Acres and acres of lush green paddy fields ever so neatly terraced in hilly upcountry terrain; crystal clear waters gushing down incessantly over a rocky hillside to form a natural pool in the nearby “oya” where village damsels clad in colourful “diyareddas” bathed; the ancient bridge that spanned across the stream with few people and vehicles moving unhurriedly across it; the hustle and bustle of the vibrant bazaar in the centre of town where traders did brisk business selling a variety of items ranging from foodstuffs to hardware. That is how I would describe the countryside landscape in Talatuoya that I knew so well.

Nearly half a century ago, Talatuoya was an idyllic village in a typical rural hill country setting. But I am not too sure whether it can be described that way any more, having noticed many changes even on my last visit to the familiar town, for official work as a UNICEF staff member some time in the early nineties. Situated about five miles away from Kandy along a winding road that goes past Ampitiya, it is a place that holds many pleasant memories for me. Talatuoya Central College as it was then called, was the place where I had my very first job as an Assistant Science teacher.

University entrance examination

Unlike in the case of the Advanced Level (AL) examination of today when timeframes and calendars of events are uncertain and subject to change, the University Entrance (UE) examination during my student days was held with regularity in December of each year. Results were released in January of the following year, and university academic sessions invariably started in June. That was also a time when only a mere one thousand students sought admission to the University in the Biological Science stream. Again unlike today, the UE examination consisted of both theory and laboratory practical components in all four subjects (Botany, Zoology, Physics and Chemistry).

Candidates who reached a certain standard in the “first leg” of the examination (theory and practicals) were then summoned by registered letter, for the “second leg” - what was called the Viva Voce examination. It was at the “viva” (interview) that university authorities made the final decision on who would enter the Medical Faculty and who would be admitted to Dental and Veterinary Faculties.

Another lot from those who were not summoned for the “Viva” was admitted later to the Science Faculty to follow a course leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science (B. Sc). The successful candidates who qualified for professional degree courses like Medicine and Dentistry, virtually had their futures cut out for them even at that early stage. University entrants also made full use of the interim six-month period from January to June to find gainful temporary employment, for which opportunities were many. Not only were they able to earn a few extra rupees, but they also gained valuable experience that was bound to serve them well in later life.

My first job

Thus it was as a teenager in late 1960 that I applied for my very first job. I registered at the Education Department at Malay Street (for posts of Science Assistants) and also at the Central Employment Exchange at Lotus Road where available openings were more general and unknown till one was offered to a registrant. Largely due to the non-competitive climate prevailing at the time, I was successful in both! I preferred to accept the teaching post, foregoing the opportunity to join the Health Department as a Trainee Radiographer.

By some strange coincidence, it was on the very day that I reported to work at Talatuoya Central College that I heard the good news that I had been summoned for an interview at the University Staff Bungalow on Reid Avenue (I have preserved to this day, that all-important registered letter signed by the University Registrar M.D.G. Abeyratne, with the envelope in which it was enclosed!). Even before I could step into a classroom, the ever-understanding school Principal R.B. Gallella (an apt name for a school principal!) ungrudgingly granted me a few days leave to go back to Colombo, as I needed time to make preparations for the big occasion. Bastians Tailors in Maradana did a fine job in double quick time with my order for a new white satin drill suit.

At the interview, while the distinguished looking interviewers seemed to be enjoying themselves, guffawing over stupid replies given to “not so stupid” questions, the nervous interviewees suffered immensely with trepidation. The prospective medical students had been put through their first “ragging” even before they had stepped in to the hallowed precincts of the Anatomy Block on Francis Road to face the “freshers’ rag”. But at the end of that ordeal of an “interview”, I knew that I had taken a step closer to achieving my childhood ambition of becoming a doctor. As for the “Freshers’ Rag”, it is indeed a pity that the fun event that started as a rich tradition in Medical College and enjoyed alike by both seniors and freshers (and even by Faculty staff including the Dean!), has today become a nightmare for new entrants in Universities!

Relatives in Ampitiya

One of the major problems I faced was in finding suitable accommodation in Talatuoya.
Fortunately for me, our relatives who lived in Ampitiya graciously acceded to my parents’ request to provide me temporary accommodation in their home (my father himself was expecting a transfer to Kandy at the time). The Warakaulles had their residence on the main road near the turn off to Uduwela. It was a convenient place from where I could travel by bus to Talatuoya in just 15 minutes. Anula Aunty (sister of former Army Commander and Defence Secretary General Sepala Attygalle) had lost her husband some years before, and lived at Ampitiya with her three daughters Sorani, Monica and Damayanthi, and only son Mahinda with whom I shared a room.

Just two weeks later, my father too got the expected transfer and I was then able to travel to work from home. I will always remember with gratitude Anula Aunty’s kind gesture not only in providing me accommodation, but also for making my stay with them so comfortable. Mahinda Warakaulle who was about my own age was good company and was a student at Trinity College. He himself later graduated from the Science Faculty in Peradeniya and established himself as a leading businessman having served at one time as the Managing Director of Van Rees, the leading tea exporting company.

Central Schools and free education

Talatuoya Central College was one of many such Central Schools established throughout the country under the free education scheme which was the brainchild of the late Dr. C.W.W. Kannangara, the much respected Education Minister who was dubbed the “Father of Free Education”. Among the Central Colleges that achieved academic distinction as seats of learning were Nugawela, Ibbagamuwa, Tholangamuwa, Poramadulla, Anuradhapura, Jaffna, Dickwella Thelijjawila, Galahitiyawa, and Madampe to name a few. In later years, these Central Colleges came to be known as Madya Maha Vidyalayas.

A noteworthy feature was that the main two-storeyed building in all these schools had been built according to a type plan. Talatuoya was not any different. It had been built on elevated land facing a road that led to neighbouring Gurudeniya (if I remember right). Anyone looking down from the upper floor had a magnificent view of the surrounding hills in front, the town area on one side and the beautiful stream on the other side. As in all schools, when students gathered in the school hall for “assembly”, they routinely had to sing the school song. I still remember the following lyrics from the melodious school song of Talatuoya Central College.

“Diya reli yai gala – viduhala bala bala”,
“pasele suba patha - neka gee gaya”

Crudely translated into English, it means “Ripples of water flow past while glancing at the school – singing songs and wishing it well”.

Teaching science at Talatuoya

My main responsibility was to teach science and mathematics to students in “Pre-Senior” classes including the Senior School Certificate (SSC Prep) class. In addition, I was also assigned duties as class teacher in a lower class (grade seven). However, I was sent to much higher classes on “relief duty” occasionally, to cover duties of other teachers when they were on leave. It was there that I discovered that some of my pupils were actually older than me! While taking a class in the Higher School Certificate (HSC or UE) class, I happened to look at the class attendance register that was lying on the table. Perusing the dates of birth, I discovered that there were at least five students in that class who had been born before me. No wonder then that within a few weeks, I came to be known as “Podi Sir”.

It was not difficult to assess the abilities of students even when on relief duty. I thought to myself that one male student in particular who caught my eye as a bright spark would do well, if given the facilities and opportunities. Although I had completely forgotten about that boy when I left Talatuoya, our paths were destined to cross once again a few years later. When I was a Fourth Year Medical Student, while I was reading a newspaper in the men’s common room, I heard someone saying “Excuse me, Sir”. I was taken aback because no one had addressed me that way for a long time – certainly not in Medical College! When I turned and looked, I recognized at once the bright boy who was in the UE class at Talatuoya. During the conversation that followed, I was told that he had left Talatuoya and come down to Colombo to continue his studies, as the facilities at Talatuoya were so limited especially for laboratory work. He had succeeded in gaining admission to the Colombo Medical Faculty from a private educational institution a couple of years after I myself did so from Ananda College. He was now a fellow medical student and I immediately “ordered” my medical school junior to call me by my first name! He complied with my “order” after some initial hesitation.

Many years later, it would have been a proud moment for him (just as it was to me), to walk side by side dressed in academic gown as Council Members of the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA), in the ceremonial procession that traditionally preceded the opening ceremony of the Annual Academic Sessions of the SLMA held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute. My erstwhile student is now a colleague in the medical profession and a leading Consultant in Paediatrics.

My colleagues on the staff

I soon found that the Principal and his staff were a friendly lot. During the school interval, we all met in the staff room and shared whatever we had to eat and tea prepared by one of the female colleagues. Very often it was vadai or sandwiches. Claude Pananwela who too joined the staff with me at the same time and Herath Mahamithawa soon became my closest buddies. Though much older than me, Eric Mendis was also good company and travelled with me daily by bus from Kandy. I also remember Vice Principal Dissanayake, Weerasekara, Seneviratne, Ariyaratne, Wimalatissa, Yakandawala, cadet master Kuda Banda, Shelton Perera, H.M.W. Samarakoon Banda among the males, and Ran Menika, Mrs. H.Y. Perera and Miss Ranaweera from among the female colleagues. While most of them would have continued in the teaching profession, I came to know later that at least two of them had moved on to reach greater heights. While Shelton Perera qualified as an Attorney-at-Law, Samarakoon Banda (who later used “Walgampaya” as his surname) entered the SLAS and retired a few years ago as Secretary to the Ministry of Buddha Sasana and Cultural Affairs.

First salary

When payday came around, office clerk Ekanayake handed over to me an old used envelope containing cash in notes and coins. I had been recruited as a Science Assistant teacher at a basic salary of Rs. 64 plus (sixty-four plus). With allowances, my take-home pay was about Rs. 160. Needless to say, it was a princely sum to me, a teenager fresh out of school in those pre-inflation days. With the first pay packet in my pocket, I felt ten feet tall when I walked into a shop on Trincomalee Street and paid Rs. 24 for an Indian silk saree for my mother, and Rs. 14 for a Hentley Executive shirt for my father.

Farewell

When it was time for me to submit my resignation, I had to say goodbye not only to the school, staff and students, but also to the teaching profession of which I was a proud member even for such a short period. I was accorded a farewell at a special school assembly where I made my first real public speech as a government official! It was an emotional moment, but I managed to retain my composure throughout. But what was most touching was the way some of the senior female students (dressed in “lama sarees” as most Kandyan schoolgirls did in that era) were wiping away their tears with crumpled handkerchiefs. The impending departure of their “Podi Sir” was obviously too much for them to bear!

E-mail: luckyabey@gmail.com