Celebrating 150 years of the school behind the pines
Wesley College today: A long and arduous journey from its lowly beginnings
Wesley College Colombo is celebrating its 150th anniversary this week- March 2024, with a full programme of events taking place at the school and other venues. Recognised as one of Sri Lanka’s leading and progressive educational institutions, Wesley provides a fine all-round education reflective of its long-held customs and traditions.
As I write this brief history I am ever reminded of the wisdom of Kahlil Gibran:“Yesterday is but today’s memory, and tomorrow is today’s dream.” This is an attempt to summarise the school’s long and arduous journey from its lowly beginnings.
On December 23, 1816, the chapel of the Wesleyan Mission House was opened for public worship in Dam Street, Pettah. There was a small school associated with the Mission House. Its popularity grew and the student numbers increased. With the vision and wisdom of Rev. Daniel Henry Pereira, Wesley College was established on this site on March 2, 1874. The school then had around 100 students.
Rev. Samuel Rowse Wilkin became its first Principal and Rev. Pereira his deputy, by all accounts, an impressive duo.
Rev. Henry Highfield
Dam Street in those days was a quiet, respectable area but as Pettah rapidly became industrialised, the school got lost in the urban sprawl and with student numbers continuing to grow, the space became too cramped. Around 1902, Rev. Henry Highfield, the Principal, decided it was time to move the school to better surroundings. He made a colossal effort to achieve this, making representations to the Methodist Mission in London for financial support and cycling the length and breadth of the city, also travelling the country calling for donations from his affluent past students and personal friends.
With a substantial grant from London and the money raised from local donations, Rev. Highfield acquired five and a half acres of prime land at Karlsruhe Gardens, Borella to build the new Wesley College. Work began in 1905 and a handsome set of buildings was completed in 1907. The school with 639 students was opened in January 1907 with much pomp and pageantry. When the school moved, it took with it the spirit, culture and the ethos of Wesley College in Pettah.
A man of great determination, charisma and passion, Rev. Highfield is considered the father of the present school. This architectural masterpiece reflects the vision of a great man. Rev. Highfield left for England for the final time in April 1925.
Front view of the school in Pettah
The new school retained the motto “Ora et labora” introduced by Rev. Arthur Shipham and the school song composed by H.J.V.I. Ekanayake in 1889 remains an important part of school life to this day. The school crest introduced in Pettah was later enhanced and altered by Rev. John Dalby (1929-40). Rev. Albert Hutchinson (1925 -28) established the praepostor (prefect) system and the House system. C.J. Oorloff (1950-57) gave the primary school their own “Houses”. Rev P.T. Cash’s wife Edith trained Wesley’s first choir in 1907, starting another noteworthy tradition of bringing music into the mainstream of Wesley life. It was Rev. Cash who founded the Wesley College Scout Troop in 1917 and registered it as the 14th Colombo S.T.
The school progressed from strength to strength until the scourge of WW2. In April 1942, the school buildings were taken over by the military and much of the furniture and equipment was lost in the process. The school was then exiled to Carey College and later to cadjan huts at Kitiyakkara in Campbell Place.
Rev. D. H. Pereira
During those war years, Wesley lost many of its teaching staff and student numbers dwindled to a meagre 100. The buildings were returned to the school at the end of 1945 and Principal, Rev. James Cartman then had the massive task of recruiting staff and getting the school into action again. His strength of character helped to turn the school’s fortunes around. During his era, once again Wesley became one of the best schools in the country. In grateful memory the school library is named “The Cartman Library”.
After Independence in 1948, the Government policy on education changed to satisfy a country caught up in a nationalist fervour. During the Principalship of Mr. Oorloff in 1951, Wesley was made a Government Assisted School stifling his freedom to manage the school as before, but the former civil servant was able to guide Wesley into calmer waters.
In 1961 the Government decided to take over all assisted schools. Principal P.H. Nonis (1957-61) had to make the radical decision for Wesley to become a private but non-fee levying school which made its financial situation precarious. The small park and staff flats had to be sold for the school to survive. The Welfare Board was established at this time to collect funds to run the school. During this period of perilous uncertainty, Principal A.S. (Shelton) Wirasinha with robust planning steered the school through the rapids for a challenging 22 years (1962-83) and his huge and impeccable personal effort is much valued.
After the move: Wesley College 1907
Until the dawn of the new millennium, serious financial pressures sent the school into a decline, causing great consternation to past students and also to the Methodist Church. Thankfully Dr. Shanti McLelland (Principal – 2009-14) introduced a new management style of collaboration and cooperation with the Department of Education, the Old Boys Unions, the Methodist Church and the Board of Governors that re-established economic stability and returned the school to the top of the league table again. Wesley’s current principal, Avanka Fernando, an old boy, is well aware of the ethos, heritage and traditions and with academic standards and sports in the ascendancy, Wesley College is much sought after now.
The success of a school is often judged by the achievements of its alumni. Over the 150 years Wesley has produced many who have achieved eminence and greatness in every walk of life from medicine, to politics, security services, academia, education and finance.
I was a student at Wesley College from 1950-62. I remember with great clarity and with some pain receiving six of the best from the Principal for my indiscretions. The sore bottom of yesteryear in no way altered my love for the school. I was also a boarder from 1952-58 – and that prepared me for life beyond the school gates. The boarding had been an integral part of the school since the days in Pettah and its excellent facilities helped make living and learning a great experience for boarders. The close-knit community helped to create lasting friendships, fostered cultural diversity, independence, and self-reliance. Sadly, after over a century of its existence, the school boarding closed its doors in 2019.
Dam Street Pettah in 1930
Presently the school and the Wesley fraternity are a successful, busy and vibrant community. During my years at school in the 1950’s there were 1200 students on the roll; presently the numbers exceed 3000. The new Highfield Block was completed in 1959. The Labrooy Memorial Building, A.S. Wirasinha building and the New Primary Block (Rev. D.H. Pereira Memorial Building) appeared in quick succession to accommodate the increasing numbers. The New Chapel is a place of refuge from the storms of school life. There is a new swimming pool.
There are also new feeder primary schools in Havelock Town and Gampola. Campbell Park which belongs to the Colombo Municipal Council but is on a long lease to Wesley College park remains the venue for all the major sports providing space for the pavilion and the OWSC. The Old Wesleyites Sports Club (OWSC) active since 1941is a place steeped in nostalgia where old friendships are re-ignited in the familiar surroundings of Campbell Park.
The school is immensely grateful to the many affiliated organisations for their support. The Old Boys Unions of the school are active in almost every continent and have united Wesley boys worldwide who have provided financial support to the school to tide over hard times.
The support and loyalty of its alumni will be crucial to help and guide the school to be an educational institution worthy of its rich heritage. Many Wesley websites provide a fund of current information.
Throughout the centuries Wesley has stood for the freedom of the human spirit and the community of all its sons, to whatever race or religion they may belong.
Everyone who has been associated with the school since its very inception has been an important part of the Wesley community. Let the spark of history we leave behind enlighten others and light the flame to pass on into the future.
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