Madness and Sadness
picture credit: Daily News
Before I could read the
printed version of Part II, I received the following feedback from USA , which means
that there are many versions to this popular story:
"Hi, I am a Sebastianite
living in USA. The story about killing two birds with one stone, the version
that I heard was slightly different. It goes like this: He threw the Kettha to the centre, so it planted in
the middle of two animals. Then he aimed his gun and fired his only bullet,
which hit the Kettha and split into two and hit the animals instantaneously
killing them - Moratuwa Porak"
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The most memorable event
during our time was the annual cricket match between St. Sebastian's College
and PWC. Those who are familiar with the geography of Prince of Wales College
will know that the vast cricket ground is facing the main Galle road. When the
English cricketer Dennis Compton once visited Sri Lanka, and played
at the Prince of Wales College grounds, it is said that spectators watching
from top of huge trees, which were planted far beyond boundary
lines, had to duck when he pulled out massive ‘sixes’ ‘over the main road
through the branches of trees!
The College compound
became a bee-hive with students from both colleges during the rival match with
cheering in many forms, while some got into lorries and started waving flags,
chanted slogans, sang songs and played steel bands to give a real carnival
atmosphere. More than a game for the cricketers, it became a fun day for
spectators!
First lesson
Once during the annual
‘rival’ match, a popular teacher from St. Sebastian's College who was renowned
for his side-splitting acts, especially for gulping two raw eggs at the end of
the first lesson during a double period, was seen taking his rosary out of his
pocket swiftly and praying to God, perhaps seeking divine help to save St.
Sebastian's from defeat.........!
Some boys, having caught
his presence, dashed towards him, grabbed and lifted him and carried him on
their arms round the grounds shouting, "He is a jolly good fellow..... He is a jolly good fellow......".
The uncomfortable master had no choice while he was hurled up and down in the
air.
Carrying eggs in his
jacket pocket by this teacher for ‘emergency
energy boost up’ was an open secret among the boys! One impish student in
the rush, while he was being carried while students chanted, ‘he is a jolly
good fellow’, grabbed hold of his jacket and squeezed both pockets hard while
he was swinging up and down in the air. The eggs broke and made a mess inside
his jacket pocket. The poor master must have been cursing the culprit for the
inconvenience caused, but unfortunately he had to be in that position until he
was put down on to the ground before any cleaning out of the pocket could be
done.
Schoolmasters during our
time were modest. A few of them used push bicycles as a means of transport and
cycled to school and back. The above mentioned master was well built and always
dressed in a western attire - shirt with collar, neck tie and jacket, Pith
Helmet hat made from plastic, cotton and a leather strap and highly polished
shoes. He could be recognised from any distance on the road as he paddled
his bicycle twice in forward motion, and freewheeled four times backwards at 5
MPH.
Once a young boy,
a fisherman’s son, who was learning to ride a bicycle on the Koralawella -Moratuwa
road swerved, went zig zag in trying to get his balance back. Whilst he
became unsteady and was about to lose his balance, he was seen riding abreast with
the master. The next minute the young man quickly hung on to his right shoulder
to escape from falling off the bike. Looking straight ahead in fright, and
still freewheeling, he shouted, ' Hey! Amanaya,
Atha Harapan, Atha Harapan' (you monster, leave off), but within seconds
both of them fell onto the road without much injury.
Skipping lessons
Once some boys in my
class decided to lock the ‘geometrical
drawing’ master out, by shutting all windows and the louver-door in a
classroom immediately underneath the College clock. Earning a reputation as a
bunch of notorious 'incorrigibles,' who were being transferred from one class room
to another, after every act of mischief, teachers were naturally thrown into
perplexity not knowing where we were.
It happened to be the
last period of the day and boys managed to hold up till the final ten minutes
in complete darkness until a curious student slightly shifted louvers in a
window to take a glimpse, when the particular teacher was in the corridor very
next to the classroom and walking in a haze.
An excited voice within
the classroom shouted "shut it....
shut it.. Men," which gave a clue to the master where we were hiding.
Within minutes a thundering voice was heard saying : "Open the bloody door" with a forceful kick, which nearly flung
the doors open. Someone in the classroom whispered: "Don't open... don't open," but the enraged voice thundered
even louder: "Never you mind,
open the bloody d.....o .....o... r........!" . Next moment, enraged Principal
entered the classroom like a rocket with a long cane.
Sorrow amidst fun
Gnashing his teeth, the
Principal wanted to know who was responsible for the loutish act. Dead silence
of unity prevailed, as usual, and the final result being we all received three
cane lashings on our buttocks.
In the midst of the
hullaballoo the final bell to dismiss the college went off, but we were
detained for 45 minutes after school, for which poor teacher too had to hang
around with us (detained !!).
As much as fun and
disorderly behaviour, we experienced the most tragic moment in our time when
one of our beloved teachers committed suicide inside the laboratory by
swallowing a concentrated concoction of acid. That morning the teacher walked
up and down across the classroom in a pensive mood. At 2.45 pm, there was a pandemonium
and everyone rushed towards the laboratory with the news of a suicidal
incident.
Frightful scene
Later we learnt that our
master had befriended the lab technician in advance, and diplomatically done
his homework. On this particular afternoon, sending the lab technician out to
buy some cigarettes, he swallowed a concoction of noxious acid.
It was a frightful scene
to watch when a senior prefect (the late Ronnie Abeysinghe) carried the dying
teacher on his arms like a child. Some antidote had been administered
immediately inside the lab, but his tongue had completely dissolved along with
part of his clothes he was wearing. He was rushed immediately to
Lunawa Hospital where he died, but such madness and sadness is ingrained
in our memory as the worst experience at PWC.
It gives me the shivers,
even today, when I evoke that horrible scene. The feeling that remains with me
is that despite this misfortune, he was a great teacher even though he may have
had his own reasons for doing what he did.... something like taking his own
life! I wish we were old enough for us to have been able to talk to him. Or we
could have been there to help him out.
Daily News -2012
