GALLERY OF EVENTS - OBA AGM and Re-Union 2003

Senior Old Boys arrive at College

Score Board donated by Sarath Suraweera

Wanni, Gamini, LJ, Sunda , Mr.Alam and Sarath in front of the Score Board

Openers leave the Pavilion

The Bar Tenders

Sunil & the Headmaster

Kamal Nilaweera, Joe Rajakaruna & Sydney Abeykoon

Krishantha & Ajith

Jayantha & Palitha

A Player receiving an award

Duleep with Old Boys at the Pool.

B. Muna Ready To Swim

B Muna Takes a Dive

The Band at the Pool

Old Boys at Lunch - Sydney, Ajith & Others

Mahen takes up Lasantha'a challenge for a game of squash.

Lasantha Fagged Out

Duleep at Fellowship

Dulip with Upali Gunaratne.

Rizvi, Gamini, Bandu & Sunil

Chintha Dias, Mrs.Nihal Fernando & Fr.Nihal at Dinner

OBA AGM & Re Union - 2003.

1. Efforts are being made to conduct the Re-Union Celebrations in a more organised manner. It is intended to start the Cricket Match on time. Old Boys wishing to play are being contacted in Colombo itself. Two Trophies are to be awarded to the Best Batsman and to the Best Bowler. A Score Board is being put up by an Old Boy which is to be ceremonially declared open before the commencement of the match. If all goes well we are hoping to exhibit some films done by Dr.R L Hayman of Old Boys Annual Re-Union Celebrations and other events of interest on Friday at the Foster Hall. For the first time a contest is being organised in the Swimming Pool in the form of a Medley Relay between Old Boys and present Students. So also a Basketball match between the Old Boys and Present Students. Two Old Boys have challenged each other to a Squash Duel to open the newly refurbished Squash Court. The looser will pay Rs.10,000/- towards Squash at College. The day’s events will be covered by a Video Cameraman.

2. The Fellowship is to be had in the lawn/quadrangle of the Junior Dorms provided the weather keeps fine. Music appropriate for the occasion will be provided by a DJ from Colombo. Dinner will be in the new Dining Hall with all Old Boys sitting down together after grace is said by the Chaplain. All Old Boys have been requested to come in their best attire, Lounge or National (at least in tie) for this occasion.
3. Attention has been given by the Ex-Co to requirements of College in the Dormitories, Classrooms, Toilets, Staff Quarters, Sports Facilities and Equipment, Scholarships, Laboratory Equipment, Books for the Library, Audio Visual Equipment, Teaching Aids for the Classrooms, improving standard of English, reviving the Farm, relieving the Headmaster of routine Administrative matters, health of all campus residents, their recreational activities discipline, neatness and tidiness in the Dormitories and general cleanliness in the College, landscaping etc, etc. In these endeavours individual Old Boys have taken the lead and even before the Association could assist College made their own contributions, some of which have been unique and without parallel in the history of the College and of the Association.

Newsletter No.5
February 11,2003

The indefatigable Lakshman Jayatilaka led a Sub-Committee to organize the celebrations. “A few of us were in Guru from Thursday (21st) morning attending to last minute details” he writes. “One of our guys is Sunda (T. Sundararaj) who was clearing drains and even busy with an ekel broom, sweeping the compound. He offered to come at least once in three months to repeat the performance. Hows Zat! [So Sunda repeated this work during April New Year holidays as well.] Various controls were in place not merely for the sake of good order but to serve a purpose. For instance a Note of Welcome was handed over to each old boy by security at the main gate which kept a tab on ‘outsiders’ and also to get a count of the numbers (140) for catering purposes, so as to eliminate wasteful and excessive preparations. Thereby hangs a tale. We had heard that for many years now, food leakages to the village, was the order of the day. Therefore the Dorms had notices indicating that tickets at Rs 500.00 were to be purchased to defray costs and that the A.G.M. was for “Members only”, thus inducing the enrolment of 18 old boys half an hour before the A.G.M.

For all that, it takes “Two to Tango”. And in lighter vein - celebrations were to take off with the cricket match. It had the makings of a farce. The present boys had been given an enforced mid term holiday. The school team was short of three, and the master in charge was away sitting an examination. The matting was still being laid at 9.30 a.m. by the students half an hour after the scheduled start of play. The bats and gear were not available at the pavilion and had to be called for item by item from the far corners of the grounds. The bats had no grips and placing new grips wasted more valuable playing time. There was no umpire from the school, and a young student who was dragooned to function, hardly knew the game. There were only 3 good wickets (stumps) and the remaining wickets had been cut from a tree. The original wickets had been lost after the sports meet the previous day. There were no bails and these were brought in after several overs had been bowled. As for swimming, there were no regular swimmers. Finally a ragtag collection of cricketers and basketball players comprised the College Swimming Team Vs the Old boys. Everything seemed scripted for a film for the Marx Bros. but in the sixties, Boys were required to play in these matches to qualify for Colours.

Old boys who arrived on Friday (22nd) were entertained to a film show of Dr. Haymans old films. Some films had been of Reunion Celebrations (1959-1963). What a contrast of the changed times it brought out! Then the entire school of some 300 boys, were on the grounds cheering the cricket and hockey matches and participating in the evening refreshments. In recent times not a single student was there to witness/participate in the celebrations other than those playing in matches and that too, of teams rustled up presumably from boys who for one reason or the other could not go for the enforced holiday.

The pre-dinner “Fellowship Cocktails” was held in the quadrangle to the accompaniment of light music provided by a D.J. sponsored by L.J.!

The dinner itself attempted to recapture the dignity and decorum of better times. Many responded to the request to maintain a fitting code of dress and the whole company was at the tables in orderly fashion for the dinner to commence with Grace said by the Chaplain. A sound system was in place for the ‘after dinner’ speeches. Upali Gunaratne, a former M.P. responded from amongst the old boys and referred mainly to the present Headmaster (who had taught him) and his soft heartedness; on one occasion having had to cane a whole class, he had retreated to his quarters in tears.

The food, served for all meals from Friday dawn to Sunday lunch, was pre-planned by Mahen Ranasinghe. Ambul Thiyal was brought from Colombo, chicken and beef were served with almost all meals. Unlimited eggs were provided; as also string hoppers and milk rice which had not been served for over a decade. Every meal had Caramel Pudding or Watalappan or Ice Cream plus pineapples and plantains. The menus were given to the Food Matron on 7th February, two weeks before and several meetings were held with her to fine tune every aspect of quality and service. But the result was “the best laid schemes of mice and men, gang aft agley” *(Scottish – go awry) – Robert Burns. Our thanks to Mahen for the salvage operation – which saved the reputation.

Newsletter No.6
2003

Secretary's Report AGM 2003

Minutes of AGM 2003