Recalling guiding days that shaped their lives
As Methodist College, Colombo marks a centenary of Guiding, Tarini Pilapitiya talks to past and present pupils
Located near the busy hub of the Colpetty junction, Methodist College founded in 1866 by British missionary Catherine Scott, is a school strong in its values that remains true to its roots. In 2016, Methodist College proudly celebrated its 150th anniversary and this year, marks another milestone - its centenary of Guiding.
In 1917, the Girl Guide movement founded by Lord Robert BadenPowell in the 1910s with assistance from his sister Lady Agnes BadenPowell, was introduced to Sri Lanka by Jenny Greene (nee Calverley). The first Guide Company was begun at Girls’ High School, Kandy and soon after the First Colombo Guide Company in Colombo was launched by Methodist College under Principal Mary Choate and captained by Elsie Shire. This year, on May 5, the First Colombo Guide Company (Methodist College) will be celebrating 100 years of challenges, service and acomplishments.
Principal Hiranya Fernando, a fifth generation Old Girl, who excelled in extracurricular activities while in school says her Guide Captain back then, Mala Mendis taught her a range of life skills from the basics of preparing a cup of tea. “Guiding was a lot of fun for me because I was able to make some very good friendships some which have lasted over the years,” she states.
Guiding, Ms. Fernando says, shaped her character as a girl and woman “the ethos of the bonds and the organized culture” shaping the way in which she carries herself now as Principal of the school and the family culture brought out by Guiding instilling the inclusive and welcoming culture seen at Methodist College.
The school’s current Guide Captain Shiromi Rodrigo, a past pupil too, recalls how she was “a quiet, timid Little Friend”. Guiding helped her come out of her shell forcing her to interact with others from the community, while learning skills of leadership and teamwork and “inculcating in us traditional values that make us who we are today”. She is now the proud captain of an energetic bunch of 36 Girl Guides. She recalls her days as a Guide under Captain Stella Swamidoss and later on Mala Mendis. “It was a family,” Shiromi reflects.
Sitting beside her is Mala Mendis, the spirited personality who “passed the torch on” to Shiromi. Her Guide Captain Stella Swamidoss, “a dynamic lady” and Mala’s principal inspiration as a teacher, who became Camp Commissioner in 1977 ingrained the values in her students that they continue to practise and cherish to date. “She groomed me,” Mala echoes reminiscing with Shiromi of how they had to pitch tents themselves at camp late into the night in Lunuwila. “But we were ready the next day,” chuckles Mala. “
In their white uniform with the short blue tie and signature gold pin, decorated with a sash adorned with a colourful variety of badges four of Methodist College’s senior Girl Guides –Akeshi Pathmajeewa, 18, Barathi Bahavan, 17, Niruthika Sritharan, 17 and Ashvini Chandrakumar, 16, confidently enlivened us with narratives of their days as Guides. All have fond memories of camps and social gatherings, of water balloon fights and sleepovers, the nervousness they faced when completing tasks to obtain badges and the many friendships forged.
“We embody the 10 Guiding laws and the responsibility that comes to live up to that,”Ashvini stated. Akeshi adds “I’m proud to be a Guide in our school. Guiding has always taken me out of my comfort zone.” She shivers remembering the trying times they faced in medical camps and international camps, where she had to face rain and language barriers. “You develop perseverance,” Niruthika smiles “it’s life changing. “We’re always told to take charge,” Barathi adds.
Dr. Sepali Wijesinghe was an all-round student back in her days at Methodist College excelling in art, drama, swimming and netball. Inspired by the Girl Guide movement she sees the company as an organization “that moulded girls into responsible citizens and leadership roles”. Joining First Colombo as a Little Friend (Brownie) she went on to become a “Queen’s Guide”, the highest Guiding award (the Queen of England was the patron of the movement) which has now been retitled “The President’s Guide” after Sri Lanka became a Republic in 1972.
She currently practises as a Consultant Pediatrician in a leading North Western health care trust in London the skills of first aid and nursing, experiences and the empowerment she received from the movement helping her become the professional she is today.
Much like all the other avid MC guides she remembers the friendships and experiences of the camps. She salutes the efforts of the Guiding movement back in the day and the “efforts of the many intrepid girls who refused to accept that scouting was ‘just for the boys’”. She notes that they operated in simpler times when technology wasn’t a focal point. Now Guiding is reaching new global heights and connections where members are “making great contributions to society, the world and are still pushing boundaries and achieving amazing positions.”
Skimming through the yellowed pages of some past school Magazine Reports of the First Company we found that in 1938 swimming was introduced into the programme and at the beginning of the term a Junior Red Cross Branch conducted by Dr. Keyt was established especially for the Guides.
As a result of this four Guides that year became members of the Red Cross Society and two of the four became Voluntary Aid Detachment (V.A.D) nurses as well. The modesty of the club’s achievements is reflected in the quote extracted from the report “Any success that we may have achieved is due to the spirit of co-operation that exists”.
In 1939, during the Second World War, the First Colombo report reads,“To the women and girls of the whole world has come the call to service and sacrifice. As Guides we have been training ourselves to be of some use to mankind. Let us keep ever before us the high calling that is ours”.