Union College, Tellippalai, Jaffna
Encyclopedia
Union College is a mixed public provincial school in Tellippalai
, Sri Lanka
. Founded in 1816 by American missionaries, it is one of Sri Lanka's oldest schools.
on 7 September 1813 and occupied the Dutch Hall in Tellippalai
, which at that time consisted of dilapidated and snake-infested structures dating back to the 16th century Portuguese Ceylon. In the coming years Newell was joined by other American missionaries including Rev. Daniel Poor
and Rev. Edward Warren.
In 1816 the American missionaries founded the American Ceylon Mission
in Jaffna. The ACM established missions in other parts of the Jaffna peninsula including one in Vaddukoddai
. The ACM established numerous schools on the peninsula. The first school established by the ACM was the Common Free School which was founded by Rev. Poor and Rev. Warren on 9 December 1816 in Dutch Hall, Tellippalai. It was the first English language
school in northern Ceylon.
On 20 July 1818 the school was converted into the Family Boarding School with just 6 students. In 1824 girls from the boarding school were transferred to the newly founded girls boarding school at Uduvil
. The school became a Preparatory School in 1825 and started admitting boys from other say schools. The school's fortunes suffered as the best academic boys were transferred to Batticotta Seminary
.
The Anderson-Thompson Deputation of 1855 recommended that Tamil medium schools were the best for evangelical purposes and recommended that all its English schools be closed. The English medium school at Tellippalai did not function between 1856 and 1871. The Chellappa English School was founded in 1869 on the premises. In 1871 the Vaddukkoddai Tamil Theological and Training School was shifted to Tellippalai.
The school became "grant-in-aid school" in 1875. In 1878 the Tamil Theological department closed down. An Industrial Department was added to the school and the name changed to Tamil Industrial and Training School. The Chellappah English School was taken over by the American Mission in 1901 and renamed the American Mission English School.
In 1910 A. T. Thuraiappahpillai, principal of American Mission English School, renounced Christianity to return to Hinduism. He leaves the school and founds a school that would later become the Mahajana English High School. In 1916 the Tamil Training School moved to Kopay
and renamed "Industrial and Primary School". The Industrial and Primary School was converted into Bilingual School in 1929. In 1939 the American Mission English School and the Bilingual School were amalgamated and renamed Tellippalai Union High School. On 7 October 1940 the school was renamed Tellippalai Union College. UC was elevated to Grade I school in 1947. Most private schools in Ceylon, including UC, were taken over by the government in 1960.
Tellippalai
Tellippalai or Thellippalai is a small town in the northern Jaffna District of Sri Lanka.It was a mission location when the American Ceylon Mission came to Sri Lanka in the 19th century. It was known as Tillipally in ACM documents...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. Founded in 1816 by American missionaries, it is one of Sri Lanka's oldest schools.
History
Rev. Samuel Newell, an American missionary, arrived in Jaffna peninsulaJaffna Peninsula
The Jaffna Peninsula is an area in Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is home to the capital city of the province, Jaffna and comprises much of the former land mass of the ancient Tamil kingdoms of the Nagas and the medieval Jaffna kingdom. The peninsula is mostly surrounded by water, connected to...
on 7 September 1813 and occupied the Dutch Hall in Tellippalai
Tellippalai
Tellippalai or Thellippalai is a small town in the northern Jaffna District of Sri Lanka.It was a mission location when the American Ceylon Mission came to Sri Lanka in the 19th century. It was known as Tillipally in ACM documents...
, which at that time consisted of dilapidated and snake-infested structures dating back to the 16th century Portuguese Ceylon. In the coming years Newell was joined by other American missionaries including Rev. Daniel Poor
Daniel Poor
Daniel Poor was a Presbyterian missionary and educator, founder of the first English School in Jaffna, Sri Lanka....
and Rev. Edward Warren.
In 1816 the American missionaries founded the American Ceylon Mission
American Ceylon Mission
The American Ceylon Mission to Jaffna, Sri Lanka started with the arrival in 1813 of missionaries sponsored by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions . The British colonial office in India and Ceylon restricted the Americans to the relatively small Jaffna Peninsula for...
in Jaffna. The ACM established missions in other parts of the Jaffna peninsula including one in Vaddukoddai
Vaddukoddai
Vaddukoddai is small but important town in the minority Sri Lankan Tamil dominated Jaffna peninsula of Sri Lanka...
. The ACM established numerous schools on the peninsula. The first school established by the ACM was the Common Free School which was founded by Rev. Poor and Rev. Warren on 9 December 1816 in Dutch Hall, Tellippalai. It was the first English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
school in northern Ceylon.
On 20 July 1818 the school was converted into the Family Boarding School with just 6 students. In 1824 girls from the boarding school were transferred to the newly founded girls boarding school at Uduvil
Uduvil Girl's College
Uduvil Girl's College is a girls private school in Uduvil, Sri Lanka. It was founded in 1820 by American missionaries.-History:In 1816 American missionaries founded the American Ceylon Mission in Jaffna. The ACM established missions in other parts of the Jaffna peninsula including one in...
. The school became a Preparatory School in 1825 and started admitting boys from other say schools. The school's fortunes suffered as the best academic boys were transferred to Batticotta Seminary
Batticotta Seminary
The Batticotta Seminary was an educational institute founded by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions 's American Ceylon Mission at Vaddukodai, in the Jaffna Peninsula north Sri Lanka in 1823. It was closed in 1855. The reason for such a decision being that it was not successful...
.
The Anderson-Thompson Deputation of 1855 recommended that Tamil medium schools were the best for evangelical purposes and recommended that all its English schools be closed. The English medium school at Tellippalai did not function between 1856 and 1871. The Chellappa English School was founded in 1869 on the premises. In 1871 the Vaddukkoddai Tamil Theological and Training School was shifted to Tellippalai.
The school became "grant-in-aid school" in 1875. In 1878 the Tamil Theological department closed down. An Industrial Department was added to the school and the name changed to Tamil Industrial and Training School. The Chellappah English School was taken over by the American Mission in 1901 and renamed the American Mission English School.
In 1910 A. T. Thuraiappahpillai, principal of American Mission English School, renounced Christianity to return to Hinduism. He leaves the school and founds a school that would later become the Mahajana English High School. In 1916 the Tamil Training School moved to Kopay
Kopay
Kopay is a town located approximately 4 km from the city of Jaffna along Point Pedro road. It is an agricultural town consisting mainly of vegetable farms, paddy fields and coconut gardens....
and renamed "Industrial and Primary School". The Industrial and Primary School was converted into Bilingual School in 1929. In 1939 the American Mission English School and the Bilingual School were amalgamated and renamed Tellippalai Union High School. On 7 October 1940 the school was renamed Tellippalai Union College. UC was elevated to Grade I school in 1947. Most private schools in Ceylon, including UC, were taken over by the government in 1960.
See also
- Jaffna CollegeJaffna College-See also:* List of schools in Northern Province, Sri Lanka* Uduvil Girl's College* Union College-External links:* * * *...
- List of schools in Northern Province, Sri Lanka
- Uduvil Girl's CollegeUduvil Girl's CollegeUduvil Girl's College is a girls private school in Uduvil, Sri Lanka. It was founded in 1820 by American missionaries.-History:In 1816 American missionaries founded the American Ceylon Mission in Jaffna. The ACM established missions in other parts of the Jaffna peninsula including one in...