S.Thomas’ College Group of 1961 celebrates 50 years

The Thomian class of 1961 celebrated the reaching of yet another mile stone of their batch on 6 March, in having completed 50 years since joining College.

A series of events had been lined up to celebrate this occasion which was also graced by a number of class-mates resident overseas.

Apart from the fun and frolic associated with the celebrations this occasion also motivated the organisers to launch and establish a scholarship fund to present a monetary award to a deserving and a needy student of S. Thomas’ College Mt. Lavinia, each year.

The funds were mainly collected by the generous donations of some of the members and the contributions made by advertisers both here and abroad.  The souvenir published to commemorate the occasion has painstakingly been turned out to qualify to be on the shelf of a collector. The celebrations commenced with the members and their spouses assembling at the small club ground in the morning and attending a special Thanks Giving Service at the College Chapel.

This was followed by a group photograph taken in front of the Chapel.  They then participated in the traditional College Boarding House breakfast.  A tour of the College premises was next in the agenda since a number of changes had taken place to its landscape after those in the group had left College in the early 70’s. The morning events ended with a soft ball cricket match played at the small club grounds.

The day’s events culminated with a dinner dance at the Galadari Hotel.

Prior to the commencement of the evening’s activities a two minute silence was observed in memory of the dearly departed batch mates.

The welcome address was then  delivered by Yohesan Casie Chetty – Head Master of  St Thomas’ Preparatory School, a distinguished old boy of the College and a member of the Group of 1961 followed by a speech given  by  Revd John Puddefoot –The Present Warden of S. Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia.

This was followed by the singing of The College Song. After an evening of song and dance, the celebrations came to a close around midnight after the group members and their spouses helping themselves to a sumptuous dinner served by the Galadari Hotel, under the watchful eye of its General Manager Sampath Siriwardena who happens to be a member of the Group Of 1961.