THE COMMITTEE OF THE HINDU HIGH SCHOOL AND THE ANGLO-VERNACULAR
PRIMARY SCHOOL, TRIPLICANE
On the afternoon of Saturday, the 12th March 1898, His Excellency
Sir Arthur Havelock, the Governor, opened the new buildings
of the Hindu High School in Veeraraghava Mudali Street, Triplicane.
A few minutes after 4 p.m. His Excellency the Governor, accompanied
by Mr. H. A. Sim and Captain Logan Home, arrived, and was received
by the members of the Managing Committee of the School, consisting
of Rajah T. Rama Rao, Mr.M.0.Parthasarathy Aiyangar, Mr.M.Veersaraghavachariar,
Mr.M.A.Singarachariar,and Mr.M.A.Tirunarayanachariar; and conducted
upstairs. On His Excellency taking his seat on the dais, Mr.
M.0. Parthasarathy Aiyangar, Secretary, read: -
MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY,
The Committee of Management of the TRIPLICANE HINDU HIGH SCHOOL and the
ANGLO-VERNACULAR PRIMARY SCHOOL beg to avail themselves of this auspicious
occasion of the opening of their New Buildings by your Excellency to present
to your Excellency and to the public a brief history of these Institutions.
These schools trace their existence through half a century to two small
Patasalas or Vernacular schools, in which the rudiments of Tamil, Telugu
and Sanskrit were taught. They were called the "Hindu Andhra Balura
Patasala" and the "Dravida Patasala," instruction in Telugu
being the predominating feature of the former and that in Tamil of the
latter. These schools were amalgamated under the name of the "Hindu
Andhra Dravida Balura Patasala" with the late P. T. Ramanjooloo Naidu,
Head Translator of the High Court, as President, and the late Devanayaga
Mudaliar as Secretary. Under the same management was a Girls' School known
as the "Balika Patasala."
On the 5th February 1869, the schools being in a declining condition,
the Secretaryship was assumed by Mr. M. A. Singarachariar Head Cashier
of the Bank of Madras. At that time the strength of the Boys' School was
only 48, and its finances showed a deficit of Rs. 80. The pay of the teachers
often fell into arrears, but
Mr. Singarachariar discharged all the liabilities out of his own pocket,
reimbursing himself subsequently when funds permitted, and kept the school
going. The Committee feel that to the self-sacrifing zeal and the personal
example of earnestness of Mr. Singarachariar as Secretary, at that time,
the present stability of the school and its condition as a first class
High School are in no small measure due. In fact, from the commencement
of his connection with it Up to the present time, he has so identified
himself with the school that it has long been popularly known as Singarachariar's
School. The first efforts of the then new Secretary were directed to the
strengthening of the English side bf the education in the' school. Classes
were opened up to the Matriculation standard, and in 1870 the first batch
of students was sent up for the Matriculation Examination.
'When the English side of the school was thus improved, its former name
became inappropriate and was changed into the "Balura Patasala".
In 1873, at the instance of the then Director of Public Instruction, the
name was again changed into the Triplicane Anglo-Vernacular High School.
In 1876, as the whole school was located in one of the two buildings at
present occupied by the High School, there was not sufficient accommodation
for the boys, and in consequence the Primary Department was removed to
another building where it has continued ever since, and we are glad to
say that in the Primary School alone there are as many as 500 boys receiving
instruction at present. At about the same time, the management 6f the
Girls' School, which had been meanwhile improved and strengthened, was
handed over to His Highness the then Maharaja of Vizianagaram, and to
the subsequent history of that institution there is no need to refer here.
In the Boys' School, those were hard times for the High School Department'
as it had to compete at a great disadvantage with the High School Department
of the Presidency College, and hard and almost desperate attempts had
to be made to make both ends meet. The Matriculation class had actually
to be closed at one time, and serious thoughts were entertained of confining
the instruction to the Primary Department only. But better times were
in store for the school, and with the abolition of the High School Department
in the Presidency College, the school has not only been able to maintain
its position, but it has also become self-supporting. The strength of
the High School is now close upon 560, that of the Matriculation classes
alone being nearly 100 |
