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| Sunday, 14 March 2004 |
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Prof. Wimala de Silva - teacher par excellence by LAKMAL WELABADA Those Phoenix Days', is not just another autobiography, but an interesting memoir of a 'mother' who nurtured hundreds of girl children as a teacher and a principal.
Prof.Wimala de Silva, Sri Lanka's first woman Chancellor of a university launched her first ever book on March 6 which was her wedding anniversary and also coincided with the International Women's Day (on March 8). About 100 past pupils of Devi Balika Vidyalaya gathered at the book launch to greet their founder principal at her Nawala residence. "She is our second mother," said Mrs. Chitra Boteju one of the old girls while joining the others who had patiently queued to get the signature of their principal on their copies. "How come your students became so fond of you?", I asked Prof. Silva. "I don't know child. They were scared of me when I was the Principal," she said with a hearty smile. Prof. Wimala de Silva who is in her eighties is an educationist and best known as the founder Principal of Devi Balika, Colombo. She was the first woman to be appointed as Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayawardhanapura who rendered her services for 17 years. Zooming back to her care free days of childhood at her native place at Angurukaramulla, Negombo, Prof. Silva who lost her mother when she was six, reminisced that her father P. A. de S. Jayatilaka, an Ayurvedic physician was a strong influence in the building of her values and her personality. The description in the very first chapter of 'Those Phoenix Days', is not merely a recollection of her father but also a portrayal of herself. It says: "The deep love behind the stern exterior of a Victorian father, the incisive intellect that could 'see the skull beneath the skin', the loneliness underlying his many faceted activities; the love of fun behind the solemn demeanour, and in spite of a genuine idealism and concern for the needy, the ability to stand up to violence," Little Wimala read the alphabet at Vidyalankara Buddhist School at Angurukaramulla, and then entered Newstead Balika, Negombo. She passed out from the then University College, Colombo as an English Honours graduate. In 1943 young Wimala got her first appointment as an Assistant English teacher at Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Pannipitiya. Then she taught at Maliyadeva Government Girls' College, Kurunegala for sometime. Wimala got a scholarship to the Institute of Education, University of London in 1948 for post graduate studies. After three years she came back to Sri Lanka. Her family had already found her a husband and was heading for an arranged marriage. Soon Dr. S. L. de Silva became the most compatible partner and best friend in her world. Simultaneously, the newly married Wimala was appointed to head a girls school to be started at Borella. She became the founder Principal of the newly opened Government Girls College at Castle Street on January 15 in 1953. Soon after, she changed the name of the school to 'Devi Balika Maha Vidyalaya'. Under her wings the school prospered as an institution which dispensed quality education and inculcated a sense of discipline among its students. Her 14-years service as the Devi Principal was a milestone in both her career as well as the schools history. Wimala served as the Principal of Princess of Wales, Moratuwa for about one year. In 1968, after 20 years in the service she decided to retire. She wanted to fulfil just one goal that was neglected due to her busy teaching career. She flew to London to complete her PhD (which she started at the University of London in 1950). When she returned Wimala was involved in many NGO activities. She was the first President of the National Committee on Women to implement the Women's Charter in 1993. In addition she was the Sectional (Social Science) President of the Ceylon Association for the Advancement of Science, President of the Sri Lanka Federation of University Women and Council Member of the International Federation of University Women. After a short period of illness, Prof.Silva was advised to engage in memory alerting exercise which apparently lead her to write her autobiography. She has published many research publications, but not one of her own. She started penning 'Those Phoenix Days' going down memory lane three years ago (at the age of 80). |
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