Educational activities of American missionaries in Jaffna (17961948) a Historical view

Abstract

The reign of British in Jaffna was distinct from other European powers especially from those of Portuguese and Dutch. These distinctions were based on political, economical and socio cultural levels. Jaffna was not an exception for these changes. The period of Portuguese and Dutch made small changes in the life style of people, whereas the changes made during the British reign were remarkable. The main reason for these changes was the arrival of Christian Missionaries and their services. The American Missionaries became more prominent as their services were more public oriented. As a result of this they could also imprint their name in the history of Jaffna. The notable period of the impact of the Missionaries was from the 1820s to early 20th century. During this period they engaged themselves in printing and publishing translations of English works into Tamil. Printing publishing and establishment of primary , secondary and tertiary educational Institutions and provision of health care for residents of the Jaffna peninsula . These activities resulted in many social changes amongst Jaffna Tamils and some of them survive even today. They also led to the attainment of a lopsided literacy level among residents in the relatively small peninsula. This is cited by scholars as one of the primary factors contributing to the recently entered civil war. Many notable educational Institutions within the Jaffna peninsula owe their origins to the Missionary activities from America. The services on education, carried out by the American Mission brought many changes in the lives of those who resided in Jaffna. Thus the main objectives of this research are to explain how and where these changes occurred, how the inhabitants of Jaffna faced the impact of these changes and also to document all these changes. The research methodology is based on history. The primary sources for this study include the British documents, notes, letters and books written by the priests who had come here to propagate Christianity in Jaffna and archaeological and other historical materials. I have utilized as secondary sources, books and articles in the journals, magazines and internet based sources.