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| Wednesday, 1 September 2004 |
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How fistfuls of rice created a school With a Fistful of Rice I was fascinated to read the book "With a Fistful of Rice - Buddhist Women and the making of Mahamaya Girls College" as it is the unfolding of the history of Mahamaya Girls College, a leading girls' school which was established in 1932 in the heartland of Kandy at West Cliff House, beside the placid waters of the Kandy Lake.
The success of their educational enterprise rested on the entrepreneurial skill of the Southerners and the momentum of the Buddhist revivalist movement. It is most interesting to read how funds were collected for the school in an innovative manner with the collection of fistfuls of rice and how they overcame Kandyan feudal social barriers to develop the school. Having been a Principal myself, it was fascinating to read how Soma Goonewardene who became Principal 1951 - 1972, administered the school devotedly in an imaginative and creative manner to achieve excellence in education by expanding English Language teaching and incorporating modern concepts of integrated science, aesthetics, sports and other facets of education, in a disciplined manner and in a religious atmosphere. Political turbulence and the takeover of schools and new trends in education and expansionist policies which brought new pressures were handled sensitively and her educational ideals were not compromised. Her contribution to Mahamaya College is inspiring and outstanding. It is absorbing to read how successive Principals contributed to the excellent performance over 71 years. The book is more than a history of the school as it give social insights and the author has to be congratulated for the research and documentation which make pleasant reading. - Sirancee Gunawardena, former Principal, Ladies College, Colombo. ************** Bradman's "Rendering" Review by S. W. Wilson Bradman Weerakoon's book "Rendering unto caeser", should be titled 'Rendering unto Bradman'. Everything he writes about is centered round himself but there isn't much anyway that is centered round him! (contrary to all the blurbs) Out of the 50 years from 1954 to 2004, for as much as 34 years, some other officers held the post of Secretary to the powerful figure of that time either President or Prime Minister. In his own words, for 10 years during the 50 years he was "in exile" from the centre - 5 in London. Take the 3 principal figures of the 50 years period - JRJ, R. Premadasa and Chandrika. During JRJ's 11 decisive years, Menikdewala held the key post of Secretary. Brad was tending plantation. During Premadasa's Presidency the Secretary was K. H. J. Wijedasa. Brad was "advising" on world affairs. As regards Chandrika's 10 years Presidency he was kept out of the corridors of real power (Balapatabendi was Secretary). Very seriously, there is no insight into the important years 1970 - 1977 of Sirimavo as Prime Minister. Brad was in Amparai, Batticaloa etc. There is no insight into the 1984 - 1989 period - LTTE activities, Indo- Lanka Accord the JRJ-Premadasa-Lalith-Gamini tussels, the JVP insurrection etc. During this the most crucial years of the 50 year period, Brad says he went into "voluntary exile" in London. Even with regard to the powerful figures he did serve as Secretary during 16 out of the 50 years (Sir John, SWRD, Dhahanayake, Sirimavo from 1960 - 64 and Dudley), there is neither analytical insight into the politics of the time, nor any reference to crucial roles played by him nor mention of any solid advice given by him to his "Ceasars". Considering his endless narrative of anecdotes, Brad's experiences seem to be not much more than that of a glorified clerk. There are 2 possible exceptions. 1. What Brad calls his "secret" mission to meet the Queen in 1962 to get her approval for Gopallawa's appointment as GG. (But apart from the Queen who won't remember, are there any surviving witnesses apart from Brad?) 2. Brad's venture to advise DBW not to have parliamentary elections before the presidential elections in 1994. This ball by Bradman Weerakoon was hit for a six by the earthy (Don Bradman) Wijetunge. Whatever he renders unto his "Caesars", he renders better unto himself. At page 148 writing in 1966, "The officer who occupies the post of Secretary to PM (ie. Brad of course) is the Channel through which the PM liaises with the outside world". Never mind the Ministers, MPs, public meetings and media. What Brad excels however is in rendering unto his "Caesars" unqualified eulogies. 1. "Sir John had a quick and inquiring mind" - p.5 With one exception... Brad has only uncomplimentary things to say about Chandrika - "she was usually the late one". Of course she is the one who did not touch him with a barge pole - late or otherwise. Could Brad be dreaming of being Secretary in an extremely unlikely scenario next year - to President Ranil? My earnest suggestion is this - having in 1992 eulogized Premadasa in" Premadasa of Sri Lanka" - (to the point of embarrassing Premadasa himself) and now rendering well unto himself, all that remains for Brad to do surely is to make amends, be realistic and do the Grand Finale: "The Rapid Rundown of Renaissance Ranil". Brad's dilemma as a fringe observer of politics is best described in the words of Salman Rushdie actually quoted by Brad in his preface: "Facts are hard to establish. Reality is built on our ... ignorance". |
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It speaks of Lady Sarah de Soysa and the indomitable courage and
pioneering spirit of this gentle lady from South Ceylon, who herself had
very little formal education who visualised the setting up of a school in
the Central Hill Country to promote Buddhist English education and
harnessed the energies of Chitravo Ratwatta from an elitist family in
Kandy, cutting against social barriers to enhance social mobility through
English education.
