Discipline & Educations are essential for the well-being of humanity

Original founders of our College, and the first missionaries as pioneers, had a vision that education, discipline and faith were essential for the future well-being of the Tamils.

Following article based on the statement written by the author reads out at the Annual Old Boys of St.Patrick’s College, UK Association Dinner Dance on 9th Dec.2017, where the author attended this event as Chief Guest.

by S. J. Emmanuel-Dec 16, 2017

( December 16, 2017, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) After the great exodus of Tamils after 1983, Patricians have proudly formed themselves into OBAs in many countries to enrich their social life as well as to help the Alma Mater and our homeland. Move in life with readiness to change directions at God’s inspiration.

Very often we are proud old-boys of some well-known college but overlook the initial years spent in a smaller school. Just two months ago I was in Jaffna, I visited my elementary school, St. Charles Mahavidyalaya, then referred to as Mawadi school. I was happy to see its growth and the teachers were happy to see me appreciating the school. I will exhort you too my friends, to have contact with your old schools in the villages and help them also to grow.

My student days were around the years of transition from British colonialism to independence. Independence was celebrated by us students at the Jaffna Esplanade with Mr. Hudson, the British GA of Jaffna, as chief guest.

Original founders of our College, and the first missionaries as pioneers, had a vision that education, discipline and faith were essential for the future well-being of the Tamils.

The contributions of a Rector like Fr.Timothy Long OMI, to the general public with respect to air-transport from Colombo to
Jaffna, to education by his contribution to the white paper on education of the Government as well as to the building of the
Jaffna Library cannot be forgotten. We are all proud beneficiaries of their vision and work. Our generation of Patricians?

You are not British, but British citizens by registration or by birth. And there you have a difficult role of valuing your Tamil origin as well as living in modern Britain. In addition you are concerned and feel duty-bound for your British born children and their future.

With regard to your own children, you have toiled hard and given the best of education and formation in the your own way. But do not expect your children and grandchildren to go exactly your way, or behave and act as you did.

Your education/formation and bringing up was in another world and in a different context. But these children most of them born here in a modern world and time, though they inherited your good habits and manners with respect to language social behavior, food and clothing, their education towards a modern world with new attractive challenges but more threats to their security, style of life etc. have to find answers and securities for the new situations. In my mind, the best that you can do is not to impose or spoon-feed them too much about their life or life style, don’t lay down too many rules and obligations, you will fail, and fail miserably.

But do the most important thing of wisdom and leave it that. Paternally and with lots of love, teach or show them by your own
example, a way to make sure what we are doing or choosing is the right and the best thing. In wishing well for your children, much is to be done by way of example.

Guidelines for life are given to us by the author of life itself – God! And to communicate and stay in touch with God, He has given to each human being, a spark of divinity, called conscience. When your conscience is linked and listening to God, no one will go wrong! Show by your example to follow God and the God-given conscience.

If you have a thought for the people back at home and a meaningful wish for the role of the present College in our present
context, what will be your help? How many of you spend a small percent of your earnings to help some poor students to study and benefit by the good education at SPC. This is a humble plea to you all on the eve of my departure.

You are already helping in further building and increasing modern facilities . It is well and good. But go ahead and think of
the wider society and people and their future.

A disciple of Jesus Christ And a Servant of the People,  S.J.Emmanuel is the President of the Global Tamil Forum