| History of the JHC
One hundred years and more have passed since the founding of
Jaffna Hindu college and yet the College stands aloft as the Premier
Hindu Institution in the Island, generations of students who had
passed through its portals are spread all over the world, distinguishing
themselves in whatever vocation they are engaged in. Where – ever
they are, that reflects the discipline, dedication and character
that have been inculcated in them during their student days. The
College has had a proud record of service in the history of our
Country. Many of its distinguished Alumni have held and are holding
high positions of responsibility in Sri Lanka. They have all contributed
to the national and cultural life of the People of his country.
The College has also been the citadel of Tamil and Hindu Culture.
Such attainments of the College are due to the very strong foundation
laid by the Founding fathers. The pioneers bounded themselves
together and acted in unison with a spirit of self – sacrifice.
They did not seek name or fame for themselves but drew plans with
such foresight the school could grow as it has done today. It
is not the product of an individual but that of a body of men
who worked in laying the strong foundations.
In the wake of a religious re-awakening brought by the valiant
efforts of a dynamic reformer Srila Siri Arumuga Navalar an association
called the Saiva Samaya Paripalana Sabhai was founded in 1898
and one of the avowed aims of the Association was to create and
English Medium School in a Hindu environment in Jaffna. All the
English medium schools that were in existence at that time were
Christian Missionary Schools.
To start a new English School was a very difficult task those
days, specially because of Christian opposition. The Great Navalar
himself failed in his efforts to start one.But to the Sabhai the
opportunity came in a strange way. In 1898. Mr Williams Nevins
Muttucumaru Sithambarapillai, a Christian himself started a School
called the native Town school on his own without any connection
with the Missionaries at the Main Street, Jaffna Town, Due to
the financial problems involved in running such a school he sought
the help of Advocate Nagalingam, a man of means, to be Patron
of the school.
Mr. Nagalingam took an abiding interest in its affairs as its
Patron. After sometime, the founder Mr. Sithambarapillai decided
to hand over the School to Mr. Nagalimgam who became the proprietor.
He also shifted the school to Vannarponnai. The School then came
to be known Nagalingam Town High School. It is this school that
evolved into the present Jaffna Hindu College.
It was Mr. Nagalingam who was also the motive power behind the
establishment of the Saiva (Samaya) Paripalana Sabhai. Mr. Nagalimgam
decided to hand over the School to the Sabhai. At the Committee
meeting of the Sabhai held on 19.07.1890 the Sabhai unanimously
resolved to take the management of Mr. Nagalingam’s Town High
School and at the committee meeting held on 15.11.1890 Mr. Nagalingam
formally handed over the Management of the town High School to
the Sabhai. The Sabhai named and Institute the Hindu High School
and entrusted the management to a sub-committee of six members
consisting of President – Justice Mr. Chellappapillai, Vice-President
Mr. S. Nagalimgam Secretary Mr. V. Casipillai, Treasurer Mr. Pasupathy
Chettiar, Committee members Mr. A. Sabapathy and Mr. S. Kailasapillai.
Mr. Casipillai proposed that Mr. Nagalimgam be appointed the Manager
and the proposal was unanimously carried. Thus Mr. Nagalimgam
came to be the founder manager. Mr. Nagalingam held this prerogative
position till his death on 04.08.1897 when the Management devolved
on Mr. Casipillai.
The Treasurer Mr. Pasupathy Chettiar persuaded one Marimuthu
Upathiyayar to sell the land, where the permanent building now
stands, to the sabhai at a nominal price. A pandal was erected
at this site to receive Sir Ponnampalam Ramanathan on his visit
to Jaffna. It was at this pandal erected to receive Sir Ponnampalam
Ramanathan; the Hindu English School had its first session on
Vajayadasami Day. Along with the students of Nagalimgam School,
students of Colt school were invited to be students here.
Immediately afterwards they felt the necessity for Permanent
Buildings. Here again they acted together and all members of the
Sub. Committee participated in a collection campaign. They appealed
for public funds. They approached every household and asked for
one coconut tree’s produce. At certain houses they asked to put
by one handful of rice a day and give them at the end of the month.
They went to every Hindu business establishment. Mr. Nagalingam
galvanised them into feverish activity and funds came pouring
in.
It is to the eternal credit of Pasupathy Chettiar the Treasurer
that the personally supervised the construction of the Building
and made it strong enough to stand yet another century.
It took five years for the building to be completed and Mudaliyar
Ponnampalam Cumarasamy formally opened it in 1895.
SCHEME OF EDUCATION
The founders also introduced a Scheme of Education that befitted
the times and was of everlasting benefit to its students. Stress
was made on the study of Religion and thevaram was to be sung
at the beginning and at the end of the session. Students were
exhorted to be Vegetarians. But the Core-Curriculum was designed
on the Public School Model so that the School could stand on its
own with the other leading schools of the Missionaries, like Jaffna
College or Jaffna Central College. They had even a Prize-giving
at the end of the first year to keep the Public school image.
The Enthusiasm of September 22nd 1891 reports thus.
"The Hindu High School had a Prize-giving last Wednesday.
Prizes were awarded on the results of the Examination held a few
days ago. The Chief Guest was Justice T. Chellapapillai B.A.B.L.
There was an audience of 800 people. The number on roll risen
to 248 and the school had ten classes".
They had even gone far ahead of the times and tried to introduce
the residential system with a warden for counseling and disciplining
the students. With such an idea a Boarding Hostel was started
in 1891. But it had to be closed after four years. The Principal
Mr. Nevins Selvadurai was himself warden and implemented the scheme.
The scheme was formulated by the Founder-Manager Mr. Nagalingam
who himself was a product of Royal College and the University
of Calcutta. When in India he was a camp follower of Suredranath
Bannerjee the then leader of the Indian National congress and
was imbued with his ideals. He wanted to model his College on
the Public Schools of England but at the same time give the children
a grounding of the Saiva Religion. We cannot get better evidence
of this attempt of his to evolve a system of Education which was
suitable for the times than from the Principal Mr. Nevins Selvadurai
himself with whom he worked hand in hand to achieve this.
Mr. Nevins Selvadurai the Principal in his Prize Day Report of
the College in 1897 says "He (Nagalingam) it was who conceived
the idea of a National College, developing a system of Education
adapted to the requirements and needs of the Tamil Community of
Jaffna".
Source through jhc.lk
ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF JAFFNA HINDU COLLEGE
By : K. Arunasalam
Retired Principal Victoria College, Jaffna
|
