B e g i n n i n g

                          Founded in 1930, Prince College has gone through periods of prosperityand adversity. The silver jubilee was celebrated in 1955 with the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Sir John Kotalawela, gracing this occasion as the Chief Guest at the Prize Giving held in this connection. The Golden Jubilee of this institution, regrettably has been consigned to the limbo of forgotten things, with the decline of the college.Prince college has had close connections with the Royal family of Siam( now Thailand) with the arrival in Ceylon of his Royal Highness Prince Prisdang Jumsai of siam who received ordination under the most venerable Pundit Waskaduwey Rajakeeya Sri Subati Maha Nayaka Thero. He was an erudite scholar who was well versed in English, Pali and Theravada Buddhism. The venerable thero made Ceylon his home and took up residence at Dipaduttamaramaya during the Chief Incumbency of the most venerable Mohottiwaththe Gunnananda Maha Nayaka Thero of “PANADURA DEBATE” fame, a personage who provided leadership in national matters concerning the well being of the country and the Buddha Sasana. On his demise, the Venerable Jinawarawansa Thero, who later came to be known as ‘Kumara Hamuduruwo’ among the Buddhist laity, succeeded as the chief Incumbent Monk of Dipaduttamaramaya, He built the Rathana Chithiya according to Thai Buddhist architecture and begin a scholar monk of repute, started a free Boys Buddhist English school in 1905 for the benefit of the Buddhist childred of the area. The royal Thai Family provided the necessary funds uninterruptedly for the upkeep and maintenance of the Venerable Jinawarawansa Thero and also for the running of the school. The school continued to function smoothly for some time and later became a fledgling institution. The undisturbed continuation of the school thereafter became a problem and due to circumstance beyond the control of the Venerable Jinawarawansa Thero, the school had to be closed doun after nearly a decade of existence. With the demise of the Venerable Jinawarawansa Thero his loyal and obedient pupil, the Venerable Jinawarawansa M Jinananda Thero became the new chief Incumbent Monk of Dipaduttamaramaya, It was at this time that Christian Missionary schools were springing up all around the country, with the blessings of the British rulers of the day. Buddhist children were seldom or never admitted to those schools, as their policy was to educate Christians. In a predominantly Buddhist country, this was a deplorable states of affairs and an affront to the dignity of Buddhists. 

                                                The Venerable Jinananda Thero addressed this question and decided that meaningful measures should be adopted to meet this challenge. He believed that the social upliftment of Buddhist Children through a viable English education was a crying need of the day and as a first step established a fee levying boys Buddhist English school in 1930, with 24 students and two teachers. As a mark of gratitude to his revered Guru, the Venerable Jinawarawansa Thero, he named it Prince college. Wide publicity was given to the opening of the new school and qualified teachers were recruited to the tutorial staff. Buddhist parents began to throng the premises of the school for admission of their children enabling Prince College to grow from strength to strength. For the purpose of good governance, the venerable Monk placed the school under the administration and control of the Kotahena Buddhist Educational Trust (K.B.E.T) of which he was the administrator. In this connection he drew inspiration from Sir D.B Jayatillke, the greatest Buddhist scholar of the time, the undisputed leader of the sinhala Buddhist’s and a man of great virtue. He was General Manager Theosophical Society which was running a large number of Buddhist schools Throughout the island including the prestigious Buddhist educational institutions such as Ananda,Nalanda,Dharmaraja, ect, for the preservation and propagation of the Buddha Dhamma, The K.B.E.T became a parallel organization under the leadership and guidance of the venerable JInananda Thero which administered more that 200 school in the Western Province.

Distinguished Visitors

                       The close relationship fostered by the Venerable Jinawarawansa Thero with the Royal Thai Family paved the way for frequent visits to the Dipaduttamaramaya temple and Price College by the Thai monarch, prince and princesses. The Young King of Siam (later his Majesty King Ananda Mahidol) visited Prince College In 1936 after paying homage at Dipaduttamaramaya along with his mother, sister and younger brother, His Royal Highness Bhumidol Adulyadej. His majesty planted a Sandalwood sapling on the College ground to commemorate his visit.

In 1950, his Majesty King Bhumidol Adulyadej, who succeeded his brother also visited Prince College in Company of his fiancée( later Queen Sirikit) and High Officers of the state. After offering flowers at Dipaduttamaramaya, His Majesty presided over the Prize Giving of the College. He too planted a sandalwood sapling on the premises of the temple to commemorate his visit.

His Royal Highness Prince Prema pura Chathra of Thailand was the first member of thai royalty to visit Prince College after the demise of the venerable Jinawarawansa Thero. He was given a warm welcome by the principal and staff of Prince College and presided over a public meeting held on the College. Eminent Buddhist leaders of the day were present of that occasion to meet and grate the Prince. Another eminent personage who set foot on the premises of Dipaduttamaramaya and Prince College was his eminence the most Venerable Tai Shu, Chief Abbot of the supreme Buddhist Council of China. After offering flowers to the thrice blessed one at the Temple, the Chief Abbot preached sermon in Chinese to the large gathering present and Dr. G.P Malasekara, Lecture in Oriental Studies at the Ceylon University College translated the sermon to sinhala.

Upgrading of the school

It is with pride that we record the upgrading college as a grade 1 institution prior to the take over of schools in 1960 by the educational authorities. It is a sign that the department of Education had acknowledged the remarkable progress made by the school from its small beginnings and undertook to provide all assistance normally accorded to any assisted school of this caliber. As a grade 1 school, Price College had the singular honor of being classed as the premier Buddhist educational institution in Colombo North and was placed on par with other leading Buddhist English schools such as a Ananda College and Nalanda College. This Ranking is indicated in the official records compiled before the taking over of schools by the government.

Tutorial Staff

We take this opportunity to express our grateful thanks to all the members of the tutorial staff who served the college from time to tome since its inception and whose painstaking efforts no doubt have contributed in no small measure for the progress of the school we regret our inability to publish those names individually.

Motto

That appears that fade had decreed that “THUMMEHI KITCHCHAN AATAPPAN” the motto of the college should last forever during periods of prosperity as well as adversity and should not under go any change, and so it has been.

Downward Trend

While Prince College was thus shining in the educational horizon, fate dealt a cruel blow to its upward path. The student population which has progressively risen to more than 2000 by 1960, registered a decline, ultimately dropped to an alarmingly low of 9 students in 1997. The College was faced with a threat of closure by the department of education in 1998. The reason or reasons for this disastrous situation have not surfaced, and it can only be presumed that a combination of factors including bad governance, inefficient administration and political maneuvering are responsible

Re-opening of the college

                               With the concurrence of the education department, the restructured institution was re-opened on 3^rd January 1999 at a simple ceremony presided over by the Venerable Tallale Dhammaloka Maha Nayaka Thero, Anunayaka of the Sri Saddhammawansa Chapter and a distinguished past pupil of the college. The venerable monk was also a teacher of the college. The Hon. Susil Premjayantha, Chief Minister of the western province and his worship Omar kamil, Mayor of Colombo graced the occasion, since then, the enrolments have steadily increased and to date college has 400 students on the roll. The lack of adequate classrooms to accommodate the increasing student population has become a stumbling block in that direction. The three storeyed building which was in a dilapidated stage was demolished. Construction work of a new three storeyed building has now commenced. Foundation work extending is the seconded floor has now been completed at a cost of Rs: 4.4 million donated by the Western Provincial Council.

                                                The Past Pupil Association is in negotiation with Hon. Reginold Cooray, Chief Minister regarding completion of the building which requires a further 50 lacks.

                                    The tutorial staff stands at 14. Under the energetic leadership and guidance of the principal Mr. Piyadasa Hewa Btuvita, an officer in Grade I of the Principal’s service, it is to take its rightful place in the vanguard of progress.