Being a Hillwoodian at Hillwood College Kandy simply brings a unique quality and an identity to a girl’s personality. It is not just merely wearing the white uniform with the badges. There is more than that. I know that every Hillwoodian will agree with me on this. It is a true privilege to get the golden opportunity to have the finest education in that lush green atmosphere, Hillwood College Kandy.
It is not only obtaining the knowledge in the books. Hillwood College Kandy did shape up the personalities of these young Hillwoodian ladies. Since Grade One, Mother Hillwood nourished the new students and molded them to become young Hillwoodian ladies that are blessed with beauty and knowledge with a true lady like behaviours.
The Arrival of Miss Bellerby
The story of how the foundation of the Hillwood College Kandy was built is not a new story for many Hillwoodians. But it is a story that we would love to hear over and over again. No matter how many times we listen or read the stories. The tribute of building this magnificent school goes to Miss Elizabeth Bellerby.
Miss Bellerby was a British lady who came from London. We shall start from the moment that she set her foot in Ceylon; the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. She came with another young lady. The mere and the main purpose of their arrival is, to build a school for the young daughters of the Kandyan leaders. They sent their sons to Trinity College Kandy to educate but they had a desperate need to educate their daughters as well.
Mainly they wanted beautiful and educated young Hillwoodian ladies to tie the knot with their sons. Therefore they wanted the daughters to provide proper and sound education. And Hillwood College Kandy is an implementation to fulfil that need. As a result, an appeal was made to Rev. Ireland Jones and Rev. J Garrett conveyed the message to the Christian Missionary Schools in London.
Some may have wondered what this young little lady can do on this island. Well, she did surprise by establishing Hillwood College Kandy and becoming the first principal in the school. She chose a site in the lush green hill where the bungalow of Sir Henry Dias was located. It was also known as “Hillwood House”. The CEZMS (Church of England Zenana Missionary Society) gave the required funds to buy this building.
The Initiation
15th May in the year of 1890 was the significant day. The administration fixed this day to open the school. But originally the school opened between June to August and the date is anonymous. And they went with the name “The Clarence Memorial School”. In the beginning, only seven girls were at school.
The lucky seven are,
- Edith Florence Eiriyagama
- Vyrodimenike Jane Girihagama
- Julia Paranavama
- June Elizabeth Weerasinghe
- Lorensia Emily Weerasinghe
- Helen Caroline Ilanganthilaka
- Loku Menike Rambukwella.
Later on, the society decided to change the name to Hillwood College Kandy. Ever since the name was positioned in many places and peoples’ hearts.
With time, the thinking pattern started to change. The parents started in believing that the young girls should not be framed into kitchen work. And the educated boys sought not only the beauty but also the brains. With this, it became a turning point and parents started to send young girls to school.
And Miss Bellerby was the pioneer in this task. She personally visited houses and explained the importance of education. The young girls only knew about how to cook and clean houses. But Miss Bellerby added an extra value to their lives by teaching them embroidery, housekeeping, and arithmetic. She also taught the girls how to read and write. And also polished up their creativity skills by teaching music and painting.
She always believed and said that an educated girl can lead to a successful family. And eventually, parents agreed with her. And the fame of Hillwood did not just frame within the Kandy hills. It started to spread across Bibile, Mahiyangana, Rathnapura and even Anuradhapura.
Miss Bellerby eventually learnt the native tradition and customs to deliver a more sophisticated education to the young Kandyan students. Even though the teachers were British ladies, they delivered English education in a manner that does not harm the Sri Lankan traditions and heritage.
The Uniform
The juniors wore the half saree with the Manthe while the senior students wore the full saree. This was the uniform for over seventy-five years. And this uniform was never a constraint to play Netball, Stool Ball and Tennis. And they won many matches defeating the Colombo school girls who wore more convenient Western uniforms.
The Sri Lankan Heritage in a British atmosphere
Even though the Hillwoodians started to grow in a British atmosphere they still remembered their Sinhalese values. When the boarders came to the hostel with the parents, they knelt down and worshipped them before departing. The Sinhala society is enriched with many believes and rituals. They believed that only a widow would not wear a necklace. And when a teacher spotted a student without a necklace then she would warn the student to wear something around her neck.
Excellence from the beginning
1903 was another significant year to the precious school. Loku Menike Rambukwella one of the students from the first batch passed the Junior Cambridge Examination. And in 1905 she also passed the Senior Cambridge Examination. Can you believe that she went to the exam with police security? Yes! And Miss Bellerby was there until the end of the examination as well. Loku Menike was the first witness that the teachers of Hillwood College Kandy have done their utmost for the highest. And she tied the knot with Mr Loku Banda Thennakoon.
Hillwood Memoirs and Milestones – Part 2
