History

In January 1952 with an intake of 400 boys, who constituted the overflow from the Royal Preparatory School, Greenlands College was established in a coconut grove amidst the lush greenery of Havelock Town on Greenlands Road (after which it was named), about 7 acres (28,000 m2) in extent.

The first principal was B. A. Kuruppu (1952 -1959) who was then the vice principal of Blue Street Central College, Kotahena.

The initial admissions were made by a Board composed of Principals of Royal College Colombo and Thurstan Colleges and the Head Master of Royal Preparatory School; classes were organized in all three streams – Sinhala, Tamil and English, with a tutorial staff of seven teachers.

The college crest was designed by the first principal with the assistance of J. D. A. Perera and Stanley Abeysinghe of Heywood School of Art, with the lighted lamp and open book and motto “Strive with determination”. The college colours dark and light green were selected from the name of the college (Greenland College).

The first sports meet was held in March 1953 and the first prize giving in 1954.

The first issue of the college magazine came out in 1954. In 1956 “Vihara Mandiraya and Chaitya” was built to commemorate “Buddha Jayanthi year” at school premises. The college had adapted itself to the socio-cultural changes which were taking place since Buddha Jayanthi in 1956 which led to the renaming of the college in 1961. Greenlands Road had been renamed as “Isipathana Mawatha” after Isipathanaramaya Temple and the school was renamed as “Isipathana Maha Vidyalaya”. Within a decade “Greenlands” became “Isipathana”.

In 1962 the college was divided into two schools as Kanishta (junior) and Jeshta (upper) Vidyalayas (colleges) as with two Principals. In 1975 the Education Department amalgamated Kanishta Vidyalaya (junior college) with the Maha Vidyalaya (senior college). In 1999 the school was once again morphed into Isipathana College under the leadership of one principal.

Source – Wikipedia