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Beginning
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The Beginning:
The Hindu High School, Triplicane has now completed 125 years
of its service to the community and it celebrates now the completion
of its 125th year with pride, it having celebrated its centenary
year in 1952. It had no doubt a very small beginning. From the
records it is seen that two small schools, "The Dravida
Patasala" for tamil boys and "Tje4 Jomdi Andhra Balura
Patasala" for Telugu boys were in existence in 1852 and
they were amalgamated later into one and designated as "The
Triplicane Andhra Dravida Balura Patasala" in 1860 to form
are nucleus for the Hindu High School, Triplicane.
Hard Days:
The pay of the staff in those days was incredibly low. The Headmaster,
one Mr Velliambala Upadyayar was paid Rs.10/- a month, the two
other assistants getting Rs.3/- a month. As the Boys' school
grew in Headmaster in 1868 on a salary of Rs.40/- a month. There
was also a Girls' School known as "Balika Patasala"
under the same management But dark days confronted the Schools
and financial deficit made the pay of teachers fall in arrears.
It was then that Sri M.A. Singarachariar was co-opted as a member
of the management. He was requested to take up the Secretaryship
and Treasurership of both the schools. Mr Singarachariar discharged
all the liabilities of the School out of his own pocket and
kept the school going. The tirel4ess efforts and munificence
of Mr.Singarachariar as Secretary, member and President of the
managing Committee for 38 years put the school on stable ground
and made the School into a first class High School.
Matriculation Classes
Mr. M.A. Singarachariar saw to the improvement of instruction
in English. In 1870, the first batch of students was sent for
the public examination This happened during the second year
of the Secretaryship of Mr. M.A. Singarachariar. In 1873, at
the suggestion of the Director of Public Instruction the name
of the school was changed to "Triplicane Anglo Vernacular
High School". From the beginning the School was located
in Big Street and the struggle for accommodation has been a
chronic problem.
In 1876 the Management of the Girl's School was handed over
to the Maharaja of Vizianagaram and finally it was taken over
by the Government – Secondary and Training School of the
Lady Wellingdon Training College, Triplicane.
In 1885, the Grant in aid was stopped on the ground that the
accommodation was defective. In 1889, the permanent recognition
of the School was withheld in addition to the stoppage of the
Grant-in-aid, although the school was recognized from year to
year. The only encouraging factor was the fact that the School
enjoyed immense popularity and the results were very good Dr.
David Dimcam, the Principal of the Presidency College had recorded
his appreciation of the School in the Presidency (Vol.1 No1)
The Hindu High School
The Managing Committee undaunted by the extreme steps taken
by the Department, acquired the adjoining sites and constructed
the main building at a cost of Rs.57,637 making a lot of sacrifice.
The late T. Namberumal Chetty, Contractor carried out the construction
more as a work of dedicated service than for any profit. The
main building was opened in March 1897 by the Governor of Madras
Sir Arthur Havelock. The name of the School was changed to "The
Hindu High School" in 1898.
In 1906, another twelve rooms were added to the main building
by erecting two floors, on what is known as the Northern Block,
thus making the 'L-shaped building into 'T' shaped.
Loss
Mr. M.A. Singarachariar passed away in 1908 depriving the School
of its guilding star. The committee thought of putting up a
clock tower as a memorial but gave up the idea. Then the Hall
which was on the first floor till 1742 was named after Singarachariar
at a function presided over by Sir John Wallis, Chief Justice
of Madras, In fact the School itself is a fitting memorial to
the self-less services of the great philanthropist Mr. M.A.
Singarachariar.
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