Wesley College OBU celebrates Founder’s Week
View(s):Wesley College Colombo named after John Wesley (1703–1791), the great evangelist and founder of the Methodist Church and administered by the Methodist Church in Sri Lanka was founded on March 2, 1874 (the death anniversary of Rev. John Wesley).
The College which is celebrating its 144th anniversary this year provides primary and secondary education to students. Rev. Samuel Rowse Wilkin was its first Principal and 1st President of the Old Boys Union while Rev. Daniel Henry Pereira is considered to be the founder of Wesley College Colombo and was also its first Vice Principal. Over the years, the school opened its doors to provide education to thousands of Sri Lankan boys from diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds.
Wesley commemorates the memory of its founder, the Rev. Daniel Henry Pereira – annually on Founder’s Day – the most important event in the school’s calendar. The school has produced many distinguished alumni, who have contributed invaluable service to the country, among them: Sir Oliver Ernest Goonetilleke– the 1st Ceylonese Governor-General (1954–1962), Sir Don Baron Jayatilaka, Sir Claude Corea – Member of Parliament, Walisinghe Harischandra – social reformer, historian and author, Sir Mohamed Macan Markar – Member Legislative Council of Ceylon, Sir Gerard Wijeyekoon – Member Legislative Council of Ceylon, Mahadevan Sathasivam – international cricketer, P. De S. Kularatne–Principal of Ananda College, E. F. C. Ludowyk -first Professor of English, University of Ceylon, M. H. Mohamed – Speaker of Sri Lanka Parliament and Mayor of Colombo and Farveez Maharoof, Sri Lankan cricketer.
The examples set by many brilliant Old Boys as role models who have lived up to the ideals and values of the Founders, bringing honour and glory to their alma mater through their respective professions, will continue to inspire Wesleyites in the years to come. The current committee of the Wesley College OBU Colombo, under the leadership of President Wilhelm Van Dort, is striving to uphold the traditions and values they inherited from preceding generations, and see that it is passed down to the future generations of Wesleyites.
The Founder’s Week celebrations on March 2nd, 3rd and 4th will bring back nostalgic memories and re-kindle friendships among the Double Blue Fraternity. On March 2, the Past and Present Hockey and Soccer Matches will be held at Campbell Park at 4.30 pm, followed by the Traditional Principal’s Tea Party in the Pavillion.Thereafter the Water Polo match between the Past and Present students will be at 7.30 p.m. in the College pool.
On Saturday, March 3, once again the Past and Present Students will play a Basketball match in the school premises, and the Traditional Cricket Match between the Old Boys and the 1st XI Cricket Team will follow at 9.30 a.m. at Campbell Park. The Traditional OBU Lunch will be at 1.30 p.m. at the College Hall, followed by The Annual General Meeting of the OBU at 3 pm. Tickets for the lunch priced at Rs.1500 can be purchased from the Manager at the Club House (OWSC) and from the Secretary of the OBU Fowzil Nawaz on – 0777900808. The President and Committee of the Old Boys Union invite all Double Blue loyalists to be present and participate actively in the Founder’s week events, and the AGM on March 3.