By: Upali Obeyesekere, an Old Peterite –
St. Joseph's College and St. Peter's College are two premier Roman Catholic educational institutions in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The two schools have produced alumni that have excelled in academics, politics, sports, administration, business, music, and various other fields not only in the island nation of Sri Lanka but throughout the world. The hallmark of their success has been a commitment to excellence. The two schools enjoy a unique bond of friendship and goodwill that has grown stronger over the years. The following is the history of both schools compiled from various news items and historical material published in the souvenirs of the two schools. If any information is incorrect, please notify the writer by sending an e-mail to upaliobey@rogers.com Thank You!
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St. Joseph's College is a Catholic educational institution that was established in 1896 by French missionaries, with Rev Christopher Ernst Bonjean playing a leading role. The college has over 4000 students with a staff of over 200. Distinguished former students include Cardinal Thomas Cooray the first Cardinal from Sri Lanka, President Ranasinghe Premadasa and Niranjan Deva-Aditya, the first person in history to be born in one continent (Asia) and elected to parliament in another continent (UK). The motto of the college is "Fiat Lux in Scientia et Virtute", meaning " Let there be light through Knowledge and Virtue" in Latin.
In 1892, the idea of a Catholic College emerges with the proposal of the Archbishop of Colombo Rt. Rev. Fr. Christopher Bonjean. On 6 January 1892, a pastoral letter was sent to all the priests espousing the desirability of building a Catholic College at St. Mary’s College premises at Mattakkuliya. In April 1892, a public meeting was held to collect funds and discuss the plans for the Catholic College.
Thereafter 27 acres of Land called the ‘uplands’ was bought by the Archbishop for this project, from the government. Later however, this land was bought back by the government with compensation, and the Catholic Church bought a land at Maradana in Darley Road from an Egyptian called Arabi Pasha for the College building.
On 12 December 1894 the foundation stone was laid by the papal delegate for Asia Rev. Msgr, Zalesbbi. In 1896, on 2 March 1896, St. Joseph’s College Colombo was declared open with 211 students in the school proper and 96 students in the preparatory school with Very Rev. Fr. Charles Collin as the First Rector. In November 1896, on 2 March, the College building was formally declared open by Governor of Ceylon West Redgeway and was blessed by Most Rev. Msgr, Zalesbbi, in the presence of the Archbishop Rt. Rev. Fr. Melizan O.M.I.
The Rector‘s office, the College office and the classrooms were all housed in the first building – the Clock Tower building of the College. The College Magazine was started in 1905. The Bonjean Hall was the third building to be completed. Fr. Charles Lytton, the second Rector, planned and supervised the building project of the Bonjean Hall.
Fr. Emil Nicholas O.M.I. was the third Rector appointed in 1910. To Fr. Emil Nicholas goes the credit of primary work on the first Religious Association of the College – the Guild of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
In 1914, there was the appointment of the great educationist, scientist and efficient administrator Fr. Maurice J. Legoc O.M.I. the fourth Rector. In 1933 the present Primary building – originally named “The Maurice Block” was constructed. This building was an exact copy of the Bonjean Hall was declared open by Most Rev. Fr. Marques.
The next massive building was the (south Wing) a two-storied building to house the classrooms. During Fr. Maurice Legoc’s tenure of office, there was emphasis of the science subjects in the curriculum, Fr. Legoc’s favourite subject was Botany. His own publication “Tropical Botany” was used as a text book in O’ Level classes in India and Sri Lanka. In 1930, Fr. Maurice Legoc introduced a scheme of scholarships to the under privileged students.
On 19 March 1929, the foundation stone for the College Chapel was laid by the Archbishop of Colombo. The College Chapel is a fitting memorial to Fr. Maurice Legoc.
The southern end of the Primary building an exact copy of the Grotto in Lourdes was built. In 1940, the Very Rev. Fr. Peter A. Pillai (fifth Rector) was appointed. In 1947 – 27 February, due to the World War 2, the College buildings were taken over by the Army. The College was in ‘exile’ from 1942 to 1946, branches of the College were housed in Homagama, Kalaniya, Gampaha and later at Borella.
On 30 July 1952, the swimming pool was declared open by Lord Soulbury, the Governor General of Sri Lanka. after the era of Fr. Peter A. Pillai, Rev. W. L. A. Don Peter (sixth Rector) was appointed as the Rector of St. Joseph’s College in 1959. Fr. Don Peter was the first diocesan priest to hold this responsible post.
In 1960, after the take over of the schools by the Government the financial support was stopped by the government. The College became a private, non fee levying school.
To uplift the financial situation of the College, Fr. W. L. A. Peter founded the Welfare Association, and also started a pre-school for St. Joseph’s. After the tenure of the Sinhala scholar, Fr. W. L. A. don Peter, Rev. Fr. Mervyn Weekakkody (seventh Rector) was given the task of being Chief Executive of St. Joseph’s. after a brief period, Fr. Weerakkody retired as Rector and in 1974, Rev. Fr. Quintus Fernando (eighth Rector) was appointed as Rector. FR. Quintus Fernando was called the architect of the green revolution at St. Joseph’s. He gave pride of pace to agriculture. The agro 74 was a great exhibition which displayed agricultural plots and stressed the importance of agriculture in the school curriculum.
The ‘Open air stadium’ was constructed during the era of Fr. Quintus. The cricket ‘Tuft Pitch’ became a reality during Fr. Quintus’s tenure of office. On 19 September 1977, the Hon. Ranasinghe Premdasa, the first old boy Prime Minister was felicitated by the Josephian family. The work of the Premadasa Pavilion was directed by Fr. Quintus Fernando.
In 1979, Fr. Neville Emmanuel (ninth Rector) was appointed as Rector. During the era of Fr. Neville he tried his best to re-introduce the Catholic atmosphere in the College. Fr. Neville started the scheme of granting incentives to teachers based on punctuality, attendance, good teaching etc. Fr. Neville initiated the sports council, to improve standards in the sports arena. In May 1983, Rev. Fr. B. Stanley Abeysekara was appointed as the 10th Rector of St. Joseph’s College.
To provide an opportunity for deserving under-privileged students to study at St. Joseph’s, a grade 5 scholarship examination was inaugurated in the College. On the results of this examination these students were give an opportunity to study at St. Joseph’s College. In 1987 Thomas Cardinal Cooray, a past student of the College was conferred a very special honour – ‘Deva Dharma Keethisiri Uttunga Vidyala Puthra’.
During the era of Fr. Stanley Abeysekara, the following additions and renovations to the college buildings were completed with funds provided by the Welfare Association and Old Boys.
(a) A two storied building was completed. The top-story for the classrooms, and the ground floor for the sick room, boarders’ refectory and modern kitchen.
(b) An auditorium was built where the Chemistry labs were housed.
(c) In 1991, a three storied building was constructed for class-rooms and laboratories for the advanced level students.
(d) The Enderamulla Branch school was inaugurated.
(e) A sports complex cum auditorium was declared open by Nicholas Marcus Fernando on 19 March 1996, funded mainly by Old Boys worldwide.
The College centenary year was inaugurated.
On 30 March 1996, Rev. Fr. Victor Silva (11th Rector) was appointed as Rector of St. Joseph’s College. The Choral singing at St. Joseph’s College reached very high standards, with Mr. Francis Almeida as music director. The Bonjean Hall and the College swimming pool were renovated with funds from Old Boys from the country and overseas. The introduction of the boating facilities were a valuable addition to St. Joseph’s College during the era of Fr. Victor Silva, three classroom buildings were constructed for the Enderamulla branch school. The branch-school of St. Joseph’s at Kadolkelle – Negombo was inaugurated during the latter days of Fr. Victor Silva.
On 3 October 2005, Sylvester Ranasinghe was appointed as 12th Rector of St. Joseph’s College. A systematic staff development programme was introduced at St. Joseph’s by the Rector. During Ranasinghe’s era, different age groups of past students started undertaking different projects for the welfare of the College – innovations and refurbishment of the different buildings were undertaken by the old boys under the direction of the Rector.One significant restoration was the Bonjean Hall undertaken by the Old Boys' Union at a cost of over Rs. 12 m. The dormitory, classrooms were restored and renovated by old boys.
Computerizing different aspects of school administration and curriculum has been completed.
The present college
The school functions as an "assisted school" with substantial state funding but mainly from its old boy unions worldwide
Situated in the heart of the city, its set of buildings cover 12 acres (49,000 m2) and comprise a sports complex, and a swimming pool that is built to Olympic Standards.
The school prepares students for local Ordinary and Advanced Level examinations in Sinhalese, Tamil and English Mediums. In 1996 the latest branch School of St. Joseph's College was opened in Enderamulla, Wattala, 15 km from Colombo. Another branch school that has become a leading Catholic school in the country is St Peter's College, Colombo. Previously known as St. Joseph's South, it was built to cater to the families in the southern part of Colombo who failed to admit their sons to St. Joseph's Colombo, which has now become their main rivals and compete in sports and other activities which are known as "Battle of the Saints" in Sri Lanka. In 2009 st Peter's won the battle after 30 years.
Present rector of St.Joseph's college (as at 2017) is Rev.Fr. Travis Gabriel.
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St. Peter's College, Colombo
The most important date in the history of the college is April 8th 1927. The College estamblished its own identity that day. The Wellawatte branch of St. Joseph 's College Colombo was registered as a separate secondary school by Gazette notification No: 7575 of 2nd April, 1927 with the name St. Peter's College, Wellawatte.
The celebrations in connection with the re-naming of the College had been held on Wednesday, 29th June with the feast of St. Peter with a high mass sung by Very. Rev. Fr. M. J. Le Goc assisted by Rev. Fr. Morel and Theobald Silva. After mass, a colourful ceremony took place on the lawn in front of the college. The College flag with the colours blue, white and gold was blessed by Rev. Fr. Le Goc and hoisted.
Golden Jubilee 1922 – 1972
The year 1972 dawned with memories of that historic and glorious day when St. Peter's was inaugurated on 18th January 1922. It was celebrated with jubilation, thanks giving and a bit of reflection of the five decades that had passed. Teachers, parents, old boys, benefactors and the students had a reason to celebrate the fifty years of endeavour and achievement.
The celebrations commenced with a re-enactment of the event with 200 Josephians walking along Darley Road to the Maradana Railway Station and the train stopped at the vary same place as it did fifty years ago when they were being led by Fr. Maurice Le Goc along Kinross Avenue. The Josephians were led by their Rector Rev. Fr. Mervyn Weerakkody, Rev. Fr. Marcellinc Jayakody and Rev. Fr. Lucien Dep and were welcomed by the Peterite Band playing both college anthems. Lt. Heraclitus Jayasekera of St. Peter's was there with the Peterites to welcome them. Mr. J. A. A. Perera an Old Josephian, the only surviving person who had participated in the 1922 event was there too. The Rector Rev. Fr. Theodore Peiris welcomed the Josephians and a special Assembly was held in the Quadrangle. The celebration concluded on 22nd January, 1922 with the Thanksgiving Mass concelebrated by His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Cooray, Archbishop of Colombo.
Diamond Jubilee 1922 – 1982
Monday, 18th January, 1982 St Peter's recorded its sixty years of service in the field of education since the Archbishop Coudert blessed and opened the new school, St. Joseph 's College South in 1922. The occasion was celebrated in a fitting manner with a large and representative congregation that attended the concelebrated thanksgiving mass held in the open air college quadrangle. The Mass was held in the presence of sixty priests who concelebrated the mass with the Chief celebrant His Lordship Oswald Gomis, the auxiliary Bishop of Colombo. His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Cooray, Archbishop Emeritus of Colombo and their Lordship Frank Marcus Fernando and Edmund Fernando O.M.I. were also present.
Due to the great strides made in a short time in the fields of studies, sports and the improvement in discipline under the leadership of Fr. Wickremasinghe resulted in large the number of applications being received for new admissions. In order to cope this situation, two new houses were added in the Diamond Jubilee year, Basil House named after the second rector Rev. Fr. Basil A. Wiratunga O.M.I. and Arthur House named after the third Rector Rev. Fr. Arthur N. Fernando. These houses participated for the first time in the Diamond Jubilee athletic Meet held on June, 26th 1982.
In the diamond Jubilee year, the College Cadet platoon was re-introduced after a lapse of twenty years. More significant however was the elevation on the 15th July, 1982 of the first Old boy Bishop, Rev. Fr. Dr. Henry Joy Gunawardene as the first Bishop of the new Diocese of Anuradhapura – He paid an official visit to College and was given a fitting reception. Also, the Nancy Emily Wickremasinghe Scholarship was established in the Diamond Jubilee Year which was awarded to the best student entering University presented by a loyal Old boy Mr. Anton Wickremasinghe, Chairman of the Film Corporation. The diamond Jubilee celebration came to a close with the prize giving held on 3rd of December, 1982, where His Excellency J.R. Jayawardene President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka was the Chief Guest. On this day the College hall was named as the 'Nicholas Perera Hall' after its builder. The plaque was unveiled by President J.R. Jayawardene.
The present rector of St. Peter's College is Rev. Fr. Trevor Martin.
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