Jaffna College facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jaffna Collegeயாழ்ப்பாணக் கல்லூரி
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| Coordinates | 9°43′45.20″N 79°56′54.30″E / 9.7292222°N 79.9484167°E |
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| School type | Private 1AB |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Christianity |
| Denomination | Anglicanism |
| Founded | 1871 |
| School district | Valikaamam Education Zone |
| Authority | Board of Directors of Jaffna College |
| School number | 1011032 |
| Principal | Rushira Kulasingham |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| School roll | 1,998 |
| Language | Tamil, English |
Jaffna College is a private school in Vaddukoddai, Sri Lanka. It is a school for both boys and girls. The college was started in 1871. It took over from an older school called the Batticotta Seminary. This seminary was first set up by American missionaries.
History of Jaffna College
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The story of Jaffna College began in 1816. That year, American missionaries came to Jaffna. They started the American Ceylon Mission. This mission opened many schools in the Jaffna peninsula. One of their first schools was the Common Free School in Tellippalai.
In 1823, the Batticotta Seminary was opened in Vaddukoddai. This seminary was meant to educate the smartest boys in the area. The missionaries hoped to teach them about Christianity. However, most of the boys kept their original faith. Because of this, the seminary closed around 1855.
Later, former students of the Batticotta Seminary and other local Christians wanted to reopen the school. They worked hard to make it happen. In 1871, Jaffna College officially opened. It was built on the same land where the old seminary used to be.
Evelyn Rutnam Institute for Inter-Cultural Studies
The Evelyn Rutnam Institute for Inter-Cultural Studies is a special place. It is located in Jaffna. This institute was created to remember Evelyn Wijeyaratne Rutnam. She was the wife of Dr. James T. Rutnam.
Dr. Rutnam loved books and research. He had a very large collection of books and articles. Many smart people, like university professors and lawyers, would visit him. They used his library for their studies. Later, Dr. Rutnam gave his huge collection of books to Jaffna College. He also helped build a special building in Jaffna to keep these books. This building is for research. It is called the Evelyn Rutnam Institute. It helps young students who love to learn and do research.
The Big Match: Cricket Rivalry
Jaffna College has a big sports tradition. They play an annual cricket match against St. Patrick's College, Jaffna. This exciting game is known as the Battle of the Golds. The first match between these two schools happened in 1917. It's a very important event for both schools.
Notable Alumni
Many people who studied at Jaffna College have become very successful. Here are a few examples of former students who achieved great things:
- Allen Abraham – He was a professor and an astronomer. Astronomers study stars and planets.
- D. J. Ambalavanar – He became a Church of South India Bishop. A bishop is a high-ranking leader in some Christian churches.
- S. Arasaratnam – He was a professor of History.
- Waithilingam Duraiswamy – He became the Speaker of the State Council of Ceylon. The Speaker leads meetings in the parliament.
- A. Gnanathasan – He was a Deputy Solicitor General of Sri Lanka. This is a senior legal role.
- K. Indrapala – He was a Dean at the University of Sri Lanka. A dean is a leader in a university department.
- D. B. S. Jeyaraj – He is a well-known journalist. Journalists write news stories.
- S. Jebanesan – He also became a Church of South India Bishop.
- S. Kulendran – Another Church of South India Bishop.
- A. T. Moorthy – He was the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. A High Commissioner represents their country in another country.
- S. Pathmanathan – He was the Chancellor of the University of Jaffna. A Chancellor is a top leader of a university.
- P. Sriskandarajah – He was a Judge in the Supreme Court of Ceylon. Judges make decisions in legal cases.
- Rajini Thiranagama – She was a professor and worked for human rights. Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person.
See also
- List of schools in Northern Province, Sri Lanka
