This table cloth in the school colors with the logo and motto at its center and a skirting of signatures embroidered in gold thread has been on display at all school functions over several decades. Yet how many Visakhians know its history and its uniqueness?
It was the brain child of Mrs Lucille Amarasuriya whose daughters were then studying at Visakha. Been blessed with an inherent bend towards artistic creativity she came up with the idea of a table cloth with signatures of past students to commemorate the 40th anniversary of our school.
At that time there were just a few signatures and it would come as a surprise to many people to see that signature of Mr Dudley Senanayaka a past Prime Minister of our country and that of Mrs Susan George Pulimood who was a revered Principal of an era gone by, appear not once, but thrice.
Many years on, this forgotten heirloom was discovered all bundled up in a corner of a cupboard in the Principal’s office. The table cloth was moth eaten and there were holes as big as cannon balls in the center. A generous past pupil came to the rescue and had the entire cloth repaired with the original logo and motto patched back on.
It was then that the OGA recognized the true value of this keepsake. The idea was thus born to add signatures for the 70th anniversary and again for the 75th anniversary of Visakha. The projects became fund raisers and an old girl undertook the embroidery of signatures on both these occasions. At present there are a few who could boast of tracing three generations of their families.
The signature table cloth preserves the memory of many past pupils in the annals of Visakha Vidyalaya. The centenary of Visakha offers the unique opportunity of having one’s signature recorded on an heirloom belonging to the school, to be joined perhaps by her daughters and even grand daughters someday.
As a prelude to the centenary celebrations of Visakha Vidyalaya, this invitation goes out to members of the VVOGA who are desirous of having their signatures embroidered in gold thread on the VV Signature Table Cloth.
Please use the form included in the below link.
For more information please contact Conveners of the VVOGA 'fund raising subcommittee' 2014/15:
Upekha Liyanage - 0773684553
Harshini Yapa - 0777415499
Erandi Nanayakkara - 0773450517
Shamini Abeysirigunawardana - 0773904215
