Short History of Jaffna Central College
A group of Methodist
missionaries from Britain, first came to Ceylon in the year 1814 arriving on
the 29th June which date is observed every year by the Methodist Church in
our country as Methodist Day. After they arrived, they learnt that there was
also a need to establish English Schools in the country. Rev. James Lynch
and Rev. Thomas Squance, two of the original group of six missionaries traveled
to Jaffna to start their mission there. They first mixed freely
with the local people and started learning the local language and getting
acquainted with the local customs.
On 1st August 1816, they purchased a
centrally and ideally situated property, opposite the esplanade, that had
earlier been used as an Orphanage that had closed down. The buildings and
Chapel were quite adequate for their purpose and they established an English
School. This School which has a continuous history from that date, was reorganized
by Rev.Dr.Peter Percival, a great scholar and Principal who
named it Jaffna Central. It was Rev.Dr.Peter Percival, himself a Tamil
Scholar, assisted by Arumuka Navalar, the celebrated Tamil scholar who was a
student of his at Central that produced a Tamil version of the Scriptures
for which elegance and dignity of expression has never been equaled. This
School is the oldest Methodist Mission Institution in South East Asia and
has a long line of missionary Principals who were also educationalists of
their time and they worked untiringly and with indomitable will and sprit to
leave the place much better than when they entered it. The Staff too worked
with devotion and dedication. The School grew from strength to strength.
Academic education was unbeatable for quality and standards. The goal was
excellence.
The School progressed, achieved
Collegiate status, became affiliated to the Calcutta University preparing
students for the FA Examinations of Calcutta and Madras, Junior and Senior
Cambridge, London Matriculation and Commerce examinations. The School
continued to grow and expand. New buildings were started on the original
site and the school expanded. Several students attained academic distinction
and went on for higher studies to the University in Colombo or abroad. In
the forties of this century, after the University of Ceylon came into being,
the first batch of students prepared for the medical entrance examination,
all were successful and all of them entered the medical faculty. University
entrance to all faculties has been a regular feature with very good results
in the entrance examinations.
Side by side Sports and extra curricular
activities also flourished and many students excelled in these as well,
going further to represent the School in outside competitions. Cricket,
Football, Athletics, Scouting, Debating, Oratory, Elocution, Music were all
fields in which students excelled themselves. More than a hundred years
passed by. In the House system, all houses, namely Percival, Romaine,
Wilkes and Bullough are all named after former Principals and there is
healthy rivalry between houses, especially on the sports field.
In 1945 the School entered the free
education scheme and numbers increased. Rev.C.A.Smith, the Principal at that
time, added more buildings to the school and hostel. In 1960 when Rev.Dr
D.T.Niles was principal, the school was handed over to the state along with
several other Methodist Mission Schools. The Methodist Mission retained only
one Boys School and one girls School, both in Colombo, to be run privately.
Thereafter, Jaffna Central had local Principals many of whom were Old Boys
who continued to maintain the standards and traditions that had been
established. Now the School has the status of a “National School” with about
3000 children on the Roll. The School still continues to keep the flame
burning.
But there are many constraints. Many old
boys of all communities -Singhalese, Muslims, Burghers, Tamils have all
happily studied together in this school and have also lived together in the
Rigg Hall Hostel as one happy family without differences or problems. The
Parent Body OBA is in Jaffna and is very closely associated with the school,
while there are branches in Colombo as well as overseas in UK, Canada,
Australia, France and Germany all showing great and active interest in the
welfare of their Alma Mater.
Professors and lecturers in Universities
here and abroad, Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers, Civil Servants, Legislators,
Politicians, Businessmen have all been products of this school, that have
taken their due place in society, served and continue to serve their their
country with honor, distinction and pride. The motto of the
school is “In Gloriam Dei Optimi Maximi
” which means “Unto the Glory
of God, the Best and the Highest” and this the school has continued to
observe down the years. The college song
and college Hymn were composed by Rev.Percy T.Cash, a former Principal and
set to music by Mrs.Cash. Centralities are proud to sing the college song
whenever they get together.
The school buildings,
furniture and equipment have been badly damaged and plenty of repair and
rehabilitation works needs to be done. Basic requirements of books and
writing materials have to be found and provided. Students and teachers who
were grouped in combined schools spread here and there are slowly coming
back and work is being resumed. A great deal has to be done. That is the
present state of affairs. 180 years is a long and glorious period for Jaffna
Central. The sprit of Central still grows and glows. We Centralities are
justly proud of the past. But now we know and realize that the past should
challenge the present and bring hope and fulfillment to the future. Long
Live Central !