On the departure of the Rev. G. T. Fleming, Mr. Handy was appointed Acting ' Principal, whilst the Rev. J. I. Pickford, the Superintending Missionary at Nallur, had a general oversight of the work done.

In 1887 the School had ceased to present candidates for the Matriculation examination of the Madras University and was preparing students for the Cambridge Junior examination, but in 1890, at the request of the Acting Principal, the Seminary was made a centre for the Calcutta University examinations. The first examination was held in 1891, when six candidates . were presented ' for the Matriculation examination and three of them passed; these latter three were D. Kapruhamy, T. Nagamuttu and G. Phillipiah. In 1893 the School was affiliated to Calcutta University as a Second-grade College.

In May 1890 Mr. Handy took Holy Orders and was ordained Deacon, being first in order of merit in the examination held by the Bishop of Colombo. In 1893 he was ordained Priest.

In September 1890 a very important and necessary step was taken in the formation of a School Literary Association. The meetings were held once a week on Wednesdays at 3-30 p. m., when the Principal, who was the President of the Association, or one of the Senior masters presided, and students of the upper forms (the Cambridge Junior form and the class preparing for the Matriculation examination) , and the higher standards were expected to attend. In addition to the President there were other office bearers for the Association, namely, a Manager, who was a member of the Staff appointed by the Principal, and n Secretary, who was a student elected annually by the members of the Association. Debates, essays, recitations and extempore speeches formed the programme for these meetings. Though there is no record of the meetings held in those days, there can be no doubt that the students were greatly interested in and benefited by them. Here too one has to turn to those who were benefited by the meetings to see how successfully the Association was carried on even in its early stages. Amongst the leaders of the Association at the time it was started, we find the name of Mr. William Wadsworth, who was then a student in the Cambridge Junior form. Mr. Wadsworth showed the value of being trained while at School in the art of speaking, by becoming one of the most brilliant and successful lawyers practising in the Metropolis of Ceylon.

In 1891 the School celebrated the Jubilee of its work at Chundiculi, and to mark the occasion it was given its present name "St. John's College." In the report submitted to the C. M. S, for this year the Acting-Principal says that the year has been a successful one, the number attending the School having gradually risen to two hundred and fifty, with an average attendance of two hundred.

He also mentions the Annual Prize-Giving held, at which the Government Agent presided and distributed the prizes. This is the first mention made of the College prize-Givings but, although they had been held in the earlier years too, though not regularly, no report of them is available.

In 1892 the Rev. J. W. Fall, M. A . arrived in Jaffna as Principal of the College, and the report he wrote of the work done in the School in that year gives a clear account of the exact position of the School at that time and of the policy he adopted to improve the working of the School. He says : "This has been the first year of my sole charge as Principal of St. John's College ; and it has been a year of part failure and part success. 1 have a strong feeling that the College is passing through a severe crisis in its history. The numbers have greatly increased, and we have undertaken new responsibilities in offering facilities for a higher education afforded by a Calcutta University course. But although the time has come in the history of education in Jaffna for this step of affiliation to the University, yet the School was not prepared for it. To prepare candidates for the University examinations there are required not only teachers but material to work on. The former need is to some small extent supplied, but our students have not, with very few exceptions, received such a good elementary grounding as to make it probable they will pass a satisfactory examination. It is in this elementary work where we have hitherto failed, and the consequence was that out of five candidates presented this year for the Calcutta Entrance examination ' only one passed. My present policy is two fold. To maintain the University classes, but only so as to just keep them alive, and to throw strength into the elementary work, so as practically to begin preparing boys for Calcutta two or three years before they can enter, and by watching every stage of the work to bring boys on who are likely to do credit to themselves when they do enter. This year I have had as many as twenty-five in the Entrance class, but 1 only feel myself able to present four at the coming examination. Failure has occurred too in the Grant-in-Aid Examination, but of this 1 have spoken in a former letter. Now let me take some topics in detail:-

(a) The Boarding-House.-This is to me the best part of our School system. We now have nearly forty boarders, against some eight or nine a year ago, and we are building an annexe to accommodate more. 1 always feel willing to sacrifice much for this part of the work. To have boys with one from week-end to week-end under a continuous flow of missionary influence is a great opportunity for good. It is pleasing to find that some ten boys out of the number, nearly all of them Sivites, are in the habit of regular evening and morning private prayers.

(b) Buildings. - 'I think 1 could sum up their state by saying they are, simply shocking'. My first work was, at considerable expense, to rebuild a main wall which threatened to come down. I gathered together money for improvements, but much of it went in the New 0. B. C. Failure. Meanwhile, the Church is in serious need of repairs, and £ 100 could be at once expended on it, according to the detailed estimate of the Government Engineer of the District.

(c) The numbers have slightly increased during the twelve months, thus maintaining the great increase of the last two or three years. The average attendance is now very high and tends to improve. 1 have left to the last, because it is first in my mind and needs the prominent position, a word about our spiritual condition. 1 do not like to say much .but 1 think we have reason humbly to thank our Master that he has over-ruled all our sins and is blessing us. 1 can speak of only one boy baptised, but he may prove an apostle to his people. Already he has suffered for Christ in the loss of a situation to which he went after leaving us, and from which he was dismissed because he was a Christian. Others are, however, under observation and training, and had I thought well, 1 could have baptised two more at the close of the term; but nothing is lost by keeping them waiting and everything is gained by thoroughly testing them. At the beginning of the year the Bishop confirmed several of the boys; they are now regular communicants. One of the interesting things I found here was the vigorous Y. M. C. A. It is a Y. M. C. A. with the stress laid upon C., and promises to be a real training-ground for future workers. Taken as a whole, there is much hope in the work, and we have reason to thank God and take courage."

In July 1893 Mr. Fall went to England for a short holiday with the intention of getting married, and returned with Mrs Fall towards the end of the year. During his absence the work was again carried on by Mr. Handy.

The year 1893 seems to have been one of progress and success. For the first time the College presented two boys for the B. A. examination of the Calcutta University, and one of them was successful in passing it, namely, Mr. G. Philippiah, who later joined the Staff and was the boarding-house master for a considerable period. He is now an Inspector of Schools under the Education Department. The number of boarders increased and a new dormitory was built this year.

The Principal in his report at the Annual Prize-giving in 1893, referring to cricket and athletic sports as forming part of the educational life of the School, says : "Turning to another subject, the year has witnessed a little interest in cricket and records two or three matches played successfully; but in Jaffna it seems difficult for the boys to maintain an independent enthusiasm, and, even when they are supported, it is only slowly and heavily that they move. They can and ought to do well in games if they had but more patience and perseverance. We had this morning our Athletic Sports and the records made in the several events were distinctly fair."

It is interesting to note here the results of those Sports, as it is the first record of the kind available; they will give an idea of the records of those days as compared with the present time.

ATHLETIC SPORTS PRIZE LIST. 1893.

1. Throwing the cricket ball. Juniors.
J. R. Henderson, 55 yards.

2. Throwing the cannon ball. Seniors.
M. Arulnayagam, 21 feet.
T. Cathiravelupilly, 20 feet.

3. Long lump. Seniors.
S. Ponniah. 13.6.:
G. T. Nathaniel. 13.2.

4. Long Jump. Juniors.
J. N. Vethavanam
J. A. Yethavanam.

5. High Jump. Seniors.
S. Ponniah. 4.6.:
M. Arulnayagam. 4.5.

6. High Jump. Juniors.
A. Cumaraswamy
T. Rajasekerar

7. High Jump. Middle men.
A.C. Bailey.

8. Pole Jump. Seniors.
F,. Ponniah. 5.6.
T. Kandiah. 5.4.

9. Hop. Skip and Jump. Juniors.
W. C. Underwood.;
J. N. Vethavanam.
J. A, Vethavanam.

10. Three-legged race. Juniors.
Chelliah and Sinniah
Henderson and Solomon.

11. 100 Yards Race, Seniors.
P. B. T. Richards;
F. Vannitamby:

12. 100 Yards Race, Juniors.
J. R. Henderson.
T. Raiasekarar.

13. Basket and lime race.

1. Savanthinathar.
2. 14. Pig-a-back race.

P. B. T. Richards;
T. Joshua.

15. Sack Race. Seniors.
E. C. Bailey.
T. Joshua.

16. Sack Race. Juniors.
J. C. Chelliah.

Referring to the Government examinations for the year, the Principal says : "We are fairly satisfied with the results, and much satisfied with the examination of 1892. Some classes are still weak and every endeavour to improve their state in their present form seems to do little more than to galvanise them with a little temporary life. Notwithstanding this, however, 1 have the satisfaction of saying that every standard in every subject was better than last year. The percentage of passes in the standard subjects was 69, or, in all subjects, including the extra voluntary subjects of Tamil and Latin, Physics, Chemistry, Higher Mathematics, and so forth, it was 60%. This is not specially good, but is well up to the average of English High Schools in Ceylon and is nearly twenty per cent better than the year before."

In 1894 the College passed through a critical stage as a result of the opposition put forward by some leaders of the Hindu religion, who had started a Hindu High School. For a time the numbers in St. John's were considerably affected.

In December 1894 another change of Principalship took place. Mr. Fall was transferred from the College to take up work for the Tamil Cooly Mission, and the Rev. J. Carter, M. A. (Trinity College, Cambridge), the Vice-Principal of Trinity College, Kandy, was appointed Principal.

Writing about the work of the College in 1895, Mr. Carter says:- Both as Chundiculi Seminary and as St. John's
College this School has done good work in Jaffna. Our growth, like all true growth. has been gradual and silent. The year that is past has been a year of progress. The number of the Roll at the end of the year was 284, as compared with 253 in 1894, an increase of 31 ; while the average attendance for the year was 208, as compared with 181 in 1894 5 an increase of 27. The number of new boys admitted during the year was 112, while in 1894 it was 89. Numbers, however, are always fluctuating in Jaffna, so that it is not easy to say whether this represents a solid advance or not. In the boarding-house the increase is still more gratifying. During 1894 the average number of boarders was 29, during 1895 the number was 35. We are specially pleased with this because we believe that the education received in the boarding house - taking the word in its wide sense - is far more valuable than that received in the day-school. In December 1894 we sustained a serious loss by the death of Mr. Godwin Arulpragasam, who had served the College faithfully for fifteen years. His work was carried on by Mr. Solomon with some assistance from the other masters. In August we secured the services of Mr. G. Philippiah. The results of the Government examinations ware much the same as last year, The upper standards did better, the lover standards did worse. There was, however, a great improvement in these specific subjects. Three boys were presented for the Cambridge Junior Local and all passed. There were two candidates for the Calcutta Entrance examination, and of these one passed in the second class. In the Government Clerical examination and the Railway examination successes have been gained, one in the former and three in the latter. For the Calcutta University examinations in 1890 there are nine for the Entrance, four for the F. A., and one, a master, for the B. A. We have not any baptisms to record but we know that many have a desire for higher things, and we trust that sooner or later they will become true and faithful Christians. We are glad that thirteen of the boys are looking forward to being confirmed at the next visit of our Bishop. The meetings Of the Y. M. C. A. are held once a fortnight and are fairly well attended. We have also a branch of the School boys Scripture Union."

The Literary Association had developed into a strong body, and in 1896 we find the members debating a very important subject, namely, the Educational Policy of Ceylon. The Principal speaking about the debate said : ,I was very much struck by the fact that the Sivites spoke even more strongly than the Christians against excluding the teaching of the Bible from the School."

This year 1896, in January, Mrs. Carter, the wife of the Principal, who was herself deeply interested in educational work, started an English school for girls in Jaffna, with eight pupils, of whom five were boarders lodged in the Principal's bungalow. This school made rapid progress, secured its own principal, Miss Goodchild, in 1898, and is to-day a first-grade College for girls in Ceylon, with Miss S. L. Page as Principal.

The year 1897 records the first graduate who passed out from the College Mr. William Wadsworth, later one of our most distinguished Old Boys.

In 1899 both the College and the Girls' School suffered a great loss by the death, on the eighth of June, of Mrs, Carter, 'whose ability, earnest zeal and loving sympathy seem to have won all hearts'. This necessitated the departure of the Principal on furlough in August, and the Rev. R. W. Ryde, M. A., formerly, Scholar of Jesus College, Cambridge). The Vice-Principal of Trinity College, Kandy, was appointed Principal. Mr. Carter on his return to Ceylon early in 1903 was appointed Acting-Principal of Trinity College, where he remained till May 1904, when he retired from Ceylon and went back to England.

In this year, 1899, the Church Missionary Society handed over the management of the English School at Kopay, situated about five miles away from Chundiculi, to the Principal of St. John's College. The Principal readily accepted it as a useful "feeder" school.

It is now a First-Grade English Elementary School, with an attendance of 150 to 200 boys, preparing for the Elementary School Leaving . Certificate examination. To encourage and maintain a high standard of work in the School, boys who have passed the E. S. L. C. examination from the School have been given free or part-free tuition for a year at St. John's.