Mr. Nathaniel Henry Lorenzo Brohier. 1847 – 1914 – By: Isuru Andradi
This story began in 19 th Century during the colonial period when The British were governing in Ceylon. Ceylonese Nathaniel Henry Lorenzo Brohier was born on 12th April 1847. His parents were James Harris Brohier (land surveyor) and Louisa Catherina Loftus from Uthuwankanda in Kegalle district. There were 11 children and Mr. Lorenzo Brohier was the 2nd child of the family.
Mr. Brohier in Kandy.
He was an educationalist with vast experience of teaching in different parts of the country. From 1871 – 1872 Brohier N was a teacher at Central School in Kandy. Mr. Brohier had been worked closely with St. Joseph’s Church Kandy during the time of Bishop Clemente Pagnani, there he was an organist and also a composer (Tablet publishing company 1883.)
When he moved to Kalutara
By the time of 1885 – 1886 Brohier N was in Kalutara at a private Roman Catholic School which he initiated to set up at a rented bungalow with a view to teaching English. This school is today well known as Holy Cross College in Kalutara.
His movements from the home zone to Kalutara district showed a willingness of traveling and the determination what he had got to teaching of English. But the journey wasn’t end yet. From Kalutara he moved to Alutgama around 1890 where it was another beautiful coastal town surrounded with the flowing end of beautiful Bentota River.
Mr. Brohier started another English School in Alutgama.
This new venture welcomed him as a master of English and people made their fully support to establish another English School by placing him as a head master of the school without any doubt. New school name was Alutgama Boys English School and it started in 1890 with 9 students at Dehigahawatta in Alutgama. Mr. Brohier was the founder Principal and the master for every student. This was the first English School of the region.
Hence its popularity expanded into down south too, But within a year of time The committee of Alutgama residents made an official agreement with Mr. Brohier on 17th January 1891 to guard and facilitate the school. The committee was consisted with 7 members. There were W. Silvester Fernando, G. Edoris Silva, B. Bastian Fernando, H. Julian Fernando, M. Alwis Fernando, and M. J, Bastian Perera.
The above named second party was responsible for the following works, repairs of the school, Collection of school fees, supply the necessaries, discussions with regard to the first party payments of salaries, to inform the teachers in the time if there were to be a meeting, and we the rest of the second party appoint Mr. Hettiyakandage Julian Fernando as the manager to supervision accounts etc.
Education and Regional Development
During this time another significant industrial development were placed in Alutgama. That was none other than laying of a new railway track from Kalutara to Alutgama. According to the Ceylon Railway history Kalutara to Alutgama Railway line was built during the years of 1888 to 1890 and ends on 31st March 1890. The real economic development exactly happened when after the setting of new railway station in 1890 too.
People from Kalawana, Agalawatta, Matugama, Pitigala, Kosgoda, Induruwa and Elpitiya were tended to visit Alutgama Railway Station for transportation and to exchange goods right here on Alutgama. As a result, new force of people, new development patterns and social trends were connected to take in place ever than
faster. Hence New English School also got an attention among people. At that time sub areas of the village reckoned by the name of Watta in Sinhala.
New bridge over the Bentota River built in first decade of the 20th Century. This also opened a new corridor to attract more students to Alutgama Boys English school. As a result, around the region school name got popular as Brohiers’ School.
Great Students of the Brohiers’ School
Patriot Piyadasa Sirisena was one of the students who came to learn English at Brohier School around 1895. At that time his name was Pediris Silva and he came from Athuruwalla, Induruwa.
Among other prominent students L. Thomas Peiris was another one who later became famous as L.T.P. ManjuSri. He was too at Brohier School a very short period of time before he ordained to priesthood at Mangala Pirivena in Beruwala
L. Albert Peiris was one of the students who studied in 1910 and later he became
the first Town Council Headman of the Alutgama.
Teachers at School in 1905 / 1912
N.H. Brohier (Head Master), W. D. Wickramarathna, W. Abeywickrama, A. Kannangara, Arolis Silva, T.B. Dharmadasa, W.M. Adams
N.H. Brohier (Head Master ), E.D. Jansz, R. de Silva, B.H. Samaranayake, A de S Abeynayaka, A.J. Mendis, Aron Kannangara, J. Jinadasa, Peter De Soysa, Peter Jayawira.
Subjects taught:
Scripture, Reading, Grammar, History, Recitation, Idioms, Composition, Arithmetic, Dictation and Copy, Drawing, Drill, Physical Geography. Classes were categorized as Standards 1, 11, 111 etc……
Sudden death of Mr. Brohier 1914
Mr. Brohier was a kind gentleman who always had a vison of teaching and runing his own attire of school. He loved his own school to very much, hence before he died had made arrangements to hand it over to the Methodist Mission. His death was happened suddenly at the age of 67 in 1914.That unexpected incident was well managed by his staff and they appointed a Headmaster of Mr. P. A. Adihetty for a period of two years.
New principal arrived in 1916.
Mr. J. E Perera was appointed headmaster in 1916 and the school was named “Methodist Boys High School” as the school came under the purview of the Methodist church classes came to be well organized from special first year to ESLC (English School Leaving Certificate). By the time of 1921 school reached 210 pupils.
Retirement Day of Mr. J. E. Perera in 1936
Memory of Mr. Brohier.
“On a site given free by Lindamulage people a school was built with mud and wattle, thatched with cadjan in an incredibly short space of time. The late Mr. G.F. De Silva was Manager and Messrs. W. S Fernando, M.A. Fernando, B.B. Fernando, H.I, Fernando and M.B Perera were committee members.
Gifted by nature with a fine physique and a fertile brain, Mr. Brohier seemed born to rule and teach. His word was law. His name and fame attracted boys from all parts of the region. He admitted backward, troublesome and stubborn ugly ducklings cast away from colleges. He laid the rod rather unmercifully on the back of truants and made them men in the world. He gave free tuition, free books, free clothes, and free meals to those in need. His pupils became prominent men in the country
Source: L.H. (Henry) de Silva (Student of Mr. Brohier) Extracted from the Diamond Jubilee Souvenir – 1950
At Centenary Year of the School 1990
“It is called that the school started with only 9 pupils in a cadjan shed, just in front of his room, where he was residing. Mr. Brohier was keen to teach the village lads (Alutgama was then a village ) the ‘ master’s language’. As days went by, it became known as the Brohier’s school and the students increased to 92 in 1914 when Mr. Brohier ‘gave up the ghost’. it is also said that Mr. Brohier never charged fees as such, but left an old hat on an improvised table so that if pupils wished to they could drop their ‘mite’ into it. “
“This money was utilized to buy chalk and other necessities required in a school of this type. But there were students who could not afford a cent (a cent was a valuable thing those days). They kept away from school, and Mr. Brohier, being a very keen teacher used to go to their homes with the cane in his hand to get hold of the boys who ‘played the truant’
Source: Alutgama Vidyalaya: Centenary Celebrations, Walter Samuel, The Island 12 – 11 – 1990.
At 60 Years of the School 1950 Remembrance of Brohier Principal
“Many are there who will testify to the good work done by Mr. Brohier at a time when education in English was in its infancy in Ceylon. The fact that Mr. brohier is still remembered with reverence and affection nearly forty years after his death is sufficient proof of the invaluable services he rendered”
Mr. Douglas F Goonewardena B.Sc. (Ceylon) Principal 1948 – 1971. Former President of Ceylon University Union Committee in 1943 (Extracted from the Diamond Jubilee Souvenir – 1950.)
Today this school is named as Alutgama Maha Vidyalaya, celebrating its 131st year and facing its 3rd Era of excellence in education. To tribute to Mr. Brohier One of the school houses named as Brohier House.
Source: The Biography of Ceylonese Educationalist Mr. Douglas F
Goonewardena 2020 February.
By: Isuru Andradi 077 34 72 72 7
