St. John's College, Jaffna

St. John's College பரி. யோவான் கல்லூரி
Lux in tenebris luce Light shines in the darkness
Address
Main Street, Chundikuli Jaffna, Jaffna District, Northern Province, 40000 Sri Lanka
Coordinates	9°39′27.90″N 80°01′36.90″E / 9.6577500°N 80.0269167°ECoordinates: 9°39′27.90″N 80°01′36.90″E / 9.6577500°N 80.0269167°E
Information
School type	Private 1AB
Religious affiliation(s)	Christianity
Denomination	Anglicanism
Founded	1823
Founder	Rev. Joseph Knight
School district	Jaffna Education Zone
Authority	Church of Ceylon
School number	1001029
Principal	Rev. N. J. Gnanaponrajah
Head teacher	A. H. Gnanarajan
Chaplain	Rev. S. Dhanendra
Teaching staff	95
Grades	1-13
Gender	Boys
Age range	5-18
Language	Tamil
Houses	Johnstone (Blue) Pargiter (Red) Handy (Green) Peto (Purple) Thompson (Yellow)
School roll	2,130
Website	jaffnastjohnscollege.com
Knight block

St. John's College (Tamil: பரி. யோவான் கல்லூரி Ceṉ. Yōvāṉ Kallūri, SJC) is a private school in Jaffna, Sri Lanka.^[1] Founded in 1823 by British Anglican missionaries, it is one of Sri Lanka's oldest schools.^[2][3]

History

In 1817 the Anglican Church Mission Society (CMS) approved the establishment of missions in Ceylon.^[4] On 20 December 1817 four clergymen - Joseph Knight, Samuel Lambrick, Robert Major and Benjamin Ward - and their wives left England and sailed to Ceylon on board the Vittoria.^[4] They arrived in late June 1818.^[4] Knight went to Jaffna, Lambrick went to Colombo, Major and his wife went to Galle and Ward and his wife to Trincomalee.^[4] Knight started his missionary work in 1818 in Nallur.^[4]

The Nallur English Seminary was established in March 1823 by Knight.^[5][6] The school had only 7 students and was located in Knight's bungalow. In 1845 the school was relocated to Chundikuli and renamed the Chundikuli Seminary.

In the same year the Church Mission Society took over the old Portuguese St. John the Baptist church. In 1846 the school moved into a hall next to the church.^[7] The church was demolished in 1859 and replaced by the current church.^[8]

The school was renamed St. John's College in 1891.^[9] The free education system was introduced by the government in 1945 but SJC chose to remain outside the system.^[5] In 1951 SJC joined the free education system.^[5] Most private schools in Ceylon were taken over by the government in 1960 but SJC chose to remain as a private and non-fee levying school.^[5]

SJC's principal C. E. Anandarajah was shot dead on 26 June 1985 in Jaffna.^[10] It is alleged that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam assassinated Anandarajah for organising a cricket match with the Sri Lankan military.^[11]

Big Match

SJC play Jaffna Central College in annual cricket match known as the Battle of the North or the Battle of the Blues.^[12][13][14] The first match took place in 1904.^[15][16]

Principals

^[17]

• 1823-25 Rev. Joseph Knight
• 1825-39 Rev. W. Adley
• 1839-41 Rev. F. W. Taylor
• 1841-46 Rev. I. T. Johnstone
• 1846-66 Rev. R. Pargiter
• 1866-74 Rev. T. Good
• 1874-78 Rev. D. Wood
• 1878-79 Rev. E. Blackmore
• 1879-89 Rev. G. T. Fleming
• 1889-92 Rev. C. C. Handy (acting)
• 1892-95 Rev. J. W. Fall
• 1895-99 Rev. I. Carter
• 1899-00 Rev. R. W. Ryde
• 1900-19 Rev. Jacob Thomson
• 1919 Rev. K. C. McPherson (acting)
• 1920-40 Rev. Henry Peto
• 1940-57 Rev. J. T. Arulanantham^[18]
• 1957-59 P. T. Mathai
• 1959-66 A. W. Rajasekeram
• 1967-76 K. Pooranampillai^[19]
• 1976-85 C. E. Anandarajah^[20]
• 1985-87 T. Gunaseelan
• 1987 K. Pooranampillai
• 1988-93 Dr. E. S. Thevasagayam^[21][22]
• 1993-06 S. Thanapalan
• 2006- Rev. N. J. Gnanaponrajah

Alumni

• D. J. Ambalavanar – Church of South India Bishop of Jaffna^[23]
• C. E. Anandarajah – Principal of St. John's College, Jaffna^[20]
• J. T. Arulanantham – Principal of St. John's College, Jaffna^[18]
• K. D. Arulpragasam – Vice-Chancellor of the Eastern University, Sri Lanka^[24]
• K. Arumugam – Senior Lecturer in Civil Engineering, Member of the Senate of City University London^[25]
• S. Arumugam – Director of Irrigation^[26]
• Y. Balaretnarajah – Chief of the Defence Staff of Sri Lanka^[27][28]
• Nishan Canagarajah – Pro-vice-chancellors of the University of Bristol^[29]
• S. J. V. Chelvanayakam – leader of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi/Tamil United Liberation Front, Member of Parliament for Kankesanthurai^[30]
• R. R. Crossette-Thambiah – Solicitor General of Ceylon, Crown Counsel^[31]
• T. H. Crosette – Principal of Manipay Hindu College, Vice Principal of St. John's College, Jaffna, Headmaster of Trinity College, Kandy and St. John's College, Jaffna^[32]
• T. B. Dhanapala – Superintendent of Police^[33]
• Alfred Duraiappah – Member of Parliament for Jaffna, Mayor of Jaffna^[34][35]
• M. K. Eelaventhan – National List Member of Parliament^[36]
• Rajan Hoole – human rights activist^[37]
• Ratnajeevan Hoole – professor of electrical engineering^[38]
• Daniel M. Joseph – plantation owner, member of Matale Local Board^[39]
• Visakan Kadirkamanathan – professor of signal and information processing^[40]
• A. P. Kandasamy – Director of the Department of Meteorology^[41]
• S. Kulendran – Church of South India Bishop of Jaffna^[42]
• K. C. Logeswaran – Permanent Secretary, district secretary, ambassador^[43][44]
• T. Maheswaran – Member of Parliament^[45]
• D. V. J. C. T. T. Muthiah – Chief Mudaliyar of the Eastern Province^[46]
• M. Muthubalasuriyar – General Manager of the Department of Government Electrical Undertakings^[46]
• C. S. Nachinarkinian – Health Service Secretary for the North Eastern Province, lecturer, medical superintendent, medical officer^[47]
• C. Nagalingam – Chief Justice of Ceylon^[48]
• Major General Perinpanayagam^[27]
• Satchi Ponnambalam – Judge, Supreme Court of Belize, Chief Magistrate of Belize, Senior State Advocate of Zambia^[49]
• V. Ponnampalam – Gate Mudaliyar, President of the Jaffna Co-operative Bank^[50]
• K. C. Praesoody – Superintendent of Excise^[51]
• Nadarajah Raviraj – Member of Parliament for Jaffna District, Mayor of Jaffna^[52][53]
• Sam A. Sabapathy – Proctor, Mayor of Jaffna^[54]
• R. R. Selvadurai – Permanent Secretary, District Judge^[55]
• Maithripala Senanayake – Cabinet Minister, Member of Parliament, Governor of the North Central Province^[33][56]
• T. Sivagnanam – Senior Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Lands^[57]
• R. Sivagurunathan – Editor-in-Chief of Thinakaran^[58][59][60]
• Major General T. Sivashanmugam^[27]
• C. Suntharalingam – Cabinet Minister, Member of Parliament for Vavuniya^[61]
• H. W. Thambiah – Judge, Supreme Court of Ceylon, High Commissioner^[62][63]
• S. Thambyduarai – District Judge, Vice President of Tamil United Liberation Front^[64]
• C. J. T. Thamotheram – teacher, publisher and social worker^[65][66]
• J. N. Vethavanam – District Judge^[67]
• S. Vithiananthan – Professor of Tamil, vice-chancellor of the University of Jaffna^[43]
• William Wadsworth – District Judge^[68]
• D. B. Welagedara – Cabinet Minister, Member of Parliament^[69][70]
• V. Yogeswaran – Member of Parliament for Jaffna^[71]

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. "The South's well-known Northern voice". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 16 November 2006.
3. "War scars slowly heal in Jaffna peninsula". The Island (Sri Lanka)/Reuters. 15 March 2004.
4. Martyn 1923, p. 166.
5. "St.John's College – Jaffna. Principal Events in the Past". St Johns College Jaffna Old Boys Association South Sri Lanka.
6. "The Early Days". Chundikuli St. John's Past Pupils Association.
7. Martyn 1923, p. 188.
8. Martyn 1923, p. 29.
9. Martyn 1923, p. 54.
10. "The trail of terror". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 24 May 2009.
11. Gautamadasa, Aravinda (29 July 2005). "Commemorating a slain principal". The Island, Sri Lanka.
12. "Jaffna big match starts Thursday". TamilNet. 9 March 2006.
13. Ratnayake, Samiddha (21 February 2010). "The tradition lives on". The Nation (Sri Lanka).
14. "Big Match: St. John’s and Jaffna Central draw their 106th encounter". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 10 March 2012.
15. "‘Battle of North’ begins in Jaffna". TamilNet. 26 February 2010.
16. "The Centenary 'Battle of the North'". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 16 March 2004.
17. "History". St. John's College, Jaffna. Archived from the original on 8 April 2008.
18. Arumugam 1997, pp. 12-13.
19. "Hartley past principal's funeral held in UK". TamilNet. 30 April 2001.
20. Arumugam 1997, p. 7.
21. Kanapathipillai, S. (26 August 2007). "He served his country and alma mater". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka).
22. "Obituaries". The Island (Sri Lanka). 7 August 2007.
23. Arumugam 1997, pp. 4-5.
24. "Ex Vice-Chancellor of Eastern University dies". TamilNet. 8 August 2003.
25. Arumugam 1997, p. 15.
26. Arumugam 1997, pp. 16-17.
27. Palakidnar, Anant (15 March 2009). "‘Battle of the North’ with a difference". Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka).
28. "Major General Y Balaretnarajah VSV USP ndc". Sri Lanka Armoured Corps.
29. "Professor Nishan Canagarajah's Appointment as Pro-Vice Chnacellor of Bristol University". Tha Lifestyle 1 (3): 1. March 2014.
30. Arumugam 1997, p. 36.
31. Arumugam 1997, pp. 44-46.
32. Arumugam 1997, p. 45.
33. "Personalities from the south nurtured in Jaffna". The Island (Sri Lanka). 13 January 2002.
34. Arumugam 1997, pp. 50-51.
35. "Masked gunmen kill Jaffna Mayor Shot dead outside temple". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 26 May 2009.
36. Arumugam 1997, p. 51.
37. "About People" (PDF). Tamil Times 1 (12): 12. September 1982.
38. Palakidnar, Ananth (4 April 2006). "'Persons with ambitions but no abilities, stirring Jaffna University crisis'". Daily News (Sri Lanka).
39. Arumugam 1997, p. 63.
40. "Professor Visakan Kadirkamanathan". University of Sheffield.
41. Arumugam 1997, pp. 76–77.
42. Arumugam 1997, p. 88.
43. Sivathasan, S. (10 August 2013). "My Reminiscences of St. John’s College, Jaffna". Colombo Telegraph.
44. "SLT Lanka Bell merger off". Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka). 29 February 2004.
45. Jeyaraj, D. B. S. (6 January 2008). "Maheswaran: Blend of Business Acumen and Political Savvy". The Nation (Sri Lanka).
46. Arumugam 1997, p. 105.
47. Arumugam 1997, p. 108.
48. Arumugam 1997, p. 111.
49. Arumugam 1997, pp. 141–142.
50. Arumugam 1997, pp. 142–143.
51. Arumugam 1997, pp. 145–146.
52. "Tamil Parliamentarian Raviraj assassinated in Colombo". TamilNet. 10 November 2006.
53. "Raviraj profile". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 11 November 2006.
54. Arumugam 1997, pp. 169–170.
55. Arumugam 1997, p. 189.
56. Wijenayake, Walter (11 July 2010). "Maithripala Senanayake – an illustrious leader of Sri Lanka". The Island (Sri Lanka).
57. Sivathasan, S. (20 December 2014). "T. Sivagnanam CCS, An Exemplar Among Public Servants". Colombo Telegraph.
58. "Veteran Tamil newspaper Editor Sivagurunathan passes away". TamilNet. 9 August 2003.
59. "Veteran journalist Siva dies". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 11 August 2003.
60. Maniccavasagar, Chelvatamby (7 September 2012). "Kalasuri R. Sivagurunathan: A veteran journalist". Daily News (Sri Lanka).
61. Arumugam 1997, p. 214.
62. Arumugam 1997, pp. 217-218.
63. Maniccavasagar, Chelvatamby (15 May 1997). "Dr. Tambiah – an outstanding lawyer and judge". Daily News (Sri Lanka).
64. Arumugam 1997, p. 223.
65. Arumugam 1997, p. 224.
66. "One Hundred Tamils of the 20th Century: C.J.T.Thamotheram". Tamil Nation.
67. Arumugam 1997, p. 246.
68. Arumugam 1997, pp. 250–251.
69. Gunaratne, H. D. (6 May 2012). "Beloved grassroots politician gave his all to the country". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka).
70. "D B Welagedera : Valiant fighter, fearless patriot". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 22 April 2013.
71. Arumugam 1997, p. 253.

References

• Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon (PDF).
• Martyn, John H. (1923). Notes on Jaffna - Chronological, Historical, Biographical (PDF). Tellippalai: American Ceylon Mission Press. ISBN 81-206-1670-7.
• "Principal Events in the Past". St. John's College.

External links

• St. John's College
• Old Boys Association
• Old Boys Association, Sydney, Australia
• Old Boys Association, Victoria, Australia
• Old Boys Association, South Sri Lanka
• Chundikuli St. John's Past Pupils Association, UKA