Birth anniversaries in August

A camp site at Brownsea Island

by Sumana Saparamadu

When is your birthday? Is it in August? If so, you are in good company. Your favourite author Enid Blyton was also born on August 11, 1897, 116 years ago. Her parents named her Enid Mary. She started writing in 1922 when she was 25 years old. Enid Blyton lived for 71 years and died on November 28, 1968.

Another person close to children was also born in August. She was Maria Montessori who was much older than Enid Blyton. She was born on August 28. Many of you must have gone to a Montessori before starting formal schooling. Now, preschools are generally called Montessori. Ask any mother whether her child is going to school and she might reply, 'No, he is still going to Montessori.' But not all preschools follow the special teaching methods set out by Madam Montessori.

Rabindranath Tagore, the great poet of India, was born on August 8 in Bengal. The national anthem of India Jana Gana Mana... was composed by him. In 1912 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for his book Gitanjali. Tagore founded Santhinikethan, the school of Fine Arts specialising in music, singing, dancing and painting.

Thailand celebrates Mother's Day on August 8. The queen of Thailand, Queen Sirikith was born on August 8 and this day was declared Mother's Day in her honour as a symbol of motherhood. To this list of birthdays, I must add Piyadasa Sirisena, a national hero who published a weekly newspaper Sinhala Jathiya and wrote novels many years before Martin Wickramasinghe was born on August 31.

There is an important and unusual birthday in August. Pakistan came into being on August 14, 1947, when the north western provinces of India and a part of East Bengal broke away from India and declared the new country Pakistan. So, Pakistan is now 66 years old. How many other countries can pinpoint their birthdays. As I write this, I cannot recall any. August marks the beginning of two important organisations. On August 8, 1907 the first scout camp was held on Brownsea Island in Pool Harbour in Southern England.

It was organised by Lieutenant General Baden Powell. The camp is regarded as the beginning of the Boy Scout Movement. On August 6, 1920 Baden Powell was declared World Scout Leader.

The World Red Cross Society was also started on August 22, 1864.