Report by Mr.C.A.Vaidyanatha Iyer, Head Master of the S.M.High School, read at the public meeting on the Diamond Jubilee Day.
Introduction
The school completes sixty years of useful life today and this is indeed an occasion for great rejoicing for all of us, present students, teachers, old boys and well-wishers of the institution. On such an occasion, the mind naturally goes back over the events of the last sixty years and so I wish to place before you a short history of the school during this period. But the absence of reliable records makes the task of getting at facts and making out a connected narrative very difficult. Only two records of that period are now seen in this school, namely, the Admission Register and the Acquittance Roll, but even these are not found very helpful on a close perusal. For it was only in 1894, four years after starting of the school, that the Admission Register was opened, and in the first few pages the names of the pupils then on the rolls have been entered, without regard to any sort of arrangement, with reference to time or class. Moreover, in volume II of the register, four pages are found missing, with the result that after register No. 334, the next No. seen is 495. As for the Acquittance Roll, it is seen to have been maintained only from Chingam 1086, that is 26 years after the starting of the school. All our facts regarding the history of the school during the first 25 years of its life have, therefore, to be based on these two records and also on the evidence of old boys who studied during that period.
The genesis of the school.
At the first public meeting, held on 30th Kumbam 1124, to consider the question of the celebration of the Diamond Jubilee, a good deal of discussion centered round the date on which the school was started. Finally, it was decided to accept 8th Makaram 1065 (January 1890) as the date of starting, because on that day there is an entry in the records of the Sastha temple, regarding certain ceremonies connected with the formal starting of the school. Perhaps the school was in existence even before that date in a nebulous form as a pial school run mostly for the benefit to the little children of the Parakkat family. Subsequently, there seems to have been a demand from the people for a school conducted on officially recognized lines for the benefit of other children also and this idea appears to have taken definite shape only early in 1890. Several leading gentlemen of the place appear to have contributed to a fund for putting up a school building and the present site which belonged to the Parakkat house was chosen for it. A building was, therefore constructed on the site on which the present three-room block on the western side stands. Sanction from Government appears to have been obtained for the cutting of four navul trees and some of the rafters made out of this timber can still be seen in the new building though the old one was pulled down about ten years ago. The management of the school was entrusted to Sri Parakkat Achutha Menon, the Karanavar of the Parakkat family. On 8th Makaram, 1065, the school was started to the great rejoicing of the people, as is shown by the fact that special Abhishekam was performed in the temple and the deity taken round the village in a grand procession.
Management.
Sri Parakkat Achutha Menon, guided the destinies of the school with great ability during the early years and under his fostering care and attention it soon became a middle school and began to produce very good results. After putting the school on a firm footing, Mr. Achutha Menon handed over the management to his brother, Mr. Parakkat Vasu Menon and under his kind and sympathetic care, the school continued to grow steadily in strength and popularity. Many poor students were given free education in those days and several of them are now occupying good positions in life. This fact bears ample testimony to the generous nature of Mr.Vasu Menon. It was not, however, smooth sailing for the school throughout; for, the manager found it difficult on account of old age to run the school on efficient lines and its future continuance became a matter of anxious concern to him. Accordingly, the Government of Cochin was approached by him with a request to take over the management in its best interests. The request was granted by Government and the school passed under Government management in 1110. This event is a landmark in the history of the school, for it now began to make rapid progress in all directions and in a few years became fit for further elevation as a High School in 1117 (1932). The school has had thus forty-five years of private management and 15 years of Government management, and in its career, it has had therefore the advantages and disadvantages of both types of management.
Growth of strength & classes.
From the admission register it is seen that in 1894 there were five classes and a strength of 163 in the school. Form IV appears to have been opened in January 1894 and the first batch of students appeared in 1893 for the Middle School examination. The results then were quite good and four pupils of whom one was our President, Mr. Ramakrishna Iyer, secured a first class. Form V was opened in 1895 and the school remained as an incomplete High School for two or three years. The highest class was not opened probably because of financial difficulties. In the meantime a High School was started some-what mid-way between Chittur and Tattamangalam in 1900 and to avoid overlapping of educational effort, the High School Classes in this school were abolished and it continued as a Lower Secondary school till 1942, (1117) when it was again raised to a High School and Form IV was opened by Government in Karkidakam, 1117. Forms V and VI were opened in 1943 and 1944 and the first batch of students for the School Final examination appeared in March 1945. The strength of the school mounted up to 1300 at this time and so it was found impossible to provide the accommodation necessary for them. In order to ease the situation the standard of the primary girls school was raised and about 400 girls were sent over to that school in 1947. The present strength of the school is 898, of which 568 are in the secondary classes and 330 in the primary classes. About 400 pupils belong to the so-called backward communities. There is co-education in the high school classes and about seventy girls study in forms IV, V & VI. There are now 22 divisions in all and 30 teachers on the staff.
Headmasters of the school
The first Head-Master of the school was Sri.C.S.Subramania Iyer, whose services to the school in its initial stages were, indeed most valuable. In fact, it is said that the school owes its very existence to his initiative, hard work, and efficient management in those first years of its life. The local people owe a deep debt of gratitude to him for his pioneer work for the school. Of the Head-Masters who remained at the helm between him and Mr.C.Kunhikrishna Panicker very few details of their periods of service or their main contributions to the progress of the school are available. All that we know is that most of them were either graduates or under-graduates, who used their service in the school as a stepping-stone to their careers elsewhere. Naturally, they could not devote their whole-hearted attention to promote the interests of the institution over which they happened to preside for fairly short periods only. Mr. K.K. Krishna Iyer with his majestic personal bearing and dignity, Mr. Veeraraghava Iyer who encouraged the formation of Literary Unions, Mr. N.R. Sesha Iyer, with his simplicity and high deals in life and last, but not least, Mr.K.V.Subramania Iyer with his great piety and learning seem to hae left an indelible impression on the minds of their students. The other Head-Master of this period were Mr.P.S.Subramania Iyer, who afterwards became a Registrar in State Service, Mr.K.S.Dharmaraja Iyer, who later became Head-Master of the S.D.High School at Alleppy, Mr.K.Lekshmana Iyer and Mr.P.A.Rama Iyer. But of them all Mr.K.V.Subramania Iyer’sname stands out very prominently and his deep scholarship in Sanskrit, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu, his inspiring lessons, his great love for children and, above all his intense devotion to God, inspired in the minds of his pupils feeling of great regard and affection which have remaind with them even to this day.
From the time of Mr.Kunhikrishna Panicker who remained as Head-Master till 6th Edavom, 1096 we are able to gather details at least about their terms of office from the Acquittance Roll.Mr.Panicker was a very strict disciplinarian and during his period the tone of the school improved very much. He was succeeded by Mr.A.Natesa Iyer who remained only for about a year from 06-10-1096 to 17-10-1097 and then by Mr.P.S.Subramania Iyer, who held the office of Head-Master for the longest period in its history, from 17-10-1097 to 08-01-1117 with a short break of 9 months from 19th mithunam 1103 to 14th meenam 1104 when he went up for training and his place was taken by Mr.N.R>Venkitachala Iyer. During this long period of over 18 years outstanding events worthy of record are the taking over of the school by Government on Karkitakam 8th 1110(1935) and the putting up of two blocks of buildings, the old five room block in 1107 and present eastern block(8 room) in 1116. The history of this period is a record of smooth and steady progress.
The next Head-Master was Mr. P.V.Doraiswamu Iyer who remained in office from 8 Chingam 1117 to 9th Mithunam 1119. It was during this period that the standard of the school was raised to that of a High School and Form IV was opened in Mithunam 1117 and forms V and VI in the years 1118 and 1119. It was largely due to the efforts of Mr.Doraiswamy Iyer and Mr.T.S.Ramachandra Iyer who then represented this place in the Legislative Assembly, that the standard of the school was raised once again after a lapse of nearly 4 decades. It must be said in this connection that the success of their efforts was due in no small measure to the active support and encouragement of Mr.I.N.Menon the Director of Public Instruction, who tool a parental interest in the welfare of the school.
Mr. Doraiswamy Iyer was followed by the three Head-Masters who remained in the office for short periods- Mr. V. Subramania Iyer(9-11-1119=18-12-1119).
Mr.K.A.Viswanatha Iyer (19-12-1119=28-4-1121) and Mr.A.S.Subbarama Iyer(24-9-1121=26-10-1122). Mr. Doraiswamy Iyer himself acted as Head-Master in the interval between 28-4-1121 abd 24-9-1121. Special Mention must be made of the fact that in 1120 when Mr.K.A. Viswanatha Iyer was the Head-Master, the school produced the best results in the state on the School Final Examination and it won a silver cup for this achievement.
Recent Events. (Edavom 1122 – Makaram 1125)
I took charge from Mr.Subbarama Iyer on 26th Edavam 1122 and this narrative will not be complete without a record of the main events of this period also. As soon as I took charge I found that the problem of accommodation demanded urgent solution, as the first three classes were working on the shift system for want of class rooms. When Sri P.Govinda Menon, the Minister for Education visited the School he realized the urgency of this problem and as a result of his Orders, a new building was soon put up with 6 class rooms, connecting the eastern block with the office block. The acquiring of 2 play grounds was completed during this period, though it must be mentioned here that they cannot be utilized unless leveling is properly done. Another important event of this period is the starting of the Science Association and the organization of Science and Art Exhibitions, the first in 1123 and the 2nd, in connection with the Jubilee Celebrations, both of which are generally considered to be successful. Moreover, the starting of a Reading Room for boys and another for Girls and also the formation of a Parent’s Association in 1123 have to be mentioned here. Lastly, the celebration of the Diamond Jubilee on such a grand scale is itself an important event of this period, as also the collection of over Rs.7000/- as an endowment – fund for the institution of prizes and scholarships which would be of lasting benefit to future generations of students of the school.
Visitors.
Very distinguished men have visited this school from time to time. Among them may be mentioned H.H. the abdicated Maharaja, H.H.Dharmika Chakravarthy, Mr.A.F.Sealy, Mr & Mrs. Browning, Mr.A.R.Banerjee, Sir M.Krishnan , Mr.T.S.Narayana Iyer, Mr.Dixon, and Sir R.K.Shanmukham Chetty.
Conclusion
The School is the only institution in the State which is associated with the name of Mr. A.F.Sealy who may rightly be called the Father of English Education in Cochin. On a day like this we will do well, therefore, to remember the great ideals for which Mr.Sealy stood. It is said of this great man that he set very little store by examination results but aimed at building up the character of his pupils. In his reply to the farewell address presented to him when he retired in 1892 he said, “There is no bond more true or more firm than the mutal love of teachers and pupils. I have tried it in my own life and it has never failed me. I speak now, as you know well, from the experience of a long life spent in school work. As I sowed by loving my scholars, so have I reaped and reaped, I think a hundred fold by gaining their love…………… To you, my friends, who are teachers, take my advice and sow the seed. Scatter love among your boys and you will reap love. Love engenders love – and love has a divine source, it is not earth born. Love of God to me has touched my heart, or I should never have so loved my brothers, nor have worked so happily among you as I have done these many years.” These are noble words indeed. May these noble words of the great Englishman, whose honoured name the School bears, be the kindly light leading us to still greater achievements in the future.
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