St. Sylvester's College

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St. Sylvester's College - Kandy
St' Sylvester's College Crest
Address
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap
Yatinuwara Veediya (Brownrigg St.), Kandy Kandy Central Province Sri Lanka
Coordinates	7°17′56.6″N 80°38′09.2″E / 7.299056°N 80.635889°E / 7.299056; 80.635889Coordinates: 7°17′56.6″N 80°38′09.2″E / 7.299056°N 80.635889°E / 7.299056; 80.635889
Information
Type	National
Motto	Fortiter in re (to persevere with dedication)
Patron saint(s)	Saint Sylvester Gozzolini, Saint Benedict.
Established	1 November 1940; 80 years ago (1940-11-01)
Founder	Robert M. Perera
Status	Active
Principal	P. G. S. Bandara
Staff	182
Grades	Class 1 – 13
Gender	Boys
Age	6 to 18
Enrollment	3,000+
Language	Sinhala, Tamil and English
Hours in school day	6 hours
Colour(s)	Maroon, ivory, dark blue
Alumni	Old Sylvestrians
Website	stsylvesterscollege.lk

St. Sylvester's College is a national boys' school located in Kandy, adjacent to the St. Anthony's Cathedral. It was founded by the Sylvestro Benedictine Congregation in 1940. It offers primary and secondary education and the college is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education.

It has around 150 teaching staff and approximately 3,000 students.

History[]

The first two decades[]

Bishop Bernard Regno, 3rd Bishop of Kandy, one of the co-founders of the college

Abbot Anslem Weerasinghe, one of the co-founders of the college

Fr. Robert Mervin Perera, founder of St. Sylvester's

St. Sylvester's began as a separate institution on 1 November 1940 (All Saints' Day) with Fr. D. Robert Perera as the principal. The college owed its inception to the foresight of Bishop Bernardo Regno and Abbot Weerasinghe, the heads of the Sylvestro-Benedictine congregation. They felt that a Catholic school in Kandy was a prime need, once the most prestigious St. Anthony's College had been shifted to the banks of the Mahaweli at Katugastota. The school commenced with 250 pupils and twelve teachers.

During the tenure of Fr. Robert Perera as principal from 1940 to 1949 and as rector from 1949 until his death in 1956, St. Sylvester's underwent a transformation from a senior secondary school to an "A" grade institution.^[1] Under the stewardship of Perera, the Pancrazi Memorial Hall, and Cingolani Memorial Hall were built and two new blocks were added as well.^[2]

Fr. Robert Perera negotiated with the education department and obtained another parcel of land above the Kandy-Matale railway line, which skirts one side of St. Sylvester's. A science laboratory, workshop, and library were creations of Fr. Robert, who was, the designer and builder of St. Sylvester's.^[3] Perera was a builder in more than one sense. He believed essentially in molding Sylvestrians in a Christ-like character under the Benedictine spirituality to lead a life of harmony as citizens of this alluring isle of Ceylon.^[4]

He had great faith in harmonizing the classroom with the playing field and was instrumental in providing the sports facilities that the school needed, a tennis court and a boxing ring. During his tenure, the school won the Stubbs Shield in boxing for three successive years, produced outstanding sportspeople, who won the national championship while in college, and represented the country at international events like the British Empire Games.^[5] In the academic field St. Sylvester produced many outstanding students who have shone in many professions.

D. Joseph Noel Seneviratne took over the reins as the principal in 1949, envisaged by Perera, who remained as the director. After the demise of Fr. Robert in 1956, Rev. Fr. Paulinus Vadekapattany OSB succeeded as the rector. Seneviratne served the college for 24 years in the grace of God and, his faithfulness in Christ, utmost dedication and, professional integrity were captivating and, the college was able to reach unprecedented levels of achievements in the academic sector as well as in sports such as boxing.

In 1961 the Primary department was established on Lady Manning's Drive, close to the school's main administrative building. In 1968, Seneviratne resigned to take over the duties as the director of a junior university, and the Vice-Principal, K. S. Gunaratne, succeeded him.

The school celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2020, with a nine-a-side hockey tournament, a football competition and other events.^[6]

Saint Sylvester Gozzolini, patron of the college.

List of Principals[]

Awards[]

Cingolani Gold Medal[]

The Cingolani Gold Medal (1971)

The Cingolani Gold Medal is awarded each year to the "best all-round boy" at St. Sylvester's College. The Cingolani Gold Medal is the highest honor that the school can bestow. It is awarded annually to the best all-round student with the best performance in academics and sports in honorable memory of Abbot Leo Cingolani, the third Sylvestrine monk to arrive in British Ceylon. It is awarded using on a secret ballot conducted among the senior boys and the staff whose votes, together with that of the Rector (now Principal).^[7] This is awarded at the prize-giving under the patronage of the chief guest.

Past winners of Cingolani Gold Medal,

1948 Z. N. Massis,

1952 G. S. Fernando.

1953 Hillary Perera,

1954 M. Marshall.

1956 Gerry Alexander Hidelaratchchi

1957 No award

1962 Mervyn Rodrigo

1967 Daya Laxman

1969 Junaid M. Ayub

1971 Kithsiri Wijesundara

2019 Sanka Daminda

Main administrative building[]

Facade facing Cross Street, Kandy.

Quadrangle, with the statues of the Patron Saint and founder

The main administrative building is the oldest academic building within the world heritage zone by UNESCO and declared as a conserved structure.^[8] Formerly owned by St. Anthony's College, Kandy, this four-storied building is a blend of Victorian, Edwardian, and Georgian styles.^{[citation needed]}

School anthem[]

St. Sylvester's College has used various school anthems since 1940. During the early years God Save the King was sung as a school anthem, followed by the Pasal Mavuni Jaya Wewa anthem and in the 1970s it was changed to Dana Mana Ranjitha anthem.^{[citation needed]}

St. Sylvester's scout troop[]

In 1945 St. Sylvester's College, Kandy started their first scout troop with the patronage of founder Fr. Robert M. Perera. The scout troop had been started by B. M. Guyes.^{[citation needed]} In 1949 Guyes left the scout troop in charge of Fr. Dom. George. Next came Mr. K.S. Gunarathne. He was joined by able Scouters N. H. Shalwyn and W. L. D. V. Jayawardene.^{[citation needed]}

Both of these scoutmasters had contributed in great measure to the success of the scout troop.^{[citation needed]} In 1950 the scouts won the "Island Merit Flag", awarded to the best troop on the island.^{[citation needed]} The presentation was made by Governor-General Lord Soulbury. In 1986 and 1988 the group won the "Gulam Hussain" flag for the group with the highest number of president's scouts.^{[citation needed]}

Millennium Sylvestrians Union (MSU)[]

Millennium Sylvestrian Union is for the Sylvestrians who sat for their A/Ls in 2000 and above in St Sylvester's College, Kandy, Sri Lanka and it was established in 2010.^{[citation needed]}

Even though the MSU was formed by the batch of 2000, it has been a practice that everyone takes part in all the events organised by the MSU Sylvestrians Motor Rally which is organised annually during the Big Match (Battle of the Babes) between St. Sylvester's College and Vidyartha College is one of the main events organised by MSU.^{[citation needed]}

St. Sylvester's College gymnastics club[]

In 2002 St. Sylvester's College introduced gymnastics as a primary sport to the college students. St. Sylvester's Gymnastics Club founded by the school's principal, T. R. S. Meetiyagoda, assistant principal A. K. B. Dodanwala, former prefect of games, D.C. Mahawaththage, and Amal Rasanga Liyanagamage (coach and old boy).^{[citation needed]}

Interact Club of St. Sylvester's College[]

The Interact Club of St. Sylvester's College Kandy has been an outstanding club over the past 30 years.^{[citation needed]} Sponsored by the parent club, Rotary Club of Kandy,^[9] the club was charted in 1989. Interactors of St. Sylvester's College Kandy have been working with "Unparalleled Humanity" for the benefit of the underprivileged as well as for the betterment of the school. The Interact Club of St. Sylvester's College has been one of the leading clubs in Sri Lanka actively carrying out major projects through the five avenues: Finance, Community Service, International Understanding, Club Service, and Green Life.^{[citation needed]}

See also[]

• List of St. Sylvester's College alumni

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to St. Sylvester's College.

• St. Sylvester's College on Facebook