Trinity College, Kandy

Trinity College Kandy
Respice Finem Latin - (Look to the End)
Location
Kandy
Information
Type	Independent Private
Established	1872
Founder	Rev Ireland Jones
Principal	Brigadier Udaya Ariyaratne
Gender	Boys
Age	6 to 18
Enrollment	3500
Colour(s)	Red Gold Blue
Former pupils	Old Trinitians
Website	trinitycollege.lk

Trinity College, Kandy founded in 1872 by Anglican missionaries, is an Independent elite private boys’ school providing primary and secondary education in Sri Lanka. It is widely considered to be the premier private boys' school in Sri Lanka.

History

Administration building, Trinity College, Kandy

The antecedents of Trinity College go back to 1817, just two years after Britain had gained control of the central hills of Sri Lanka and with them the entire island in 1815. The first missionaries from Britain, Mr. and Mrs. Browning, set up an elementary school of humble proportions in Kandy, which flourished in its day but was later closed down for unknown reasons. Four decades later, Rev. Ireland Jones established the Kandy Collegiate School in 1857 at the same premises and James Alexander Dunuwille Snr, Deputy Queen’s Advocate, donated the adjoining land to the College. However, again for unknown reasons it was closed down in 1863.

Trinity College Kandy was founded in 1872, nearly a decade later, by the Principal Rev. Richard Collins. Although, it was founded as an Anglican Missionary school based on the traditions of the best of the public schools in England, the missionaries took into its ambit the best of the indigenous culture. The grand Principal of Trinity College Rev. A.G. Fraser brought the school from a mere provincial school to a national college. In his day (1904-1924), it became a multi facetted educational institution, equal to that of any leading school in the British Commonwealth. In the days of Fraser 17 different nationalities made use of the all round educational Trinity provided. Fraser was an inspiring personality and yet truly self-sacrificing. All his best years were given to Trinity and all his efforts bore fruit. He had the power of persuasion, which he used to inspire brilliant men from Oxford and Cambridge to serve as Anglican missionaries at Trinity College. Walter Senior was one such person who came to serve as Vice Principal under Fraser. Two buildings, one known as the “Gaster Block” and the other was The Chapel which continues to be admired today and bears testimony to the wisdom of Fraser and Gaster.

Over the next few decades the college achieved a period of pristine glory under Cannon McLeod Campbell (1925-1935), later Chaplain to the Royal Family and Rev Robert Stopford (1935-1940) when Trinity's greatest benefactor, Mr. A.H.T. De Soysa financed several building projects, including the college hall. The first Ceylonese Principal was Mr. C.E. Simithrarachchy (1941-1951), an old boy and the last British Principal was Norman Walter (1952-1957). C.J. Oorloff was the Principal (1957-1968) when the country was going through a difficult period, as anti-British policies were fashionable, national feelings were roused sometimes reaching hysterical proportions and the right to survive as independent schools was challenged. Mr. Oorloff’s policy of quiet dignified management helped prevent the government take over. The second old boy to be Principal was Mr. Lionel Fernando (1968-1977), his deputy, another old boy was Mr. Hillary Aberyrathne when the Swimming Pool project was begun. Under Rev. Dr. W.A. Wickremasinghe (1978-1988) Asgiriya was transformed into an International Cricket Stadium with the help of another old boy, Cabinet Minister Lionel Gamini Dissanayeke. Unfortunately, the Agriculture school in Pallekale, an attempt to have an institution of higher learning affiliated to Trinity did not bear results as expected. The new science block, auditorium, the new administration block and the rugby grounds at Pallekale were constructed during the period of Lt. Col. L.M. De Alwis and Dr. W.R. Breckenridge. Recently, the Old Trinitians Sports Club (OTSC) was compeleted with the help of another old boy, Mr. Nahil Wijesuriya and the Pallakalle Rugby Stadium with the help of non-oldboy Mr. Hemaka Amarasuriya.

Today it is one of the leading schools with a rich heritage. Trinity College will build on its heritage and goes to greater heights in the new millennium. The motto of Trinity is “Respice Finem”, so Trinity looks if not to the end, but to the years ahead in serving the youth of Sri Lanka.^[1]

Past principals of Trinity

• Rev John Ireland Jones MA (Trinity College, Dublin)
• Rev Richard Collins MA (Cantab)
• Rev J. G. Garrett MA (Trinity College, Dublin)
• Rev E. N. Hodges MA (Oxon), DD
• Rev E. J. Perry MA (Oxon)
• Rev H. P. Napier-Clavering MA (Cantab)
• Rev R. W. Ryde MA (Cantab)
• Rev Alexander Garden Fraser MA (Oxon), CBE
• Canon J. McLeod Campbell MA (Oxon), MC, DD
• Rev Robert Stopford MA(Oxon), DD(Lond), KCVO, CBE
• Mr C. E. Simithraaratchy BSc (Cey.)
• Mr Norman S. Walter MA (Oxon)
• Mr Cedric J. Oorloff BA (Lond), CCS
• Mr E. Lionel Fernando BA (Cey.)
• Rev Dr. W. G. Wickremasinghe MA (Oxon), DD
• Lt. Col. Leonard M. De Alwis MA (Hull)
• Dr Warren R. Breckenridge BSc (Cey.), PhD (McGill)
• Mr Roderick Gilbert B.Ed (Lond)

Houses at Trinity

School song and hymn

Early chronology of Trinity College

The Trinity College Chapel

On the 19th of August 1855 a church was opened in Kandy on exactly the same site that the Trinity College main hall stands now. Built by Rev. Oakley, it was a prominent landmark in Kandy and known as Oakley's church. It was pulled down in 1939 to make way for the main hall, but one of its original doors, which had been donated by Mr. A. S. Samarasinghe in 1885, now marks the entrance to the reading room from the library. In the early years it is recorded that Trinity was better known as Oakley's School among the people of Kandy. The present chapel of Trinity College is the result of the untiring efforts and dedication of many over the past century. Rev. Fraser, whose immense service to the school is recorded elsewhere on this site, conceived the idea of a new chapel for Trinity as far back as 1915

The Metropolitan of India and Ceylon, the Most Reverend Foss Wescott DD, Bishop of Calcutta, laid the foundation stone, on the 19th of August 1922, during the course of the fiftieth anniversary celebrations of the school. The original stone was laid in front of the present main hall, but it was later shifted to a more suitable site, located below the Principal's Bungalow and construction finally began in 1923.

The Present Chapel

The grand design of the chapel was that of Rev. Gaster, the then vice-principal, who was a qualified architect and draftsman. His technical skill and ability permitted him to express his ideas and aspirations in accordance with the traditions of the country. The chapel depicts the grandeur and loveliness of the ancient capitals of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. It denotes the vision and purpose of religion in collaboration with artistic merit, and marked to a great extent by the standard reached in architecture.

Chapel Murals The masons and carpenters, who were already working in the school, were used in the building process. The great quantities of granite were brought from Aruppola, only two and a half miles away from the college. The timber was brought from Mawanella and Kekirawa and iron from Messers Walker & Sons. On the 3rd of March 1935, the Bishop of Colombo dedicated the chapel. A timeline below highlights the major steps in the construction and renovation of the chapel.

• 1923 - Work commences in accordance with the design and plans of Rev. Gaster
• 1929 - The side chapel is completed. Mr. David Paynter begins work on the first mural on its southern wall using local modals and Sri Lankan setting like the murals followed
• 1930 - The side chapel is dedicated as "the chapel of the light of the world".
• 1933 - The Chancel, the Sanctuary and the Main Altar are completed. Mr. Paynter paints "The Crucifixion" above the main altar and "The Story of the Good Samaritan" and "The Washing of the Feet of the Disciples by Jesus Christ"
• 1935 - The work on the rest of the chapel (vestry and the nave) is completed and the chapel is dedicated to the glory of god and is used as a place of regular worship.
• 1954 - The original roof of the chapel made of corrugated Zinc sheets is replaced with Calcut tiles, during the course of which the two murals depicting "The Story of the Good Samaritan" and "The Washing of the Feet of the Disciples by Jesus Christ" are badly damaged and have to be redone.
• 1957 - Mr. Paynter completes the present painting of the "Parable of the Good Samaritan" using different colors, models and background in order to provide an indigenous character to the biblical story.
• 1965 - Mr. Paynter redoes "The Washing of the Feet of the Disciples by Jesus Christ" along with "The Story of the Good Samaritan". The pulpit is constructed and dedicated to the memory of Mr. Walter Senior, author of the hymn for Ceylon and the College hymn.
• 1967 - The lectern is installed
• 1969 - The bell tower is completed

The "Grand Design" of Rev. Gaster remains incomplete; yet one hopes that it will finally be completed and thus validate the intentions of its founders.

Notable alumni

See also

• Asgiriya Stadium
• Bradby Shield Encounter
• The Ryde Gold Medal
• The Trinity Lion
• Trinity College Chapel, Kandy
• Trinity-Antonian Cricket Encounter

References

• Trinity College Magazine 2004
• Trinity College Hand Book 2003
• 125 Years of Trinity - Official Publication
• Trinity College Kandy Official Web Site

External links

• Official website
• Trinity College Kandy on Facebook
• Trinity College Old Boys Association
• The Online Den (www.trinitians.com) site for trinitians
• Trinity College Kandy Worldwide Website
• Old Trinitians Sports Club
• Trinity College Kandy Cadet Platoon
• Trinity College Old Boys Association - Washington DC
• Trinitians in Dubai, UAE

Coordinates: 7°18′01″N 80°38′10″E / 7.300152°N 80.636215°E / 7.300152; 80.636215