Jaffna Central College

Jaffna Central College யாழ்ப்பாணம் மத்திய கல்லூரி
In gloriam Dei optimi maximi Unto the glory of God, the best and the highest
Address
Rajendra Prasath Road Jaffna, Jaffna District, Northern Province Sri Lanka
Coordinates	9°39′41.90″N 80°0′51.20″E / 9.6616389°N 80.0142222°ECoordinates: 9°39′41.90″N 80°0′51.20″E / 9.6616389°N 80.0142222°E
Information
School type	Public national 1AB
Founded	1817
Founder	Rev. James Lynch Rev. Thomas Squance
School district	Jaffna Education Zone
Authority	Ministry of Education
School number	1001002
Principal	S. K. Elilventhan
Teaching staff	124
Grades	1-13
Gender	Boys
Age range	5-18
Language	Tamil, English
Slogan	Central's flag must never be lowered
School roll	2,130
Website	jcc.lk

Jaffna Central College (Tamil: யாழ்ப்பாணம் மத்திய கல்லூரி Yāḻppāṇam Mattiya Kallūri, JCC) is a national school in Jaffna, Sri Lanka.^[1][2] Founded in 1817 by British Methodist missionaries, it is one of Sri Lanka's oldest schools.

History

In 1813 the Methodist's British Conference approved the establishment of missions in Ceylon, Java and the Cape of Good Hope.^[3] On 30 December 1813 Dr Coke, seven missionaries (William Ault, Benjamin Clough, George Erskine, Martin Harvard, James Lynch, Thomas H. Squance) and two of the missionaries' wives left Portsmouth and sailed to Ceylon. Mrs Ault and Dr. Coke died on the journey. When the arrived in Bombay they had little money but they were helped by Governor Evan Nepean and W. T. Money, a merchant. Five of the missionaries (Ault, Clough, Erskine, Lynch and Squance) sailed from Bombay on 20 June 1814 and arrived in Galle on the south coast of Ceylon on 29 June 1814.^[3][4] On 11 July 1814 the missionaries gathered together to decide who would be stationed where - Lynch and Squance were to go to Jaffna in the north; Ault was to go to Batticaloa in the east; Erskine was to go to Matara in the south; and Clough was to remain in Galle.^[3] Clough was later joined by Harvard and his wife. Lynch and Squance left Galle on 14 July 1814 and arrived in Jaffna on 10 August 1814 where they established the Wesleyan Methodist Mission, North Ceylon.^[5]

On 1 August 1816 the mission purchased from the government the former orphanage situated opposite the esplanade in Jaffna.^[6] In 1817 the Jaffna Wesleyan English School was founded with Rev. Lynch as principal.^[5][7][8] The school transferred to the Vembadi site in 1825.^[5] The school was renamed Jaffna Central School in 1834 by the then principal Rev. Dr. Peter Percival.^[5][9] In the same year a separate girls school was established which was renamed Vembadi Girls’ High School in 1897. JCC prospered, becoming affiliated to Madras University (1869) and Calcutta University (1897).^[5][10]

In 1945 JCC started providing free education.^[5] Most private schools in Ceylon, including JCC, were taken over by the government in 1960.^[5] In 1994 JCC became a national school.^[5]

JCC's principal Kanapathy Rajadurai was shot dead on 12 October 2005 in Jaffna.^[11]

Crest

JCC's crest and colours were introduced in 1901 by Romaine Cooke, the then vice-principal.^[12] The lower arc of the crest contains JCC's moto: In gloriam Dei optimi maximi (Unto the glory of God, the best and the highest). The key symbolises JCC being an instrument that unlocks those leading to knowledge. The yarl symbolises JCC's host city Jaffna. The rising sun symbolises the light of learning that radiates from JCC.

Big Match

JCC play St. John's College, Jaffna in an annual cricket match known as the Battle of the North or the Battle of the Blues.^[13][14][15] The first match took place in 1904.^[16][17]

Principals

^{[18][19][20][21]}

• 1816 Rev. James Lynch
• 1819 Rev. James Lynch
• 1820-24 Rev. Robert Carver
• 1825 Rev. Joseph Roberts
• 1834-51 Rev. Dr. Peter Percival
• 1852-54 Rev. John Walton
• 1855 Rev. William Barber
• 1859-61 Rev. William Talbot
• 1862-66 Rev. John Mitchell
• 1867-70 Rev. John O. Rhodes
• 1870-72 Rev. D.P. Niles (acting)
• 1873-74 Rev. Samuel R. Wilkin
• 1874-76 Rev. William R. Winston
• 1877-78 Edward Strutt
• 1879-81 Fredrick M. Webster
• 1882 Thomas Little
• 1883 William J. G. Bestall
• 1884 Joseph West
• 1885-86 Rev. A. E. Restarick
• 1886-87 Rev. D. P. Niles (acting)
• 1888-89 Rev. Sheldon Knapp
• 1890 Rev. E. Middleton Weaver
• 1891-93 Rev. W. T. Garret
• 1894-95 Rev. Gabriel Leese
• 1896-98 Rev. W. T. Garret
• 1899 Rev. George B. Robeson (acting)
• 1900 Rev. E. O. Martin
• 1901 Rev. Arthur Lockwood
• 1901-03 Rev. W. T. Garret
• 1903-08 Rev. W. M. P. Wilkes
• 1908-10 Rev. H. A. Meek
• 1910-16 Rev. W. M. P. Wilkes
• 1916 Rev. E. T. Selby (acting)
• 1917-21 Rev. Harold Bullough
• 1921 Rev. H.R. Cornish (acting)
• 1922-26 Rev. Percy T. Cash
• 1927 J. K. Chanmukam (acting)
• 1928-32 Rev. Percy T. Cash
• 1933 R. J. Seal (acting)
• 1934-39 Rev. Percy T. Cash
• 1940-42 R. S. D. Williams
• 1943-44 J. W. Arudpragasam
• 1945-55 Rev. C. A. Smith
• 1949 J. C. Charles (acting)
• 1956-62 Rev. Dr. D. T. Niles^[22]
• 1962-64 A. E. Tamber^[23]
• 1964-71 E. Sabalingam^[24]
• 1971-80 E. K. Shanmuganathan
• 1980-82 N. S. Rathinasingham^[25][26]
• 1983-90 V. Balasuntharam
• 1990 N. Rasaratnam
• 1990-96 N. K. Shanmuganathapillai
• 1996 S. Sivanrooban (acting)
• 1996-05 K. Rajadurai^[11][27]
• 2006-08 S. Pathmanathan (acting)
• 2009- L. Ongaramoorthy
• S. K. Elilventhan

Alumni

• V. Appapillai - Dean of the Faculty of Science, University of Ceylon, Peradeniya^[28]
• S. Arulkumaran - Professor of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, St George's, University of London^[29][30]
• K. S. Arulnandhy - Deputy Director of Education^[31]
• J. N. Arumugam - Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport & Works^[32]
• Kumariah Balasubramaniam - professor^[33]
• V. Buvanendran - Professor of Veterinary Science^[34]
• A. Canagaratnam - Member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon for Northern Province South^[35]
• P. Chandrasegaram - Professor of Education^[36]
• J. K. Chanmukam - Vice Principal of Jaffna Central College^[36]
• Douglas Devananda - Tamil militant, government minister, Member of Parliament for Jaffna District, leader of the Eelam People's Democratic Party^[37][38]
• S. Dharmapalan - Government Agent for Jaffna District^[39]
• Waithilingam Duraiswamy - Speaker of the State Council of Ceylon^[40]
• Yogendra Duraiswamy - diplomat^[41][42]
• Nagalingam Ethirveerasingam - Olympic athlete^[43][44]
• Saba Jeyarajah - professor^[45]
• A. W. Mailvaganam - Dean of the Faculty of Science, University of Ceylon^[46][47]
• M. A. Abdul Majeed - Deputy Minister, Member of Parliament^[48]
• K. V. Nadarajah - Member of Parliament for Bandarawela^[49]
• Arumuka Navalar - Hindu revivalist^[50]
• V. N. Navaratnam - Member of Parliament for Chavakachcheri^[51][52]
• V. C. Motilal Nehru - President's Counsel^[53]
• D. T. Niles - President of the Ceylon Methodist Conference^[22][54]
• Jaya Pathirana - Member of Parliament for Kurunegala; Judge, Supreme Court of Sri Lanka^[55]
• S. C. Paul - leading surgeon^[56]
• S. A. Raheem - Member of Parliament for Mannar, High Commissioner^[57][58]
• J. M. Rajaratnam - Vice President of Singer Company^[59]
• E. V. Ratnam - surgeon, Member of Colombo Municipal Council^[60]
• Visvanathan Rudrakumaran - Prime Minister of the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam^[61]
• A. Sabapathy - Member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon^[62]
• Poopalapillai Sangaravel - Deputy Director of the Ministry of Finance & Development, Secretary of the University College, Batticaloa, Additional Government Agent^[63]
• Nevins Selvadurai - Member of the State Council of Ceylon for Kayts^[64]
• N. Shanmugarajah - General Manager of the Ceylon Electricity Board^[65]
• C. Sittampalam - government minister, Member of Parliament for Mannar^[66]
• Kanagaratnam Sriskandan - Chief Highway Engineer for the Department for Transport, UK^[67][68]
• P. Sriskandarajah - Judge, Supreme Court of Ceylon^[69]
• A. R. Surendran - Leading lawyer and President's Counsel^[70][71]
• Robin Tampoe - filmmaker^[72]
• H. D. Thambiah - Chief Justice of Sri Lanka^[73]
• H. W. Thambiah - Judge, Supreme Court of Ceylon, High Commissioner^[74][75][76]
• Vincent Thamotheram - Judge, Supreme Court of Sri Lanka^[77]
• Daniel Thiagarajah - Church of South India Bishop of Jaffna^[78]
• J. Thiviyanathan - Member of Parliament for Ampara District^[79]

See also

• List of schools in Northern Province, Sri Lanka

Notes

1. Schools Basic Data as at 01.10.2010. Northern Provincial Council. 2010.
2. "Province - Northern" (PDF). Schools Having Bilingual Education Programme. Ministry of Education.
3. Martyn 1923, p. 162.
4. Martyn 1923, p. 11.
5. "Milestones in the history of JCC". Old Boys Association' (Canada).
6. "Brief History of Jaffna central College". Old Boys' Association (Jaffna).
7. "From T. D. S. A. Dissanayake's 'War or Peace...' - University entrance: standardisation suicidal". Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka). 29 June 2003.
8. "‘Govt to make Sri Lanka trilingual’". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 7 February 2012.
9. Martyn 1923, p. 17.
10. Martyn 1923, p. 179.
11. "Jaffna Central College Principal shot, succumbs to wounds". TamilNet. 12 October 2005.
12. "School Crest". Old Boys Association' (Canada).
13. "Jaffna big match starts Thursday". TamilNet. 9 March 2006.
14. Ratnayake, Samiddha (21 February 2010). "The tradition lives on". The Nation (Sri Lanka).
15. "Big Match: St. John’s and Jaffna Central draw their 106th encounter". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 10 March 2012.
16. "‘Battle of North’ begins in Jaffna". TamilNet. 26 February 2010.
17. "The Centenary 'Battle of the North'". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 16 March 2004.
18. "Past Principals". Jaffna Central College. Archived from the original on 19 February 2012.
19. Manickavasagar, K. (2 January 2007). "Jaffna Central College Old Boys' Association centenary". Daily News (Sri Lanka).
20. "Past Principals". Jaffna Central College Old Boys' Association, Canada.
21. "Milestones in the History of Jaffna Central College". Jaffna Central College Old Boys' Association, Sydney, Australia.
22. Fernando, Ransiri J. (30 June 2004). "Rev. Dr. D T Niles - Memorable personality". Daily News (Sri Lanka).
23. Arumugam 1997, p. 217.
24. Arumugam 1997, p. 167.
25. "Obituaries". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 16 July 2007.
26. Arumugam 1997, pp. 162-163.
27. Jeyaraj, D. B. S. (16 October 2005). "Principal for principal as shadow war moves to Jaffna". The Sunday Leader.
28. Kumaravadivel, R. (10 October 1999). "Honouring this mighty man". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka).
29. "Prof. Arulkumaran creates history". The Island (Sri Lanka). 25 April 2007.
30. "Top post for Lankan professor in UK". The Sunday Leader. 8 April 2008.
31. Arumugam 1997, p. 13.
32. Arumugam 1997, p. 14.
33. Gooneratne, Colvin (24 April 2011). "A man who achieved much amidst many obstacles". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka).
34. Arumugam 1997, pp. 27–28.
35. Arumugam 1997, p. 28.
36. Arumugam 1997, p. 32.
37. "EPDP asked to boycott parliament". TamilNet. 19 October 1997.
38. "Fifteen-year-old boy drowns". Ceylon Today. 3 June 2012.
39. Arumugam 1997, p. 48.
40. "Mr. Speaker plays a vital role". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 11 June 2006.
41. Dewaraja, Lorna (17 June 2004). "Yogendra Duraiswamy - he served the cause of ethnic peace". Daily News (Sri Lanka).
42. Pulolyooran, Maylai (1 July 2001). "Crusader against injustice". Sunday Times (Sri Lanka).
43. Fernando, Reemus (9 July 2012). "Ethirveerasingam recalls his Olympics days Inspired by Olympics colour film in 1940s". The Island (Sri Lanka).
44. "Natasha sets Chundikuli Girls’ College putt shot record". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 24 February 2013.
45. Maniccavasagar, Chelvatamby (11 November 2011). ""Sahithya Ratna" award for Prof. Saba Jeyarajah". Daily News (Sri Lanka).
46. "Prof. A. W. Mailvaganam remembered". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 18 November 2005.
47. Sonnadara, D. U. J. "Vidyajothi Professor A.W. Mailvaganam". Institute of Physics, Sri Lanka.
48. "Ex-minister Abdul Majeed no more". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 1 December 2011.
49. Arumugam 1997, pp. 109–110.
50. "Saiva revivalist Arumuga Navalar remembered on 181st birthday". TamilNet. 15 December 2003.
51. "V.N. Navaratnam Dies in Toronto" (PDF). Tamil Times X (3): 26. 15 February 1991. ISSN 0266-4488.
52. Arumugam 1997, p. 121.
53. Selvanayagam, S. S. (7 September 1997). "Nehru arranged Anura-LTTE tryst". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka).
54. Arumugam 1997, p. 124.
55. Rahim, M. S. A. (8 February 2001). "Dr. Jaya Pathirana". The Island (Sri Lanka).
56. Arumugam 1997, p. 134.
57. "Sri Lanka Moor Family Genealogy: CASSIM, Muhammad - Family #206". Rootsweb.
58. Sameer, Fazli (2009). Muslim Personalities in Sri Lanka,then and now. p. 199.
59. "Rajaratnam Snr, an icon in Tamil philanthropy, passes away". TamilNet. 22 June 2014.
60. Arumugam 1997, p. 163.
61. "Expose LTTE agent in USA". The Bottom Line (Sri Lanka). 25 March 2009.
62. "Honourable A. Sabapathy's Achievements". Hon. Mr. A. Sabapathy, The Tamil Hero.
63. "Veteran Tamil civil servant Sangaravel passes away". TamilNet. 11 June 2008.
64. Arumugam 1997, pp. 188-189.
65. Arumugam 1997, p. 193.
66. "C. Sittampalam". Sittampalam Family History.
67. "Lankan bridge engineer who rose to the top in the British Civil Service". Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 11 July 2010.
68. Arumugam 1997, pp. 210–211.
69. Arumugam 1997, p. 211.
70. "Arumugam Ratnavadivel Surendhran: Obituary". OM Lanka. 11 April 2016.
71. "President's Counsel A. R. Surendhran apssed away". Ceylon Today. 12 April 2016. p. A4.
72. "Robin Tampoe". chitranandaabeysekera.org.
73. Arumugam 1997, p. 220.
74. Maniccavasagar, Chelvatamby (11 May 2013). "Himalayan life foretold in Ola Deshamanya Justice Dr H W Tambiah's 16th Death Anniversary". Daily News (Sri Lanka).
75. Arumugam 1997, pp. 217–218.
76. Maniccavasagar, Chelvatamby (15 May 1997). "Dr. Tambiah - an outstanding lawyer and judge". Daily News (Sri Lanka).
77. Arumugam 1997, pp. 225–226.
78. Ilangamuwa, Nilantha (3 July 2008). "Unity in diversity is essential for peace in Sri Lanka – Bishop Daniel Thiagarajah". Sri Lanka Guardian.
79. de Silva, W. P. P.; Ferdinando, T. C. L. 9th Parliament of Sri Lanka (PDF). Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited. p. 271.

References

• Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon.
• Martyn, John H. (1923). Notes on Jaffna - Chronological, Historical, Biographical. Tellippalai: American Ceylon Mission Press. ISBN 81-206-1670-7.

External links

• jcc.lk
• jaffnacentral.sch.lk
• Old Boys' Association (Colombo)
• Old Boys' Association Sydney (Australia)
• Old Boys' Association (Canada)
• Old Boys' Association (UK)