troop. But, as suggested I did not go back to serious studies, but ventured out to serious sports.

Some other names of scouts that flash my mind as I write: Nelson de Silva, Bernard Solomans, D.A.Y. Siva, Bunty Dole, Asoka and Palitha Weeratunga, Senaka and Laksiri Amaratunga, Delmer Achillies, Willam Van Gazel, Lakshman and R.G.Wijesinghe, Anura de Silva, Shanthi and Daya Perera, Sunil Fernando, Garrick O'Neil, Christopher Harvie, Rev. Koilpillai and Koilpillai (Snr), Christopher Nell, and all those I have listed above. I hope we will be able to fill in the missing names when memories are refreshed. Kenneth & Rienzie Mahammoth who like the Uncle T.M.K. Mahamooth were excellent scouts. Not forgetting the outsatnding scouts from the Maldives. I have listed their names in a previous article. Ahmed Imad, a Queen Scout was appointed Scout Commissioner for the Republic of Maldives.

During this period we had the fortune of seeing Mr. C.W.W. Kannangara was the Chief Scout, Mr. Oliver Goonatillake, the Governor General, present the Queen Scout badges, Mr. William Gopallawa, President hosting the President Scouts at the Presidents House. Mr. M. H. Mohamed was the Mayor of Colombo, Ms. Iris Blacker as Chief Guide Commissioner. Wesley Scouts were invited to the opening of the parliament and the Wesak celebrations at the Temple trees.
Some of the Queen Scouts at the time were: Brothers, Ravindra, Ranmal, and Rohana de Silva, D.Anandanasan, P. Sathanandan, Vijith K. Kuruppu, and Shanti McLelland. The Troop Leaders were, Ravindra de Silva, Shanti McLelland, and Ranmal de Silva.
Some of the Scout Master whom I remember best: Messers. Harold Sittampalam (Hatton), Dharmakeerthi (Kotte), Marcus Navaratnajarah (Jaffna), B.A. Perera (Kurrupu Road), C. J.Cantlay (Royal College, District Commissioner), and Mr. Mathew (Anderson College, Slave Island).

I enjoyed reading the Scouting memories and very informative history written by Troop leader, Queen Scout, and Wood Badge holder Riza Azoor. Wesley did not have any wood badge qualifiers previous to 1970. It is a great achievement by the scouts of the 1970's. It is an invigorating record indeed, certainly better than the enlivening and energizing best of the 1960s.

Well, did I enjoy it, do I regret? It was one great experience, no regrets at all. Enjoyed 4 great years of scouting, lifelong learning, and above all made a network of splendid friends. To the present middle school students, just go out and join the 14th Colombo Scout Troop.

Names I remember: by Shanti McLelland January 15, 2002

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Bartholomeusz was a name that made waves at Wesley. Ofcourse as usual I will start off with Reginald the sportsman (lets leave the academics out). Adrian who lived down Baseline road two steps from the school. An outstanding in student, carried away prizes at every level, a good role model, should have ended up as an engineer, doctor, or a professor but may have opted to continue with literature or language. Adrian was a college prefect, 6th form debater, and member of the elite college choir. Brian joined Wesley possibly in the 9th grade. But made friends quickly and was always with a great smile. Joined in the fun and the pranks alike. Darrel liked his goats beard and the two wheeler. Was ready to party anytime. Found tough to keep the waistline down. Darrel probably was one of the first to have the TV's in Sri Lanka when the OGL imports flooded the market in the late 70's. The two brothers, names I forget, but still remember the faces, are sons of a doctor who was a great supporter of Wesley. Certainly both were outstanding students and well mannered and well behaved.

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Wickremaratne was all sportsmen, almost all. Sarath was outstanding, excelled in cricket, soccer, athletics, hockey, and even a bit of Rugger I suppose. A university scholar. Should have stayed on to become a professor, but liked to travel and make deals. One of Wesley's best not to be forgotten easily. Adian made an impact after leaving school in the field of hockey more than cricket. Was a long standing administrator for the Colombo Hockey association and as an umpire. Rohan emulated Sarath to some extent in cricket, hockey, and athletics. Cousins possibly, Jayantha (J,K.) was a junior public schools athlete, excelled in rugby, but was more outstanding in studies. A name constantly called on a prize day. I am sure Jayantha was a Senior Prefect and ended up as an excellent merchant banker, after a short stint abroad. Lalith should have ended up as an electrical engineer, and I hope he did as he had the kinesthetic capability and the mental capacity.

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Rajaratnam was just another Legal name. The Wesley Law classes were only a glimpse of what the Senior Rajaratnam was known for at Kalutara. The Rajaratnam brothers came from Holy Cross College, from the Mangostine town, down south. Many lawyers today, would be grateful for the excellent study material and instructor led classes proved at Wesley on Saturdays for a long period of time. Suresh was not a student at Wesley, but before taking up serious law practice, taught at Wesley. I personally benefited fromhis teaching style and advise. Amaresh the only one in the family to deviate into Marketing. But made up for that with the nomination of best school boy cricketer or for leading the best school cricket team in 1969. Helped Wilkin House to gain some points as a sprinter and filling into the rugby and soccer team. Ofcourse, he will be remember for his role in the "Lowen akek apthre" directed by Ariyawansa Kulasooriya another schoolmate/prefect and Literary Union office debater. Dianesh was popular in the Employers Federation and in any of the sporting pavilions for he was a brilliant lawyer, cricketer, athlete, hockey player, and rugby wing three quarter. Mahesh the youngest did lived up to the father's wishes to become a lawyer. It may just to add that the other Raja, the sister also practiced as a lawyer in Sri Lanka.

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Amarasinghe. Ranjit and Rohan was not the only ones at Wesley. Wesley was co-ed in the lower classes- Nursery, LKG (low kindergarten)and UKG (upper/grade1). Shiranee (hope it is he right spelling) was the one only girl student I remember. She ofcourse ended up at Methodist and subsequently as a teacher at Carey College. Ranjit was almost gone from Wesley by the time I got to know him. Rohan captained Wesley Hockey and Athletic teams. Vice Captained the Sri Lanka Schools Hockey team. Represented Colombo and Mercantile Hockey Association teams. But most of all was an International Umpire, one of the best in the world, was given the task of umpiring some of the most crucial international matches. Represented Sri Lanka Hockey Federation as a formidable fullback. In athletics Rohan clipped the 100 & 200m records after the metric system was introduced. Rohan was an exemplary college prefect, but did join some of the big time rioters for a good time once in a while.

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Down the same lane at Borella, were Wijemannes: Jayantha, Parakrama, etc, etc and also Tissa. Jayantha excelled in Cricket and hockeylike the father and helped Wesley OBU in the championship feats. Parakrama was also a good Inside forward in the School hockey team. Both were college prefects. Strong members of the OBU.
Down the same lane, Ronald and Tissa Norton Abeydeera. Great Rugger players. Great friends. We could walk down this lane anytime when hungry or during rain or sunshine, as all of the above were outstanding friends and brother, just family. Great Wesleyites never to be forgotten, always remembered.

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Weerasinghe, Malin and Rohan. They were one's best friends. Will stand up for anyone anytime, anywhere, whatever the circumstances. Both were excellent students and passed out from the secondary educational system with flying colours.

Only at Wesley…by Shanti McLelland

The great debate. Real freedom of speech in the east, not even heard of in the West. An outstanding public speaking opportunity. Such explicit respect for the Student.

These were some of the comments after a sixth form literary union debate between the Academic staff and the Lower and Upper VI students at Wesley College Colombo in 1967. Mr. L.A. Fernando the Vice Principal selected the topic. The Staff team was led by the Principal, Mr. A.S. Weerasingha. The other member of the staff, I cannot recollect. The students were asked to propose the topic selected by the staff, as it was impossible for the staff to have done so. Only Mr. L.A. Fernando would have been able and dared to select a topic that was so controversial. And for such a topic, the automatic choice to lead the team should have been and was Shanti McLelland, as other would have found it bit nerve wrecking, but I did relish the idea. Who the other members of my team, I cannot remember who or what they said.
Well, the topic for debate was one of the best quotes from George Bernard Shaw: "Those who can do those who can't teach".
Who won or lost did not matter, the staff took the position that GBS always said the opposite, and depended on where the punctuation mark (comma) was placed. The students very sheepishly presented that the "facts speak for themselves". You as past students, be the jury.
Thank you LAF, thank you Wesley.

Inter House Competitions by Shanti McLelland (January 17, 2002)

Every student on at the time of admission to Wesley College was randomly assigned to a team. The teams were known as Houses. Each of the Houses had a distinct colour. Students who moved on to the upper school did not carry forward into the same house colour. The Houses were named after the Past Principals for the Upper School and the Primary Section houses were named after the Head Masters. The records show that all Hostellers were assigned to one house to keep the team spirit at its best. But this was changed somewhere in the 60's. It was a sort of equalization exercise. The primary school houses were named after Mack (green), Dias (red), Honter (blue), and Lemphers (Yellow). I was in Mack House. Mr. Sivanayagam was the senior housemaster as far as I remembered. I am sure Mr. Shanmugam was in charge of Dias House, Mr. Wilfred Wickremasinghe - Lemphers House. Honter, I cannot recollect, maybe Mr. E.L.Rodrigo. The Senior Houses were: named after Rev. Samuel R. Wilkin 1874-1879 (red), Rev. Thomas Moscrop 1886-1888 (yellow), Rev.Thomas Hillard 1889-1892 (green), Rev. Joseph Passmore 1893-1895 (blue). I certainly was at the forefront for Wilkin. The teachers I remember the teachers who guided Wilkin: Mr. Van Sanden as the chief. Then
Mr. D.M.D.Dharmaratna steered Wilkin for many years along with Mr. Haig Karunaratna. Those famous LCC and grade 10 commerce students will not forget Mr. Van Sanden who was just an outstanding teacher, never to let down a commerce student, but fully controlled the class with just his voice, stature, and crisp flannels. Mr. Dharmaratna was the best in Technical Drawing. Certainly there was none to match Mr. Haig Karunaratna in Drama/Choir and English, all combined as a teacher. Not even Mr. Kenneth de Lanerolle or Mr. A.S Wirasingha. I can vouch for it.
The most important competition among the houses was the Inter House Sports Meet. Wesley sports meets were as good as any open meet. Outstanding competition among the houses for individual events, relays, hose decorations, and food service. The other house competitions were in drama, hockey, soccer, cricket, and rugger.

Life is not a Destination - June 1, 2002 (Shanti McLelland)

I am sure many who knew Surendran Thiruchelvam are filled with sadness and will not cease to ask the question why? Where is the missing link in the equation - life is life was. Time does not heal - the knot in the throat, the deep sigh, and the flashbacks that never has not faded with time - He was loved by his friends dearly. He loved cricket, moreover, loved to have fun at the Mt.Lavania beach, with a profound desire to dive from the rocks to the beautiful light and dark blue sparkling water. Eardly Melder was just bubbling with life, and then he was among friends having fun, unforgettable… flashback to his joyful smile. Handsome, tall, and debonair, I remember the ever smiling, only serious when over the sprint hurdles, straddling over the black and white high jump bar, and rotating his strong body to sling away the 1.5lb Discuss. Malik Suraweera was a brother, made sure to drop by at my home in his father's Peugeot 203. He did the same when I was sick in bed and could not meet with him for a pow wow, mainly on sports. I had to gather up all my energy the next day, to bid farewell to a terrific friend. In the last few days, many were celebrating the finest display of Wesley's Rugby team. The cyber space of full praise for the 15 that conquered the Trinity Lions. Shari Musafer was one great Captain and player that tried his best to see Wesley to the top of the league, that was over 37 years ago. His dreams were cut shot while sleeping in the Police Barracks. Loyalty, Honestly, Friendship, or love of Rugby did not let him hold on to LIFE IS!!! Badminton - None could match Wesley. Even the magnificent teak roofed Wesley College Hall was loved by Sri Lanka's National players. The formidable team will not be forgotten, Malik Jhan was not only one of the best in National Badminton, also, was excellent in Cricket, Hockey, Athletics, and a Scholar. This, all in one Wesley's pride was not even given 20years to fulfill all his dreams. Friends, that make us ask the question why, over and over again … Marlin Weerasinghe, what a faithful friend, just would not let down a schoolmate, none would dare bully when Marlin was around, will take a lot of care to make sure nothing would get on your way. He was liked by the teachers as an excellent student and loved by those who knew him near. You knew he was your friend, even if the bear hug was bone crushing. All remember him as warm and kind. Kenny Dickson, the dependable left hand, left half, left to Australia to make his dreams come true. He was sad to leave us, as the grass is less green, and the nights are much shorter, but then the opportunities were much greater. Given the task, Kenney made sure Wesley's hockey would remain at the top of the charts, Wesley could not ask for more, for he loved hockey, he loved Wesley along with his two brothers - Jerry and Ricky. But then, he loved cars, loved to the power, the dangerous curves around the river - life was exciting. Impossible, to forget, Impossible was not in his vocabulary. Yes indeed, Donald de Silva, beat all odds. He represented Wesley in Hockey, Soccer, Rugger, Cricket, and did his best in athletics. He lover hockey more, was one of Sri Lanka's National umpires. From his schooldays he was a wheeler-dealer and made even in the prime of his life. Great friend just could not keep the party going, as life was too short. Rex Lawrence, I could remember in a scout uniform full of integrity. Sometimes walk through Campbell Park after school, talk of the days past and the next. The last was in Canada, still remembering the friends, teachers, and the good old days at Wesley. Milroy Taylor, very unassuming with a captivating smile, much more effective than the curl he liked to tweeze down with his fingers. Above all, he loved music and the guitar. Dakotas. A group of dedicated Wesleyites resurrected Badminton to its past glory in 1966. Then, Milroy helped to raise the much needed funds to setup the court with a musical extravaganza at the college hall - nothing asked in return. The smile, the waves, and the music will remain - always. From Wesley, we could view the grandeur of the magical sunrise over Adam peak. In Sri Lanka we could see the twinkling stars of the Orion all 365 days, the exhilarating BOP tea, the aromatic spices Marco-Polo could not resist, The sapphires the best of the double blue, rows and columns of swaying palm trees, the sparkle on the waves splashing the pearl of the Indian Ocean. Good luck and enjoy - before the spectacular sun set? But, the question why will linger on … there is no explanation possible and to those who understand no explanation is necessary.

Languages the binding link - May 31, 2002 by Shanti McLelland

The 1874 advertisement displayed on the web site quite interesting. What it was in 1958 is easy to write, but I wonder what it will be in 2074 (200 years later). In 1874 it was English, Latin, French, Greek and Singhalese. In addition, Elu, Pali, and Sanskrit were available. French, Greek, and Elu was gone by the time I joined moved up fro the primary. I remember Mr. Nonis (then Principal) was the last to teach Latin up to 1961 and it disappeared with the arrival of Mr. A.S. Wirasingha as the Principal due to lack of teachers and the need for it. I also, remember Mr. L.A. Fernando (then Vice Principal) remarked that Latin interested those aspiring law students, and all they needed was a few dozen Latin terms to survive law school for Property law in particular, Roman law in general, and Civil and Criminal Procedure exceptionally. Well, how many lawyers did we produce at that time? Even if we did, credit should go to the untiring efforts of Mr. Rajaratnam with the law classes that were held at Wesley aided by an outstanding set of exam oriented notes. I missed out Latin, but I regret opting for Sanskrit and Pali sacrificing Applied Maths and Geometrical Drawing in grade 9. Mr. Charles Silva (late Vice Principal) taught Sanskrit and Dr. Frank Jayasinghe filled the time-table with Pali. I think Pali and Sanskrit were killed by us, so they were gone by 1965. The left over was English, Sinhala, and Tamil. Will French make a come back, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Urudu??? Time will tell…2074.

Mrs Netta Joseph and the 1934 standard 3 class (Kind courtesy of the Wesley College OBU Australia)

Wesleyites of past generation will recall with gratitude, but also with some trepidation, their debt to Mrs Netta Joseph, Teacher in charge of the 1934 Standard 3 at the College, and one of the greatest teachers to adorn a famous college. She was a teacher par excellence who had a tremendous influence on her young and maturing pupils. She had, in the writer's time, a class of forty five, who came in combination from standards 2a and 2b (think now on the restrictions here in Australia on class sizes to the twenties as being the maximum for proper teaching). But despite this large conglomeration of pupils of all communities and religions, she managed to ensure that the best was brought out in the young boys entrusted to her care. In later life there were many shining examples of success from this foundation from early school days which included, not only books, but also determination and discipline.

As Mrs Joseph said "Never accept the ugly when you can strive for the beautiful". And she was not only a great teacher, but also excelled in music and as an organist, qualities which her daughter Helen and son Langston inherited. But this small tribute to her, from one of the Class of 1934, concerns the tremendous influence she had in teaching and the enforcement of discipline not forgetting the striving for the best always! Nearly seventy years later the writer recalls the achievements of some of the boys of the 1934 Class in different and varied spheres of life - academic, accountancy, authorship, administration, engineering, marine engineering and service in the racing industry and the War. By and large it can be said with pride that this class could compare with the best in any age and in any school. And so the writer makes mention of some of the boys of the 1934 class and what they did in later life, though this does not unfortunately include the many others who served their country well in other walks of life. In academia Ian Van den Driesen, after graduating in Economics from the university of Ceylon, took to an academic career, finally becoming Professor of Economics in the University of Western Australia. In Accountancy, Rodney Ferdinands was successful in the first examination in Ceylon of the profession of Chartered Accountancy. In Australia he was President of the Institute of Internal Auditors in Victoria. Subsequently as an Author he researched the history of the Burgher community in Ceylon, and his book "Proud and Prejudiced" is acclaimed as the history of the community. Four members of the 1934 Class were successful in that most prestigious Exam in Ceylon Civil Service, three in 1948 and another in 1949.

Ivor Ferdinands passed out first in 1948. After leaving the Government Service he moved to the Mercantile sector where he was Managing Director of one of the leading firms before emigrating to Australia, where he served as Advocate for Victoria in Industrial Relations and Consultant in the Victorian Public Service Board. Sam Silva was elected President of the Union Society at the University of Ceylon and had a distinguished government career in administration, before dying at a relatively young age. Caryl Ludekens remained in Ceylon and served the Government in many important administrative positions before retirement. David Loos, with his first class honours in statistics, spent most of this time in the Public Service in the Treasury where he was involved with Ceylon's External Trade and Foreign Exchange. He subsequently secured a position in the World Bank in America. Charles Speldewinde won the Bayliss Prize for Engineering in the Commonwealth, and played an important role in the development of Canberra as the Capital of Australia. His work for the Australian Capital Development Commission was rewarded with an M.B.E. George Ferdinands spent all his life after Wesley away from Ceylon and obtaining a scholarship in Marine Engineering travelled the world in his chosen career and settled in Vancouver, Canada with his brother Maurice who worked for the Canadian railways. Ridley Bartholomeusz volunteered during World War II to join the Empire Training Scheme, after which he served with the Royal Air Force in England. Renge Selvaratnam, a brilliant athlete and cricketer, took to his family profession, that of training thoroughbred racehorses. When racing was banned in Ceylon he became one of the leading Trainers in India. And so the writer must conclude this note on some of the boys of the 1934 Standard 3 Class and, more importantly, pay tribute to that great Teacher, Mrs Netta Joseph, who played such an important role in the maturing of her young charges. Her memory lives long in Wesley College, and in the many students for whom she tirelessly strove for them to reach their full potential. May she rest in Peace (Contributed by one of Mrs Joseph's grateful 1934 Standard 3 Pupils)

The Tribe of the Double Blue by George Robertson & Langston Joseph

When Trevor Collette invited me to write a few lines about the Seniors' Night presented by the Old Boys" Association last December, I readily agreed as it was another of those occasions which are always well attended and enjoyed by everyone. The food was excellent, there was good music and the overall mood was one of fellowship and relaxation, with a time for singing our favourite Carols between interludes of dancing. The President and Committee did a great job once again. But I have said all of his before. Previously too, I have mentioned the good food, the music, the singing and all that. So I set my mind to thinking of something fresh to write about and remembered saying to someone that evening that in 2002 it would be fifty years since I left Wesley College. And there I was, at a Dinner arranged by past pupils of Wesley for the senior Old Boys. I must mention Vernon Achilles, the most senior Old Boy who is in his 90's, Anton Blacker, Langston Joseph, Glyn Lappen, Vernon Nugara, to name a few, who are among the respected elder statesmen of the Old Boys' Association, and all of them regular guests at these gatherings. But what was I doing here really? Why had I come along with my wife Beryl who incidentally commenced her school career in the Wesley Kindergarten? Sure, I came to hear some news about my old school, to meet old friends and to say "hi" to some others whom I recognised but whose names I had forgotten. This happens a lot to me these days! But there is another reason, I believe we go to the Old Boys' Association functions because they fill a need in us. They transport me back to a time in my early years to which I return very easily, and for a little while I recapture the atmosphere and feel of being with a group of my contemporaries from a time so long ago. It is a tribal urge, this reunion ritual the need to identify oneself in a particular context.

This TRIBE OF THE DOUBLE BLUE it is that which distinguishes us from all the others the Royalists, the Thomians, the Peterites, they are the other Tribes of our era, and I guess are just as proud and happy to meet each other as we are. We were all cloned or cast from the same mould of what was considered to be the end product of the School system as it was then, pressed into uniforms, assembled daily, marched everywhere in columns two by two, our hours dictated by the tolling of the School bell, obeying without question and punished if we did not. Trained and instructed in academic and sporting pursuits, lectured on the importance of "doing well" to such an extent that half a century or more later, wherever a group of Wesley Old Boys" Association friends get together, inevitably the subject of Cricket will be raised. And old men will play again across the table with the glasses, the ice, and the crystal decanters of Scotch, the great Matches that they featured in so long ago. It never fails! I have seen this happen on many, many occasions. Men who can barely walk a mile nowadays, and need to pause for breath between every sentence, will come alive! Their eyes will light up and every smallest detail of that Innings will be vividly recalled. And everyone will listen as if they had not heard these same stories many times before.

Even as I write this, today's Television programme promotes a discussion of the famous Australia vs England Test Match Series of 1948, with comments by Sir Donald Bradman. See what I mean? 1948, for goodness sake! Even HE did it! But we all do it because we need to . And after all there's no place else to go. We get together at Old Boys" association functions so that for just a few hours we resurrect those crazy, carefree days when we were growing up, full of ideals and virtues which were at the very heart of what was expected from us as boys of Wesley. I sometimes find myself unable to relate to the cynical rat race reality of this high-tech society that has overtaken us. Where everybody moves as if they He walked on a coral reef in the Sea of Galilee! And so on. But our Christian Faith has stood the rigours of these contemporary interpretations, and I certainly am in no way a heretic! Because these were our formative years, and because, thank God, our parents had the commitment to their sons and daughters to ensue that we had a sound education so that we could face whatever lay ahead because of all of this the TRIBE OF THE DOUBLE BLUE will always represent those ideals and virtues which characterise decent men and women everywhere. (And the Answer said more effectively with an American drawl - ALASKA!) And now for our PUNCH LINE - "You can take the boy out of Wesley; but you can never take WESLEY out of the boy!" Fraternal Greetings to you all George Robertson & Langston Joseph

To Sir, with Love…. A tribute to Kenneth De Lanerolle of Wesley (Kind courtesy of the Wesley College OBU Australia)

My son Chrisantha (Victor) conveyed to me, to Canada, the sad news of his death. I hadn't seen him before I left Sri Lanka, in March 2001; and this made me feel his loss more sharply and poignantly. My mind's eye went back fifty years and more, to my days at Wesley College, Colombo, as a student, and my first meeting with Kenneth de Lanerolle, who had returned with a Master's degree from the University of Michigan, to enrich further, the quality of leadership at Wesley. He was Vice Principal, James Cartman was at Welsey's helm. A more magnificent combination at the top, Wesley has not had, since then. He served during one of Wesley's great eras - an era of outstanding achievement - which indicates that committed leadership of the highest calibre, always has a tremendous impact, on the quality of achievement of any institution. Scholarship, music, dramatics, debating, choral singing, as well as sports, flourished.. The spate of centuries scored by Wesley batsmen, and the galaxy of superb bowlers and fieldsmen produced by her, topped up her image, as an outstanding cricket school, to the brim. Swimming and lawn tennis (now defunct!) flourished. The college had many an excellent swimmer, with the Colombo harbour serving as our "pool".

In lawn tennis we proved our mettle, with D.B.C. Mack and N.U. Wirasekara winning the Public Schools' Doubles Championship and consequently awarded Public Schools' colours. Hockey was well nurtured as well with the expertise of Ceylon's dribbling wizard - former Wesley Captain - A Mylvaganam - utilized as coach. In soccer, we clung on tenaciously to our reputation as a mercurial barefoot battalion, which included players of the ilk of M K Brantha, Lou and Vincent Adihetty and ERB Amarasekara (Snr), Wesley's outstanding athlete and Senior Prefect, M.A.M.Sheriff won a place in the prestigious Ceylon contingent to the Empire Games, in Auckland, New Zealand - the only schoolboy in the team. It would be an understatement to say that to have been at Wesley at the time, was a great privilege.

The school community was a hive of vibrant activity. The library was well patronized, and books, and more books, read in pursuit of a spectrum of knowledge, as broad and varied as possible. There was laughter and happiness in the air, and a sense of comaraderie which was unvanquishable. Those of us who did not directly participate in an event, supported the school by their presence - a lucid demonstration of loyalty. Wesley, led by the Cartman - de Lanerolle duo, was a well integrated, happy family. I recall how a teacher was provided for Greek, when a single student indicated his desire to offer this subject, for the University of Ceylon, Entrance Examination. Such was Wesley's concern for each and every one of us, at the time! The Christian Union (later renamed the SCM) had a rich tradition of producing excellent plays under its aegis; as did, Wesley. The man behind the scenes was Kenneth de Lanerolle. I recall, vividly, the play, "AMOR CHRISTI" with Kenneth giving a warm and exciting rendition of the spiritual, "Were you there, when they crucified my Lord?" The audience was visibly moved so genuine was the pathos evoked. His rich bass-baritone voice rings in my ears even now, when I recall the play, staged over fifty years ago! Kenneth accompanied our singing at general assembly - a daily feature - playing the piano. As an actor steeped in the UCDS (Dram Soc) tradition of E.F.C. Ludowyk, at the University College, Colombo, he excelled in whatever role he was cast. His English speech was refined and cultured. I recall his lessons in the General English class (Upper Sixth) where a series of mini exercises, such as, "the cabbage bounded off the table", were aimed at getting us to speak the words, correctly. We were required to (as a warm-up exercise, or prelude) to pronounce tricky works such as, recitative correctly, much to our merriment.

Kenneth was a balanced and harmonious personality, with the courage to be critical - always with good intent - when necessary. He was a rare gift to any educational institution, where the character of the child is moulded, and in so doing, rich and wholesome values inculcated, The latent talents of the individual were discovered and developed, to their fullest potential. The great versatility he displayed in the undertaking of such tremendous responsibility, for our growth and well-being, amazed us. Ironical, paradoxical or, perverse, as it may seem, the "flaw" in this make up appears to have been the diverse talents he was gifted with. Too many , perhaps, for our little, mundane minds to comprehend. This made some resent him secretly, as his brilliance, exposed without intent, the pathetic inadequacy and mediocrity in some of us at times, even among those in authority over him. The attempts to keep him down to me was akin to trying to capture the wind, in a fishing net.

When reflecting on Kenneth's life, I am strongly reminded of some of the lines from Bob Dylan's lyric, Blowing in the Wind How may roads must a man walk down before you call him a man? I knew him during various phases of my life - as a student prefect; and much later, as his colleague on the Wesley staff. In the Fellowship of the Y's Men's Club of Kandy (Y's Men International) and the Kandy YMCA; and as Principal of Wesley, albeit for a brief spell, in the winter of his life, when he was found eminently suitable, to pull chestnuts out of the fire, for the management! The negative and counterproductive manner in which he had often been manipulated and manoeuvred, over the years, enraged those of us who believed in his integrity and sincerity of purpose. I would like to isolate a few lines, from some of his favourite psalms and hymns, to merely touch on Kenneth's unrelenting belief in God; and the solace he would have received from such faith in Him. Like John Donne, he would have experienced the bitterness of despair, in endeavouring to forge ahead with his totally committed life as an "educator".

I would prefer the less pretentious word, teacher" "Breathe on me breath of God Till I am wholly Thine; Until this earthly part of me Glows with Thy fire divine" Or "My table Thou hast furnished In presence of my foes; My head thou dost with oil anoint And my cup overflows". In Vietnam, he worked diligently and courageously, bringing solace to the traumatised youth of that country, devastated by a ridiculous and futile war clamped on them. He served equally conscientiously at Wesley (as Vice Principal, for seventeen years; much later, for a brief spell as Principal) at Kingswood and Carey, as Principal in the interim period; and on several National Educational Reforms Committees, focusing on the role of English, in particular; the National Christian Council of Sri Lanka; The YMCA Forum; The Ceylon Teachers' Travel Club (when he organised an excellent tour of Soviet Russia) several music, drama and English speech (Elocution) groups, as well as his local church, and The Church of Ceylon, Diocesan Council. Always unobtrusively, and characteristically, he helped many in need; very specially the poorest students at Wesley, who benefited from his munificence; with gifts of cricket boots, the Wesley cricket blazer (in a least one instance) spectacles, and running shoes, school uniforms, hockey sticks, Horlicks malted milk and Sanatogen! His managerial skills were considerable and fundamentally "people" oriented.

The rule was often obscured to focus on the human element. Combined with his humane qualities, meticulous planning was his forte qualities much in need in Sri Lanka's "public administration". No contingency found him hence, Wesley stranded or flustered. He had the temperament to handle any situation with acceptance. I recall a sequence at Wesley's 75th anniversary Prize Day, when Ceylon's first Prime Minister, The Rt Honourable D.S. Senanayake, PC (Privy Counsellor) was delivering his address, as Chief Guest. Mr Senanayake suddenly felt sick and Kenneth de Lanerolle read out the rest of his speech with great confidence. The advice we sought and joyfully received from him as 14th Colombo (Wesley) Scouts stood us in good stead. His advice always be prepared for the unexpected! Our camps in Bandarawela, Nuwara-Eliya, Horton Plain and Pidurutalagala, and at Buona Vista, by the sea, in Galle, were consequently most enjoyable and rewarding experiences. He never failed to visit us in camp and be one of us in experiencing the unparalleled joy of living close to Nature. His dear friend J.E. Silva, was Group Scout Master and this would have been a further incentive for him to be so supportive of scouting at Wesley. As a disciplinarian, he displayed novel ways of "dealing with" miscreants.The deft movements of his scalp and formidable eyebrows scared the daylights out of the younger ones handed over to him for punishment for "misdeeds" such as sleeping in class! At times a deft pinch of one's stomach reserved for the rebellious ones, with faint traces of silk-like fungi above their upper lip with attendant delusions of being cast in the image of Al Capone or Jesse James! quelled the most rebellious of them. The momentary pain had the intended salutary effect! seldom did he use the cane (when he did two strokes would suffice) and it was over quickly after he had deftly extracted 80 page exercise books inserted as padding to absorb the blows! His wise saws did the rest; and one returned exorcised of all richly imaginative thoughts, such as setting the school on fire, in order to "miss" a meeting of the Sinhala Literary Association, where one had been conscripted to speak on the evils of alcohol, or, to sing a string of pre-selected Kavi and elucidate the poets' intention in each instance! Some of these guys ended up as college prefects. Such was his gift of dealing with the rebel or nonconformist. To him it was "a growing-up process" not a crime. To be able to see the great potential behind what would be superficially termed a misdeed and conventionally a breach of discipline and to thereafter channel and nurture the potential for good in such young men, enriched them, greatly as well as the corporate life of the school, in consequence.

Kenneth was a graphic-artist, as well as the author of a few books, written in his leisure hours, the most significant being, Southern River. Here one gets an insight into his parental home, and his childhood at Matara, when the wholesome and simple pleasures of the country side enthralled a child. Educated at the famous Richmond College, in Galle, he excelled in dramatics English language and literature music and elocution. He had as a young man also mastered the elusive art of theatrical "make-up", transforming familiar faces into something rich, and strange. The deft strokes of his brush, and his sensitive use of colour, produced brilliant posters. These were a few of his very special gifts, and we, his students, imbibed much of his dexterity, each according to his own talents and inclinations. Kenneth de Lanerolle brought out the BEST in one……… He is greatly missed by the many thousands who were influenced by him as a teacher, most extra ordinary; and a staunch friend. He was with us, here, for a season; now above; and we pray, he is overwhelmed by the Peace and Tranquillity, he so richly deserved in life, now that his is no more with us, physically.

Fred Abeyesekera 26 October 2001

Prefects of 1973- Guardians of the law and whiter than white

The names in ??? are the ones I have forgotten...but only the first name... Pretty good memory for 29 years!!!!!!!!!!!!.

But then again how can you forget these blokes !!!!!!!!!

Kind Regards

Chris Harvie

Art, Music, & Drama by Shanti McLelland

Wesley had some of the best teachers and students in music, art, and drama.
In oriental music it was Mr. Basil Mihiripanna, who was a master at the Sitar. Seated akimbo on the floor He held audiences spell bound at public performances. Wesley was indeed fortunate to have had a world renowned musician. He received his training in India and practiced many years to be a perfectionist. Mr. Mihiripanna left Wesley to take up a prestigious position in the ministry of Education. He was appointed as a Director of Education (Aesthetics).
English Music and College Choir - I remember the teachers Mr. Haig Karunaratna and Mrs. Christianz and students - Nimal Suraweera, Dallas Achilies, Rev. Neville Koch, Maurice Balasingham, Alston Koch, Adrian Jansz, Milroy Taylor, and may be Kenneth Honter and Shane Lawrence.
Internationally recognized Sri Jayana was one of the best in Kandyan Dancing. With his departure, Wesley saw the last of oriental dancing at the school pavilion in early 1960's. But, his troupes continued to perform in many countries and were a tourist attraction in many of Sri Lanka's leading hotels and public stages. In the last few years his son Asoka Rajapaksa (represented Wilkin House in Athletics) took over the legacy to continue with the International performances.
The master painter Mr. Jayantha Premachandra held many art critics spellbound with his life like paintings. During his teaching career at Wesley, he covered the 8-foot door at the rear of the College Hall with a life size oil painting for every prize giving. Most of the time he worked on religious themes. His paintings were acclaimed by famous artists and took pride being presented world over at prestigious exhibitions along side some of the best known internationally.
We should not forget the services of Mrs. Isla Perera who was the middle school teacher who saw a great deal of excellent to poor artists for a long period of time in the sixties.
Mr. Felix Premawardana was best known for his record breaking "Kaluware Jaramare". It was staged more than hundred times and appeared in all of the well known Stages in Sri Lanka. Mr. Premawardane will always be remembered for his contribution to Sinhala drama and literature. I should record the effort of A/L student Ariyawansa Kulasooriya who staged "Lowen Ekek Apa Adare". I remember only one of the other actors - Amaresh Rajaratnam and the teacher who assisted - Mrs. Lakshmi Amaratunga (with Kaluware Jaramare fame).
Mr. Kenneth de Lanerole needs no introduction. I faintly remember his performances and the performances of his students at the college stage. But, I remember best, his outstanding performance at the Lionel Wendt. The classic Merry Widow opera was run full-house for two weeks, with his performance widely splashed in the daily columns of leading newspapers and magazines. His departure left a huge void.
Mr. A S. Wirasingha could have filled this need, but the administration of the non-fee levying private school legacy he took over in 1962 was too much of a task. But in 1967-68, Mr. Wirasingha did come with a outstanding performance in "Boy with a Cart" which won the prestigious All Island Inter-school Drama Competition. Monroe Reimers was adjudged best actor.
Haig Karunaratna will be best remembered for his large casts and colourful opera, drama, and plays, skits. The musicals were just outstanding and enjoyed by so many students with talent and no talent. Everyone who turned up was transformed into performers; that was his great talent. To make the dumb vocal and the lame perform on stage - this was aptly proved at the finals of the Inter-school drama competition in 1967. Matheo Falcone saw Peter Swan win the best actor award assisted by Asoka Jayawardana (narrator), Sextus Taylor and score of others I do not remember. Mr. Karunaratna also directed the musicals Jesus Christ Super Star (lead roles by Christopher XX, Neil Obeysekara, and twenty others) and Rainbow Man at the Lionel Wendt (3 days) I remember Errol Dickman as the stage director and Keerthi Sri Karunaratne (make up) and forty other actors. Many of the one-act plays I do not recall well enough to document. I quote Mr. Haig Karunaratna's constant quote of a famous quote, particularly when relaxing at the Kinross Beach - "no man is an Island".

THE HEADMASTER'S REVIEW FOR THE YEAR 1958-59 By JLF De Mel

IT is with a deep sense of gratitude that I stand before you today on this the 3rd anniversary of our Primary School Prize Day to give you a brief review of our progress and activities. But. before I do so I have a very pleasant duty to perform. On behalf of all of us 3 extend to our Chief Guest Mr. S. S. H. Silva and Mrs. Silva a very warm welcome. Mr. Silva is one of the finest products of Wesley. As a student of this college he surmounted many an obstacle and handicap by sheer perseverance and tenacity of purpose. He showed brilliance and outstanding ability in studies and in the field of sports; he won the coveted Hill Medal, was Senior Prefect and Captain of Athletics and led Wilkin House to victory in our Sports Meet. He had a very successful career in the Ceylon University and crowned his efforts by securing a place in the Ceylon Civil Service. His simplicity and charm of manner have combined with efficiency to bring him rapid promotion. As a Senior Civil Servant he has served with great distinction and received high recognition at the hands of Government, while he enjoys the love and respect of all who have come into contact with him. It is a matter of singular pride to all of us at Wesley that he has set Wesleyites a great example which they can cherish and emulate. He has also proved to be a very loyal Old Boy. We are proud and happy that both as a student and as a Public Officer he has brought honour to his Alma Mater. We also thank Mrs. Silva for her presence with us and for kindly consenting to give away the Prizes.
It was three years ago that a definite step was taken to consider the Primary Department as a distinct unit in itself as far as conditions permit. This decision made it possible for the Primary School to plan their own programmes independent of the rest of the College and provide for the boys from the Nursery upwards greater opportunities for self expression and scope for a fuller development of their own individuality. They have now four Prefects selected from among themselves who shoulder responsibility for orderliness and discipline. Our boys take an increasing personal interest in their own House Competitions, Sports Meet, Exhibition of Hand Work & Art, Variety Entertainment and the greatest of them at!, their own Prize Day. No longer do our boys feel they are an insignificant appendage of Wesley with-some slight attention paid to them as a poor relation! It is my fervent hope that this section of the school will receive greater recognition and develop into a first rate Primary Department, with better equipment, more qualified staff, pleasanter and airy class rooms and a play ground which they can consider their own.

We have stilt to organise ourselves to eliminate the feelings of segregation between one group and another by finding an effective way to break down the barriers that keep our boys apart, and promote a sense of well being and good fellowship which can lead to easy mixing, a mutual understanding and real unity among all the races represented in the school. Many obstacles exist, but they must be overcome by judicious planning.

Our number on roll is exactly 601 today, showing a further increase over last year's numbers. Unlike in the early years when, on a different system, a few Prizes were given away to these boys at the big Prize Giving, we are able to give now many more to a far larger number. Accommodation continues to be a problem. It is an encouraging sign that some efforts are now being made to provide better equipment and buildings for the Kindergarten. We hope that this project will make headway soon and supplying a very pressing need.

As regards changes in our staff, we were sorry to say ~good bye" to Miss C. Niles, Mrs. Helen Stouter, Mrs. Erin MacLelland, and Miss Mary Colin Thome who did her work of Teacher in Singing with great acceptance. To all these teachers who served the school for varying periods, most loyally, we offer our sincere thanks. We must place on record the keen interest Mr. Kenneth de Lanerolle our former Vice-Principal took in the affairs of this department, even undertaking Lo give the benefit of his specialised knowledge in the teaching of English as a second language to the Primary Staff, by conducting a series of classes and demonstrations. We wish him a very successful career as Principal of Kingswood. At the same time we extend our congratulations to Mr. Aelian Fernando on his appointment as Vice-Principal and while thanking him for the interest he has already taken in the past, hope he will be a real asset in the life of Wesley in the years to come. I must also express our thanks and gratitude to our Principal and Mrs. Nonis for the lively interest they have shown in ever so many ways and for their encouragement in our work. Our congratulations also go to the most senior member of the Kindergarten staff, Mrs. S. E. G. Perera on the new responsibilities entrusted to her as Head Mistress of the Kindergarten
-a very deserving tribute to one who has proved her efficiency by many years of loyal service. We welcome to the staff the following colleagues who joined us in the course of the year:-Miss V. Buell, Miss I. W. Marasinghe, Mrs. E. R. Saratchandra, Miss M. D. Jansz, Messrs Jayantha de Silva and Terence Gunawardena. We hope their stay with us will be long and happy and that their service will be of the best.

Our sports meet proved to be a very enjoyable one. The exhibition of Handwork and Art drew a large and representative section of our parents and well wishers. Both the exhibition and the entertainment drew appreciative comments from a wide circle. As special features I must mention the high standard of the exhibits of cane work, coir rope and coconut shell, the painting of plaster of Paris models of animals etc., and masks produced from paper pulp. On the whole the painting and exhibits were of a high order.

Our cub pack has increased in numbers and efficiency during the year. Great enthusiasm prevails among both the cubs and their masters in charge. Chip a job week brought in Rs. 150/-through their efforts. We have also secured the services of Mrs. Saratchandra through whom we have inaugurated classes in Oriental Singing, while
Mr. Iyadurai of our staff trains the boys in Tamil Singing. Our dancing classes continue to do well under the guidance of Sri Jayana, and Miss Jansz has taken over the classes in Western Singing from Miss Thome.

I crave your indulgence now to turn to another aspect of our existence as a school. We live in a period of stress and strain. An atmosphere of uncertainty and fear for the future seems to engulf us. Standards of conduct, the relationship between religion and life, moral standards and human relationships have all received a severe jolt. Whilst in a way we are roused from lethargy and complacency by the intrusion of these tendencies, it would be a pity if these were to lead to a lowering of the values we have placed on such things as justice and fair play, reverence for oneself as well as others, democratic freedom in the accepted sense of the term, and unity which is essential to peace and goodwill between race and race, ~nation and nation. As people, directly concerned with the growth and upbringing of the younger generation, teachers and parents alike have a responsibility to be alive and awake to all that is happening by way of new interpretation and new ideologies that are taking shape and penetrating the life of our society. This is a challenge every teacher must be prepared to face. Nothing can help him if he has not only made himself aware of these tendencies but sought to cultivate within himself such high ideals for himself which could mould him to be the type of person he should be, who shall not deviate, for whatever reason, from principles and standards which he must regard as fundamental to his high calling as a teacher, and which should become intrinsically woven into the fabric of his being. The teaching profession needs men of character and principles, devoted to their work and conscious of their responsibilities. How else can children in their formative years imbibe the best we can offer? And how else can such schools as Wesley send out into the world gentlemen in the true sense of the word, who believe in self respect and respect for others, whose sense of duty and responsibility far outweigh the privileges they seek and the doubtful pleasures they crave for?

This is a matter for parents as well, and they too must be alive to the need for creating the right atmosphere in their own homes so that their children can naturally assimilate whatever is best and noblest through the medium of exemplary parents and the wholesome atmosphere of a good home. Hence, the ever increasing emphasis that every sound educationalist puts on the value of Parent Teacher Associations and the valuable help and guidance their joint efforts could offer to the children for whose growth as true men, both have a responsibility. My earnest hope that the P.T.A. of this college will play its part effectively in this direction, and that it would become possible in the very near future to have a separate association for the parents and teachers in the Primary Department. Our P.T.A. has gone far towards fulfilling an undertaking to build, by their sole efforts, a tuck shop cum lunch room as a special contribution to their children's welfare, and well in keeping with the architectural pattern of the existing buildings. We hope this praiseworthy effort will receive the generous support of our parents.
I would now like to express our grateful appreciation of the continued encouragement our parents give us in all that we have tried to do to promote the welfare of their children. We are well alive to the fact that we can depend on you always to be sympathetic and appreciative of our work on your children's behalf. In conclusion let me express my thanks and gratitude for the co-operation and loyalty extended to me by the teachers in the Primary Department all along and more especially for everything they have undertaken to do in connection with this Prize Giving. May I add a special word of thanks in regard to Mr. D. A. Wilfred who has enthusiastically borne the heavier burdens in connection with our Prize Day and Sports Meet? And also for his good work with our Cub Pack. To my colleagues in the other part of the school and the clerical and domestic staff too who have always given us their willing co-operation I say a very big thank you.

May Wesley continue to uphold the great traditions established by such a galaxy of high souled men who have served during a period of 85 years to make this school respected all through our land, and may it never be said of us that we have failed to preserve and build upon the tone and spirit of Wesley. This is my fervent hope and prayer for all the years to come.

The School Book Stall in the 1950's by Dr.N.D.Amerasekera

Mr.Wilfred Wickramasinghe

For many years in the 1950's and 60's Mr. Wilfred was in charge of the School Book Stall. It was open for a short time before school started at 8.15am and in the intervals. It had exercise books with the college crests. Monitors exercise books, school reports and Hymn Books. There were many items of stationery like erasers rulers and Dreadnought instrument boxes. It was most active at the beginning of each term and intensely busy at the beginning of the school year. There was no bargaining and what the shopkeeper said was law. Mr. E.L.Rodrigo and senior students helped out occasionally. The shop was located just behind the College Hall with a little cubby hole to do business. It had a special smell of its own of brand new paper. Following is a short notice about the Bookstall from the 1959 school magazine. Managing the bookstall was an effort beyond the call of duty and I appreciate greatly the efforts of Mr.Wilfred to provide a service to the students and the school.

A NOTE ABOUT THE WESLEY COLLEGE BOOKSTALL
The Bookstall is run mainly for these reasons.
To maintain a certain uniformity in the materials used by the Students.
To help Parents by supplying the best but reasonably priced materials.

Every cent gained as profit, helps the School funds. Therefore it is our duty to patronize the College Book-Stall whenever possible.

We have in stock, all exercise books, Monitor's exercise books, Report books, Pencils, Colours, boxes of instruments, lead pencils, foot rulers, erasers, and Art and Handwork material.

The members of the Staff and students, who helped me in the work of the Book stall during the past year, are thanked.

D. A. Wilfred Wickramasinghe 1959

House Reports 1959

HILLARD HOUSE
DURING the period under review Hillard House has not fared too well. The C. F. de Pinto Memorial Shield awarded to the House with the highest number of points has been, as it were, our "possession" for the past two years. But, however, at the end of last year we lost hold of it and the shield now goes to Moscrop. We congratulate them.

Studies: We continue to maintain a high standard in studies as regards the general performance in the college examinations. In the public examinations too, we fared creditably. A fair percentage of passes in the G.C.E. examination and the U. E. examination came from Hillard. We congratulate all the successful candidates and wish them every success in the future.

Cricket: We remain champions for the 2nd year in succession. In the semi-finals we beat Passmore and in the finals we beat Moscrop by a close margin. We congratulate L. R. Gunatilleka and his team. Special mention must be made of L. R. Gunatileka who was elected runner-up in the 'School boy Cricketer of the year', competition. He also represented the Colombo Combined Colleges' team. He was also elected the best bowler in the schools.

Hockey: Although we had only one college player in the Hillard team, we fared well. In the semifinals we beat Wilkin. But in the finals, we lost to the more formidable Moscrop team. However, this match was keenly fought and proved interesting.

Soccer: Having 5 of the regular players in the college team, Hillard emerged champions for the 2nd year in succession. In the semifinals we trounced Wilkin and in t