Vajiravudh College
Encyclopedia
Vajiravudh College is an all-boys boarding school in Dusit
, Thailand
.
The school was established by Phra Mongkut Klao Chaoyuhua - King Rama VI who is also known as King Vajiravudh
. it was originally named the "Royal Pages College" (in Thai:Ma-had-lek-luang). Normally boys enter the school at Prathom 4 (Grade 4) and stay on until they finish high school - Mathayom 6 (Grade 12).
"What I want from the students is not to create all the students to have the same standard as a model student. What I want is to create young men who have pure heart and pure body who willing to work hard for upcoming future no matter what. I don't want young men who passed all the exams with high scores and become honor students. I don't want them to be walking textbooks. What I want is them to be young men whose personalities are honest, loyal, have pure pattern and pure mind and I won't feel any grieve if you tell me that a student can't read or write, can't calculate and has no knowledge of mathematic at all. Only if I know that he was in my school and could compare the differences between a gentlemen and a feminine. I don't want a genius complaining "Many knowledges, but can't survive"(Thai idiom). At this school I want the meaning of studying is to change young men to good citizens and won't let all the knowledges crush their personalities. And I want the education to be enjoyful for the students, so in their futures they would think back that they had fun when they were in this school. I don't want my school to be compared to other schools which have difference purposes. If I had wanted a normal school, i would have built a day school, not a boarding one."
in England.
In establishing, His Majesty donated his wealth to build a temporarily wooden study building on his land at Suan Krajung near Prameprachakorn Canal at Suan Dusit district. Then moved in the Royal Pages's students which were temporilary locate near Brahman ceremony hall in Royal Palace at 11 June 1911. Then later in 1915 His Majesty doanted his wealth to build a permanent Royal Pages's study building, which were composed of an assembly hall and four houses at the four corners of the school. Then His Majesty setted the first stone at 20 December 1915 , then in 1916 Ratchavittayaluy from Ministry of Justice was moved onto his caring. His Majesty also established Chiangmai Royal Pages College at Chiangmai in 1917.
The expanding of this school was stopped by the heavenly rest of Phra Mongkut Klao Chaoyuhua King Rama VI on 25 November 1925. In the next reign Siam (the name of Thailand
at that time) was having economic problems, caused Phra Pokklao Chaoyuhua Rama VII to cut His Majesty's expenses. To keep the country's money in balance, His Majesty decided to close Royal Pages College and King's College (in Thai Ra-ja-vi-ta-ya-lai) and merge them all together with Royal Pages College in Bangkok
in 1926. Then His Majesty gave the school a new name, Vajiravudh College, in the honor of Phra Mongkut Klao Chaoyuhua King Rama VI or King Vajiravudh.
Senior Houses:
Junior Houses:
First semester, Rainy season (Visakha), there are badminton
and rugby
competitions.
Second semester, Winter Season (Pavarana), there are basketball
, football and swimming
competitions.
Third semester, Summer season (Makha), there are tennis
, athletics
, fives
and squash
competitions.
The school's main sport is rugby, which it is dominant in Thai's under-15, under-17 and under-19 rugby tournaments for years. The reason that rugby becomes school's main sport is that Phra Mongkut Klao Chaoyuhua King Rama VI thought that rugby would teach men sportsmanship, would teach them how to be a gentlemen as rugby is described from the English as "Sport played in heaven". A traditional friendly fixture against Malay College Kuala Kangsar
of Malaysia is held annually since 1960.
1. White overcoat suit with covers for two upper pockets and two lower pockets on each sides. With five of silver Phra Mongut buttons.
2. Dark blue velvet shirt collar with a one centimetre wide silver stripe.
3. Dark blue shorts cover half of the knees.
4. Dark blue triangle cap with two silver buttons.
5. Long black socks reach the knees, with black leather shoes.
Maha Vajiravudh Rajsadudee "Praise the Great Vajiravudh" written by Madam Dusadee Malakul na Ayuthaya, rhythm Chaloke Netre-suit. This song would be sung for praising the greatness of King Vajiravudh the school's founder.
Rao dek nai luang "We Royal Page" is a song written by King Vajiravudh. The words are to remind students the important of being royal page students. The song is sung in old Thai style melody, and played by Thai traditional musical instruments.
Eek see sip pe "Forty Years On" is the song adapted from the song Forty Years On
of Harrow School
. Changing its words to fit into the school by Madam Dusadee Malakul na Ayuthaya. The song is to remind the old boys and the current students about the life in school days.
Graduates Song Goodbye
is an English song words and melody by F.Rico. The song is sung by the graduating students, the song is to think about the student's future life after graduated.
Jan ya nak kee la "Sportsmanship" is the song sung before each of the competitions between houses. The song is to remind the students of the sportsmanship. The rhythm of the song is in old Thai rhythm.
Dusit
Dusit is one of the 50 districts of Bangkok, Thailand.The district forms the main administrative center of Thailand, as both the national parliament as well as the royal palace are located in this district, as well as several ministries...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
.
The school was established by Phra Mongkut Klao Chaoyuhua - King Rama VI who is also known as King Vajiravudh
Vajiravudh
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramentharamaha Vajiravudh Phra Mongkut Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Phra Bat Somdet Phra Ramathibodi Si Sintharamaha Vajiravudh Phra Mongkut Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama VI was the sixth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, ruling from 1910 until his death...
. it was originally named the "Royal Pages College" (in Thai:Ma-had-lek-luang). Normally boys enter the school at Prathom 4 (Grade 4) and stay on until they finish high school - Mathayom 6 (Grade 12).
Royal Policy
The royal policy of His Majesty King Rama VI, the founder, was"What I want from the students is not to create all the students to have the same standard as a model student. What I want is to create young men who have pure heart and pure body who willing to work hard for upcoming future no matter what. I don't want young men who passed all the exams with high scores and become honor students. I don't want them to be walking textbooks. What I want is them to be young men whose personalities are honest, loyal, have pure pattern and pure mind and I won't feel any grieve if you tell me that a student can't read or write, can't calculate and has no knowledge of mathematic at all. Only if I know that he was in my school and could compare the differences between a gentlemen and a feminine. I don't want a genius complaining "Many knowledges, but can't survive"(Thai idiom). At this school I want the meaning of studying is to change young men to good citizens and won't let all the knowledges crush their personalities. And I want the education to be enjoyful for the students, so in their futures they would think back that they had fun when they were in this school. I don't want my school to be compared to other schools which have difference purposes. If I had wanted a normal school, i would have built a day school, not a boarding one."
History
The College was founded on the 29th of December 1910 to provide education but also as "reign monastery". Normally, the King would build a temple as his reign monastery, but because as there were already many temples the King decided to build a school instead based on the system of Public SchoolPublic School (UK)
A public school, in common British usage, is a school that is neither administered nor financed by the state or from taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of endowments, tuition fees and charitable contributions, usually existing as a non profit-making charitable trust...
in England.
In establishing, His Majesty donated his wealth to build a temporarily wooden study building on his land at Suan Krajung near Prameprachakorn Canal at Suan Dusit district. Then moved in the Royal Pages's students which were temporilary locate near Brahman ceremony hall in Royal Palace at 11 June 1911. Then later in 1915 His Majesty doanted his wealth to build a permanent Royal Pages's study building, which were composed of an assembly hall and four houses at the four corners of the school. Then His Majesty setted the first stone at 20 December 1915 , then in 1916 Ratchavittayaluy from Ministry of Justice was moved onto his caring. His Majesty also established Chiangmai Royal Pages College at Chiangmai in 1917.
The expanding of this school was stopped by the heavenly rest of Phra Mongkut Klao Chaoyuhua King Rama VI on 25 November 1925. In the next reign Siam (the name of Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
at that time) was having economic problems, caused Phra Pokklao Chaoyuhua Rama VII to cut His Majesty's expenses. To keep the country's money in balance, His Majesty decided to close Royal Pages College and King's College (in Thai Ra-ja-vi-ta-ya-lai) and merge them all together with Royal Pages College in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
in 1926. Then His Majesty gave the school a new name, Vajiravudh College, in the honor of Phra Mongkut Klao Chaoyuhua King Rama VI or King Vajiravudh.
Boarding houses
There are 9 boarding houses in the school. There are 6 Senior houses and 3 Junior houses. Most of them were named after the palaces in Thailand, where King Rama VI used to stay in. Every boarding house has its own house colour.Senior Houses:
- School House, light blue
- Dusit House, dark blue
- Chitlada House, dark green
- Phyathai House, pink
- Chongruk-Bhakdi House, light green
- Saksri-Mongkol House, red
Junior Houses:
- Sanamchan House, yellow
- Nandhauthayan House, purple
- Saranrom House, gray
Sports
All Vajiravudh students are required to do some kinds of sports every day from 4.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. according to the schedule. In each semester there are competitionts between houses.First semester, Rainy season (Visakha), there are badminton
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
and rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
competitions.
Second semester, Winter Season (Pavarana), there are basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, football and swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
competitions.
Third semester, Summer season (Makha), there are tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, athletics
Athletics (track and field)
Athletics is an exclusive collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and race walking...
, fives
Fives
Fives is a British sport believed to derive from the same origins as many racquet sports. In fives, a ball is propelled against the walls of a special court using gloved or bare hands as though they were a racquet.-Background:...
and squash
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
competitions.
The school's main sport is rugby, which it is dominant in Thai's under-15, under-17 and under-19 rugby tournaments for years. The reason that rugby becomes school's main sport is that Phra Mongkut Klao Chaoyuhua King Rama VI thought that rugby would teach men sportsmanship, would teach them how to be a gentlemen as rugby is described from the English as "Sport played in heaven". A traditional friendly fixture against Malay College Kuala Kangsar
Malay College Kuala Kangsar
The Malay College Kuala Kangsar is a residential school in Malaysia. It is an all-boys and all-Malay school located in the royal town of Kuala Kangsar, Perak...
of Malaysia is held annually since 1960.
Uniform
Each time school hosts a traditional ceremony or going to a ceremony all students will have to dress the uniform given by King Vajiravudh. The purpose of King Vajiravudh for having the uniform is the students to dress1. White overcoat suit with covers for two upper pockets and two lower pockets on each sides. With five of silver Phra Mongut buttons.
2. Dark blue velvet shirt collar with a one centimetre wide silver stripe.
3. Dark blue shorts cover half of the knees.
4. Dark blue triangle cap with two silver buttons.
5. Long black socks reach the knees, with black leather shoes.
Songs
Each of the school's songs would be sing in important ceremony.Maha Vajiravudh Rajsadudee "Praise the Great Vajiravudh" written by Madam Dusadee Malakul na Ayuthaya, rhythm Chaloke Netre-suit. This song would be sung for praising the greatness of King Vajiravudh the school's founder.
Rao dek nai luang "We Royal Page" is a song written by King Vajiravudh. The words are to remind students the important of being royal page students. The song is sung in old Thai style melody, and played by Thai traditional musical instruments.
Eek see sip pe "Forty Years On" is the song adapted from the song Forty Years On
Forty Years On (song)
Forty Years On is a song written by Edward Ernest Bowen and John Farmer in 1872.It is specifically about life at school and is meant to give pupils now an idea of what it will be like in forty years when they return to their old school, and to remind old boys about their school life...
of Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
. Changing its words to fit into the school by Madam Dusadee Malakul na Ayuthaya. The song is to remind the old boys and the current students about the life in school days.
Graduates Song Goodbye
Graduates Song Goodbye
"Graduates Song Goodbye" is a song written by F.Rico, relating to the future of students graduating from the school. It is the main school song of Vajiravudh College, and is sung by the graduating students in the graduation ceremony.- The Words :...
is an English song words and melody by F.Rico. The song is sung by the graduating students, the song is to think about the student's future life after graduated.
Jan ya nak kee la "Sportsmanship" is the song sung before each of the competitions between houses. The song is to remind the students of the sportsmanship. The rhythm of the song is in old Thai rhythm.
School's Headmasters
- 1917 - 1926 Phraya Barombathbamrung (Pin Sriwattana)
- 1926 - 1933 Phrya Prichanusat (Serm Panyarachun)
- 1933 - 1935 Phraya Barombathbamrung (Pin Sriwattana)
- 1935 - 1942 Phra Nichayasarnvithet (Path Montataththuplern)
- 1942 - 1975 Phraya Baratraja (M.L. Dosatith Isarasena)
- 1976 - 1995 Prof. Dr. Gal Isarasena na Ayudthaya
- 1995 - 2007 Prof. Dr. Chaianan Samutvanijja
- 2007–present Dr. Saroj Leesavan
External links
- http://www.vajiravudh.ac.th
- http://www.oldvajiravudh.com
- http://www.vajiravudh.ac.th/WebEng/schooldata.html