‘Two hundred’ is a hard target for any event in whatever field it may be. Newstead Girls’ College makes history by being the first girls’ school in Sri Lanka with a mass of historic memories. Among many a celebrity, Dr.Wimala de Silva brought pride and glory to Newstead when she became the first woman in Sri Lanka to be conferred with a doctorate.
The great personalities that Newstead has already gifted the nation during these two hundred years from 1816 to 2016 are many. Most of those past Newsteadites are at very high places not only in Sri Lanka but in foreign countries as well.
Newstead girls have excelled in sports, arts, music, dancing and other co-curricular activities as well as in education. Newstead with her motto More Beyond began her 200-year long journey on the coastal belt close to the Negombo esplanade in 1815. It is the result of an idea of a school germinating in Don Daniel Pereira’s mind. It began as a Sunday school and later developed into a school in 1816.
With the advent of Rev. Robert Newstead in 1817, the upward mobility of the school started. Rev. Robert Newstead was succeeded by such missionaries as Rev. C. De Vos, Rev. H. W. Rigby and Rev. M. Hartley, who were instrumental in converting this school into a prominent one that made history. The other principals who steered the Newstead ship in the sea of Sri Lanka Education thereafter were Miss Lawrence, Laura Ferdinando, A. D. Dixon, Grace Robinson, D. K. Williams, Edith Ridge, A. P. M. Orloff, without whose names the Newstead history would be incomplete. In honour of them, the four Houses of the school have very aptly been named Ward, Dixon, Lawrence and Hartley.
The school logo which depicts a canoe with a sail was formulated in 1924. Ms C. De Mel became the first Sinhala principal appointed after Newstead Girls’ College was vested in the Government in 1962. Afterwards, Wimala Rodrigo, J. M. Sumanasinghe, R. M. Senaratne and B. M. Weerasuriya became the principals of Newstead. It was in R. M. Senaratne’s period that Newstead Girls’ College was elevated to the state of National School as the first of that kind in the Gampaha District in 1989. Ms H. M. G. P. Herath has been service Newstead as the Principal after B. M. Weerasuriya.
Under the leadership of the Principal, H. M. G. P. Herath, there are two Deputy Principals, one Vice Principal and148 teachers on the staff. The academic staff comprises 23 science Graduates, 14 Commerce Graduates, 31 Arts Graduates, 7 Masters of Arts, 48 College of Education qualified teachers, 12 Trained teachers and 2 Diploma holders. At present, more than 3,500 students are educated in 78 classrooms at Newstead in a multi-racial and multi-religious environment with mutual understanding and cooperation. Co-curricular fields include Aesthetics, Sports, Media Circle, Girl Guides, Environmental Pioneer Brigade, Red Cross Society, Cadet Corps, Western - Oriental & Cadet Bands, Sinhala and English Drama Teams and English, Sinhala and Tamil Language Units. All these societies and clubs have brought the school honour by way of achievements at various levels. The commitment, dedication and hard work of the staff of teachers are commendable for the outstanding results that Newstead enjoys at both GCE O/L and GCE A/L examinations. The Non-academic staff, the School Development Society and the Past Pupils’ Association of Newstead Girls’ College is praiseworthy for their silent but unwavering contribution towards the betterment of the school.
It was in 1933 that a Newstead student was selected to a university for the first time in the history of Newstead. Dr. Wimala de Silva brought pride and glory to Newstead becoming the first woman in Sri Lanka to be conferred with a doctorate. Ruby Fernando goes down history of Newstead as the first to commence teaching in Sinhala medium. Newstead Girls’ College is the only school in the Negombo Education Zone to have a well-functioning hostel.
With much gratitude, H. M. G. P. Herath, the Principal, recalls all the past clergy, principals, teachers and Newsteadites who shouldered the uphill task of bringing the school to the glorious state the school enjoys today.
Newstead Girls’ College is not just a bright lamp only to Negombo or to the Western Province, but a beacon to the entire country. Newstead will undoubtedly continue her ceaseless mission of moulding young women with sound character for yet another century and more.
Text & pic: Ivan Kiriella, Newstead Academic Staff