The genesis of a much loved school song
As Wesley boys – young and not so young, gathered proudly for their school’s 150th year celebrations this past fortnight, the familiar refrain of their school song ‘Boys of Wesley through the land’ was heard, sung with much gusto on many occasions.
The song with its rousing patriotic lyrics …"and for our dear land we’d be, men of grit and industry…” that resonate with all Wesleyites, was composed by a notable old boy of Wesley College, H.J.V.I. Ekanayake, scholar and legal luminary. The song he composed was first sung at the college hall at a farewell dinner to a junior master when the school was still in its first home in Dam Street. It became so popular it was adopted as the School Song and has endured through the years, sung not only at the school now at Karlshrue Gardens but also at all Wesley reunions overseas.
So who was H.J.V.I. Ekanayake? He joined Wesley College in 1882 during the era of Rev. Arthur Shipman as principal and also came under the influence of Rev. Thomas Moscrop. H.J.V.I., who came from a background of family wealth was also possessed of a high intellect. He was Editor of the first College magazine published in 1898. An outstanding orator, he argued for ‘Oriental languages in a collegiate course’ at a time when English held sway. A student of the classics, he was also well versed in Sanskirt and Pali, interestingly encouraged by Moscrop’s interest in Buddhism.
H.J.V.I. won the school’s coveted Hill Medal two years running – 1888 and 1889 and was also a keen sportsman, playing in the First XI cricket team. After leaving school, he taught at Wesley for a short time and started the Wesley Cadet Corps.
When he chose to follow a career in law, he won a scholarship given by the Board of Legal Education. He was called to the Bar in 1990 and later appointed a magistrate and it is said, his judicial abilities were displayed during the Ambalangoda riots. In 1906, he was appointed a District Judge and entered the civil service.
H.J.V.I. married Geraldine Louise May, the daughter of Maha Mudliyar James Amerasekera and they had a son - Edward Stubbs Dewinton, named after the British Governor Sir Edward Stubbs, who was the baby’s godfather. Sadly, they lost him at the tender age of 17 in a drowning accident.
Always a keen sportsman, HJVI was a founder member of the Sinhalese Sports Club and served as its Vice President. He was also Patron of the Wesley Old Boys Union.
Soon after his death, a portrait of H.J.V.I. Ekanayake was unveiled in the Wesley College Hall by Principal Rev. D.S.I. Izzette, in memory of a loyal and outstanding son of Wesley in whose name a prize is still presented at the annual prize giving, but who will above all, be gratefully remembered for generations to come, for the school song.