Editors Notes
The first issue of "The Johnian" for the year 1997 was delayed due to unavoidable circumstances. In this issue we have included an article by Mr Thuraisamy, who had been a Teacher of St. John's., "Life's like that" and a report from Principa1 of St.John's College and a report from our President Dr M Sivakadadchan. My sincere thanks to Mano for his help in the publication of this bulletin.
Comments from readers are welcome. Contribution of articles for newsletters are welcome from Old Johnians
Thank you
Editor
P. Devendran
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
The first Issue of the Series of Newsletters for the year 1997 is currently in your hands. In the past, tbe Newsletters have been very much appreciated and at times we have had requests from Interstate Old Boys for the Newsletters.
This Newsletter once again has been produced by the untiring efforts of Indran and Mano. to the similar standards of yesteryear.
As President of the O.B.A. of St Johns College, I send my personal greetiogs to all the Johnians, from the very depth of my heart. I look forward to yow cooperation and participation in the events we hope to organise for the year 1997.
The Annual Red and Black Ball would be mainly organised by the Old Girls Association of Chundikuli Girls College to which the OBA St Johns would give its unreserved assistance.
The O.B.A. of St Johns College hopes to organise a cultural program towards the latter part of this year, most probably around September 1997. We will keep you informed about the progress in due course.
During my recent visit to Colombo, I was fortunate enough to meet the ex-principal of St John's College, Dr E.S. Thevasagayam. He informed me that our Alma Mater is almost back to it's earlier functioning. Recent donations from Old Boys of St Johns have been substantial and this has helped the struggling administration to repair at least some of the recent damages. I take this opportunity to earnestly appeal to those who could afford, to send their donations direct to the College Principal so that the good work could be continued.
Mano is planning to put St Johns O.B.A. in the cyberspace! Soon you will be part of the ever expanding Web Space. We will keep you informed about the progress in our next Newsletter.
WITH BEST WISHES FOR 1997 AND WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY EASTER!
Dr M Sivakadadchan
President
A letter from the Principal of St John's College Jaffna..............
My Dear Karuna,
Thank you for your letter dated 10th December. I wish to thank you personally for the interest taken about the school during your term of office and expect the same although your term of office is over.
I will be writing to Dr Sivakadadchan and Jeganathan soon.It was nice to see the names like W.S.Manokaran,Tulin Ratnam,P.Devendran and C.Ambikaipalan in the committee.I am told Tulin was in Colombo in early January.
As I wrote earlier, the College Magazine should be out soon and we shall send copies.I would thank you to send addresses of Old Boys who wish to receive copies.
The first two scholarships sent by Trinity Grammar shool are named Phyllis Gibb and Jim Higgs.I would like to know whether they would specify any name for the present one or for it to be as Trinity Grammar School.Please follow up and inform me.
With best wishes and regards to all at home.
S Thanapalan
Principal
St John's College
Jaffna Sri Lanka
An article by Thuraisamy Master
Little bit of History
The Batticaloa cyclone of November 23, 1978
Prince Casinader
Extracted from Daily News of 23rd November 1996
It was indeed a dismal and devastated scene - crows by the hundred lay dead, the electric cables were all askew lying in mute helplessness tangled all over the main thoroughfares of this former Eastern capital, while huge gigantic trees completely uprooted were Iying in abject surrender to the terrific battering the cyclone subjected Batticaloa.
One remembers how a Sinhala Sub Inspector had the intelligence to rush to the Electricity Power House to get the main switched off for naked wires Iying around would have made the death toll much more. It was a moving sight to see Specialist Doctors at the Batticaloa Hospital, once lights and water were denied, labouredly treading the staircases, carrying buckets of water.
The previous day, the 22nd it had been raining very heavily but not the proverbial cats and dogs, but elephants and buffaloes. It went on non stop and as I sat in my office in Batticaloa's oldest college, some hunch had me worried about one of the hostel blocks which was in a sad state., fortunately an engineer came to college to take his son, and I made use of him to take him to this particular block to report on it, whether in this state of devastating rain, it would collapse. He asked for a hammer and after testing the walls, stated it was O.K. Before college closed that day I sent a circular to the staff stating that they need not come to school and so to the students. The hostel master was told to pull out all the hostel students in that dilapidated block and move them over to the main college hall block. But the hostellers were not happy about having to move all the bedding and baggage across the road, and after I went home the Hostel Senior Prefect came to ask whether it wouldn't do for only the students sans bed and baggage to move over. But some sixth sense made me tell him - Obey orders - Everybody and Everything must be moved out. God had been with me for among the buildings that completely crashed down was this intermediate hostel block and if not for divine help, twenty eight mothers and fathers would have come rushing down to ask for my scalp if these students had not been evacuated.
The fury of the winds was terrific and I was all alone at home with my aged father. Parts of the roof and ceiling were falling down and I moved my father to one narrow stretch which was concrete and since he too had very scanty hair, for fear of pieces of the ceiling outside blowing on his unprotected head I got him to sit in a chair under that strip and placed a pillow not on his back but on his head. He seemed puzzled and shouted out - Dont you know that the pillow should not be put on top of my head but at my neck. I tried repeatedly and failed to tell him that a cyclone was on and bits of the ceiling and roof were falling, because he was very hard of hearing and the eerie noise of the cyclone too would have affected anyone's hearing.
About 2 am the fury was there but it seemed to have abated and I was worried about the hostellers and decided to nip into the hostel but I couldn't see the way and the road, for enough objects covered the roads. Fearing for my head, which too had the hereditary scanty hair, I took an armless chair and holding over my head the back rest of the chair, used it as my shield for things were still flying about in the air.
Quaking with fear were my hostellers and I was relieved that orders had been obeyed and they had moved across the road to the main hall. A quick roll-call revealed that one student was missing and someone said that he had darted across the road to go to the toilet and I went into the other section, shouting for little Jinnah the most junior boy. I finally tracked him down to the toilet where he lay having fainted.
One of the few buildings that stood unbowed and resolute was the ancient Dutch Fort which served as the Kachcheri, and records state that a Vanniyah of Vatharumoolai had supplied more than 200 pots of honey which was put into the mix of the building. But an old wag, said that the cause of the fort remaining untouched was because the masons of old were God fearing men, who did their work well and not in a slip shod manner.
In front of my official residence had been an ancient two storeyed building referred to as Burleigh House' going back to British Colonial times named after Dr. George Burleigh, a ship's surgeon, and later converted as the YMCA. I saw the huge building totter, sway and then fall in a heap and just in time the Probation officer and an Education Officer scampered out of building and rushed to my residence which was just a few feet away They were completely wet and had been shouting for me, but how could their sound compete with the evil frolic and sound of the fury of the cyclone
After I gave them some change of clothing, one of them whispered that they did not have their dinner too and then we pulled out all that was contained in my refrigerator which was now hors de combat after the failure of electricity. So we made a close sweep of everything eatable it contained, for it was we thought the Last Supper, since we never felt we would come out alive to see another dawn. How delighted we were to see the wind and the rain retiring to the pavilion having spent themselves out and saw a vestige of sunshine.
Winners and Losers
Winners and Losers
Are YOU a winner or loser?
Winners Make commitments
Losers Make promises
Winners See an answer in evely problem
Losers See a problem in every answer
Winners Make mistakes and learn by them
Losers Make mistakes and live with them
Winners Look for opportunities in the future
Losers Grumble about the past
Winners Say-there must be a better way
Losers Say- but we have always done it this way
Winners Are excited about what can happen
Losers Are frightened at what might happen
Life's like that
Mr. Thurai took his car for repairs, and told the Motor mechanic Thambi, you know I am a poor teacher, please see that you don't, you know what I mean......
Mechanic: Sir should you tell me about it, I had been your student and I very well know that you are a poor teacher, that is why I am here.
A student who had some mental problem seated in front of the St. John's College gate was playing with balls made out of Clay and Cow dung
Mr.Amarasigham saw him and asked the boy what he was trying to do
Student- Sir, I am trying to make a teacher just like you out of this.
Mr. Amarasingham went and reported this to the Principal
Principal Mr. Mathai. went to the gate and asked the student why he said so? andwanted to know what he was trying to do.
Student- Sir I am trying to make a Principal just like you out ot this.
Principal was so angry he phoned Police Inspector Ravi, and wanted him to take action against this boy.
Police Inspector Ravi arrived by jeep and scolded the boy for being funny with the member of the staff and with the Principal. He questioned the boy and warned the boy "don't say that you are going to make an Inspector like me out of that Clay and Cow dung."
Student- with a smile said, how can I say that to you Sir, I need More Clay to make an Inspector like you.
Obituary
Sports Report
Interschool Cricket Tournament
St John's College OBA Victoria Branch participated in a eight a side/eight over softball cricket tournament organised by Jaffna Hindu College OBA and played on the 5th of January at Terrara park,Vermont.The eight participating schools were divided into three groups. St John's College OBA was skippered by Andrew Manokaran and included Prithivi and Dushi Tissainayagam, Sureshkumar, Dharshan Sampanthar,Sumanthiran Karalapillai, Pradeep Joganathanand Mark Manokaran.Though our performance steadily improved towards the third preliminary game we failed to make the finals.It was a fun day for everyone and particular thanks to WS Manokaran who volunteered as an independant umpire throughout the day.
Cricket Match against St Thomas College OBA
The annual feature against St Thomas College OBA was played on the 2nd of February at Clayton.St Johns OBA was represented by Andrew Manokaran (Capt), Niroshan Rajadurai,Pradeep Joganathan,Jito Vyravipillai,Sumanthiran and Dharshan Karalapillai,Chandramohan Canagarajah,Chris Arnold,Prithivi Tissainayagam,Kingston Alfred and Mark Manokaran.St Johns OBA batted first and made 111 for 9 wickets in the allotted 35 overs.Kingston,Sumanthiran and Dharshan with 26,23 and 15 not out made useful contributions.When St Thomas college OBA went to bat, things did not work to plan and they made the necessary runs for the loss of 4 wickets out of which two were captired by Andrew.Sumanthiran was adjudged to be the the Player of the match on our side - Jeya Vyravipillai
Thought for the Month
Thought for the Month
"The difference between a successful person and others, is not lack of Strength,not lack of Knowledge,but rather lack of Will."
Please Help ........ an Old Boy
Please Help ........ an Old Boy
I am Wijit Sinnaiah and was in college from 1963 to 1976. I am at present in Hong Kong and desperately want to know the whereabouts of my friends and classmates.I played Cricket for the college from 1972 to 1976 and would like to know about my team mates during this period. Can you please let me know how can I get in touch with them. My contact details are as follows:
Iceville Ltd ,GPO Box 3045,Central, Hong Kong
Tel (852) 25558402 (office) (852)26487060 (home)
Email:
bertram@iceville.com (office)
bertsui@netvigator.com (home)
I hope you can help me to find some of my friends.I will also like to know how to get regular information about our college.
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