The Lankaweb 3rd March 2000

By Ranil Mendis with Evin Mohamed

"Oh GOD, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home;"

On 21 December 1849, exactly one hundred and fifty years to the day before the daughter of a great Thomian, Chandrika Dias Bandaranaike was re-elected President of Sri Lanka, another momentous event took place.

On that day, the first Anglican Bishop of Colombo, the Right Reverend James Chapman, laid the foundation stone for a modest school. The school was named after Saint Thomas. It was located in Mutwal, next to the Christ Church Cathedral.

The date 21st December is an auspicious one. It is the day of St. Thomas, an apostle who is reputed to have visited Sri Lanka. So, when a great Daughter of a great Thomian contests a Royalist on that day, the result should be a foregone conclusion, as it proved to be.

Two years later,in 1851 the school opened with fifty boys. The Right Reverend James Chapman was its first warden, which is the designation given to the Principal. The congenital association between the Bishop of Colombo and the school was a sweet and happy one , for over a hundred years. It has latterly turned sour, as we shall see, later on in the article.

The school with its humble and modest beginning was to grow rapidly. The love and devotion that the old boys had for the school was chiefly responsible for the growth. In 1917 cramped for space, the school moved from Mutwal to Mt. Lavinia. It had come of age. It was then a leading institution of education in the country.

The chief reason for St. Thomas'College hereinafter refered to as STC to become a great school were its wardens and dedicated teachers.

After meticulous research the writers would pick Bishop Chapman, Rev. Stone and Canon DeSaram as the greatest wardens of the school. Of the other teachers far too numerous to mention individually two must be mentioned. Dr.Hayman who built the swimming pool in Mt.Lavinia and made substantial improvements to the school at Gurutalawa, at his own expense and who willed his estate to the school upon his death. Rev Boyer Yin, a mathematics wrangler from Cambridge University, who started the festival of nine lessons and carols. He trained the choir to be one of the very best in the island.

Bishop Chapman for being the founder of the school. He planted the seed of great English liberal values and ensured its germination. Later wardens nurtured and maintained these great traditions.

Rev.Stone for guiding the school through rapid growth and ensuring the smooth transfer of the school from Mutwal to Mt. Lavinia.

Last, but by no means least, and perhaps the greatest of them all, and the protégé of warden Stone, Canon DeSaram.

Canon DeSaram was the first Thomian and the first Sri Lankan to be Warden. He held office for twenty five years and was the longest serving Warden of the school. He had the gumption to tell prime ministers to go to hell.

Incidentally, both writers were unceremoniously sacked from the school. When Evin was sacked, he cried like a baby, because he was so fond of the school. He pestered his parents who were friends of the Senanayake family to ask Dudley to intervene. Very reluctantly, Dudley phoned Canon DeSaram. Canon deSaram very curtly, told off Dudley, saying quite rightly that Evin was absolutely of no use to the school. The sacking could not be reversed. No one would be happier today, than the good Canon, to see how useful Evin has now become. With the greatest of enthusiasm and diligence the entire research for this article was accomplished by him alone.

Canon DeSaram himself on his last day as Warden , prior to retirement, in his farewell address to the boys of the school, said that ironically, it was the boys whom he caned and sacked who surprisingly, showed the greater devotion to the school. There is another anecdote that we would like to share with the reader.

P.N.Perera, better known as Vaddah, one of the most mischievous of Thomians, saw an old and feeble Canon DeSaram, well into his dotage, climbing a hilly road, returning to his retirement home, in Nuwara Eliya. Vaddah very much wanted to greet him, but wondered whether the Canon would remember him. Nevertheless, with grave trepidation he approached him and asked "Sir, I wonder whether you can remember me". Pat came the answer "Of course Perera, one can forget the roses, but never the thorns".

Canon DeSaram was a great scholar and a good athlete, participating in most sports at STC. He was a contemporary of another great scholar S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike. They went through STC and Oxford University together. Both excelled. SWRD becoming the first Sri Lankan to be elected secretary of the Oxford Union. Canon DeSaram was awarded a "Blue" for Boxing, the first Sri Lankan, to win a "Blue"of any kind at Oxford. They were rivals throughout. This rivalry led Canon DeSaram to take one questionable decision which will be adverted to, later on in the article.

Be that as it may, the liberal traditions, set in place by the founder Bishop Chapman was a strong influence on all those who attended the school. This enabled, in the words of Mao to " let a thousand flowers bloom, let a thousand schools of thought contend" This enabled staunch Buddhist patriots like the Rt.Hon. D.S.Senanayake to send his sons to STC. It enabled Anagarika Dharmapala to form his ideas on the revival of Buddhism without hindrance. The school did not indulge in proselytisation. It was one of the first christian schools, to teach those of other faiths, their own religion. As a result Thomians developed their talents in diverse ways. As we the writers, very proudly, unveil the roll of honour, it can be seen that Thomians have excelled in every activity,of human endeavour.

We shall start with the first Prime Minister of independent Sri Lanka, and the father of the nation, D.S.Senanayake, and his son Dudley. Prime Minister S.W.R.D.Bandaranaike who led a liberal democratic revolution, and made democracy a reality to the common man. He has the further distinction of having a wife and daughter, who became leaders of this country. W.Dahanayake who succeeded S.W.R.D as Prime Minister, and holds the record for filibustering in parliament.

The men who dominated politics in the pre-independence era. F.R.Senayake and Anagarika Dharmapala, who led the movement for national independence, temperance and Buddhist revival.

Of others, in politics, who made their mark, in a long and distinguished list include, Chelvanayagam, the founder of the federal party,and the TULF. The left wing revolutionaries Dr.N.M.Perera, Leslie and Cholmondley Gunawardena. Leader of the House C.P.De Silva, Dr.Kaleel, who was chairman of the U.N.P. Sir Francis Molamure, the first speaker of the House of Representatives.In contemprorary politics, Professor G.L.Peiris, who is also the pre-eminent scholar, produced by Sri Lanka, in the post independence era.

In the field of law, Sir Arthur Wijewardena, the first Ceylonese Chief Justice,so appointed in 1949. Sir Arthur, was also the first Ceylonese to act as Governor-General, i.e., the head of state. H.L.Wendt who retired as Senior Puisne Justice, the highest Judicial Office then available to a Ceylonese. Supreme court Justices Canekeratne, Gratien, Swan and Felix R. Dias.

In more recent times, former Chief Justice, G.P.S.De Silva. Tissa Dias Bandaranaike, SPJ, his brother Lakshman, who was legal draftsman, and who later drafted the constitution of Malawi, in Africa.

In the official bar Attorney Generals Tilak Marapana PC and the present incumbent Kamalasabayson.

In the unofficial bar, Queen's Counsels, the brothers E.B. and E.G.Wickramanayake, and Sam Kadirgamar. Presidents counsels, Choksy and S.L.Gunasekera, are outstanding. Denzil Gunaratne is a rising star. The bard of Hultsdorf, Mervyn Casie Chetty, and instructing attorneys, Oxonian Michael Sproule, and Deejan De Saram. In the field of sports Thomians have excelled. The first Ceylonese to play for Ceylon in the colonial era was, A.C.Ahmath.Six, have captained Sri Lanka in cricket, D.L.De Saram, S.Saravanamuttu, V.G.Prins, Michael Tissera, Anura Tennekoon and Duleep Mendis.

While the aforementioned did well with the bat and ball, Thomians have also done well as cricket administrators. Robert Senanayake, Dr.N.M.Perera and Ian Peiris were good Presidents of the Board of Control of cricket. But,the greatest contribution to the administration of cricket was accomplished by someone who never held office. His name is Clifford Ratwatte. He was instrumental, in cleaning up the corrupt mess that had befallen the Board of Control for Cricket, and in appointing, the present interim board. Sri Lanka cricket has flourished since then.

The number of Thomians who have excelled in other sports are too many to mention.. In tennis, Rupert Ferdinands,D.D.N.Selvadurai and P.S.Kumara, who was also, a stylish batsman and won the prize for Batting in the year he played. Niranjan Sinnethamby in swimming, and A.C. Dassanaike and S. Thangavelu in boxing have excelled, in their respective sports.

In the field of music and drama, three Thomians have achieved international recognition. They are the brothers, Rohan And Druvi De Saram and Keith Potger who was the lead guitarist of the internationally famous and popular pop group the "Seekers". In the Sinhala Silverscreen, the most popular film star, director and producer, Gamini Fonseka. Asoka Pieris who won the best actor award in 1999. Jith Pieris who produces English plays and musical shows.

In the field of media and journalism Thomians have made their mark. The paramount doyen in this category, standing heads and shoulders above the rest is D.R.Wijewardene,the founder of the Lake House group of Newspapers. He, was a staunch Buddhist patriot who played a key role in the independence movement. He is the grandfather of the present Leader of the Opposition. He is the father of Ranjith Wijewardena the chairman of the "Times". Nimal Welgama, is the managing director of the "Island" Newspaper group. The editors of the two leading English Daily newspapers are Thomians, Geoff Wijesinghe of the "Daily News", and Gamini Weerakoon of the "Island". The writer's favourite journalist Amita Abeysekera, was indeed outstanding.

In the mercantile sector, the Senior Partner of Ford Rhodes, and Thornton, Rajan Asirwathan. Rajan, is the son of old Mr.Asirwathan,who was one of the great teachers at STC, who taught the writer English. Apart from being a good teacher, he had high ideals and integrity. He would have been as proud as the writer was, when his son declined any remuneration, when appointed chairman of the Bank of Ceylon. Thomians, making their mark in the mercantile sector are far too numerous to mention. However, picking a few at random, Michael Soysa, Chairman Liptons, in the tea industry, Anil Amarasuriya, general manager of Sampath Bank, Capt Ryle Mendis, in shipping ,and last but by no means least, the Equestrian, Kareoke champion, the life and soul of the Stallion tent, and representing the garment industry, the Chairman of Butani Exports, Prakash Butani are worthy of due recognition.

If STC is famous for the above products of the school, it is also famous for the ones that were refused admission.

The most famous of those is Anura Bandaranaike. The Bandaranaikes' and all their near relations are staunch and true Thomians. So, naturally, SWRD wanted to enter Anura to STC. However, Canon De Saram snubbed the Prime Minister of the day, by refusing to admit Anura. In this, very clearly, Canon De Saram was wrong. Whatever the differences he had with SWRD he should never ever have taken it out on the son and heir. Because of this acrimony, SWRD was never invited to be chief Guest on the prize giving day. SWRD a loyal Thomian would have liked to be the chief Guest. The brilliant orator that he was, the boys and other guests missed a treat.

And what a differences this has made to Anura. If the good Canon admitted him, he would have been the writer Ranil's classmate. With this benign company, Anura would no doubt have been the present Prime Minister. Instead, he was forced to attend Royal College and became the classmate of the other Ranil. As a result, he, the poor fellow is now languishing in jail, otherwise known as the opposition benches.We must hasten to add that no disrespect to Royal College is ever intended by the writers. In fact, Thomians respect all schools but have the highest respect for their traditional rival Royal and that school on the hill, known as the best school of all, Trinity College.

More seriously though, the incidents with regard to Anura and Evin have been cited to show how the warden was able and willing to displease the Prime Minister of the day. The requests of two Prime Ministers, Dudley and SWRD were declined. Led by the warden, the other teachers followed suit. They and the boys of the school were no respecters of the sons of the rich and powerful. All were treated equally. A lesson in humility, was taught to those who got out of line. Strict discipline was maintained. This was another key factor that made STC a great school.

"Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day"

Thomians young will not know the difference. Thomian old will know that the school has declined.

The school has declined in many ways;

(1) The failiure of the Bishop of Colombo, who exercises overwhelming influence on the Board of Governors, hereinafter refered to as the BOG, to appoint a suitable Warden for the college. The Bishop, in addition to his overwhelming power on the BOG has the right of veto, on the appointment of the warden. Therefore, the Bishop of Colombo has to assume full responsibility for the aborted appointment. Perhaps, God and the spirits, of the previous great wardens and old boys, acted through the Supreme Court. The fact that the issue had to be litigated upon is not a good reflection on the Lord Bishop. However, God has given the Bishop another opportunity. It is our fervent Prayer that he, this time around, will accept the advise of eminent members of the BOG, who have been refered to, earlier on in the article, and make an enlightened Choice,in order to, resurrect the school to its previous glory.The relationship between the school and the Bishop which formerly led to its prosperity, but now contributes to its decline is reverted to later on in the article.

(2) The Old Boys Association, hereinafter refered to as the OBA has also to be blamed The sordid avarice for positions, which leads some to indulge in writing malicious letters anonymously, and rig elections, is a sacrilegions insult to their Alma Mater, STC, which is sacrosanct. Perhaps, the OBA should consider, term limitations and Changes to election procedures to eliminate this atrocious practice. The membership of anyone who indulges in ungentlemanly practices, should be terminated.

(3) The strength of STC was its boarding. The fact that it was more of an all island school,than any other contributed to the diversity of the boys and hence added to its strength.

The great boarding houses Miller, Chapman, Coplesten and Claugton should be Restored. A certain quota should be reserved for boys from outer provinces. A special Quota should be reserved for boys from the Northern and Eastern provinces which are sadly affected by our deplorable civil war.

If there is any tendancy for the people of any particular town, and any particular caste or creed to regard that STC belongs to them, this tendancy should be excised forthwith. STC should never ever be an exclusively, Anglican school. With respect and gratitude to the founding father, Bishop Chapman and a host of others who have contributed so greatly to STC, the school should always be managed by the Anglican Church. Ideally, the Warden should be an anglican priest. This is a formula that has proved its success. (4) Taking all facts into account, the writer personally feels that the Rev.Duleep Chickera is the best choice to be warden. Father Duleep is a Royalist whom STC has acquired without compensation. The fact that he is a Royalist adds to his strength. This article is dedicated to Premalal. Both father Duleep and Premalal are good gentlemen. Both loved the school enormously. In the writers eye both had a flaw. Both reconciled themselves to mediocrity. Several years ago the writer suggested to them individually that STC should raise standards by introducing an English stream. Both scoffed and rejected the idea. Both thought that having an English stream would make STC eliteist. Both were dead wrong.

It is the bounden duty of the school to offer the student the best possible education. Just as much as it is the bounden duty of the Lord Bishop to appoint the best possible Person to be Warden so that STC is enabled to offer its students the best possible education. Knowledge and education is the greatest gift that God has given mankind. It must be admitted that a better education can be received in the English Language. Today, it is the people's choice.

Looked at from another standpoint, the founding father Bishop Chapman and great Wardens that followed never intended the school to be average. Like Fraser of Trinity College Kandy, the Wardens of STC always intended that the school to be the best school in the world. This is not eliteist. Indeed, if every school in Sri Lanka strived to be the best, the entire nation will prosper. Therefore it can be clearly seen, that the pursuit of excellence is a noble goal of egalitarianism and is not in any way in conflict with it. Let us at this stage quote Rev.Buck a warden of STC in his farewell letter to the school.

" You belong to one of the best schools in the world, a school with splendid traditions and a most honourable name and I charge you to try and hand down those traditions and that name to those who come after you, untarnished and unimpaired."

And a message that some members of the OBA could do well to heed.

"Be proud of being Thomians, and make the college proud of numbering you among its sons. Remember that whatever you do, and where ever you go, your life and your actions will reflect either credit or discredit on the college where you were trained and to which you owe so much. You have learned the best lessons in the world at STC, I trust not only English and Classics and Mathematics, but true manliness and truth. Courage, purity, and all those things that make a man and a gentleman. Try never to forget them, but be men and gentlemen always".

These profound thoughts written by a great warden and a true christian, setting high standards of excellence that each and every Thomian should try to live upto and be the living testimony of, regardless of petty divisions of race, caste and creed.

Not surprisingly, many old boys consider Warden Buck's period to be the "Golden Era" of STC.

(5) Presently, each member of the BOG can nominate two candidates to be admitted to STC. From a management and organizational point of view and from many other points of view, this is a bad practice and must be discontinued forthwith.

The BOG must not interfere with the Wardens prerogative to run the day to day administration of the school or in matters such as whom to admit and who is to be sacked. We are back to Anura and Ewin. Even if the Warden makes a gross mistake, such as in the case of Anura, the BOG should hesitate to interfere. A warden is human, however great he may be. It is human to err. The reason for this is that any interference by the BOG on a decision made by the Warden would inevitably and disasterously undermine the authority of the Warden. Can anyone imagine even for a nanosecond Warden Canon De Saram tolerating any such interferances? No way! However, that does not mean that the BOG has no role to play. It should set the standards of high excellence and define the guidelines within which the Warden should act. The warden should be held accountable but should never be deprived of the authority of discretion.

Having said that we shall revert as promised earlier to the Bishops of Colombo, in their Sweet and Sour relationship with STC.

First and foremost the early English Bishops of Colombo were appointed by the archbishop of Canterbury on behalf of the Church of England. The later Sri Lankan Bishops were elected by the Diocese of Colombo . In pastoral care, the Sri Lankan Bishops being indegenous, may well have been more effective.

However, when it comes to education and the administration of schools like STC the English bishops had a distinct advantage. They had the benefit of the vast experience the church of England had in running public schools in England.

If we consider the background of Bishop Chapman the aforementioned assertion becomes crystal clear. Bishop Chapman schooled at Eton, which is one of the first four leading English public schools owned and managed by the church of England. The other three leading schools were and are Harrow, Rugby, and Winchester.He won a scholarship to Kings college, Cambridge. In order to achieve this he must have been an outstanding scholar. He was a master at Eton and was ordained sometime later. Chapman was a short listed candidate for the headmastership of Harrow.

As a mere example, the background of Bishop Kenneth is no match. It's chalk and cheese. Therefore, the Lord Bishop Kenneth can serve God, the church and STC best by playing a reduced role in the affairs of STC and be guided more by the eminent old boys of unimpeachable integrity, and high academic achievement, in the BOG.

The Sri Lankan Bishops prior to Bishop Kenneth had a great and unbounded love for STC. Bishops Harold, Cyril Abeynaike and Swithin are counted in this number. After all, although the Anglican Church, owns and manages many good schools, STC is the Jewel on the Crown.

Bishop Harold of course made a Hymalayan blunder by appointing the good reverend Selvaratnam as Warden. Reverand Selvaratnam of course was a good priest before and after his term as Warden of STC. He had impeccable paper qualifications, which must have impressed Bishop Harold. However, if Bishop Harold had taken the trouble to throw a small tea party and spend an evening with Reverend Selvaratnam, the writer is sure he would not have appointed him.

Rev.Selvaratnam's great weakness was that he could not speak one sentence in English without murdering the Queen. Everytime he opened his mouth, Buckingham palace had to call an ambulance. Moreover, he had no knowledge of the traditions of the school or its popular sports. He announced to the school, at assembly that the first eleven will play Rugby football against St.Peters. The Rugby captain invited him to witness the match he said that he will come after the lunch interval.

The writer recalls very vividly being caned, six of the best by warden Selvaratnam.This was mere water on a ducks back, as the writer was well experienced. After all, the saintly and very competent warden Davidson, a far stronger weilder of the cane, had whacked him well over fifty times.

In any event these canings are supposed to have a sound moral impact. The writer had his. At the third stroke of Rev.Selvaratnam's cane, with the posterior on fire, like a Thunderbolt from heavan, it dawned on the writer, in a flash of divine inspiration, that in a world of justice, the position should have been reversed. The writer was being caned for a minor misdemeanour, which was for smoking a ciggarette. I should have been caning him, for ruining the education of over a thousand and four hundred schoolboys.

Reverand Selvaratnam was a total misfit in a sports oriented school, that prided itself on their high standard of English. Although a good man, he could not inspire the respect of the staff, and the boys of the school.

The great moral lesson of the above story is that, the warden of STC should be selected with greater care. No one worthy of the job will apply to a two by two advertisement in a Newspaper. The BOG should take the initiative and search for a good warden. Rev.Chikera, Frank Jayasinghe, Ralph Alles and Yoheshan Casie Chetty are examples of the calibre required. The BOG should not shirk from selecting an expatriate if a suitable local candidate is not available.

Bishop Kenneth is heir to a line of Bishops who loved STC, and contributed greatly to the welfare and progress of the school. By his performance, he has not demonstrated as yet, any great love for the school. God has given him another chance. He should realise that there is a symbiotic relationship between the church and STC. We pray that he makes the right choice.

"Under the shadow of thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure
Sufficient is thy arm alone
And our defence is sure"

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