Thurstan College

Thurstan College Colombo කොළඹ තර්ස්ටන් විද්‍යාලය
Location
Colombo Sri Lanka
Coordinates	6°54′13″N 79°51′36″E / 6.90361°N 79.86000°E / 6.90361; 79.86000Coordinates: 6°54′13″N 79°51′36″E / 6.90361°N 79.86000°E / 6.90361; 79.86000
Information
Type	National school
Motto	Thamaso Ma Jyothirgamaya ("Lead me from Darkness to Light")
Established	11 January 1950
Founder	E. A. Nugawela
Principal	E. M. S. Ekanayake
Gender	Boys
Colour(s)	Blue, Gold & Red
Website	www.thurstancollege.net

Thurstan College is a national school providing primary and secondary education in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is located in the Cinnamon Gardens of Colombo 7 near the University of Colombo and the Royal College Colombo.^[1] The college is governed by the central government.

Thurstan College has a student population of 4,000. It prepares students for examinations conducted by the Ministry of Education. The facilities at the college include science and computer laboratories and a library. The school has more than thirty clubs and societies.^[2][3] It is easily recognised by the sacred Nuga tree in the grounds. The college colours are blue, god and red. The college motto is "darkness to light".

History

Thurstan College main building

Thurstan College

Alumnus Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of Sri Lanka (2005–2015)

In 1859, A. J. Thurstan, a priest, founded a private technical school that taught agricultural and craft skills. Thurstan funded the school but it closed after a few years. In 1884, with the assistance of the British government, an agricultural school to promote the cinnamon industry was founded in the same location. The principal was H. W. Green, the director of education. This second school closed in 1910. Cinnamon was cultivated at the school and so the area, Colombo 7 is known as Cinnamon Gardens.

1950-1955

On 11 January 1950, a new school, called the Government Senior School, was opened at Kumaratunga Munidasa Mawatha (Thurstan Road) by E. A. Nugawela, minister for education. It was situated between the Royal College Colombo (1835) and the University of Ceylon (1922) on a site vacated by a teachers' training college. It was designed to accommodate students from the Royal Preparatory School who were unable to gain admission to the Royal College Colombo. The first student was Prasanna Abeyratna.

The principal of the new school was D. E. A. Shokman who previously taught at Kingswood College, Kandy. He introduced a house system for sports, prefects (student leadership), cadets, Scouts and literary associations. He named the houses after the four Directors of Education during British rule, namely Denham, Macrey, Robison and Sandeman. The first sports day was held under the patronage of H. W. Howes, Director of Education on Saturday 9 February 1952. The teacher in charge of sport was Kingsley Fernando. The inter-house champions were Robison. In 1953, an under 16s cricket team was formed. Shokman retired in 1955.

In the early 1950s, the lower kindergarten and primary classes were gradually abolished in order to begin a high school and prepare students for matriculation. Around this time, the Indian rationalist, Abraham Kovoor (1898 - 1978) joined the teaching faculty to teach Biology. He retired from Thurstan College in 1959. After his death, he asked that his remains be donated to Thurstan College to provide a human skeleton for the study of anatomy.

On 26 March 1953, at a first prize giving ceremony attended by T. D. Jayasuriya, deputy Minister for Education, the Government Senior School was renamed Thurston College after the Anglican missionary A. J. Thurston who founded a first school in 1859.^[4]

1956–1966

From January 1956 to December 1966, M. D. Gunawardane was the principal at Thurston College. He is remembered as a genial gentleman, a stern disciplinarian and much liked by students and parents. However, due to civil unrest, Tamil students were removed to Isipathana College, another national school in Colombo. The language used for teaching was changed to Sinhala.

Gunawardane revitalised the Parents' and Teachers' Association which provided the school with a shrine room (since demolished). In July 1958, a two story science block, an hall and an office complex were opened. In 1958, two graduates of the college went on to university. They were Nihal Gunawardane (engineering) and Shunith Goonatelleke (arts). Rugby union teams formed in 1957. Other sports at this time included boxing and athletics. In drama education, the teacher, Dayananda Gunawardane produced Nari Bena and the Western music teacher, Weerasinghe produced Aladdin and the wonderful lamp. Pandit Visharada, musician and Lionel Algama, music teacher composed the college song.

1967–1969

P. M. Jayatillake, a keen cricket player, was the principle of Thurston College from 1967 to 1969. He came to Thurstan from Ibbagamuwa Central College. He founded the Old Boys Union at Thurston College and started a school magazine and an orchestra.

1970–1974

Siri Pandithasekara was the principal of Thruston College from March 1970 to 1974. he organised the school's first kala ullela (cultural show). He was an educationalist and founded the teaching of commerce at Thurston College. Pandithasekara left the college when he was promoted to director of education.

1974–1977

A. K. Waidyasekara was the principal of Thurston College from mid 1974 to 1977. In 1975, Thurston College celebrated its silver jubilee. The Saukyadana first aid unit was opened.

1978–1987

P. S. Gunasekara was principal from 1978 to 1987. He reintroduced primary classes to the college. This increased engagement with the college's alumni who enrolled their sons. In 1986, an annual old boys union dinner was revived. A third floor with eleven classrooms was added to the science block. Playgrounds were constructed on the sites of Denham hostel and the old racecourse. Gunasekara also worked to develop the English curriculum.

1988-1992

H. D. Herman Perera became principal in January 1988. This was a time of student unrest but Perera kept the school open. Perera used philanthropic donations and grants to build a science block, a computer laboratory, and a playground with a scoreboard and giant clock. He had a vision for the school's development.

1992-2006

R. D. M. P. Weerathunga, who was the deputy principal assumed duties of principal in late 1992. With philanthropic funds, he built the Kumar Dewapura block, a three story library and a 25 m (82 ft) swimming pool. In 2000, the college celebrated its golden jubilee. With funds from the department of education, Weerathunga enlarged the school to accommodate another 1000 students. He also encouraged bands and orchestras at the school.

In 1997, Thurstan College was granted the title for a rugby ground at Bauddhaloka Mawatha. In mid 2003 to mid 2005, the land was redeveloped for cricket with an underground sprinkler system and wickets.

On 3 April 2004, a Thurstan alumni, Mahinda Rajapksa became the nineteenth Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

2006-2008

From 2006, R. M. Jayasekara, a commerce teacher was acting-principal until his retirement in 2007. He had been employed at Thurston College for 35 years. Janaka Kumara then became acting-principal until July 2008.

2008-2010

Wimal Gunaratna was appointed principal in August 2008 from his role as Director of Education in the Western Province. He oversaw construction of the Deshabandu Kumar Dewapura Pavilion, completed on 30 January 2009. On 4 December 2009, work began on new rugby grounds. The Diamond Jubilee of the college in was celebrated with a RS 10 stamp depicting the college building and the Nuga tree.

Houses

Principals

• D. E. A. Schokman (11 January 1950 - 31 December 1955)
• M. D. Gunawardhana (1 January 1956 - 17 January 1967)
• P. M. Jayatilaka (1 February 1967 - 9 October 1969)
• S. Pandithasekera (16 March 1970 - 30 April1974)
• A. K. Waidyasekara (2 May 1974 - 20 January 1978)
• P. S. Gunasekhara (24 January 1978 - 31 December 1987)
• H. D. Herman Perera (1 January 1988 - 20 October 1992)
• R. D. M. P. Weerathunga (1992 - 28 August 2006)
• R. M. Jayasekara (acting principal 2006 - 2008)
• W. Gunarathna (2008 - 2010)
• A. D. M. D. Bandara (2010)
• Y. A. N. D. Yapa (23 September 2010 - 20 May 2013)
• A. D. M. D. Bandara (21 May 2013 - 14 April 2015)
• G. A. M. S. Sarachchandra (acting principal 1 May 2015 - 31 December 2015)
• E. M. S. Ekanayake (5 February 2016 - present)

Notable alumni

Alumni of Thurstan College are known as Old Thurstanites.^[5][6] Notable alumni from the school include;

Sports

Traditional fixtures

Cricket: Thurstan-Isipathana

Thurstan plays an annual cricket encounter at the beginning of the school cricket season against Isipathana Vidyalaya called Big Match or 'Battle of the Brothers'. The contest has been held since 1963^[7] and out of the 52 matches played, six matches have been won by Thurstan College while Isipathana College has only won five with all the other matches ending in a draw.

Rugby
Thurstan's rich and colourful rugby history is over 52 years old. Thurstan College first began playing rugby in 1957 and they were the second government school to take to rugby.

In addition to the 'Abdul Jabar Trophy' which is played with the traditional rivals Isipathana College, there are two more annual encounters for the 'Diyanesh Rajarathnam Memorial Trophy', which commenced in 1998 against Wesley College and the 'Graetian Gunawardhana Challenge Trophy' in 2001 with D.S. Senanayake College.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thurston College.

References

External links

• Official website