Some Interesting Josephian Traditions

 

By Avishka Mario Senewiratne

 

It’s now 126 years since St. Joseph’s was open to students. Ah yes! Quite a long time. When the European Oblate fathers along with some generous Catholic benefactors established St. Joseph’s College, a tradition was created by its early fathers. A meaningful motto was decided, endearing lyrics for an anthem was written and dazzling colours for a flag was selected. The influence the zealous Irish and French Oblates had on these traditions was phenomenal. This article is an attempt to bring forth some interesting perspectives by the writer on some lesser known Josephian traditions and snippets.

Why St. Joseph?

Though Archbishop Christopher Bonjean OMI, did not live to see the College he had dreamed of, he had planned to name it under the patronage of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The process of starting the College was stalled for several months until the Bishop of Jaffna, Andrew Melizan OMI, was transferred to Colombo as Archbishop. He was a man of good will and vision, even though he did not possess the dynamism of his predecessor. He re-opened the process of starting the school. While the priests and laymen were busy looking for the much-needed funds for the construction of the Clock Tower, Archbishop Melizan made an unexpected change. He believed that naming the school which Christ himself attended was a very meaningful idea.  Indeed, it was! Christ attended the school of Joseph, His foster father, whom He in His human form must have learnt like any other boy of his day. This fact was given much attention by Fr. John Lanigan OMI, when he preached at the 1919 College Feast Day. This homily has been popularly dubbed as ‘The First Josephian Homily’. Indeed, what a vision and concept Melizan may had in naming the school after St. Joseph and Fr. Lanigan to name the boy Jesus as the first Josephian. He states the following in his homily,

“…Archbishop Melizan decided to dedicate this College to St. Joseph, because in his intention, it was destined to reproduce here in Ceylon that first house, that first abode of holiness, which was divinely entrusted to the care of St. Joseph in Nazareth”. (See Blue and White, 1921, pp. 3-8)

When naming Catholic schools after Saints, the school is completely modelled in accordance with characteristics of the Saint in question. (Senewiratne, A.M., Till the Mountains Disappear, 2020, p. 12) Hence, students if they were indoctrinated well, must be inspired by the exemplary life and heavenly patronage of their Saint. Josephians both old and present must question their conscious whether they are leading a life like their patron who did all work to the glory of God and sought no credit. Truly, a silent worker!

Why White and Blue?

Now that Melizan and the other founders unanimously decided that the school should be named after St. Joseph, the question of the colours of the school flag arose. The Oblates and Melizan discerned that by keeping mind of late Bonjean’s wish of naming the school after the Blessed Mother, the Blessed Mother’s colours of white and blue, be used in the College flag. It has been considered that ‘white’ is a symbol of ‘purity’ and ‘blue’ of ‘humanity’. However, a pantone for blue was never officially decided. This made almost all rectors from 1896 onwards to use a blue pantone of their preference. Some have preferred light blue, some turquoise. Navy blue has been used much prominently in recent times.

Now comes the question of whether its ‘white and blue’ or ‘blue and white’. Does it matter? If we go through the four verses of our anthem quite diligently, we see the mention of ‘White and Blue’, ten times. I have summarised this as follows,

1.      White and Blue its mystic colours

2.      White and Blue, our mystic colours

3.      White and Blue is nature’s setting

4.      White and Blue, the ocean’s pride

5.      Keep aloft the White and Blue

6.      White and Blue, her robe and girdle

7.      Dear St. Joseph White and Blue //

8.      Then Hurrah for White and Blue //

 ‘White and Blue’ has been mentioned ten times where else ‘Blue and White’ has not been mentioned a single time. The founders wanted to have white as a more prominent colour over blue. Then how did ‘Blue and White’ become so popular? It must have happened with the introduction of the official College magazine titled ‘Blue and White’. I cannot say for sure. However, the editors of the first 60 or so magazines kept white as the cover page colour of the magazine and used blue for titles. I too preserved this tradition in my book Till the Mountains Disappear: The Story of St. Joseph’s College.

The ‘White and Blue’ anthem

We Josephians have been truly been blessed to have such dignified, heavenly lyrics and a majestic melody in our anthem. However, until 1946 the names of those who wrote and composed the anthem was not known. (See Blue and White, 1946, Plates) No one knows for sure when the anthem was written either. I have written extensively that Fr. John Lanigan OMI, an Irish Oblate who was with St. Joseph’s during 1896 to 1921 was the lyricist of the anthem. (See Till the Mountains Disappear, pp. 188-189) Fr. Lanigan was a brilliant scholar who had an encyclopaedic knowledge. His prowess for the English language and Literature, Classics, History and Geography was immense. If we go through the anthem the influence of Fr. Lanigan’s devotion to Mary, knowledge in Classics and geography and his native Irish tradition is amply conspicuous. Though our anthem has four verses, for nearly a hundred years only the first verse was sung. Though it is impractical to sing all four verses every time, many had forgotten that we had four verses, that by the 1960s only the first verse was printed in College publications. However, since the early 2010s, the St. Cecelia’s Choir had popularised the singing of the fourth verse, which is defining the connection of the College and our lady. The composer of the anthem is believed to be Edgar Neydorf, who served College during 1903 to the 1920s. However, a study by Frs. Justin Perera and Ignatius Perera in 1959 shows that Edgar Neydorf may not be the composer of the anthem. (See Abayasekara, Gerry, Blue and White, 1959, Editorial)

Score of the anthem (Part 1), 1946

College monogram, with shield or without shield?

It is not clear who designed the College monogram and derived the motto In Scientia et Virtute (Which means in knowledge and virtue). Perhaps it was Fr. Lanigan. However, the College monogram we have is quite a unique one. The symbols in it have a terrific meaning and its worth knowing. The cross is a symbol of Christ, the elephant, is the Catholic identity of Sri Lanka. The open Bible has the words Fiat Lux, which means ‘Let there be light’. The three lilies have been a traditional Catholic symbol of St. Joseph. The shield may represent the knowledge imparted in the citadel of education; I do not know for sure. This was the monogram used from the very inception till 1939 (though in between some have reproduced the logo with slight variations). In 1939, Fr. M.J. Le Goc introduced a modified logo in the Blue and White, which had colours for the first time and an external shield surrounding the inner monogram. This is the very logo we use today minus the colours, limiting just to white and blue. However, Fr. Le Goc’s reformed logo was not used for forty years. Fr. Le Goc would retire from College the next year and subsequently the College would be in exile. Perhaps the subsequent rectors missed it or were not aware of it. Its difficult to determine. Nevertheless, one Rector, who was a very student of Le Goc, recalled this adjustment and rectified it in the 1979/1980 Blue and White. This was Fr. Neville F. Emmanuel, who received his entire secondary education from SJC. Ever since then the logo has been displayed with a shield, with white and blue. However, some publications still use the 1896 logo.

Monogram 1939

The ‘Blue and White’ Magazine

Until 1905, there was no magazine or annual publication by St. Joseph’s, apart from the prize reports. Therefore, some of the vital information during 1896 to 1905 may never be traced, for they may not have been recorded in the first place. A group of VIth form students, i.e., around the ages of 16-18, realised that the College must have its own magazine. When they appealed this to Fr. Charles Collin, he readily supported the cause. The far superior, far qualified teachers were glad that these youngsters had come up with such idea guided them, so as to publish an inaugural volume with highest literary standard. Its quite gratifying to know that the Rector and staff supported such ventures by students back then. The whole task of editing a magazine, collecting articles and photographs, laying them out and printing is quite a tedious process. Back then things were much tougher with the limited technology. Hence, the effort of the students his highly laudable. 

Lionel de Fonseka 
(Courtesy of Jayashantha de Fonseka)

The editor of the magazine was Lionel de Fonseka and his brother, S.R. de Fonseka Jr., Henry de Silva and A.P. Van Reyk were Associate Editors of the inaugural Blue and White magazine. Lionel and S.R. Jr. were sons of Mudaliyar S.R. de Fonseka, a principal benefactor of St. Joseph’s.

“The present pupils of the Sixth Form, with a lurking fear lest any suspicion of reproach should attach to their fair names, have resolutely broken through all the restraints of their wanted shyness and reserve, and have endeavoured to edit and publish a journal, which they hope, will fulfil all requirements of a School Magazine, and contain worthy specimens of the literary talent and culture imparted by a college training.”

(Blue and White, 1905, p.1)

 

The aim of the editors of the Blue and White were of two folds. First to record the progress of the college and secondly to nourish the literary development and culture among students. Apart from the essays and articles by students, two valuable historic records were sketched in the inaugural Blue and White. The first is an autobiographical experience of a teacher who came to College in 1896 titled ‘In the days of old’. The teacher doesn’t reveal his name, instead used the pseudonym Transmarinus. (See Ibid., pp. 29-37) The other is a descriptive historical account titled ‘A Historical Sketch of the College’ covering the 1896 to 1905 period. (pp. 53-62) This valuable article was written by Francis Soertsz, who would go on to be the 1^st Ceylonese Acting Chief Justice. The progress of cricket, athletics and football were well noted along with the working of the first society of the College, St. Edward’s Debating Union. The 78-page Blue and White magazine was printed in June, 1905 at the Colombo Catholic Press. The price of the magazine was 50 cents!

 

Cover of the first magazine 

Ah, here we are, after 126 years have passed. Some traditions have changed some have remained. Such is life. But there is no better way to sum up these traditions in retrospect, better than what Fr. Justin Perera said in 1957.

 

“May there always be a St. Joseph’s to keep alive the flames of that torch. There will. Rectors, and teachers and students will come and will go, but there will always be a St. Joseph’s. St. Joseph’s may change, but St. Joseph’s will ever remain.” – Fr. Justin Perera (1915-1981)

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Special thanks to Ainslie Joseph