Memories of Colombo Race Course ‘Grand Stand University’

October 6, 2011, 7:25 pm

by Banduratne Hettiarachchi

While walking along the Reid Avenue recently I noticed the Colombo race course grand stand being demolished, most probably as a part of beautification of the Colombo city.

It took my memories back to my university days in mid 1960s. In year 1965 on the results of University Entrance examination a number of about 3000 students were admitted to the Arts faculty of the University of Ceylon, Colombo campus. Although there was room in Colombo campus for only about 1000 students for some unknown reason the then government has decided to admit this many to the campus. It was rumoured that the son of a very prominent person of the government was placed some where around 3000th in the pass list and in order to admit him it had been decided to increase the intake.

Since the then Colombo campus did not have sufficient space to accommodate all the 3000 odd students, the authorities had to look for space and opted to conduct lectures in the race course grand stand. This was an interesting experience for all of us, the 1st year undergraduates. The grand stand was an open space open from all four sides spanning to about 1000 yards in length. The lecturers had to lecture standing in a small hut placed on a small platform erected about 100 feet away in front of the grand stand. During a lecture of about one hour duration the lecturers had to speak to a microphone standing throughout since there was no seating provided for them within the hut.

I remember we had lecturers like Dr Indrakeerthi Suraweera for Ceylon History, Dr Chandradasa Munasinghe and Professor A.D.V.De S Indraratne for Economics, Professor Hiran Dias, Dr Sirinanda and Dr Mrs Kusuma Gunawardana for Geography, Professor Ediriweera Sarathchandra, Dr Tissa Kariawasam and Dr Ariya Rajakaruna for Sinhala during this period.

The grand stand being a very spacious place with a large number of benches it could accommodate many more than the number of students selected for the faculty. As such when there were lectures by well known persons like Professor Sarachchandra, students of other faculties also used to come and sit in the grand stand to enjoy their lectures.

I vividly remember Professor Indraratne who conducted lectures on Economic theory trying to explain price theory to new students. Trying to explain how the price was determined through interaction of demand and supply, since there was no blackboard or any other facility to draw a graph, he used his two arms to indicate the demand and supply curves. Right arm slanting downwards from left to right indicating the demand curve and the left arm slanting upwards from left to right indicating the supply curve and placing his chin to the point where the two arms intersected as the point of equilibrium where the price is determined.

There was one conspicuous character in this grand stand university since he was wearing the national dress while all the others were wearing shirts and trousers. He was one Mr Richard Pathirana, a trained teacher from Galle district who joined the university to follow the degree programme on duty leave from the Department of Education who later became the Minister of Education.

The authorities may have abandoned the grand stand after this batch completed the degree programme since the government did not take in that many students in the following years .

I believe there could be so many others who have joined Colombo Grand Stand campus in 1965 and completed their degrees and presently holding very high positions who also would be able to contribute by way of their experiences in the race course grand stan