History
The name of St. Anne's College, Kurunegala, first appears in the Government Blue Book, in 1867. This was initiated during the term of Archbishop Bonjean by Fr. Dufo. The number of pupils on role in 1867 was 101.
It was on the invitation and recommendation of the late Chevalier C.L.W Perera that The De La Salle Brothers acceding to the request of then Archbishop, assumed duties at St' Anne's College on 1 December 1934 after purchasing the present land of 12 acres (49,000 m2) for Rs. 15,000/=. The arrival of the De La Salle Brothers to this royal city, paved the way for the awakening of both discipline and quality education.
Brother Hugh Ferrington, was the first Director of the institution. He formed the Old Boys Association in 1935 and on 9 June of the same year the old Boys Day was inaugurated and then on 1 March 1940,The President Of the Old Boys Association is Attorney at Law, Felician Perera. who is the son of Late Chevalier C.L.W Perera.The first prize giving was held in the open air under the directorship of Brother Casimir Ernest, a Czech Brother.
The foundation stone for the first building was laid in 1941, and the Brothers together with 360 boys and 50 boarders moved into the new uncompleted building in 1942. Brother Theoderet of Mary succeeded Brother Casimir on 20 August 1943. He set up a laboratory and started Science studies.
Brother Alban Patrick assumed the directorship in 1946 when the golden era of St. Anne's begins. St. Anne's becomes a Grade 1 School, the only one in the ] in 1947, the results of public examination continues to be the best in the province, the student population rises to 1340 by 1955, the science block is declared open in 1949, which was donated by Chevalier C.L.W. Perera an eminent criminal lawyer of the country who was also a benefactor of the school and who was honored by His holiness the pope by a Knight hood for the services rendered to the Catholic Church.In the same year the Main block is completed, a Cadet Corps is started in 1952, 1953 marks the rise of the two-storied primary block. By 1954 most of the buildings are completed and the school is in a solid footing.
The implementation of the Free Education Scheme in 1951 opened the door to the Secondary Education for the poorest boys. From 1950 to 1960 Annites did well at the University Entrance and students entered yearly to the various faculties of University.
The School take over was in 1960. At first the school opted to remain private. But after struggling to maintain the status for few years the school was handed over to the Government in 1964 during the term of then Director, Brother Edwin Ambrose. Thus the College obtained the status of a Non Fee Levying School. Since then the succeeding Brother Principals attempted to keep up the rising standard of St. Anne's College in spite of the changing educational environment.
Read more about this topic: St. Anne's College (Sri Lanka)
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“The history of a soldier’s wound beguiles the pain of it.”
—Laurence Sterne (1713–1768)
“Every generation rewrites the past. In easy times history is more or less of an ornamental art, but in times of danger we are driven to the written record by a pressing need to find answers to the riddles of today.... In times of change and danger when there is a quicksand of fear under men’s reasoning, a sense of continuity with generations gone before can stretch like a lifeline across the scary present and get us past that idiot delusion of the exceptional Now that blocks good thinking.”
—John Dos Passos (1896–1970)
“All history is a record of the power of minorities, and of minorities of one.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)