Messages

I had the privilege of being the Principal of St. Anne's College, Kurunegala for the brief period 1961 to 1966. When I took over the Principal ship the College had already attained a high reputation in the North Western Province. But

during my brief Principal ship the College went through a period of alarming changes in the field of education. This was mainly due to the changes brought about by the so called take over of schools in December 1960.

This is briefly how it happened. For about one and a half years the College made a valiant effort to run as a private non feel-levying school. It was an absurd system. After having made tremendous sacrifices including the sale of property to reach the running expenses we were compelled with great regret to hand over the College to the Government. Bro Thomas of Mary must be given recognition for the superhuman efforts to retain St Anne's even for that brief period.

My principal ship started as a Free Non - fee Levying institution and went on to the second part of 1962 to the end of 1966 as a Government institution.

As a Free Non-fee Levying School, the school went through many hardships. But with the handing over of the school to the Government, the College could then find enough funds to meet the salaries of the staff as well as maintain the college to the standard of the pre - 1960 period of the college.

The damage done to the school was fortunately cut short and (he college limped back to near normal conditions.

I must mention with thanks the loyalty and gratitude shown by members of the public, the sympathy shown during the dark period and especially Dr. Daya Pathirana MP for Kurunegala at the time in making admission to the present Government school system smooth.

I am glad to see that the Principals who came after me have restored the prestige held by the College form its inception. I wish St. Anne's College God's choicest blessings.

Celebrating 140 years is something to be proud about, more than proud, happy and more than happy, thankful. The name of St. Anne should have been sounded in this predominantly Buddhist area since 1867. It is something worth thinking about and rejoicing over, as we intend doing with this celebration. It's worth it ! The De La Salle Brothers are happy that their predecessors have faithfully trudged along during times of stress and struggle and handed them the Annite torch of education. We thank God, in the first place, the leaders of the church and the city, thousands of youths who have been educated here and have brought honour to their old school as students and alumni, their parents and all those brave men and women who have trod the path of endeavour relentlessly.whose support has been with the school all along.

The Lasallian endeavour has endured the past years - years of unremitting toil for the youth of the area and from miles around. While the principal and teachers of today - men and women of varying skills, abilities and qualifications - forge ahead, we who are participants in this celebration lift up our hearts and hands to the Almighty for all Annite achievements so far. It's a mighty lot - staffers who manfully manned this institution and students who scaled the peaks of educational endeavour, whatever their creed and histre.

Gratitude, in particular, has to be underlined for all the teachers -Brothers, men and women - who have adorned the staff of St. Anne's in the past years. The principals who inspired them should be gratefully remembered. However, the accent has to be on our many, many devoted ladies and gentlemen teachers of St. Anne's. Names are too many to be mentioned. They are men and women of all descriptions Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Christians and Catholics -European, Burgher, Sinhala and Tamil - they all collaborated in forming young Annites into adult Annites worth their salt, men inspired by the POSSUMUS, their motto. They believe they can and they have proved it in various walks of life, professionally, but above all, humanly - living lives of FIDELITY, SINCERITY and COURAGE the FSC of the De La Salle Brothers who steered the Annite ship midst winds and storms and rough seas.

POSSUMUS seems to have been the watchword that has been inspiring them, be it in the classroom, the library, the laboratory, the church or temple and the playground.

Hail to you, men and women of courage,
Hail to you young men with a message,
Let's step up and on from age to age
As we keep striving, our thirst to assuage

It is with great pleasure that I send this message to the souvenir to be published on the occasion of the Annual Prize Giving together with the Inauguration of the 140th Year of the College.

St. Anne's College is a leading educational institution in Sri Lanka started by the Catholic Church in 1867. It was founded by the then Parish Priest of St' Anne's Church - Kurunegala, Rev. Fr. Francis Xavier, as an English School. The Church with the help of lay Catholics, administered this school till the year 1934, when it came under the management of De La Salle Brothers.

Over the past 140 years, St. Anne's College has been educating generations of students, irrespective of race, religion and caste. On this memorable occasion, we thank, God Almighty for the blessings showered on this institution. We also express our deep gratitude to the De La Salle Brothers, for the yeomen service rendered by them, and the dedicated lay staff both past and present.

It is our earnest - wish that the noble traditions, already established by this institution continue for generations to come.

May God bless you ! ! !

It is with great joy that I send greetings from us all here the Diocese of Kurunegala, on the occasion of the 140th Jubilee Celebration of St. Anne's College, Kurunegala.

It is a great achievement for St. Anne's College, Kurunegala, to have completed 140 years of service to the Youth and Community, in the region. I am aware that you have functioned as the premier school in Kurunegala, to enhance the quality , of life of many young boys, by improving and developing their skills, and equipping them to respond to the many challenges facing us today.

In education, we must be conscious that the ultimate goal should be development. Education is an integral part of national development, knowledge, skills and harnessing of the resourcefulness of our youth, are essential, important and critical factors for development and also for a knowledge based society.

The challenges for the future, in a multi-religious and multi-ethnic community are enormous. We are called to read the signs of our times and understand the manner in which God, our Creator is continuing to reveal to the world. God continues to reveal in a very specific way to different communities and individuals, irrespective of class, creed or race and where they belong. God challenges us to respond to that revelation in a significant manner to ensure that our mission is relevant and meaningful.

I take this opportunity to congratulate St. Anne's College, Kurunegala, and assure you of our prayers and all good wishes as you commence another year in the history of your esteemed Institution. We wish you well in all your undertakings for the future.

Shalom and with every blessing ! ! !

I consider it a great privilege to send a message in the occasion of the inauguration of the 140th anniversary of St. Anne's College, Kurunegala. Happily, this memorable occasion coincides with the annual prize giving of the College

St. Anne's College is one of the oldest Catholic educational institutions of the country. The De La Salle Brothers are very happy to have contributed to its growth and development during the latter half of its existence. I am happy to join all those who are involved with St. Anne's to sing thanks and praise to God for the numerous blessings brought to thousands of lives through this great school. At the same time 1 urge the faithful to invoke the blessings of God Almighty on her, so that she will continue to shine as an exemplary Catholic Educational center, true to the motto "POSSUMUS" that is "we can". I am personally greatful to St. Anne's for three years of my early education which ended in my response to God's call to become a Brother.

As a pioneering institution its influence on the development of education in the Province has been immense. lt has set the example for quality and perseverance in turning out worthy citizens of the country. In its early days under the management of the Brothers, it was privileged to have had the services of several prominent educationists both foreign and local. Thus, St. Anne's has benefited by the worldwide educational movement called Lasallian Education.

Maintaining the educational standards and its Catholic identity has become an uphill task for the management today. Politicization of education, inefficiency and petty mindedness of some officers has brought in more troubles to Catholic schools such as St. Anne's. It is my earnest wish that better times will dawn for these schools.

I congratulate Rev. Brother Denzil Mendis, Director, the staff and the students on this occasion. While being grateful to those illustrious people who have toiled hard to build St. Anne's to its present stature, it is your task now to ensure even a greater future in fulfilling its corporate mission.

May St. De La Salle, our Holy Founder, intercede for St. Anne's College on this occasion. May St. Anne obtain for the school community the necessary graces from God.

God Bless us all ! ! !

I am happy to send a message to the souvenir on the occasion of the inauguration of the 140th Jubilee Year.

St. Anne's has done a tremendous service to the Children of Wayamba and she continues to do so. What is great of St. Anne's is that it serves not only the Christians but also the Buddhists and Muslims as well. This is the need of the hour, inter communal and inter-religious harmony can be built only when different ethnic and religious groups are educated under the same roof.

Annites should be proud of their past, and hopeful of their future.

They have a Vision. Their Mission is to be the Leader in the innovative Education.

Let not Annites forget their Motto, POSSUMUS - which means WE CAN.

I would like congratulate all the Annites to their school celebrating 140 years of desistance. This is the first time I reach you through the electronic media. To know that you reach is the delight. My aim is your's as well: to see the school flourishing in al the ways the possible. The new auditorium that we are building is near in completion.
So far the school has spent little over eighty five hundred thousand rupees.

I was able to get that through your generosity. To see completion we need at least twenty five hundred thousand rupees. Your cent has done wonders, and it will do still better. Every cent that you contribute should reach the children one way or
other.

And request ........

Even reluctantly i have got to make this request from the Annites. The instrument of the western bands are almost fifty years old.

They have come to the age only suitable for retirement Annites you are invited either individually or collectively think about restoring
the old with the new.