“OUR ALMA MATER” – BY Des Kelly

     As we quickly approach yet another Mothers’ day, here in Australia, my thoughts naturally fly to my own Mother, who, with my Dad, is resting in peace perfect peace, in the most beautiful “Botanical Necropolis” in Melbourne. 

As everyone should know, a “Mother” is, by far, the most important person in this World of ours. “Mater” is the Latin word for her, so where does the term “Alma Mater” fit in ?.

Generally, folks, it is indeed a Mother who accompanies her children to School for the first time (as it was in my case), the term “Alma Mater” therefore is considered to be your first School or College, your “Nourishing Mother” is yet another endearing term (in Latin), simply because your place of learning takes over from your biological Nourishing Mother, to hopefully teach you the facts of life, among other things. So, the next time anyone speaks of their “Alma Mater,” you will know exactly what they mean.

     This writer has been blessed with FOUR Alma Maters.

From my very own Mother, I started School at the Convent of Our Lady of Victories, in Moratuwa, at age 5, in 1941.

From there, at age 8, I attended St. Sebestian’s College, still in Moratuwa, but left, when we shifted back to Colombo Central, to join my main Alma Mater, St.Peter’s College, Bambalapitiya, a College that had proudly served as a hospital, during the 2nd World War. As I remember, it was in 1947 that I became a proud Peterite, already very much into my “music”, stage, & show-biz., which I began, practically as a toddler.  So, here I was, quite old now, joining the Music, Art & Drama Society at St.Peter’s College, ably run, at the time, by the Rev.Father Noel Cruz. In my eyes, there was nothing I wanted more, than to sing “on-stage” in the huge, beautiful main College hall, and this, I am proud to say, I did, many times, once, as the “back-up” act, for the famous Blue Diamonds from  Netherlands, many other times, at concerts staged by Father Cruz, and our Art Master at the time, (we used to call him “Papa de Niese”). He used to carry this short rattan cane, hidden up the coat sleeve of his right hand, and woe betide the man, who either sang a wrong note or made some error with the lyrics. OUT!! would come this short cane, and although I was lucky enough not to ever feel it, the winces of some of my College mates around me, were plain to see. Why they joined our choir, I’ll never know.

     It’s been nearly 70 years since I left College, so, for the best part, names elude me, but I remember that when I joined St.Peter’s College, either he already was, or shortly after, became the Rector. This was Fr.Basil Wiratunga or was it Wijetunga?, we also had a young, handsome Priest, who was our Prefect of Discipline, we boasted Fr.Mervyn Weerakody, or “Jive-boy” as he was fondly known, because he loved music. We had several experienced “Masters”, one of whom was Basil Ambrose, (or Apple-John), another, always well-dressed & smart History Master, Mr.Jayasekera,  various other equally experienced teachers of Science, Religious Studies, Papa de Niese of course,was our Art Master, I cannot remember the English, Master’s name, but our Sinhala Master was unkindly, but fondly  known as “Hoona”. He was very thin & tall, but no-one seemed to know his real name.

     Among the “students” of note, were Senior boys like our Cricket Captain & superb wicket-keeper H.I.K. Fernando, who was reputed to have “stumped” the World’s best W.K. of that time, Englishman Don Tallon, at some match. Then, of course, there was Clive Inman the record- breaking batsman who got his name by scoring the fastest half-century at the time. I think he was the first Peterite to get his name into the Guinness book of Records.

Clive was in the same form as I was, BUT,  I am proud to report that I was the Monitor of the most notorious “Junior D” form in the entire College. Why ?, I’ll never know.

People like Clive Inman, Ray Forbes, & Basil Ambrose’s son, who were all well-behaved studious “good guys” were separated from myself and my “Prayer-Monitor” Denis Roberts, who, in my humble opinion, was one of the very best Vocalists in Ceylon, at the time.You closed your eyes, and you were listening to Frank Sinatra or Nat King Cole.

Also, in class with me was Elmo Mullholland, another Musician who went on to become one of the BEST Bass guitar players in the Country.  Then, there was Mohan Lalvani, the son of one of the Lalvani Bros. Mob. of Colombo, who was also in Junior D., one ot the biggest mischief-makers at College, getting himself & others into a lot of trouble, often. He was a dear friend of mine. 

Also, in class, with me, was one of my “heavies” Roger Van Dort. I was a 7 stone weakling, at the time, always getting sand kicked into my face, at the beach, but if anyone was getting on my nerves at College, I would call Roger aside and tell him who was annoying me. Roger would then accost the culprit outside the College gates and give him a sound beating. Roger was tough, but his older brother Clinton who was also a Peterite boxer was even worse than Roger. One only had to LOOK at Clinton, the wrong way and the “beating” they would get, was something to behold.

They were a tough lot, those Van Dorts. 

     There were many other “crazy characters” at St.Peter’s too. One was another good pal of mine. His name was Carl Jansz. Many of these good friends of mine are at peace, now, yet, as I remember it, there was absolutely no evil in anything we did. We were all simply classified as “Rebels”.

Many old Peterites were, and, are still not aware, I suppose that there was this huge concrete ” bokkuwa” drain, running the length of the Peterite grounds, from the bottom of Lorensz Road, thru to the Wellawatte Canal, on the other side. One fine day, Desmond Kelly organized a few mates, including brother Ian, Denns Roberts, Carl Jansz, & a couple or three others, whose names I cannot remember, to CROSS the grounds “underneath” & end up in the Canal. 

We had to make the entire journey on our haunches, feet astride a thin lake of running water, pitch darkness, except for one dim torch carried by Carl, bats whizzing past our ears, which we had not expected, and Denis wanted desperately to turn back, but it was too late, we were already halfway through, and then Carl suddenly spotted a manhole, probably in the centre of the ground. Of course, he went to this manhole cover, and just wanting a bit of fresh air for all if us, lifted it with a bit of difficulty, only to see the ground Curator not far away. I cannot remember this Curator’s name, he was not a young man, and the SHOCK he got, seeing this ragged individual”s head poking out of the manhole, could have even shortened his life, but Curators are tough too, and he came rushing to this “head”, with some gardening tool in his hand, and Carl promptly brought the cover down with a bang. If there was anything that got us to the other end of the drain, that was it!!.

These were some of the crazy things that we Peterites did, in the old days. Nothing wicked or evil, just CRAZY.

    There was also the usual BULLY at College. He was in tge Senior Prep., or might have even been in the Senior Form, but got his kicks bullying the younger kids, and I was one of them. I would try to fight back, but to no avail, so, this time, I went to the 2nd “Chandia” at College, my brother Ian Kelly.

Three years younger, but always “bigger” in build (he still is, and I am now around a hundred kilograms), so, Ian says to me. “Don’t worry, Des, we’ll catch him after College and teach him a lesson”. We then found out the “route” home, for this bully, hid in the bushes, along this same Canal bank, and our bully had to pass us on his way to High-level Road,  the bus-stand that would take him to Nugegoda, where he lived. So, he comes into view, whistling tunelessly, and Ian confronts him as though he wanted to chat. In the meanwhile, on a signal from Ian, I crawled around the back of this brute and knelt down immediately behind the bully.

Ian then gave him a mighty push and of course, he lost his balance and fell over me, to the ground. Ian yelled ” lets get him, now,” and this is exactly what we did. We got him, alright. Both of us ” bullied this bully” and gave him the beating that he richly deserved. He got home, alright, but NEVER tried his bullying tactics at College again.

     Finally, it was 1952, there was a Circus Family in Town, 

The Jenkins & Schumanns, under contract to Donavan Andree. This is a completely different story, folks, but loving Showbiz better than studying to be a Doctor or Lawyer, I left St.Peter’s College, (and home), at 15 and a half years of age

to “run-away” with this Circus Group, touring Ceylon for about 6 months, before coming home again. The Jenkins wanted to “adopt” me, but mum refused to sign the papers to let me go, resulting in my joining the Royal Ceylon Navy.

I will never forget St.Peter’s though, My Alma Mater, and I am also very proud to have received  a welcome certificate for “Entertainment” from this very special College. I might not have excelled in everything I was taught there, but I always loved “Reading” and, right now, I have begun to love  “Writing”, as well, so I am grateful to God, for this talent that HE has afforded me.

I would like to congratulate each & every member of all our “Old boys’ Unions” around the World for the tremendous work that they do, on behalf of St.Peter’s College. “LEND A HEART & LEND A HAND, guys, we are all so proud of you.

     Desmond Kelly.

   (Editor-in-Chief)— eLanka.