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Southlands:
Tribute to teachers
My grateful thanks to Shantha Abeysekera, a devoted old girl, and to
the Daily News for their great kindness shown in publishing the valuable
article ”Southlands College – 125 Golden years” on September 22, 2010.
I write this as a tribute to the loving teacher of Southlands, in
making the golden years shine. Their overall mission was to bring up
useful citizens to the country, by moulding, good and caring mothers to
a generation and all these teahcers have contributed to nurturing,
‘Southlands’, as a popular girls school in Southern Sri Lanka, in the
20th century, studies, drama, sports and other activities elevated the
school to a prestigious position and performed the up-hill task of
producing, distinguished and renowned personalities, to which these
teachers are to be held responsible.
To name a few Professor Dr Stella de Silva was the first woman in Sri
Lanka to obtain her MD on both MRCP Edinburgh and MRCP London in
Paediatrics and Medicine, the first woman in South Asia to obtain both
degrees, Joyce Goonesekera, the pioneer Montesoori teacher who
introduced the Maria Montessori method of teaching. Professor Daphne
Attygalle and Professor Ludowy, Dr Neville Kanagaratna, some of the few
males who had their primary education in this great school.
Tracing down from 1902, Principals such as E de Vos, M Westlake, M
Freethy and E Ridge. We extend our honour and grateful thanks to the
memory of Miss Edith Ridge, still remain with us, as she was the
Principal of our time. She was a strict disciplinarian, who always stood
for the right and taught her pupils the same, racial and religious
discrimination was not in her vocabulary. She guided, inspired and
encouraged her students.
Gladys Abeysekera, a noble lady is in the evening of her life. We had
the great fortune of giving felicitations to her, on her 91st birthday
in August 2007. We wish her happiness and long life. Another lovable
teacher is Miss Ginana Jayatilleke. She joined the staff of Southlands
in 1952 and continued her services until 1986. We can never forget the
services she rendered to her pupils. We wish her good health and
blessings. We can never forget the radiant and beautiful Chandra
Ranawaka of the mid 50s. She is no more, but the fragrance of her sweet
memory will be forever.
Another loving teacher always in our memory is Marji Ludovici Prim
and proper and always smart she did her best for the school.
We remember her with love. Our thoughts go back to Muriel Adhihetty,
a scholar of English with a profound knowledge of English language and
literature. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice where the Romance of
Elizabeth and Darcy keeps the class spell bound. May she rest in peace.
From those earlier teachers we are ever greatful to Queenie
Abeywardena, a maestro at the piano always alive with music and song,
may Angles sing to her Heaven.
Warkulasuriya who transformed the beautiful play Nala Damayanthi –
which was the talk of the town.
Other loved teachers were Ranjani Jayasooriya, Rita Fernando,
Chintamani Perera. Iris Kulasuriya and Kathleen Livera. They are in our
minds. We think of them with love. Indrani Abeywardena bade farewell to
the world a few years back we think of her with love.
Finally to conclude this greatful tribute, I once again extend my
humble gratitude to all these lovely teachers and my apologies if I have
missed any.
”May they be blessed, as Shakespeare says - It is twice blessed, it
blesseth him that gives and him that takes.” and they say
”A bit of fragrance, clings on to the hand that gives away Roses.”
A devoted past pupil
Patricia Mangalika Yahampathe |
