Kingswood, a household name in academic and sports events
View(s):Kingswood College Kandy is a leading school not only in Central Province but also in the whole island which offers primary and secondary education along with extracurricular activities. It is one of the oldest schools in Kandy which is well known for both its academic and athletic achievements.
College appearance
Kingswood College was originally a high school for boys. When the school was first opened by Sir Blaze in 1891, there were only eleven students. At this time, almost all of the schools in the island had been categorised as a state aided government school and missionary school. At the beginning, grants from the government were available until the school showed signs of having established itself with a solid core of good teachers and a good and expanding set of students.
Sir Blaze built up a cadre on the strength of his reputation as an educationist. He coined the term “Gentlemen of Kingswood” to describe the body of students of his school and in all his years as principal of the school from 1891 until 1923. He endeavoured to give meaning and substance to that often repeated phrase: “Gentlemen of Kingswood”. He chose a motto for the school in Latin, “Fide et Virtute” as was customary at the time. He then chose the distinctive school colours, maroon and dark blue, and he wrote the words of the school song.
Present Big Match Cricket Team
Sir Blaze held the post of principal of Kingswood for 32 years retiring in 1923. He had seen the school through its formative years and had securely established it as a leading private school in the country.
Although Kingswood was a Methodist Missionary School, the student body contained Buddhists, Christians, Hindus and Muslims. P.H. Nonis became the first Sri Lankan to head the school. He held the post for 15 years. He directed Kingswood in the transition period from an independent school to a school in the national school system. During this period, the school built up a high reputation in various sports as well.
Kingswood always held a reputation for hockey and during Mr. P. H. Nonis’ period that reputation was enhanced. As he himself was a well known school cricketer in his day and this helped him to buildup a good cricket team too.
After the retirement of Mr. Nonis, Mr. B. A. Thambipillai took over as principal and he was succeeded by Kenneth M. de Lanerolle
Present 1st XV Rugby Team
(1958–1967). His was a much more difficult task than that of his predecessors, for in 1960 – 1961 the school became a state school. The link with the Methodist Mission which had lasted for seven decades was broken at last!
Once the state took over the school, the number of students kept increasing as in the other state run schools in the country. Nevertheless new buildings came up by the influence of Mr. de Lanerolle and his persistent search for funds from parents, old boys and well-wishers.
Since Mr. de Lanerolle’s retirement in 1967 there were nine principals. Mr. E. S. Liyanage who was principal from 1977 to 1984 was the first old boy to become the principal of the school. Mr. N. Ratnayake took over in 1998 after Mr. Abeyratne.
Principal Ananda Weerasurya
Out of these, the period of Mr. Nihal Herath and Mr. R. B. Rambukwella were of importance. Mr. Nihal Herath brought changes to the college bringing about progress in discipline, standard of education and sports. He also made preparations for the centenary year that was to come in 1991 before he left as the principal of Dharmaraja College, Kandy.
War Heroes felicitation
During his stay of 12 years since 2000, Mr. Ranjith Chandrasekara has become the longest serving Kingswood Principal since the late Harold Nonis (1942-57). He is known as one of the successful principals who has shown continuous progress in infrastructure, academic and extracurricular areas. Twelve years on, he has extended the Kingswood ground to include a pool complex, gymnasium and a basketball court, extended the Primary Section; built a new library and initiated a “Students’ Center”.
Since its inception the school has grown in population and today it is boosted with 3500 students and 200 faculties. The present principal is Mr.Ananda Weerasurya. He leads the college with his experience and the blessings of the past principals.
During a span of more than 122 years, Kingswood College has made many achievements in academic field as well as in extra-curricular activities. Kingswood has always been among the top ranking schools of the country. Excellent achievements at GCE (O/L) examination every year have placed Kingswood in a unique place. A large number of Kingswoodians annually enter state universities.
The first “Prize Giving” was held as early as 1895, only 4 years after the school was founded. It became an annual feature thereafter. At Kingswood, extra-curricular activities are highly regulated. The college Alumni is filled with many achievers in both academic and extracurricular fields.
Kingswood was pioneered to introduce the features to the schools in the island such as the first boys school to employ female teachers. The school introduced Rugby Football to Sri Lanka. Kingswood is one of the first five schools in the country to establish a Cadet Corps and the first ever Champions of the Herman-Loos Trophy in 1917, the first school to introduce the “Students Traffic Warden Unit” concept to Sri Lankan Schools and the first Boy Scouts Troop to start the “Joy Boat Service” around the Kandy Lake.
They still look back and gloat over Maurice Fernando winning “Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year” competition in 1958, of Upul Sumanasekara’s back to back hundreds in the Big Match against Dharmarajah in 1984/85 and winning the rugby Triple Crown under Fazil Marija, who went on to captain Kandy SC and Sri Lanka and made a name for himself as a dynamic ‘Sevens’ player.
Presently most of the Kingswoodians bring glory in the sports and games such as boxing, athletics, cricket, baseball, chess, table tennis, rugby, hockey, swimming and football. The Cadet Corp, western band and societies such as youth explorers’ society, photography society, English debating society, Buddhist society, media unit, dancing unit, aesthetic unit and science society are very active in the college and they bring in many victories at national and international level. 13th War Heroes Day was celebrated recently in 2013 with the participation of Brigadier Jaliya Senarathne who was a renowned Old Kingswoodian. All three Forces officers who participated for the event had helped in the construction of the Cadets’ Museum which is an ongoing project of the Old Kingswoodians Cadet Union.
- Sujitha Miranda
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