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 7th February 1999 |
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Hello Children,
Last week was special for Sri Lanka because February 4 was our Independence Day. Fifty-one years ago, we gained freedom from the British. We should think about our achievements during these years and also our aspirations for the future. Did all of you watch the celebrations at Independence Square on Thursday? I'm sure you would have done so. Why don't the artists among you send us some of your paintings on the celebrations? Others who are good with words should write in small essays on your thoughts on Independence. Hoping to hear from you. Until next week
How I spent the New YearI spent this New Year very happily. A few days before the New Year we cleaned, washed and painted our house. My mother made many kinds of sweets and a big much as possible. On 31st night we were up till late. My brothers went to see a musical show that night at the Galle play ground. My mother boiled milk and allowed the milk to overflow. That is called "kiri uthuranawa.'' The air was filled with the sound of crackers, we too lit crackers and enjoyed the sweets. On the following day my mother woke up very early and cooked milk rice. We ate the milk rice and wished our parents a happy New Year. In the evening we went to the temple to take part in religious activities as it was a poya day. I heard some one saying this year is lucky. We have stepped into the 20th century. Damindika It's not like it used to beMy mind runs empty God's best giftI, naturally A story of a soldierI am a soldier Dear motherYou are always these Duminga Wijesinghe MyselfMy name is Buddika Nawodani Gajanayake. I am 12 years old. My school is R/ Kalawana M.M.V and I am in Year 7-C. ive in Kalawana. I have one brother and two sisters. My brother is Sithira Gajanayake and my sisters are Upani and Ruwani. My mother is Mrs. Sandaya Senanayaka. She is a house- wife. My father who is a planter is Mr. Sarath Gajanayake .'' friends are Dasuri, Kalhari and Sandareka. My best friend is Kalhari. My class teacher is Mr. Upali. He is kind. favourite subjects are English and Maths. Buddika Nawodani
Our educationistsStamp News 53 Continuing the series on the nation's leaders, today let us talk about some educationists who have been recognized by the release of stamps for the services they have rendered. Taking pride of place is the 'Father of Free Education', C.W.W. (Christopher
William Wijekoon) Kannangara (1884-1969). A teacher by profession (later
he became a proctor) he took to politics The responsibility of implementing the free education scheme fell on E.A (Edward Alexander) Nugawela (1898-1972) as Minister of Education in the First Parliament (1947-1952). A major in the Ceylon Light Infantry (CLI) he was an advocate and practised in Kandy. His entry into politics was in 1936 when he got elected to the Galagedera seat in the second State Council, succeeding his father P B Nugawela Dissawe. A 50- cent stamp was issued in his honour on May 22, 1988. Fr Dr M J (Maurice James) Le Goc (1881-1945), born in Brittany, France arrived in Ceylon in 1914 and turned out to be a leading educationist among Christian missionaries. Having joined St Joseph's College as a teacher he served as Rector for 21 years (1919-1940). He was a botanist and taught the subject in the Medical College and Government Training College. Al-Haj Dr T.B (Tuan Brahanuddeen) Jayah (1890-1960) in whose name a 50- cent stamp was released on May 31,1981, contributed a great deal towards the upliftment of Muslim education in Sri Lanka. Starting life as a teacher, he got into politics with his entry to the Legislative Council in 1924. He took charge of Zahira College in its infancy and built it up to rank with the best in the land. The service rendered by P de S (Patrick de Silva) Kularatne (1893-1976), Principal of Ananda College for 25 years (1918-1943) in the field of education was remembered when a 75-cent stamp was issued on May 22, 1987. Having graduated in London, he proceeded to do his law degree and once he was back here, he devoted his entire life to the cause of Buddhist education. Another prominent teacher who was honoured when a stamp was released on December 29, 1988 was Dr E W (Edward Winifred) Adikaram (1905-1985), founder of several Buddhist schools in and around Nugegoda. These include Vidyakara Vidyalaya, Maharagama (1933), Anula Vidyalaya (1940) and Ananda Shastralaya, Kotte (1941). Later as General Manager of the Buddhist Theosophical Society, he did much to improve the standard of Buddhist education. His appointment as Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayawardenapura was in recognition of his services in the education front.
Dogs and bearsDogs, like cats, are meat-eaters. They have long legs and run on their toes. But whereas cats usually hunt alone, catching prey by surprising it, dogs wear it down by chasing it over long distances. Apart from the fox, dogs do not hunt alone. They have a keen sense of smell, and good hearing.
WolvesThis is well illustrated in the wolf. Wolves hunt in small packs or family groups of about six animals. They are still widely distributed in North America, Europe and Asia, though they have been driven out of the areas which are farmed. In spite of their reputation, they rarely attack humans. The smaller coyotes of North America and the jackals of Africa are scavengers rather than hunters. There are several other kinds of dogs, including the dhole of India and the hunting dog of Africa. The dingo was probably introduced to Australia by the Aborigines, who arrived there long before the Europeans. Its ancestor is unknown, but it may have been bred from the jackal as a tame dog, which then went wild again. Domestic dogs Most of the northern breeds of dogs such as huskies and the chowchow are almost certainly descended from the wolf. They behave in similar ways. Dogs like these tend to look on their master as a sort of pack leader, and depend on him much more. A dog will gulp its food, just as a wolf does. Cats have better table manners. This is because a wild cat can feed at leisure, but wolves and dogs live in a group, and the fastest eaters get the most. Both puppies and kittens are playful. Play is preparation for the serious business of hunting as an adult. Domestic dogs have been bred for many tasks. These include hunting, retrieving, use as guide and guard dogs, and for pulling sledges and as house pets. Foxes A fox tends to live and hunt alone, stalking its prey in a cat-like way. Foxes are hunted and face other dangers from man, so they have become shy, hunting mainly at night. But the European fox is still common, and will even enter towns to look for food. The smaller Arctic fox lives in the far north. It turns white in winter. The silver fox is bred on fur farms . Hyaenas Hyaenas look like dogs, but belong to a different family. They are less powerful runners, and have a weak-looking sloping back. There are four kinds of hyaenas. The spotted and brown ones live on the plains of Africa, the striped hyaena is north African and the aardwolf lives in southern Africa. The aardwolf lives mainly on insects and has weak jaws. The others are scavengers, with powerful jaws that can crack large bones. People used to think that hyaenas were cowardly animals who would wait around a lion's kill for the left-overs. But now we know that they catch their own prey and will even drive off a lion. The laughing cry of a hyaena is a familiar sound in the African bush. Bears Bears are the heaviest of all the meat-eaters. They walk on all fours, on the flats of their feet, so that all five toes leave tracks. Some are good climbers. Although they have the large canine teeth and strong jaws of carnivores, they are omnivorous, and will eat anything from grubs and berries to large prey. Most bears are northern animals. They have thick coats to withstand the cold winters. The most widespread bear is the brown bear, which has a range extending from North America, across Europe, into Asia and India. It varies greatly in size, the largest being the grizzly of the American Rockies and the giant Kodiak bear of Alaska. Biack bears also live in North America, while sloth bears live in India. The most northerly bear, the Polar bear, lives among the ice and snow of the Arctic. It wanders about alone most of the time, and hunts seals. Tiny cubs Bears eat a lot in the summer, and grow fat. When winter comes, they hide away in a safe warm place. This is when the cubs are born. They are tiny, and are among the smallest babies in relation to their parents. A female grizzly can weigh up to 220 kilograms, but her cubs weigh no more than a few ounces each at birth. They feed on their mother's milk, and first go outside the den in spring. They stay with their mother for up to three years. Bear cubs have been reared and even trained as circus animals. |
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and
was elected to the Legislative Council in 1923. Having been elected at
the general elections in 1924 and 1928, he served as the first Minister
of Education in the State Council for 17 years (1931-1947).He initiated
extensive reforms among which were the abolition of the two-tiered school
system with English for the privileged urban class and vernacular for the
rural masses; introduction of the mother tongue as the medium of instruction;
reform of the curriculum with a vocational and cultural stress; upgrading
of pirivena education and the inauguration of the university. The establishment
of Central Schools (present day Madya Maha Vidyalayas) in the outstations
took secondary education to the doorstep of the rural child. His biggest
contribution was the free education system from kindergarten to university
which he introduced in the teeth of bitter opposition from the socially
and economically privileged groups. Yet for all, he lost the general election
in 1947, but came back to Parliament in 1952 to become the Minister of
Local Government (1952-1956). He was among the national heroes who was
honoured with a 50-cent stamp on May 22, 1982.
They
are highly social animals and live in groups called packs. Each pack has
a leader.