Mr A K Chapman… the Endearing Fear of Gurutalawa

A Kilto Chapman 

We were all juniors in 1967 and were of the habit of sunning ourselves after morning prep along the open masonry pathway on the quadrangle connecting De Saram Junior and Reid Junior dormitories. It is then that we get the aroma of cigarette tobacco and the tall personality would appear from the Reid dorm end hugging the black W. L Whiteley’s General Physics on his way to the office and breakfast… we would all move to a side making way for him and say Good Morning Sir in unison … he would only nod his head and inquire in return “what’s so good about the morning?"

We were not masterly enough to catch the wit and the banter of this man then as kids but later in school as seniors, we respected him as a feared no-nonsense housemaster who was the authoritative hand that conducted the functions in running the boarding school.

Mr Kilto Chapman was the senior most staff member who continued with Dr Hayman and after at Gurutalawa until his departure in 1972, a period of 25 years. He was also a pioneering student who moved from Mt Lavinia to Gurutalawa in 1942 and the most promising student of Dr Hayman; Physics was his forte which was also Dr Hayman’s PhD. 

His siblings too attended S Thomas’. Late Mr Peter Weerakoon writing from Melbourne reminisces the good old steam train rides to college  “Then there used to be the most respected Mr Kilto Chapman, husband of Betty Chapman, elder brother to Doctor Ben and Ivor Chapman and Rowena Cook.  Also on the train were Old Boys going back to work at college whilst awaiting University results.”

A K Chapman joined the staff in 1947  after having finished his academia to teach Mathematics and Chemistry to the senior school and act as the headmaster during the absence of Dr Hayman. By 1949 Mr F L Amarasinghe and J de S Jayasinghe also joins the the staff and the three ended up being legends in Gurutalawa.

Mr Chapman was more a shadow in the running of the school and was not that active in extracurriculars and sports but did play his game of Tennis every day with the Amarasinghe family and the headmasters both Mr Frank Jayasinghe and E L Perera.

We all had to visit him every time we had to leave the school premises with our Exit Cards to be signed off as permission granted even when we went home with our parents for school vacation.

I remember turning out five copies of the exact verbatim requesting permission to go on the first hike to Gonagala and Warden’s Hill by five of us. He would sign up the five request letters as permission granted and we would then give a copy each to the Duty Master for that day, the Food Matron and the House/Dorm Master while we retained one copy while outside of school. Once back before 6:00 P M, we would report back to him of our return. Later as seniors, we would engage on longer hikes to STPS Bandarawela and Diyatalawa for a Matinee Show at the Regal where we had our first experience of a fag. There was no hesitation in reporting back our arrival to him for he would not trace the scent to being a  heavier smoker.

His living quarters today after modification 

His living quarters on the hillock was a two-roomed apartment with an open verandah on the road to the Keble dormitory, In the same block lived Mr Benjamin Fernando also his contemporary from 1942. Both Mr Chapman and Mr Marasinghe (Keble Dorm Master) were the only bachelors living in a remote location and their dinner was always delivered by Jayasundara the orderly of the Keble dormitory. However, on heavy rainy days, they both did forego their dinner, for it was too much of a task for Jayasundara. 

His involvement in school became more of an authoritative undertaking after Dr Hayman retired in 1963. It was during this period that he was a feared no nonsense man. We all feared the ultimate punishment that would be referred to him for mischief-making that ended up with the most painful sliced cuts on our buttocks. He retained his tennis arm for the game.

Ever since Dr Hayman left; the senior school came under his purview and all three science subjects Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics  in the English medium became his responsibility. Furthermore, he was a skilled technician as his guru Dr Hayman and the staff and boys used to get their watches and radios repaired by him.

The roughest period for him was in 1965; Fr Foster had passed away and he was acting as Headmaster. A serious breach of discipline in the senior dorms did occur and was blown out of proportion by an evening city newspaper. It was too much for him and he went on sick leave at the end of the first term.

The incident as related by the senior prefect at Keble Dormitory goes, “Robin Thampo a well-known Sinhala film director visited College along with actor Gamini Fonseka and crew to shoot a part of the film ‘Sudo Sudu’. A scene where Gamini Fonseka undergoes Army training was to be shot with the school cadets taking the part as soldiers. This was an outcome of a friendship Mr Ratnasingham the Master in charge of Cadeting had with the director Robin Thampo. The filming was going on in the college grounds when Mr Chapman along with Mr Thiyagaraja went over and brought the shoot to a halt because the consent of the parents was not obtained. It was understood later that Mr Thyagaraja was not on good terms with Mr Ratnasingham. Later that evening the senior boys went berserk against Mr Thiyagaraja prompting the Evening Observer to run a headline “Gurutalawa goes on the rampage” The school closed for three months to reopen after an inquiry and deliberations with changes in the administration. Not a single boy was expelled but some were placed on probation. Both teachers had left when the school reopened.

Later Mr Kingley Dassanayake the principal of the Deaf & Blind School in Ratmalana took over and was able to restore confidence among the parents and the well-wishers he was succeeded by Mr Frank Jayasinghe, an exemplary personality in the field of education. It was smooth sailing back again but the slightest breach of discipline was taken up very seriously. I’m sure those reading this will remember Frank caning over 50 senior students during dining hall prep for teasing Mr Tulin Ratnam.

Another lesser-known incident at college will spell out the difficulties and the responsibilities that Mr Chapman had to shoulder in the running of the administration and the farm as well.

My good friend Allan Goodchild (nephew of Rev Fr Goodchild) now domiciled in Michigan USA permits me to publish this as both the headmaster concerned and Mr Chapman are no more.          

“By the way, I’m going to share a story with you that I was asked to not let get around at Guru. Yes, it was officially kept a secret but it was a conspiracy that I enjoyed being a part of … Once a year there was a rifle shooting match. It took place at the end of the building containing the Chapel and Junior Dorms. Where there was a drive-over/walk-over bridge. We would shoot into the woods at Target and away from the school. Well…. I would always outshoot the others. I had a good reason. My uncles (not Fr. Goodchild) taught me to shoot at a young age. Before I came to boarding school at Rugam, our family getaway cabin near Batticaloa. So here is where the secret was but all parties are now no more. At least once a term if not more I would get a note from the headmaster to report to Mr Chapman’s house and when I’d get there he’d be waiting with his .22 rifle and he’d take me up to the farm where one or more mongrel dogs were attacking the chickens. I guess he trusted my aim more than he did his own. Of course, he told me that if I wanted to share this with Fr. Goodchild that it was up to me. I never did. I only told this story to my cousin Christopher who was attending school there but he and I only shared one year. And much later to my wife. Chris was senior to me.

Story over

Allan

By 1971 the most eligible bachelor at college had decided to tie the knot. Mr Chapman wedded Betty Claasz that year. I do remember them living in the two-roomed apartment with certain modifications done and both were very active in the Tennis courts with Headmaster E L Perera and the boys who took to Tennis in a big way.

The Claasz' too had had their stint in Gurutalawa. Dermont Claasz and David Classz were in Gurutalawa from 1956 to 1965. David whom I contracted for details is a diver and runs his aquarium exporting tropical live fish and is a contemporary of Prof Sarath Kotagama. They were the first members of the Birdwatching Club of Rev Fr Foster.

Kilto Chapman and Betty Chapman migrated to Melbourne Australia in 1977. He was greatly missed by all those who had the luck to be associated with him. The OBA honoured him for his services with a farewell dinner in Colombo.

Not much is known of how they got along after migrating to Melbourne where they raised their only child Anthony who is now a highly paid engineer as told to me by David. But the family had the respect and priorities of STCOBA Australia.

According to David, everything was fine with them except for the injurious habit of his heavy smoking that he could not get over even with the advice of his doctors. He did manage to stop smoking at home but found himself frequenting shopping malls and outdoors where he had no opposition against the habit.

It is sad to note that he suffered a severe heart attack while in a shopping mall in Melbourne and did not recover even with prompt hospitalization.

Betty with Anthony Chapman formulated a scholarship for two science stream students every year at Gurutalawa in memory of Mr Chapman which was coordinated by David from here. It is good to know the status of the fund and to revive the same in the name of this exceptional personality of Gurutalawa who is second only to Dr Hayman of Gurutalawa.

Betty too lived a quiet life after having been diagnosed with acute Osteoporosis. She too passed away in Melbourne on 26^th December 2013. The STCOBA Australia branch notified her passing away thus.