STCG PRIZE GIVING 2008 – OCTOBER 08, 2008

1. The Annual Prize Giving is considered the most important Event in the School Calendar. This year the Chief Guest was Mr. Gerald A. W. De Alwis, an Old Boy (1945) who represented College in Cricket and Hockey, returned to teach in College (1952-1956) was the House Master of Reid and was later Manager of the School for 15 years and also a Member of the Board of Governors of the School for 25 years – a record not easy to match if one considers Association with the Institution.

2. The College Oriental Dancers were assembled at the Old Entrance of the College. The College Scouts trained by Fr H. C. Goodchild had lined the route from there to the Administration Block.

3. The Chief Guest had arrived earlier on in the morning with Christo Gonawala, the former Manager of the College and presently a Vice President of the OBA. Immediately before the commencement of the Welcome Ceremony Mr P.S.Duleep Kumar a Distinguished Pioneer Old Boy who had himself been on the Staff of the College together with Mr.Navaz Caffoor another Pioneer Old Boy and Mr.Nihal Wanniarachchi an Old Boy who had served on several Ex-Co’s of the OBA drove in.

4. The Chief Guest; Rev. Marc Billimoria, the Headmaster; Mr.Jacques Huyghebaert the Advisor; Ven. Dhiloraj Canagasabey, Archdeacon of Nuwara Eliya; Mrs.Sita Jayasekera, Sectional Head of the Upper School; Mr. K M T Pushpakumara Sectional Head of the Middle School; Mr.V W Dikkumbura, Sectional Head of the Lower School and Prefect of Discipline; Rev. Andrew Gnanaiah, Chaplain; Mr. S. Madawela, Prefect of Games; and A W S T Gomes, Head Prefect were assembled at the Entrance together with some Old Boys.

5. Two of the College horses, Faith & Hope from the College Riding Club led the procession after the blowing of conch shells. The dancers were immediately behind and were followed by the distinguished guests and others. After the guard of honour the Chief Guest and the Archdeacon were invited to hoist the College and National Flags. Thereafter they were led to the Entrance of the Foster Memorial Hall. The staff were assembled on either side of the entrance. The Chief Guest was introduced to the members of the Staff by the Headmaster. Thereafter the Chief Guest and the Archdeacon were garlanded by 02 boys from the Lower School.

6. In the meantime the entire student body and parents were assembled in the hall. Led by Fr. Harold Goodchild the staff then walked in to the hall and took their places on stage. Mr R. P. Premadasa and Shantha of the Headmaster’s Office and Support Staff respectively were at hand on the stage to attend to the Public Address System. Mr. S. Kaviharan, Old Boy and IT Instructor acted as the Master of Ceremonies. As the assembled gathering stood up the distinguished guests walked in to the hall led by the Deputy Head Prefect carrying the College Flag and 04 other School Prefects carrying the house flags.

7. The first formality was the lighting of the oil lamp. This was done by the Chief Guest; the Archdeacon of Nuwara Eliya ; the Headmaster; Jacques Huyghebaert; Christo Gonawela; the Chaplain, the Sectional Heads and Prefect of Games; Mr. R M Sumathipala of the College Woodwork Shop representing the support staff; Mrs. Viswalingathas representing the parents; and A W S T Gomes, the Head Prefect. Thereafter the distinguished guests took their seats on the stage. Mr. L A. M. Chandrasekera the Headmaster of STC, Bandarawela; the Acting Sub Warden of STC Mt. Lavinia, Mr M. D. Maurice; the present Manager Mr. Lincoln Fernando and Mr. Indrajith Fernando, the Treasurer of the Board of Governors of the College were also accommodated in the front row of the stage. The entire staff were accommodated on the stage the back drop of which was the College Flag.

8. Before the Prayer a Special Dance item was presented by the Oriental Dancers and Singers who had recently emerged first at the Provincial level competitions. Senior Girls too participated in the dance item. The Dancers had been trained by Mr. G. P. Prematilleke, the Dancing Master and the singers by Mr. Dushan Sugathapala, the Music Master who had also trained the Oriental Band.

9. Thereafter the Hymn for Sri Lanka by Revd W. S. Senior was sung followed by the College Prayer read by the Chaplain.

10. The Headmaster then presented his Report. He mentioned that His Lordship the Rt. Rev. Duleep de Chickera was to be present, but due to some important work that had suddenly arisen had to cancel same but that Ven Dhiloraj Canagasabey had been requested by His Lordship to represent him. The Headmaster detailed the various activities of the College during the year that had gone by. After the Headmaster’s Report was presented he called upon the Chief Guest to deliver his address. The Chief Guest referred to the days he had spent as a student in College, the facilities and the infrastructure that were available then. He also mentioned that there was a recent revival of the College, and listening to the Headmaster’s Report it was obvious the College was making rapid progress. At the end of his speech he was called upon to give away the prizes. A notable feature was that some students walked away a with a large number of prizes. There were many girls among the prize winners. There was loud cheering when the Prestigious Awards were presented. After several years the Prize List had been put in to some order and rationalized.

11. This year’s Prize Giving had a special feature in that Members of the Staff who had completed one year service were given a Service Award. So also members of the Academic Staff who had served between 05 and 10 years and also over 25 years received Special Tokens in appreciation of their long service. Mrs. Sita Jayasekera and Mrs.Chintha Dias who have both served College for over 25 years received loud cheering. Fr. Harold Goodchild too was awarded a Special Token for his long service of over 40 years.

12. Mr.Christo Gonawela proposed the Vote of Thanks, at the conclusion of which special tokens from the OBA were handed over to Mrs. Sita Jayasekera and Mrs. Chintha Dias of the Academic Staff and also to Mr. R. P. Premadasa and Mrs. E. Karandagoda of the Administrative staff.

13. The Head Prefect then seconded the Vote of Thanks and pleaded with the Chief Guest to use his influence and prevail upon the Headmaster to give the academic staff as well the members of the admin and support staff who had worked very hard to make the day’s special event successful, a well deserved holiday on Monday October 13, 2008! To the loud cheers of the entire student body the Chief Guest announced that the Head Master had taken in to account the Head Prefect’s request and had agreed to grant the well deserved Holiday to the staff. The Students would naturally share in the respite given to the Staff!!

14. The College Song was sung lustily followed by the National Anthem to music provided by the Oriental Band and this was followed by three hearty cheers to the Chief Guest led by the Head Prefect.

15. An Art Exhibition had been arranged immediately after the Prize Giving, to which parents and other visitors were invited. Mr. P. S. Duleepkumar declared open the Exhibition.

16. Amongst other Old Boys present were Ananda Gallearachchi, Buddhika kurukularatna and Lakshman Jayatilaka.

17. Once again Gurutalawa witnessed an important event which had been organised meticulously and with clinical precision. One could clearly distinguish the imprint of the Headmaster, Rev.Marc Billimoria in the day’s events.

18. Student Asanka Wadigamangawa of the College Photographic Club assisted in capturing the Images of the Prize Giving.