Of glucose and Arrack
Picture credit - Daily News
By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando
"Nanda
Chases Kukulam." These are small remembrances which bring broad smiles to
our aging faces" Old Cambrians.
I never
expected to write so much on our school day pranks, but the nostalgia among old
Cambrians who had read the series became infectious, judging by the several
stories and incidents that have been pouring in as feedback.
What
struck me most during the series was an 82 year old Cambrian's expression from
abroad which summarised it all: "These are small remembrances which
bring broad smiles to our aging faces"!
I am
grateful to all those old Cambrians, known and unknown, from many parts of the
world, who responded positively to the series. I was overwhelmed by the fact
that it enabled to raise a smile or two of the very teachers mentioned in the
series, some of them are still amongst us, and especially to one or two who came back
with complimentary comments, and at times with some additional amusing stories to enrich
the series.
Sports
meet
So, all in
all, stories in the pipeline such as Erick Perera (Bless his Soul) picking up a
dim witted boy while teaching mathematical fractions and saying "Umbata
ganan walin nam beha Paan Walin nam puluwan" (you can't do it in
figures but can only with bread), and how a chap who stole a fowl from Kuttapa's
land and when exposed, the Principal JBC who could not do much about it, as it
was done outside the school premises, but he got his message across to the
culprit in our class, while teaching Latin by writing on the blackboard: 'Nanda Chases
Kukulam' and asking the class to conjugate verbs in the sentence;
furthermore, how some of the students ate frog curry when a Zoology teacher
convinced them a particular type of frog as edible etc., have to be shelved due
to the conclusion of the series.
An
interesting story or rather a top secret, which had been kept under wraps for
over 50 years, has surfaced after the ’re-visiting PWC series' through
interaction of emails among old Cambrians. I am withholding all identities to
avoid any embarrassment even at this late stage, but only looking at the
entertaining aspect of the incident.
Annual
sports meet was regarded as a vital event in the PWC calendar. During our time
we belonged to five inter-sports-Houses namely, Jayasooriya, Founders,
Gunawardena, Lewis and Mendis from which athletes competed to bring glory
and pride to their respective houses and finally to grab the Challenge Cup!
Usually, before the commencement of sports activities a ceremonial March Past
took place with members of each House led by a pole bearer carrying the
respective House Flag.
The
narrated story is about an incident when an individual, who had no knowledge whatsoever
of Cadetting becoming the pole bearer and marching with 'chest forward and a
prominently protruded posterior' (C....F..., P ....B!) in an awkward pose,
which gave an eye full to the onlookers. Even to this day those who remember
the incident exclaim, "Oh! What a scene it was"..... ....!
The vital
part of the story is about energising athletes as they took part in various
events in the hot sun, and to ensure they did not get dehydrated. For this very
purpose glucose was mixed in abundance with water making it a refreshing drink.
One smart House Captain, with the presence of mind, decided to mix
approximately quarter bottle of arrack into the basin of glucose to work as a
catalyst to boost performances of athletes who represented his House.
The 'pole
bearer', probably getting high spirited with the consumption of 'glucose
drink' was seen doing rapid visits back and forth to the track area and to the
marquee where the glucose drink was being served until the whole basin full of
the 'spirited' drink was consumed by all.
Journey
through Wales
The
ultimate result was that the new formula with adulterated glucose with an
arrack base, had done the trick for the particular House where some of the
athletes who normally ended up at the fourth position or less, astoundingly
finished as the first in many events, thus enhancing the rating and helped the
particular house to grab 76 percent of all the trophies. It was considered a 'massive
haul' by any means and the House Captain and athletes finally ended up
posing for a photograph at a studio at Kurusagas Handiya.
At one
time Merrill de Silva and Brindley Perera were joint editors for the College
Magazine (The Cambrian), while late Messrs APM Peiris and Nobert
Dias were school editors. Prior to the release of the college magazine Nobert
Dias met with a tragic death and the Principal late JBC Rodrigo insisted that
'a stop press article' be inserted in that issue, which was
written by A.P.M. Peiris. In the same issue, a senior engineer at the then
Radio Ceylon, the late R.E.H. Perera, published an article captioned, "A
Journey through Wales," which described an outing in the UK where
en-route they had come across a large burial mound on which was inscribed the
PWC motto with three feathers.
The entire
group had sprung up to attention at once, and sung the Welsh National Anthem, "Among
our ancient mountains...........". Mr. Perera's memory had
instantaneously flashed back to his Alma Mater PWC,which made him sing by
himself after the chorus.
Perera's
solo version of the song led to incredulity of the locals in the visiting party who
had wondered as to how this foreigner knew the Welsh National Anthem so well, which had been handled serenely by Perera. In his article to The Cambrian, he
made it a point to make a request to all Cambrians to remember their College
Anthem.
O/L class
Time
seemed to fly faster than expected as we graduated from junior school, middle
school and finally to the gateway to the outside world, where we ended up at the
O/L class. It came to a stage where one had to put aside all the mischief,
pranks and fun and to concentrate on studies seriously as the O/L certificate
became the passport to higher education and to one's future. For some, it may
have been too late to pick up, but again it all depended on one's
circumstances, ability and least of all providence. 'All can't be masters of
the world' and each one had one's future written before one landed in this
world’, spiritually speaking.
Finally
the future was written for all of us individually, some continued until
university entrance, others sought various other seats of learning in Colombo
and abroad and a few sought a career. I too left college and sought greener
pastures in the UK.