Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Gankanda Central College
Gankanda College is a highly venerated educational precinct with an unblemished record of producing great academicians and professionals in the history of education in our country. The year 2010 marked the important milestone in the history of Gankanda Central College, Pelmadulla.
Through so many hardships the school completed its 81st anniversary on March 3. When we flash back the history of Gankanda College, there we find three brothers called, "Punchimahattaya Gankanda", "Dingirimahattya Gankanda" and "Heenmahattaya Gankanda”, the famous philanthropists who had started this school and it has been ceremonially opened by Sir.D.B.Jayathilaka in 1929 with 40 students and 4 teachers. Under the concept introduced by Dr.C.W.W.Kannagara, the school was also changed into the status of a Central College on January 1, 1946 (This date has been established by the successive administrative structures of the school as the school's anniversary).
Keeping abreast with time the college made a few changes and ultimately it became a High school and a National school, due to the dedication, commitment and enthusiasm of the past principals. The school has become a prestigious one and also it has produced a large number of alumni, not only for our Island, but also for the whole world.
Under these circumstances the school's uniqueness has been demonstrated throughout eight decades. In the face of competitive exams, sports and from other co-curricular activities, the college has emerged victorious among other schools.
On account of this a lot of students from other schools in the Ratnapura district come to our college and the majority of them are scholarship holders. With brimming happiness we can say, that we have a unique Past Pupils' Association. Furthermore, I'm grateful to all the beloved teachers of my school, who guide us to go through our school career. This has helped us to gain a lot of victories.
Behind all this huge victories, there is a silent person who guides us to take our school to this status. He is non other than our beloved Principal, Neel DhammikaWatukarawatta. Firstly he cultivated positive attitudes in our minds. Then he headed to renovate our school as the pride of the city of gems. The major reason is, that he educated here from grade 6 to A\L in his alma mater. Then he took a lot of steps tomake Gankanda as the prominent college .
Also we use this opportunity to commemorate our pioneers, well wishers, their excellencys’ the presidents and ministers who helped us to enrich our studies. We're not stranded on the sea, or gone to seeds, we are steering our gigantic ship through the 21 st century, towards a new era called, "Gankanda".
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| 1 .Mr.T.C.I Ekanayaka. | 2 .Mr.A.V. Gunapala. | 3 .Mr. Keerthi Dissanayake. |
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| 4 .Mr.K.H.B. De Silva. | 5 .Mr.P.Wattegama. | 6 .Mr. William Thambawita. |
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| 7 .Mr.N.S. Amarasinghe. | 8 .Mr.A.P.Wickramasingha. | 9 .Major C.V. De S.Senapathirathna. |
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| 10 .Mr.V.D.S Gunasekara. | 11 .Mr.S.Abayawikrama. | 12 .Mr.Stanly.P.Walisingha. |
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| 13/15/17 Mr.P.H .Premasiri. | 14 .K.W.V. Kotalawala. | 16 . Mr.S.A.Danapala. |
| 18/21 .Mr.D.S.Mananperi. | 19 .Mr. H.K.U.K.Weerawardana. | 20 .Mr. N.P. Hubat. |
| 22 .Mr. A.K.D Piyadasa. | 23 .Mr. H.W.N.K. Ekanayake. | 24 .Mr.W. Wimal Jayasekara.http://www.gankanda.com/History.aspx |
R / Sivali
Sri Lankan Sinhalese people were able to own a developed culture with humanity due to nourishing by Buddhist culture over two thousand years. After Sri Lanka became a British colony, British wanted to destroy our Buddhist culture totally and to make a loyal nation to British in this country. Their plan was to destroyed by “Pirivena”, the developed educational system and to start a missionary educational system.
From gazette in 1847, monks were able to give education for the novice monks only. The Buddhist students were prohibited to get education from Pirivens or the master of ceremonies in villages. British wanted to establish a class of people who wearing ties, coats, trousers, who speaking English and who obey what the British was said even Sinhalese people are black.
Against this situation the debates such as “Panadurawadaya” which was started by Buddhist monks and as a result of that the “Parama vinchartha “Buddhist association was started. From that association the Buddhist schools like Ananda College in Colombo, Dharmaraja College in Kandy, Mahinda College in Galle and Maliyadewa College in Kurunegala was started.Under the guidance of Sacrosanct. Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Venerable Sir pioneers like Ratnapura mudliar Don Louie Atigala, Mudduwe Thennakone Podiralahami and Dambawinna Rate Mahattaya intervene for establish a Buddhist school in Ratnapura called ”Sivali” as a result of the above mentioned moment.
Against this situation the debates such as “Panadurawadaya” which was started by Buddhist monks and as a result of that the “Parama vinchartha “Buddhist association was started. From that association the Buddhist schools like Ananda College in Colombo, Dharmaraja College in Kandy, Mahinda College in Galle and Maliyadewa College in Kurunegala was started.Under the guidance of Sacrosanct. Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Venerable Sir pioneers like Ratnapura mudliar Don Louie Atigala, Mudduwe Thennakone Podiralahami and Dambawinna Rate Mahattaya intervene for establish a Buddhist school in Ratnapura called ”Sivali” as a result of the above mentioned moment.
Ananda College
Ananda College, Colombo, the crowning glory of Sri Lankan Buddhist education in terms of both quality and quantity, is located in the heart of Colombo, the commercial capital of Sri Lanka. Ananda temple the edifice of culture, nurtured under noble philosophy of Lord Buddha stands majestically adding the stately school much glory and grandeur.
Ananda College founded by Col. Henry Steele Olcott a renowned American theosophist along with native patriots viz Ven. Migettuwatte Gunananda Thero,Ven. Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Thero and Srimath Anagarika Dharmapala in 1886 as a Buddhist English School on Maliban Street, Colombo 11 and later moved to the present location of Maradana Colombo 10. Having sheltered thousands and thousands of scholars for more than 126 years, Ananda College presently has the capacity for 6000 students who gain their education in Primary, Intermediate and Advanced Level Sections.
aloysius
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St.Aloysius' College has a long history which is about more than hundred and ten yerars.It is in the Rathnapura Town that the seed of St.Aloysius' College was sown June 1888 by Rev.Father Pierre Boulic who was the incharge father of missionary duties in Rathnapura church.He came to Rathnapura St.Padrew & Paul's Church on third of December 1886.He found for the whole Sabaragamuwa province there was not a Sinhala or Tamil school for the Catholic children.So he decided to start a school in Rathnapura Town.He determined to open a school but the main problem was a place.Ther was only fifteen or twenty feet of space in the church premises and the church was surrounded by large rocks.At last a cooly came from Balangoda blasted all the rocks and used them to built the walls of the school.A gentlemen called Don Martinus Abeyratne supplied materials for the roof.Other expenses were supplied by the catholics and Father Boulic.
This Anglo-vernacular school was opened in the month of June 1888.It was named as St.Peter's school which was a mixed one.English and Sinhala were taught in it.On the opening day forty students were presented.Ther were four teachers.Master John Perera and Father S.J.Perera taught to the boys and two other ladies (none certificated teachers) to girls.Mr.John Perera was a reporter to the "Times of Ceylon" and at that time he was residing in Rathnapura.He kindly offered his service behalf of the school.He taught in St.Peter's School since 1888 till 1890.St.Peter's School commenced 1888 and in 1893 it ceased to function.
In 1898 Father S.S.Peter Wallyn arrived to Rathnapura and he had heard about a 'defunct' Anglo-vernacular school which had been opened by father Boulic.Father Wallyn decided to re-open school.He did it.He established an English Middle School and name it as Peter & Paul's mixed school.There were twenty four students at the opening day.(When the school house system starts one house was named as "Wallyn House" to respect Father Wallyn.)
In 1899 Father Wallyn was moved to Balangoda for his pioneer work.Behalf of him in October 1899 Father A.Closset came to Rathnapura.He was the second manager of St.Peter & Paul's School.He registered the school as an Assisted English School for boys and girls.The land on which present college stands was donated to Father Closset by Mr.Graro.Presumably it was at the time of the registration of the schools in 1900 that the name of Peter & Paul's School was changed to St.Aloysius' English School for girls and boys.
There after in 1901-1904 period Rev.Father A.Stache was appointed as the third manager of St.Aloysius' School.During this period the hostel of the college was built on the property of a gentlemen called Dr.Oliveux.Dr.Oliveux had sold this property to Father Van Reeth.During Father A.Stache's period the First Prize Distribution was took place.It was held on the twenty first December 1902 and the Government Agent Mr.G.S.Saxton had presided the occasion.A drama which was named as "The Invisible Hand" staged for this occasion.Father A.Stache act as the manager of the school untill 1904.
In 1904,Father A.Stache left Rathnapura and Rev.Father Francis De Hert took his place as fourth manager of college .Many changes effected this period.The chief of which was the appointment of Mr.P.S.M.Perera as the head master of the college in April 1907.Mr.P.S.M.Perera did a valuable service to the college as the head master for the thirty four years.During the same period Messrs.W.K.Stephen Jayasekara and P.D.Vincent Mrs.Rodrigoo,Mr.Joyachim,Mr.Gnanapragasam,Mr.Rodrigoo served as teachers.Father Francis De Hert worked as the manager of college until 1909.
Resuming the chronological order of events Rev.Father Peter Wallyn the founder of the school returned to Rathnapura from Balangoda on nineteenth of January 1910 and assumed duties as fifth manager of the school and parish priest for the second time.In this period the annual celebration of Old Boys Association was held in grand level.On this occasion there were some priests to help Father Wallyn.Two of them were Rev.Father E.Gaspard and Rev.Father C.Louwers who started the Boarding House of the school.Father Wallyn while on a holiday at Nuwara-Eliya expired suddenly on twenty second of November 1922.
After the death of Father Wallyn Rev.Father L.Spillbout became the sixth manager of the Aloysius' School.Under his management many improvements were took place.He demolished the remained of old school and in its stead built a part of the present college building(Ground Floor) and named Wallyn Memorial Hall for respect to the founder of the school Father Wallyn.He also responsible for the erection of two storied college hostel which can accommodate about one hundred boarders.During this period the first inter-school champion trophy which organized by government agent on the occasion of on his majesty's birthday won by Aloysius and this win continued for eleven years.Another event took place during Father Spillbout's period was the opening of Convent of Child Jesus and transferring the girls to new institute.In the same period Father Spillbout changed the school colours from green and gold to blue and silver and the school motto which was "Union is the Strength" to "Age Quod Agis".The governor of Sri Lanka Sir.H.Stanley visited the school and spoke very highly about the school and the staff,the discipline and the smart of the students of the school.
Father Spillbout left Rathnapura in December 1929 for Kegalle.To take his place Rev.Father N.M.Lodadio arrived Rathnapura.He was the seventh manager of our school.After he placed as the manager of the college understood the accommodation problem is increasing due to the increasing the number of students.As a solution for this,he converted school in to two storied building and included a library for use of the teachers.Rev.Father Lodadio raised as the bishop of Galle on twenty eight of May 1934 and left for Galle on fifteenth of July 1934.
In twenty ninth June 1934 as the eighth Manager of St.Aloysius' College Rev.Father L.Melpingnano arrived Rathnapura filling the vacancy created by new appointment of Father Lodadio.During Father Melpignano's period got many steps to raise up the college.He provided the Physics and Chemistry Laboratories for the students and also broadened the playground and extended the college buildings.In 1946 the magnificent Gem-Lit Night Carnival was held.It was the first night carnival in Rathnapura and again second night carnival held in August 1948 which was named as Jubilee Pageant.
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