St. Bridget's Convent, Colombo
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| St Bridget's Convent | |
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| Address | |
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C.W.W. Kannangara Mawatha , 07 | |
| Information | |
| Type | Private |
| Motto | Gently and firmly |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1902 |
| Gender | Girls |
| Color(s) | Green, White |
| Website | www |
St. Bridget's Convent is a private girls' school in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It was founded on February 1, 1902 by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd order, making it one of the earliest mission schools of the Roman Catholic Church of Ireland in Ceylon. The school today consists of a Montessori school, a primary school and a collegiate school. It comprises 1324 students taught by a staff of 105 teachers.
History
On 1 February 1902, at the request of Most Rev. Dr. T. A. Melizan O.M.I, Archbishop of Colombo, St. Bridget's Convent was established as the second house of the Good Shepherd congregation for the education of young ladies. It was the third school in the Colombo area opened by the nuns.[1] The first classes were held at a rented house on Turret Road (Colpetty) called 'The Firs'.[2] Two sisters, Sr. Mary of St.Francis Borgia and Sr. Mary of Our lady of Lourdes, came from the original Kotahena Convent school (Good Shepherd Convent) to undertake this work. With the opening of the school by the sisters of the Good Shepherd, the long cherished wish of Most Reverend Dr.T.A Melizan became a reality.
Symbols
The Irish origins of the Good Shepherd sisters are seen in the school colours, emblem and unique traditions.[3]
- Emblem
The school emblem depicts in essence the heart of the school. The rationale for its functioning and for its role within and without is reflected in the school motto ‘Gently and Firmly’. The other symbols include:
- Fountain: symbolises fountain of learning
- Dark green leaves and shamrock: the sisters' resilience and Irish origins
- Shepherd's Crook: refers to the Good Shepherd sisters and God as the Good Shepherd who looks after his fold and guides them safely across the path
- Patron saint
The patron saint of the school is St. Bridget, the patron saint of Ireland, whose feast is commemorated in the 1st of February of each year.
Code of Ethics
The Code of Ethics, the rules that govern the behavior of students, the goals and objectives of discipline are embedded in the school motto, ‘Gently and Firmly’.
Houses
There are 4 houses in the primary school and the collegiate school:
- Borgia House - motto "Charity to All, Malice to None"
- Coudert House - motto "Fidelity to Duty is the Path to Glory"
- Griaux House - motto "Onwards and Upwards"
- Melizan House - motto "United We Stand, Divided We Fall"
The houses are named for Dr. T.A. Melizan, Mother St. Francis Borgia, Father G. Griaux and Dr. A. Coudert, who were involved in the development of the school from the start.
Extracurricular activities
Extracurricular activities are always encouraged among the students and they have always maintained a high standard in them. English Literary Association, Sinhala Literary Association, Tamil Literary Association, Science Society, Commerce Society, Health and Nature club, Astronomical Club, Drama Society, Debate club, scrabble club, choir, girl guides association, interact club & UN club are the clubs and societies which provides facilities to the students to gain the knowledge and experience from the extracurricular activities.
Notable alumni
- Chandrika Kumaratunga – former President and Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.[4]
- Sirimavo Bandaranaike – former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka and the world's first female Prime Minister.[4]
- Sunethra Bandaranaike – former politician and founder and chair of Sunera Foundation.[5]
- Ezlynn Deraniyagala - Sri Lanka's first female Barrister and feminist.
- Mignonne Fernando – singer, songwriter and pianist[6]
References
- ^ Wright, p.272
- ^ Wright, p.582
- ^ "School Emblem and Anthem". stbridgets.lk.
- ^ a b Jayawardena, Kumari (1995). The White Woman's Other Burden: Western Women and South Asia During British Rule. Routledge.
- ^ Jayasinghe, Rajinda (March 2015). "Sunethra Bandaranaike". Life Times.
- ^ "Mignonne - the pioneer of home-grown western pop". Sunday Observer. 18 May 2003.
- Wright, Arnold (1907). Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon: Its History, People, Commerce, Industries, and Resources. Reprinted by Asian Educational Services.
External links