College History

Before St. Benedict's College...
Sir Alexander Johnston encouraged the establishment of an English school for the Catholic community in Ceylon, but it wasn’t until Ceylon became a new Vicariate Apostolic in 1834 that significant progress was made. The reorganization of education after the Colebrooke Reforms and the creation of the Colombo Vicariate sparked enthusiasm for English education among Catholics.
In 1837, Sir Robert Wilmot Horton donated £50 to support the first Catholic English school. On May 15, 1839, the Roman Catholic Seminary, which would later become St. Benedict’s College, was opened in Wolfendhal Street by Rt. Rev. Dr. Vincente de Rosario. The Seminary aimed to provide superior English education and had vice-patrons including Rev. Fathers Sebastian Pereira and Caetano Antonio.
A school committee was formed with J.P. Misso as President and J. Sansoni as Vice President. The first principal was M. Lennon, assisted by Don Domingo and J. Andriesz. Initially, the Seminary had three teachers and eighty students, offering a curriculum that included English, reading, writing, grammar, arithmetic, algebra, geometry, history, geography, chronology, Greek, Latin, and Sinhalese. The school promoted Roman Catholic tenets while respecting the religious education of students from other denominations.
The Roman Catholic Mission’s efforts culminated in a well-organized English school, increasing attendance significantly over the years and establishing a legacy of superior education in Colombo.
The Establishment of the College
During the interregnum, the foundation stone for a new institution, St. Benedict’s College, was laid. The Sylvestro-Benedictines designed the college buildings in the style of an Italian Benedictine Monastery, featuring a rectangular structure with a ground floor enclosing a courtyard. This elegant, compact building served as both a monastery and an educational establishment, accommodating two to three hundred day students and a small number of boarders.
While the school was under construction, Sillani traveled to Kottar, India, where he received his episcopal consecration from Dr. Valerga. The buildings were completed in 1865, and in 1866, H. F. Sales relocated with the Seminary pupils to the new facility. That year, the new buildings housed 368 boys and 170 girls from the English and Sinhalese schools, along with four Sinhalese teachers.
Arrival of De La Salle Brothers
In December 1866, three De La Salle Brothers—Hidulphus, Ulfin Daniel, and Hermelard Leo—arrived at Galle during their return journey to France from Mangalore and made a visit to Colombo. Sillani took advantage of their visit to persuade them to stay and manage St. Benedict’s College. These brothers, experienced and trained teachers from France, had previously taught in Calcutta, Malabar, and Burma. They informed Sillani that another Brother, an Irishman who could serve as the “Professor of English,” was expected to arrive soon.
Brother Hidulphus became the Director of the community of three Brothers and Headmaster of the College. He announced St. Benedict’s Institution (as he called it) in the Colombo Examiner on January 16, 1867.
On May 1, 1868, a new group of Brothers, led by Brother Pastoris, the Provincial for the Far East and temporary Director, officially took charge of St. Benedict’s. According to the admission register, the College had 204 pupils enrolled. The new teaching Brothers included Cyprian, Aloysius, Peter, Frederick, and Benedict.
In 1868, St. Benedict’s offered seven classes, with the average age of pupils ranging from 14 years in the first class to 10 years in the seventh. School fees ranged from 3 shillings to 1 shilling per month. The average attendance was 309 boys. The subjects taught included Latin, English, reading, writing, grammar, history, geography, algebra, mensuration, and Catechism. The staff consisted of the De La Salle Brothers and two lay assistants, Gabriel Silva and Marcel Rodrigo.
First Official Director
Brother Pastoris returned to France on October 10, 1868. The first official Director of St. Benedict’s was Brother Modeste Marie, a German who had arrived in the East in 1856 as a La Sallian Missionary.
The Journey So Far...
By 1880, Brother Gabriel Archangel, a Frenchman, became Director, introducing new classrooms and achieving academic milestones, including success in the Cambridge Junior Local Examination.
Brother Maurice Josephus, the first American Director, succeeded Brother Gabriel in 1887, overseeing the College’s transition to ‘St. Benedict’s College’ and achieving its first Cambridge Senior Examination successes. In 1888, Brother Maurice organized religious solemnities for the Beatification of John Baptist de la Salle.
Brother Joshua, a notable assistant, excelled in promoting the Marian Sodality. When Brother Gabriel left in 1887, Brother Maurice Josephus led an era of American leadership until 1908. Brother Camillus Eugene, a dynamic Frenchman, assumed duties in 1909, enhancing the College’s prestige with impressive academic results, particularly in Science and Mathematics.
Brother Wultan James, M.A. (1921-1923), an educational visionary, advocated vocational and agricultural education. Brother Claude Marie (1923-1931), a Frenchman, increased Catholic pupil enrollment and secured impressive examination results.
Brother Luke Gregory (1931-1939), the first Ceylonese Director, oversaw the construction of a three-story building and initiated work on a playground. Returning in 1943, he re-organized the College post-war, maintaining its reputation and ideals encapsulated in its motto: “Religio, Mores, Cultura.”
Sources
- New York Old Bens Website (http://nyoldbens.com/Benedict.html)