History of Scouting at Richmond College
All activities of schools in Sri Lanka during 1870 were limited to the class room. The following decade of 1880 has been considered as the period during which extra-curricular activities like Cricket, Swimming and Athletics were introduced to the schools in the country. Games like Cricket, Swimming, Athletics and other activities like English Literature Soc
iety and Cadetting had been started at Richmond even before end of the decade. Scouts movement that was started by Baden Powell in 1907 was introduced to Sri Lanka in 1912 and the first Scouts Troop was formed in Christ Church Boys’ School Matale. According to 1913 Richmond Magazine Scouting activities were introduced to Richmond Cadets of 12 to 16 years. On 26th of July 1915, Scout Commissioner of Sri Lanka Mr F.G Stevenson delivered a lecture titled “ Scouting and it’s capabilities” in the main hall of Richmond College. Principal Rev. W.J.T Small, Scout Commissioner Mr F.G Stevenson and several teachers of the college, Mr F.R.A.S Amarasekara, Mr J.V Mendis and Mr A.F De S Adihetti gathered in the main hall soon after the lecture and decided to start Scouting at Richmond College. Mr F.R.A.S Amarasekara was appointed as the first scout master of Richmond College.But after his sudden demise on 15th September 1915 Mr J.V Mendis continued with the responsibility. Richmond College Scout Troop was registered at the Scouts’ Headquarters in London on 15th October 1915 as 2nd Galle Richmond Scouts Troop. First membership badge examination was conducted on 26th October 1915 by the Galle District Commissioner and The Scout Master of Mahinda College Mr F. Gordon Pears. 70 students succeeded in getting the scout membership. In 1915 3rd Galle Richmond Scouts Troop was formed in addition to the 2nd Galle Richmond Troop. Same year petrol leaders were appointed for the first time in the college. T.U De Silva, S. Wijesuriya, D.M Rajapaksha, M.D.S Jayawardene, C.M.W Gunawardene, Austin De Silva, T.C Abeygunawardene, Graham Wickramasekara, and Walter Davis were the first scouts to be appointed as petrol leaders.
