Exploring Our School's Rich Heritage

In the 19th century, during the British rule, the colonial educational system was introduced to Sri Lanka, emphasizing the importance of the English language, which was challenging for the upcountry people. The railway service in Sri Lanka began in 1858, reaching Hatton on June 4th, 1884. During this period, Mr. Bait (W.M.O) was in charge of the Hatton Railway service, and part of the railway building was used for Hatton Methodist Church services.

In 1889, the Hatton Methodist Mission purchased a separate piece of land and constructed a building. In 1892, Mrs. Bait started an evening/night school for small children, teaching English to a few students. As the number of students increased, she established a school in a nearby church. School activities were conducted on weekdays, while church services were held on weekends.

As the number of Tamil students grew, it became necessary to leave the church premises and build a separate Tamil school. Initially, in 1893, two small schools were started near the Methodist church. One school taught English, while the other taught local languages, Sinhala and Tamil. These two schools were the first in the Hatton region and were collectively known as Methodist English College.

As the student population continued to grow, there was a need to expand these schools. It was decided to construct a new building near the mission house where the school was then located. Additionally, the English school near the Methodist church was to be upgraded. On January 22, 1941, the foundation stone for the new building was laid by the President, Father H.R. Cornish, on the mission house land.

This building, named Cornish, was completed and opened in 1942, with Mr. Sam Seevaratnam becoming the first principal. He served from 1942 to 1947. During his tenure, the school's name was changed to Highlands College to reflect its geographical location.