People and Events

• Appeal for funds
• Al Islam reaches milestone
• Small beginnings and large vision

Appeal for funds

The Kumbabishekam (consecration ceremony) of Kurinchikk Kumaran Kovil Peradeniya will be held on July1. The renovation and restoration work now under way requires more funds and the organising committee solicits donations.

Contributions can be directed to the Account No 165 004997 7 at People’s Bank, Peradeniya. Donations can also be made at the temple.

Al Islam reaches milestone

To survive for 25 years in turbu- lent times is a great thing. Al Islam, the Muslim publication has done just that as they reach this milestone today (May 17).

My association with the founder editors of Al Islam - Hamza Hanifa and T.M.Deen - first developed when we were journalists working on the Ceylon Daily News. I must say that these two journalists had a great hand in the development of my career and I take great pleasure in penning these few words to mark Al Islam’s progress.

Muslims have always been handicapped without a newspaper to champion the Islamic cause and in the early days Hamza and Deen, both were old boys of Zahira College Colombo and later contemporaries at the Colombo University. Together with their love for wrestling, physical culture, rugby-football and of course journalism,they pooled their resources to produce Al Islam.

Those who are associated with newspaper work will know that a lot of hard work goes into the production of a new publication. Hamza and Deen worked late into nights overcoming many hardships before the publication finally hit the stands for the first time in January 1966.

Since then the paper has been championing the cause of Islam the world over and according to some of the articles appearing in the Al Islam itself, their greatest setback had been from Muslims themselves, who did not like some things being highlighted.

Al Islam had a setback of sorts when their editors had to go abroad. Hamza to work in the Hong Kong Standard and Deen to the United States, where he is now Development Editor at the United Nations and Senior Defence Analyst at Jane’s Defence Weekly. Hamza, however came back to rekindle the flames of the Al Islam and is continuing the good work.

One of the most enduring qualities of Al Islam is that it has refused to be the mouthpiece of any Muslim politician or political organisation. - (RA)

Small beginnings and large vision

This article has been written to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of the founding of S. Thomas’ Preparatory School, Kollupitiya. It is primarily on the observations and impressions of one who has been intimately associated with the school from 1952.

The school came into existence due to its founder, the late W.T. Keble, who had for many years toyed with the idea of founding a Preparatory School for boys and ventured on the project in 1938 at the site in Kollupitiya which he obtained from the Diocese.

The buildings were available for cleaning and for the necessary preparation less than a month before the school opened for the first time. It was a Herculean task cleaning this stable - an empty ‘Fort Rose’, for the commencement of a new school. The school being equipped with the basic requirements, (for the school and hostel), commenced at 8.45 a.m. on the 17th of May, 1938.

In 1941 with great faith and generosity J.L.D. Peiris gifted the first new building of the school. On Easter Day 1942 the Japanese raided Colombo and every school was ordered to close. Some of the boys were sheltered in Bishop’s College, while others moved to the branch at Bandarawela. In 1943 the Colombo branch started again in the bungalow in Alwis Place.

The second period of growth began in 1946 when the school was back at 98, Steuart Place, Kollupitiya, and continues to be there. The beginnings were on a small scale. The campus consisted of the two storeyed building known as Fort Rose to serve all purposes - classrooms, library, chapel, dining room, office, dormitory and the adjoining bungalow, Holywell which housed the kindergarten and the lady resident staff. On that first day there were 84 boys in the school, 57 in Std. II to V and 27 boys in the kindergarten. Behind all these small beginnings however, there was a large vision and deep faith.

The new Headmaster the late J.T.R. Perinpanayagam had resumed work in 1951. He was a stern disciplinarian, an exceptionally well qualified and gifted Headmaster as well as an experienced teacher. On a bright sunny morning accompanied by Ms.W.T. Abraham my entrance into the portals of Prep. school was made. I viewed stretches of dusty land with three solitary buildings. My acting appointment was for three months, but little did I realize that I would be absorbed into the permanent staff and be there to celebrate my silver jubilee.

The Tamil stream had been started and many affluent parents were sending their prodigies to this school. In my mind passed the thought ‘A small but great school’ and during that acting period I was called upon to assist with the new admisssions for the year 1953.

To my surprise there were parents from all walks of life, the rich and poor, the highly educated and those with a semblance of education. The procedure was highly confidential. The test over, the mark list and remarks were handed to the Headmaster and he made his selection of boys. To this day you find the clamour for admissions to this prestigious school. The school is only sixty years old with very limited space, but there is a quality that permeates from within the institution - discipline, integrity of character and a lasting devotion to the Almighty.

On June 17, 1952 the opening of the new building took place. This consisted of the office and set of new classrooms which was partitioned with wooden screens and removed to be used for school functions such as concerts, the school prize-giving and exhibitions. This hall had a stage on which the Std. V classroom was housed. Later this building was demolished and on its floor stands the office, Art room and class rooms for years 2 and 3. The necessity for a Good Chapel for the boys to begin the day with praise and worship was accomplished. The Chapel of the Good Shepherd was declared open on 16th May, 1957 by the Lord Bishop of Colombo Rt. Rev. Archibald Graham Campbell.

The foundation laying ceremony of the hall block took place on Nov. 26 1959. On March 15, 1961 the hall & block of classrooms was blessed and declared open by his Lordship the Bishop of Colombo. The Senior School block comprising classrooms, the Laboratries, the Ceramic room, Music room, staff room and canteen was declared open in 1970. A new block of classrooms took the place of the old pavilion and came into use in 1986.

S. Thomas’ Preparatory School has not produced presidents and prime ministers, but the school is proud that it has sent out hundreds of boys who now are eminent doctors, lawyers, teachers, accountants, professors and lecturers to serve in our country and in many parts of the world.

The school has been extremely fortunate to have had headmasters who have been bestowed with the qualities necessary to steer the school on to higher ground.

When the late J.T.R. Perinpanayagam laid down the reins of office, the responsibility fell on the shoulders of J.S.L. Fernando, a worthy successor who was closely associated with the school.

He gave of his best . When his term of office was drawing to a close, he used to often tell the staff to pray for a good Headmaster.

Thanks be to God, N.Y.Casie Chetty took over. I have worked under him for the last three years and found that there could not have been a better choice.

I conclude with these words from Psalm 127:1

“Except the Lord build the House, they
Labour in vain who build it;
except the Lord Guard the city,
The watchman waketh but in vain”. - By a Senior Member of the Staff

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