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| Saturday, 6 March 2004 |
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St. Anthony's College, Kandy is 150 years by Lt.Col. Shane, Balthazaar (Retd.) I think by far what is most unique about St. Anthony's College, Kandy is its setting, its location, its natural scenery with Hunnasgiriya Peak in the background, St. Anthony's is set in the heart of the Kandyan Hills. It is surrounded by all the ambience of mountain country, the foot hills washed by the waters of the Great Sandy River (the Mahaweli Ganga) flowing like a "necklace of pearls" round the once royal city of Kandy. And hard by, is the historic ford of Katugastota where the blood of heroes and patriots freely flowed to keep the Kande Uda Rata free and sovereign. St. Anthony's College, Kandy proudly celebrates 150 years of vital, throbbing school life. It rings and vibrates with the echoes of the voices of hundreds of thousands of school boys, all strong and vigorous and feasting on the gift of life in this, our school. But the Christians came to Kandy long, long before 1854. The friars, the monks, the priests came in the early 16th century when King Karaliyadde Bandara was king of Kandy. Some left when he fled for refuge against his enemies to the Portuguese, taking with him his little daughter, the heiress to the throne, Princess Kusumasana Devi, later baptised a Catholic and given the name Dona Catherina by which we know her still today. When she returned to claim her heritage many more Christian religious persons travelled in her entourage. The kings of Kandy were tolerant and kind to the Christian Missionaries. The chaplains of the queen lived in the palace and the heirs to the throne were educated by the missionaries. Land was given to them to build churches and the story goes that St. Anthony is the first Patron Saint of Kandy. There is even a legend that this prime site where the College stands, a noble edifice, to this day, was identified much earlier as a Roman Catholic shrine. Those unforgettable, kindly, erudite men who were the priests of St. Anthony's College, Kandy, like characters in a glorious pageant, pass before my memory. The wardens Rev. Father Thomas de Silva (Rainbow), Father Aldred Samarakone (Villa), Rev. Father Stephen Abraham (Mansion), and Father Jerome, Father Coluban Mackey, Brother Hugh, Brother Valentine, Father Anthony, Father Bruno, Father Caspersz and above all Father Lanc Franc Amerasinghe (Warden of Hostels). There were others, how can I mention them all but they are all those fine OSB Priests who served us, the school they loved, the God they believed in and worshipped, Jesus, our Master whom, they did their utmost to emulate. They gave us pupils much more than book learning, they did what education is primarily intended to do: they drew out the best from the children, assisting them to achieve greatness themselves. The Bishop of Kandy - His Lordship Leo Nanayakkara one time teacher at St. Anthony's, later, the first Bishop of Badulla played tennis in the evening at St. Anthony's. Extraordinarily gifted, versatile, charming, a fine teacher, a veritable "Good Shepherd" like the Master he served. What a lot of emphasis was placed on sports always at St. Anthony's College, Kandy. The school ideal was "A healthy mind in a healthy body" and it lived up to that aim achieving success after success in the sphere of sports. As for studies, the College has produced many eminent men in the 150 years of its existence. More than anything it has produced men who are strong, courageous, honest, generous, loyal because of the values inculcated into minds of youth in their growing, impressionable years. The 1960 - 1970s was the pinnacle of the Golden Age of the history of St. Anthony's College, Kandy. In 1977 the authorities handed over this great institution to the State to run. It is now a Provincial Government School. My wish is for this great school to once again be a private institution where greater emphasis will be placed on the importance of the world "Link" Language - English. Blessed Saint Anthony be with us and pray for us - one and all in this our Double Emerald Jubilee Year, of 150 long years. May God bless our College - our great institution, as we go forward. |
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