Kingswood Traditions and Additions
Being the foremost school to address the students as “Gentlemen”
The school colours are maroon and blue. These colours are accepted to resonate the above qualities of “loyalty” and “manliness”. The Kingswood flag consist of maroon and blue oblongs, with the college crest centered in the middle. Kingswood flag was first hoisted in 1898. The Kingswood Flag was a concept of Sir L.E.Blaze.
The term “KFE”
The term “KFE” is another familiar salutation which exists from the earliest times. It stands for “Kingswood For Ever” and is often used among the Kingswoodians in verbal exchange and in writing as well. This can be still seen among the older boys in their re-unions or at a point of departure. It is also used as a conclusion of speech made at the college or proposing of a vote of thanks. Guests, ALUMNI and the gentlemen of Kingswood can be seen to wind up a speech with a hearty “KFE” at prize givings and other ceremonial deliveries.
The Kingswood week
The kingswood week is one of the main events in the Kingswood calender. It is a series of seven days full of events which starts off with Kingswood Sunday, moving on to Guest of the week, and then the Kala Ulela coming next. The Annual Prize Giving is held next in the week and after that it is the Colours Awarding Ceremony. Finally, the glorious kingswood week is concluded with the Scouts Day. The Kingswood week is a week of celebration, but it also holds a ritual significance as it connects the past and present of Kingswoodians, who unite to uphold the traditions and achievements of Mother Kingswood.
Kingswood Sunday
The beginning of the kingswood week is marked with the Kingswood Sunday. This day is reserved for all religious activities.The staff and the students gather at the Sacred Temple of the Tooth Relic to receive blessings. After that they visit the Meeranmakkam Mosque to perform Islamic religious activities. To end the day, all gather at the Methodist Church to receive the blessings of the Gods
Guest of the week
The second day of the Kingswood week is allocated to introduce the Guest of the Week. The guest is welcomed and escorted by the principal and the Prefects’ Court and is greeted by our own Cub Scouts. Traditionally a renowed old Kingswoodian is invited to be the guest of the week and he will also be part of the whole Kingswood Week
The Annual Prize Giving
The Fourth day of the Kingswood Week is reserved to one of the most important and dignified events in the kingswood week. The Annual Prize Giving is the event that highlights the academic achievements of the Gentlemen of Kingswood. The Gentlemen of Kingswood from grades 3 to 13 are awarded with prizes for their commitment, dedication and hard work in their academic sphere. One of the most highlighted features of the annual prize giving is the Kingswood Prologue which is recited by a gentleman of kingswood to an audience of eager listeners. The principal reviews the past year and hands out his report of all the achievements made in the academic sphere, the societies and the Clubsof Kingswood College throughout the year. The special achievements are awarded by a special category of awards called Special Awards. The Special Awards are awarded to the president scouts produced from Kingswood College, General Knowledge prize winners, winners of All Island Olympiad competitions, the O.L. Gibbon trophy, the K.M. De Silva trophy, the K.M. de Lanerolle Trophy, the F.A.J. Utting Trophy, the R. Pearson Trophy and the
The Prologue
The kingswood prologue is recited at the annual prize giving. It is also a notable feature of the Kingswood prize giving. The prologue is a review of the events that happened in the country and the world throughout the year generally recited by the senior oratory prize winner. The prologue was written by Sir Blaze during his time at Kingswood and he also continued to write the annual prologue for three decades after his retirement as the Principal in 1923.
Kala Ulela
Next up on the Kingswood Week is the Kala Ulela. The Kala Ulela is held to award the Gentlemen of Kingswood who have excelled in aesthetic activities such as art, music and drama. The Kala Ulela is also filled with performances from our dancing unit as well as our music units. In addition, a few performances from invited schools are also showcased in this event
The Colours awarding ceremony
Next, we come to one of the most spectacular events in the Kingswood week, The Colours Awarding ceremony. The Colours Awarding ceremony stands out for its vibrancy and pageantry bringing together the past and the present of Kingswood’s sportsmen. The gentlemen of kingswood who have excelled and shown outstanding talents in different sports are awarded colours. The Best Junior and Senior Sportsmen of the year, Blues, Colours and the Kingswood crown are some of the most Special Awards which are awarded in this ceremony.
The Annual English Day
Another main event in the kingswood year plan is the Annual English Day. The English day is a gloriousevent held to award the achievements of kingswood gentlemen in the field of English. Not only the awarding of prizes but this event is also filled with colourful performances of the kingswood choir andkingswood dance troups.
The Battle of the Maroons
Battle of the maroons is the Annual Big Match between rivals Dharmaraja College, Kandy and Kingswood college, the Dharmaraja-Kingswood cricket encounter of two matches with one being a two day match followed by another one day 50 over match, held at pallekele international cricket stadium. This encounter is the second oldest Annual Cricket Match in Sri Lanka and the oldest in the hill capital.
The L.E Blaze trophy
The L.E Blaze trophy also known as the Louis Edmond Blaze Trophy is a rugby match between Kingswood College and Wesley College initiated in honour of our founder, Sir Louis Edmond Blaze. Both schools played this match annually since 1986 and it didn’t take long for these Kingswood- Wesley “Blaze Trophy” matches to become a tradition.
The Sportsmeet
The sportsmeet is another important and one of the most prestigious, looked forward-to-events in the Kingswood year plan. The sportsmeet was a part of the Kingswood week until recent times, and was a very much looked forward to in the Kingswood week. However, due to the changing educational circularswhich demands all schools to hold their respective sportsmeets at a particular point in their academic year, the sportsmeet had to be taken off from the Kingswood week. The sportsmeet is now generally held on the first term of the academic year. Held at our very own Randles grounds, the sportsmeet starts off with the arrival of the chief guest, lighting the Olympic torch and then it goes on to the sports parade, a parade in which all of the sports teams of mother Kingswood walk in view of the chief guest very proudly. After that the famous unique kingswood haka is performed by our rugby team. Then follow the track events which are the relays, 100 meters and so on. The drill display comes next, one of the most awaited events of the sports meet. The drill display is followed by the march past and to finish off the awards for best athletes and the best overall house are given.
