Frank Jayasinghe That I Knew

The passing of Dr. Frank Jayasinghe marks the end of an era in Sri Lankan education. To many he was an eminent educationist, the founder of the Wycherley International School, and a visionary who transformed private education in Sri Lanka. To me, however, he was first and foremost the Headmaster of S. Thomas’ College, Gurutalawa—a man who arrived at a critical moment in the history of our beloved school.

When Dr. R. L. Hayman left Gurutalawa, the school entered a period of uncertainty. Although his distinguished chaplain, Rev. Canon A. J. Foster, was the natural choice to succeed him, fate intervened and he passed away while serving in a deputizing capacity. Thereafter, the school continued for some time without a permanent Headmaster, with respected senior masters such as Mr. A. K. Chapman carrying the responsibility of acting leadership.

During this transitional period, maintaining the unique culture and discipline established by Dr. Hayman became increasingly difficult. A few unfortunate incidents attracted unfavourable publicity, resulting in the temporary closure of the school. It was against this challenging backdrop that the Board made its first permanent appointment after Dr. Hayman’s departure by inviting Frank Jayasinghe from Wesley College, Colombo, to assume the Headmastership in 1965.

Looking back, one can only imagine the enormous responsibility that rested upon his shoulders. His task was not merely to administer the school but to restore confidence, discipline and stability. He approached that mission with unwavering determination, firmly believing in the old biblical maxim, “Spare the rod and spoil the child.” Whether one agreed with his methods or not, there is little doubt that he succeeded in re-establishing order and setting Gurutalawa back on a firm footing.

Those of us who were students during his tenure experienced that discipline first-hand. Dr. Jayasinghe wielded the cane with remarkable precision. We jokingly described his stroke as having the sweep of a golf swing. I vividly remember one rainy afternoon when over fifty senior boys were summoned and each received three cuts of the cane for teasing the duty master during evening prep in the dining hall. We juniors watched in stunned silence. It sent a clear message throughout the school that discipline had returned.

Some of us juniors also became familiar with the Headmaster’s office through another route. Mrs. Loretta Jayasinghe, who taught English in the Lower Fourth and Upper Fourth and also served as the school’s music teacher, occasionally sent mischievous boys to the Headmaster with a written note. My classmates Wathuhewa and Arshad Hassanali were frequent recipients of such notes and would quietly return to class, trying unsuccessfully to conceal their discomfort. Looking back, these are memories we now recall with amusement rather than resentment.

Yet beneath the stern exterior was a cultured family devoted to education and music. Mrs. Loretta Jayasinghe built an excellent school choir together with Mr. Arunachalam and Tuline Ratnam. Many old boys still cherish memories of singing under her direction. One contemporary recalls being selected for the choir after singing scales while Mrs. Jayasinghe played the piano, eventually performing songs like Waltzing Matilda. Another remembers singing as the soloist in the Christmas Eve service at Christ Church, Galle Face, in 1966—a performance broadcast over Radio Ceylon—which brought immense pride to Mrs. Jayasinghe.

Frank himself was an enthusiastic tennis player. Almost every evening he would be seen on the tennis courts, often partnering F. L. Amarasinghe and his wife. We used to joke that the same powerful arm that mastered the tennis racquet was equally effective in restoring order at Gurutalawa. Behind the humour was the reality that he inherited a school desperately needing firm leadership, and he delivered exactly that.

Although Dr. Hayman had departed, many of the great personalities of the Hayman era remained, including Mr. A. K. Chapman, Mr. J. de S. Jayasinghe and Rev Fr. H C Goodchild. Their presence ensured continuity while Frank Jayasinghe introduced renewed discipline and purpose. When he left Gurutalawa in 1968, he handed over a far more stable institution to Mr. E. L. Perera, another legendary Thomian educationist who would write his own distinguished chapter in the school’s history.

After leaving Gurutalawa, Dr. Jayasinghe briefly served at S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia. Feeling called to a broader educational mission, he later moved to South India, where he became associated with Kodaikanal School during a period of significant transformation. The school evolved from serving missionary families into a multinational Christian institution that welcomed students from many countries while remaining rooted in service, character formation and intercultural understanding. Those experiences undoubtedly broadened his educational philosophy and administrative vision.

Returning to Sri Lanka, he founded the Wycherley International School, which would become one of the country’s most respected private educational institutions. Through Wycherley, he pioneered a new approach to international education and earned his place among the most influential educationists of modern Sri Lanka.

Dr. Frank Jayasinghe was a proud son of Richmond College, Galle and Wesley College, Colombo. A specialized teacher in Science and Mathematics and an honors graduate of the University of London in Sinhala and Oriental Languages lived a long and fulfilled life, reaching the remarkable age of ninety-two. Though remembered by many as a strict disciplinarian, those who knew him personally also remember his humility, warmth, deep Christian faith and genuine concern for young people. His beloved wife, Loretta, predeceased him. He leaves behind a son and a daughter. It is heartening to know that Sanjeev the son continues his father’s commitment to education and Christian values while serving in Thailand.

History often remembers great educators for the institutions they founded. I remember Frank Jayasinghe for something equally important. At a moment when Gurutalawa needed courage, conviction and uncompromising leadership, he accepted one of the most difficult appointments in the school’s history and restored confidence to an institution that was searching for direction.

As one of his former students, I can honestly say that although we feared his cane in those days, we have come to appreciate, with the wisdom of age, the purpose behind it. His discipline was never an end in itself; it was his way of shaping character, instilling responsibility and preparing young boys for life.

May Dr. Frank Jayasinghe rest in eternal peace. His legacy lives on in the thousands of students whose lives he touched, in the institutions he strengthened, and in the enduring values of discipline, service and education that he championed throughout his remarkable life.

Picture curtsey https://stcguru.edu.lk/