History of the Sacred Heart Convent.

 

Since 1505 the Missionary activities of European Nations; the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British who at one time or another governed our country have left landmarks on the system of education in our country.

 

By 1895, The Roman Catholic Missionary Fathers called the Oblates of Mary Immaculate handed over their educational work in Galle to another group of Roman Catholic Fathers called the Fathers of the Society of Jesus. They were called Jesuits.

 

With the change of the Mission from the O.M.I. Fathers to the Jesuit Fathers, the Good Shepherd Nuns who were teaching the girls in the mixed school in Galle left for Colombo.

In 1895, when the Catholic Mission of Galle was entrusted to the Belgian Jesuits, Monseigneur Van-Reeth, appointed as the first Bishop, took charge of the diocese of Galle. He was concerned about the education of the youth. His earnest wish was that the girls should have similar privileges as the boys. Accordingly he contacted the Mother House of the Sisters of Charity in Ghent Belgium, where his sister, Mother Bernadette was the Superior General and appealed for sisters for his large diocese. The promise of a foundation was granted, and the departure for Ceylon (Sri Lanka) of the first Sisters was fixed for the 4th November 1896.

 On the 4th November 1896, five Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary left for Ceylon. 

 They were:

Rev. Sr.  Amelie Louise  Maria Janssens (Belgian)

Rev. Sr. Alberta Julienne Ann Donny (Belgian)

Rev. Sr.  Mary William Charlotte Josephine (Irish)

Rev. Sr.  Alexandra Marie Odilo Cooreman (Belgian)

Rev. Sr. Marcia   Irma   Maria Bossaert (Belgian)

 

As they set out for Ceylon, His Lordship the Bishop of Ghent presented each one with a symbolic Cross saying “By this sign you will conquer". It is recorded in 1896 that the Missionary Sisters who left Ghent at the beginning of November had arrived safe and sound at the Jesuit Mission in Ceylon on 23rd November.  Father Cooreman S.J. Parish Priest of Galle and an Oblate Father had come to the boat. The sea had been very rough on the second week and the sisters were feeling very tired and were very happy to be on firm ground again. They were first taken to the Oblate Fathers at Kotahena, where they received a charming welcome.

Founded in the year 1896, Sacred Heart Convent, Galle is among the prestigious girls’ schools in the southern Sri Lanka. SHC has been acclaimed with the honor of pioneering a school for women even long before the advent of free education.

Dedicated and committed to sphere heading women intelligentsia, SHC has successfully traversed 125th long years in her path.

Founded in hallowed precincts of Calvary as a mixed school, SHC was later transformed to a girls’ school of which the founder principal was Rev. Sister Mary William.

 

In an era when the women were not much exposed to education, SHC made strides in developing wisdom, discipline, fortitude, decorum and manual dexterity among the female community in the southern Sl. This effort today has become a great strength thus proudly wielding its prowess.

  

On the 30th November 1896, the sisters started teaching in the existing mixed school on Mount Calvary. In December 1896 Sister William was made the Head Mistress of the school; in 1897 the sisters started teaching in the convent which Sister William named Sacred Heart Convent after the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ. On the first day eleven girls were present.

The first girl enrolled in the admission register of Sacred Heart Convent was Mabel Abeysundera who had been the ninety sixth student of the mixed school. Sisters Alberta and Alexandra taught the smaller classes in the big room in the convent and Sr. William went across to teach in the upper classes of boys and girls. On February 14th 1897, the first boarders were taken and the boarding began In the Convent.

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

From the very beginning side by side with the English School there existed a Vernacular School. This had become a common feature of all the Missionary Schools at that time all over the Island. On 14th March 1897 an orphanage was started. With the opening of the orphanage, lace making, one of those industries peculiar to the South was introduced. The sisters learnt the art of lace making and taught it to the girls both in the English school and in the Vernacular School.

In August 1897 a separate girls’ school was started in the buildings now occupied by the College Fathers. The numbers increased rapidly and included girls of several denominations.  The boarders whose numbers increased from 4 to 30 were housed in the Convent on the hill. The work of the school organization was carried out by Sr. William who was the Head Mistress and her staff.

SHC aid a solid foundation since its inception by letting children absorb good qualities such as knowledge, self-esteem, high decorum and fortitude. This is, in fact, achieved by shedding differences – creed, religion-and empowering the women to productively contribute to the progressive development of the society.

The Reverend Sisters of yesteryears gave a new lease of life to pillow lace industry which was unique to southerners as a cottage industry there by bringing the Sri Lankan identity and dignity to focus. Thereafter a technical education unit for adult students was set up for the first time in SL and thus craftsmanship of SL women was introduced to the local market signifying a golden era in the history. The construction work of SHC hostel of the school was also started in 1897 which saw the beginning of pillow lace industry. Besides, welfare program was initiated to foster the needy children.

The Heartians who presently display their talents both locally and internationally in sporting arena, made their debut in 1912 by bringing glory to school with several achievements in sporting events. The year 1939 saw the alimentative of Girl Guide activities, which was aimed at training school girls for social concerns.

Though SHC had become a Sinhala medium school by 1945, the medium of instruction in secondary classes was English. The first university entrant from SHC was reported in 1946. In other outstanding achievements, all the students who sat the G.C.E (senior) examination- a highly recognized exam of the era- had passed with 100% results.

 

SHC has a record of 9 principals who empowered the southern girls to climb up in their social ladder by exposing themselves to numerous competitions- aesthetics, multi languages, environmental affairs, quiz competitions, technology, science, commerce, religion etc. These pillars of success of SHC remain as giants forever in our minds.

The school was established in 1896 by the Sisters of Charity in Belgium due to the urgent need for education of young girls in Galle. Today the Sacred Heart Convent has large number of students with over 2,200 students and consists of a tutorial staff amounting to 100 teachers. The present principal of the school is Rev. Sr. Sandya Rani Fernando. 

 

 

	SHC students very early in 1936
1937
	1939
1940
	1959 SHC Sports Meet March Past
This TILE is from the original roof of the SACRED HEART CONVENT, and the BELL was used in the Children's library
	Evolution of school uniform

 

 

Past Principals of Sacred Heart Convent

 

	Rev. Sr. William 1896 - 1941
	Rev. Sr. Mary Paul 1942 - 1953
	Rev. Sr. Conleth 1954 - 1956
	Rev. Sr. Adrian 1957 - 1975
	Rev. Sr. Rosina Nanayakkara 1976 - 1996
	Rev. Sr. Disna Siyaguna 2000 - 2010
	Rev. Sr. Pradeepika Perera 2011 - 2012
	Rev. Sr. Patsy Nesamalar 2013 - 2020
	Rev. Sr. Sandya Rani Fernando  (From 03-June-2020)

 

 

 

 

School Houses

The School is divided into four houses.Namely,

 

	Colour :      Yellow Motto :       Kingly is Kindness,                    Royal and Truth        Feast Day:  24th November
Colour :      Blue Motto :       Love is Service.                     Service Character          Feast Day:  8th September
	Colour :      Green Motto :       Strive and Achieve Feast Day:  19th March
Colour :      Pink Motto :       Onwards to Success          Feast Day:  Falls on the School Feast Day

 

 

120 JUBILEE SONG

 

Chorus :

Jubilate every Heartian

One in Heart and Soul we stand here

To sing the greatness of SHC

For the past one hundred twenty years

 

Oh SHC our beloved

The hearts of all your children loving

Join to raise their joyful voices

To thank and praise you on this day

 

Chorus :

Bless with raised hands

Bow with loyal hearts

Wish and play your fame will ever go

Dear SHC Noble Mother

May you long live loved by all