View source for Girls' High School, Kandy

{{Infobox school
 | name                    = Girls' High School, Kandy
 | logo                    = 
 | logo_size               = 150
 | image                   = 
 | city                    = [[Kandy]]
 | province                = [[Central Province, Sri Lanka|Central Province]]
 | country                 = [[Sri Lanka]]
 | religion                = [[Methodist]] / [[Wesleyan]]
 | schooltype              = 1AB
 | type                    = [[National school (Sri Lanka)|National]] / [[State school|Public]]
 | caption                 = 
 | motto                   = A Deo Auxilium
 | motto_translation       = "Our Help Cometh from the Lord", adapted from [[Psalm]]121:1
 | school_code             = 03379
 | principal               = Renuka Edirisinghe
 | established             = {{Start date and age|1879|05|21|df=yes}}
 | founder                 = Samuel Langdon, [[Methodist Church of Great Britain]]
 | educational_authority   = [[Ministry of Education (Sri Lanka)|Ministry of Education]]
 | grades                  = Grade 1 – 13
 | gender                  = Girls
 | enrollment              = 6000+
 | lower_age               = 6
 | upper_age               = 19
 | language                = [[Sinhala Language|Sinhala]], [[English Language|English]], [[Tamil language|Tamil]]
 | schedule                = 7:30 AM - 1:30 PM
 | houses                  = Eaton <br> Langdon <br> Lawrance <br> Sansom
 | colors                  = Dark blue, light blue, green, and yellow <br> {{colour box|#00008B}} {{colour box|#87CEEB}} {{colour box|#008000}} {{colour box|#FFDF00}}
 | song                    = ''Forty years on when we think of time olden''
 | athletics               = Yes
 | sports                  = Yes
 | coordinates             = {{coord|7.2869|80.6268|format=dms|display=title,inline}}
 | free                    = [[Kingswood College, Kandy]]
 | free_label              = Brother School
 | free_1                  = Ladies of High School
 | free_label1             = Pupils
 | free_2                  = KGHS
 | free_label2             = Abbreviation
 | website                 = {{URL|www.ghskandy.edu.lk}}
}}'''Girls' High School, Kandy''' is a [[State school|national]] girls' school located in [[Kandy, Sri Lanka]]. It was founded in 1879 by [[Wesleyan Methodist Church (Great Britain)|Wesleyan Methodist]] missionaries and is the oldest school for girls in Kandy.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Razor-sharp confidence |url=https://www.dailynews.lk/2017/10/18/features/131572/razor-sharp-confidence |access-date=2021-04-27 |website=Daily News}}</ref>

==History==

===Early years===
[[File:Very Rev. Samuel Langdon.jpg|thumb|left|Rev. Samuel Langdon and his wife]]
In 1873, the need for a school in connection with Wesleyan Mission work was urged by Rev. S. Langdon and so a Day and Boarding school was built in Katukele, [[Kandy]] [[Sri Lanka]].

The school was opened in 1879 at the Wesleyan school chapel adjoining the Girls' Boarding School, Katukele-Kandy, under the management of Mrs Langdon. Miss Payne, the next principal arrived in [[Colombo]] on 31 July 1879 but left the school in 1880. In May 1880 Miss Hay came from England and the school, which had 10 on the roll at its inception, increased to 70 and was registered to obtain a grant-in-aid from the government.

As numbers increased, in 1881 the school shifted to the more commodious precincts of the Mission in Brownrigg Street, but boarders remained at Katukele. Classes were held behind the church. Long desks and forms without backs and heavy pews from the church were moved weekly when classes had to take turns in writing. There were no games, Guiding, debating or netball, not even a library.

Since its inception the school has represented the ethnic diversity of Sri Lanka, with its student body consisting of [[Sinhalese people|Sinhalese]], [[Tamils]], [[Sri Lankan Moors|Moors]], [[Sri Lankan Malays|Malays]], [[Burgher people|Burghers]] and [[Chinese people in Sri Lanka|Chinese]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.khsogacolombo.lk/HIGHLIGHTS%20%20OF%20OUR%20%20KHS%20FIRSTS.html |title=:: Our School :: |access-date=2018-01-18 |archive-date=2018-06-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623075650/http://www.khsogacolombo.lk/HIGHLIGHTS%20%20OF%20OUR%20%20KHS%20FIRSTS.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===20th century===
With the dawn of the 20th century, under the guidance of F. R. Sansom, who served for 19 years, Kandy High School became one of the leading educational institutions in Ceylon. On 21 March 1917, the first company of Girl Guides was formed on the Island. Sansom prepared the way for this and Jane Green Calverly, the vice-principal was the first captain. This was followed by the 1st Brownie Company and the Ranger Company in 1918 and 1921. In June 1920 a plague broke out in Kandy and 262 students were ordered to leave the premises overnight. The kindergarten and Std 2 shifted to Trinity College, Std 3 and 4 were housed at the YWCA opposite the police station and the senior girls at the YWCA near Kandy Lake. Calverly had a busy time cycling from one place to another and supervising the classes, so she invested in a scooter which made her day easier. In 1917 the first company of [[The Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association|Girl Guides]] was formed on the island, and the school was the first to play netball in Sri Lanka.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The President presided over the 106th anniversary of the Girl Guides Association – Presidential Secretariat of Sri Lanka |url=https://www.presidentsoffice.gov.lk/index.php/2023/03/22/the-president-presided-over-the-106th-anniversary-of-the-girl-guides-association/ |access-date=2024-06-06 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Girl Guiding in Sri Lanka … the 1910s … |url=https://www.sundaytimes.lk/100530/FunDay/fut_08.html |access-date=2024-06-06 |website=www.sundaytimes.lk}}</ref>

== Houses system ==
The four houses are Eaton, Langdon, Lawrance, and Sansom. Their respective house colours are light blue, dark green, yellow and dark blue.

* {{Color box|#87CEEB||border=silver}} - Eaton House (''symbolises the sky and it is for patience and honesty'')
* {{Color box|#008000||border=silver}} - Langdon House (''symbolises the earth and it is for prosperity and productivity'')
* {{Color box|#FFFF00||border=silver}} - Lawrence House (''symbolises the sun and it is for brightness and sharpness'')
* {{Color box|#00008B||border=silver}} - Sansom House (''symbolises the mountain and it is for courage and stability'')

==Sports==
The school's chess team has succeeded considerably in international, all-island and provincial tournaments.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Girls' High School chess players steal the limelight |url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2021/02/22/sports/242169/girls’-high-school-chess-players-steal-limelight |access-date=2021-04-27 |website=Daily News}}</ref> In 2013, school won the All Island under 15 'B' Division Badminton Championship for the Janaka Bogollagama Memorial Shield.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Girls High School, Kandy under 15 Badminton champions |url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2013/06/24/spo13.asp |access-date=2021-04-27 |website=Daily News}}</ref> In the same year, they became the champions in chess for the fourth successive year at the All-Island Schools Chess Championship.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Girls High School, Kandy - chess champs |url=http://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2013/10/13/spo25.asp |access-date=2021-04-27 |website=Sunday Observer}}</ref> In 2017, The Under 11 chess team became the champions of the Under 11 Girls’ (‘A’ Division) event at the All- Island Chess festival for the second consecutive time. In 2014 the team became all-island champions of their respective under 9 age category.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Girls' High School Kandy does it again |url=https://www.dailynews.lk/2017/03/02/sports/109178/girls’-high-school-kandy-does-it-again |access-date=2021-04-27 |website=Daily News}}</ref>

In 2011, they won the Central Province Schools under 19 Table Tennis, Volleyball (under 19) Championships and under 14 and under 15 'Milo' netball titles in tournaments organised by the Central Province Education Department.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Girls High School, Kandy a successful season in sport activities |url=http://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2011/07/03/spo21.asp |access-date=2021-04-27 |website=Sunday Observer}}</ref> In 2018, the girls won Under 18 Provincial Netball Championship.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Girls High School, Kandy Netball Champions |url=https://www.dailynews.lk/2018/07/24/sports/157756/girls-high-school-kandy-netball-champions |access-date=2021-04-27 |website=Daily News}}</ref> In 2019, girls won several events at the Junior Nationals, Sir John Tarbat Senior Athletic Championship and All Island Relay Championship.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Girls High School athletes excel |url=https://www.dailynews.lk/2019/10/21/sports/200416/girls-high-school-athletes-excel |access-date=2021-04-27 |website=Daily News}}</ref>

The school has produced several notable netball players to national team such as Maheesha Bandara, Venuki Boyagoda, Faika Feroze and Yohani Nilupuli de Silva.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Girls' High School has produced top netball players |url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2021/01/22/sports/239468/girls’-high-school-has-produced-top-netball-players |access-date=2021-04-27 |website=Daily News}}</ref>

Following sports are available on Girls' High School.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dissanayake |first=Dulmini |title=Sports |url=https://ghskandy.edu.lk/sports/ |access-date=2024-05-27 |website=Girls High School Kandy |language=en-US}}</ref>

* Netball<ref name=":1" />  
* Basketball 
* Table tennis 
* Chess<ref name=":0" /> 
* Hockey 
* Carrom 
* Judo 
* Volleyball<!-- These are according to their official website.  -->

== Societies ==
There are 18 school societies in Girls' High School, Kandy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dissanayake |first=Dulmini |title=Clubs & Societies |url=https://ghskandy.edu.lk/clubs-societies/ |access-date=2024-05-27 |website=Girls High School Kandy |language=en-US}}</ref>

* Research Society
* Entrepreneurship Society
* Science Society
* Astro Club<ref>{{Cite web |title=Astronomical Society Of Kandy Girls' High School - Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/kghsastro/ |access-date=2024-07-15 |website=www.facebook.com}}</ref>
* Aviation Club
* Leo Club
* Media Unit<ref>{{Cite web |title=Media club of Kandy Girls' High School - Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/p/Media-club-of-Kandy-Girls-High-School-100054269060582/ |access-date=2024-07-15 |website=www.facebook.com}}</ref> - The Media Unit of Kandy Girls' High School is an active unit to produce young media personalities. The unit organizes the all-island, trilingual, inter-school Media Day Competition and the Media Day as "''Shasthra Dhara''" annually.<ref>{{Cite news |last=ITN News |date=2023-11-19 |title=ශස්ත්‍ර ධාරා '23 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyYakfIxb9U |work=[[Independent_Television_Network]]}}{{unreliable source inline|date=April 2024}}</ref>
* Photography Club<ref>{{Cite web |title=Photographic Club Of Kandy Girls' High School - Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/kghs_photography/ |access-date=2024-07-15 |website=www.instagram.com}}</ref>
* Interact Club
* Buddhist Society
* English Debating Society
* French Club
* Tamil Literary Union
* Islamic Society
* Girl Guide<ref>{{Cite web |title=KGHS GIRL GUIDES - Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/kghs_girl_guides/ |access-date=2024-07-15 |website=www.instagram.com}}</ref>
* Dancing Club
* St. Jhones
* Yowun Gaweshika<!-- These are according to their official website.  -->

==Past principals==
S. Langdon was the first principal of the school who had a tenure from 1879 to 1880. R. Allen was the last Methodist principal. In 1945, Grace Paul became the first Sri Lankan principal in the school’s history. In 1964, Hema Jayasinghe became the first old girl to become the principal of the school.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Past Principals |url=http://ghskandy.edu.lk/web/content?content=past-principals |access-date=2021-04-27 |website=Girls’ High School Kandy official website |archive-date=2021-05-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517093538/http://ghskandy.edu.lk/web/content?content=past-principals |url-status=dead }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! rowspan="2" |Name
! colspan="2" |Time range
|-
!Date entered office
!Date '''departed''' office
|-
| align="left" |S. Langdon
| align="center" |1879
| align="center" |1880
|-
| align="left" |E. S. Hay
| align="center" |1880
| align="center" |1883
|-
| align="left" |Young
| align="center" |1883
| align="center" |1888
|-
| align="left" |M. R. Smith
| align="center" |1888
| align="center" |1890
|-
| align="left" |Lawrance
| align="center" |1890
| align="center" |1900
|-
| align="left" |F. R. Sansom
| align="center" |1891
| align="center" |1919
|-
| align="left" |J. Green Calverly
| align="center" |1920
| align="center" |1921
|-
| align="left" |C. M. Gordon
| align="center" |1921
| align="center" |1934
|-
| align="left" |E. M. Shire
| align="center" |1934
| align="center" |1935
|-
| align="left" |R. Allen
| align="center" |1935
| align="center" |1944
|-
| align="left" |G. J. Paul
| align="center" |1945
| align="center" |1955
|-
| align="left" |Erica La Brooy
| align="center" |1955
| align="center" |1963
|-
| align="left" |Hema Jayasinghe
| align="center" |1964
| align="center" |1967
|-
| align="left" |Charitha Abayaratna
| align="center" |1967
| align="center" |1969
|-
| align="left" |T. K. Ekanayake
| align="center" |1969
| align="center" |1990
|-
| align="left" |H. M. M. K. Amunugama
| align="center" |1990
| align="center" |2000
|-
| align="left" |G. N. Silva
| align="center" |2000
| align="center" |2002
|-
| align="left" |R. N. Amarasinghe
| align="center" |2002
| align="center" |2003
|-
| align="left" |K. D. S. Perera
| align="center" |2003
| align="center" |2004
|-
| align="left" |H. M. Wataliyadda
| align="center" |2004
| align="center" |2007
|-
| align="left" |Malkanthi Abeygunasekera
| align="center" |2007
| align="center" |2023
|-
| align="left" |Nilanka Abeywardene
| align="center" |2023
| align="center" |2024
|-
| align="left" |Renuka Edirisinghe
| align="center" |2024 
| align="center" |Present 
|}

==Notable alumni==
{{See also|Category:Alumni of Girls' High School, Kandy}}
*[[Iranganie Serasinghe|Irangani Serasinghe]] (a Sri Lankan actress)<ref>{{cite web |last=Abayasekara |first=Anne |title=Those schoolgirl days! |url=http://www.rootsweb.com/~lkawgw/kghs.htm |accessdate=2007-12-08 |work=Review of Girls' High School-Kandy Reminiscences (1879-2004). O.G.A. Souvenir. |publisher=Rootsweb}}</ref>
*[[Jean Arasanayagam]] (an English-language poet and fiction writer)

== See also ==
* [[Kingswood College, Kandy]]<!-- Do not list anything that is not related to the article. -->

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.ghskandy.edu.lk Girls' High School, Kandy: Homepage]
{{Education in Sri Lanka}}

[[Category:1879 establishments in Ceylon]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1879]]
[[Category:Girls' schools in Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Schools in Kandy]]