He climbed every mountain for a university in the hills
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Doyen of the Press in Sri Lanka and a pivotal figure in the movement to obtain Independence, D.R. Wijewardene whose 130th birth anniversary is commemorated on February 23, was one of the behind-the-scenes architects in the setting up of the country’s new university in Peradeniya. In this unpublished biography ‘Life of Richard Wijewardene’, educationist W.T. Keble traces DR’s masterly campaign against those who wanted the University sited in Colombo and the battle waged and finally won.
In 1924, Rs. 3,000,000 from the Government’s Surplus Balances were set aside to form a building and equipment fund for the proposed University of Ceylon.
Wijewardene held firm and decided views upon the subject of the University. Ceylon owes a good deal to Cambridge University, and among many others Wijewardene was a staunch son of Cambridge. When a University was under discussion he pictured Cambridge.
Universities fall roughly into two classes. There is an extremely democratic idea of a University which aims at furnishing degrees to as wide a circle of people, and of occupations, as possible: this idea prevails in the main in America and India.
The other idea of a University is to pick out the best intellects from the youth of a nation and to give them advanced training in all those branches of knowledge which a country requires for its professional men and scientists and industrialists: this idea of a University has generally governed the policy of universities in Europe. Wijewardene was a determined supporter of the latter idea.
The chief battle ground in Ceylon University politics raged round the question of the site. Should the University be built in Colombo or somewhere outside the Capital Wijewardene felt that if the University was built in Colombo it would not be possible to make it a residential University.
He was afraid that there would be great numbers of students living in cramped and poor conditions in the city, and gaining degrees, without getting the spirit of the University.
He dreaded lest a large number of students would obtain degrees, and then would find that there were not enough of the jobs for all of them of the kind to which they felt their degrees entitled them.
He therefore declared for a residential University outside Colombo and he used his papers to support his views. The first site that he advocated was that at Dumbara.
He left the newspaper side of this campaign to his editors who put a series of articles and editorials before the public to persuade them that there was no room in Colombo for a University worthy of Ceylon.
He himself used his energies in the political field. His first step was to forward to Government a memorandum supported by Dr. S.G. Paul, Dr. Andreas Nell, and himself, favouring the Dumbara site.
At that time the leading spirit of the part that was working to have the University moved out of Colombo was Mr. Justice Akbar. In June 1926 Sir Hugh Clifford, the Governor, appointed a University Site Committee to consider the question of a site for the University and to submit a report thereon.
D.R. Wijewardene had always an affectionate corner for the Ceylon University in his heart.D.R. Wijewardene had always an affectionate corner for the Ceylon University in his heart.
Mr. M.T. Akbar was Chairman of this Committee. To him Wijewardene suggested the holding of a public meeting in support of the Kandyan site. Mr. Akbar was very willing to do so. But meanwhile Wijewardene commissioned Percival Deutrom to drop his managerial duties on the staff of the paper, and to travel round the country to collect support for the Kandyan site.
Deutrom visited Kandy, Kurunegala, Gampola, Nawalapitiya, Matara and Galle. He climbed remote estate roads in his car. He called upon doctors and proctors and businessmen in small towns.
It was his boast that he collected the signature of every man of importance in Ceylon, who was willing to sign his memorial in support of the Kandyan site.
When the meeting was held in the Public Hall, what is now (1952)the Empire Theatre, there was plenty of support for a change of site for the University from Colombo to Kandy.
Sir Solomon Dias Bandaranaike the Maha Mudaliyar, took the Chair, and Mr. Justice Akbar was the chief speaker in favour of the change of site.
For all this effort Wijewardene was mainly responsible. He was the organizer behind the scene, he met most of the expenses out of his own pocket.
His efforts were crowned with success when on 15th December, 1927, the Legislative Council rejected by a large majority a motion introduced by the late Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan seeking to earmark the site in Bullers Road, Colombo, for the proposed University. Those today who feel that the University is better placed outside Colombo than within the Capital, owe a great debt to D.R. Wijewardene.
But ultimate success in fixing the site of the University in Kandy was not won without a hard fight, and feelings on this question ran high.
It will be remembered by some people how some years later Sir James Peiris, who was the Vice President of the Council, and the senior, and perhaps the most respected politician of the day was so much moved by the debate upon the University site – he was a strong supporter of the Colombo faction – that he left the impartiality of the Vice-Presidential Chair, and took part in the debate on the side of the Colombo party and thereby brought upon his head very fierce criticism both from members of council and from the newspapers.
On March 9th, 1928, the Legislative Council voted on a motion moved by Mr. Akbar: “That the proposed University shall be unitary and residential; that it shall be established in Kandy that the Government shall appoint a Commission to work out the details of the proposed University.”
The three sections of the motion were voted separately. The first was carried by 38 to 5; the second by 23 votes to 18; and the third by 25 votes to 16. This ended the battle of the sites.
Wijewardene may fairly claim to have been the origin of the forces that finally won the contest for the Kandyan University site party. While Justice Akbar, and Mr. H.W. Perera, and Mr. D.B. Jayatilaka and Mr. D.S. Senanayake fought the Kandy site battle in Council, it was Wijewardene’s efforts that first brought the Kandy site party into existence.
The next stage was the appointment of a University Commission in terms of the third section of Mr. Akbar’s motion. Sir Walter Buchanan, Riddell, Principal of Hertfort College, Oxford, was invited to be Chairman. Under his guidance the Commission issued a report in January 1929, and in November 1930 the Legislative Council passed the second reading of an Ordinance for the establishment, incorporation and regulation of a University in Ceylon.
But before the third reading could be taken up the Council was dissolved. When the State Council came into existence in 1931, it was hoped that the University scheme would be expedited. People had hoped much the same in 1911. Far from the work being expedited it was inordinately delayed, at times the whole project appeared in danger of being side tracked and forgotten.
The last phase of the struggle was entered into in 1938.
Once more the “Daily News” drew attention to the vital necessity of entrusting the work of planning the University buildings in Kandy to an expert.
The paper was first to advocate the selection of Professor L.P. Abercrombie for the purpose. But the Board of Ministers rejected the proposal. After persistent agitation in the paper the question was reconsidered and finally the task was entrusted to Professor Abercrombie and Mr. Clifford Holliday.
In the 23rd year of its life the “Daily News” welcomed with unalloyed pleasure the formal establishment of the University of Ceylon.
Wijewardene had always an affectionate corner for the Ceylon University in his heart, and he looked forward to the day when it would move into the hills. At the end of his life he made several generous gifts to the University.