CHAPTER III
GENESIS OF HIGHER EDUCATION FOR WOMEN
IN TIRUNELVELI DISTRICT
The
history of Higher Education for women in Tirunelveli District had its inception
in 1820 itself. There were 2 English and
11Tamil schools with 497 students in all the mission stations in Tirunelveli
District at the time of Hough’s (the first Government Chaplin at Palamcottah)
departure.[1] Since
it is the Pioneer district in Women’s higher education, much attention has been
given by the researcher to find out the unknown facts. This Chapter throws
light on the genesis of higher education for women in this district.
Margaret
Cormack, a researcher in women’s education, stated that the tradition is
growing that “a girl must go to school if she wants a chance for a good
marriage.”[2] True
to the saying of Margaret Cornack, the
ambition of getting higher education for a woman was marrying educated better
half. The above statements predict the position of women in the mid 20th
century. Definitely, education of women
must be the toughest job for the pioneer missionaries for the cause of higher
education by the beginning of 19th century in Tirunelveli
district. Mission schools run
exclusively to educate low caste women and trained them economically self
reliant. After 1833, Missionaries concentrated
on the establishment of Secondary Schools and Colleges, and the Medium of instruction was English.[3] The government report of 1856-57 clearly
stated that there were 273 government aided schools with 7,088 students in
Tirunelveli district of Madras Presidency.[4] In
reality there was no Government girl’s school until about 1881 in Tirunelveli
District. A large number of village
schools for Hindu and Muslim girls were opened throughout the district by the
authorities of Palamcottah Normal Female Training School who trained teachers.[5] The
appointment of women teachers paved the way for the development of women’s education. Tirunelveli district has 3 Colleges, i.e. two
first grade and one second grade and 4 high schools and a Primary Schools for boys
and girls with large numbers. One
College, two High Schools, and a Secondary Training School were set up exclusively
for girls.
THE FIRST
GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL IN SOUTH INDIA
In 1820, the First Girl’s School was established
by Rev. John Hough at Nazerath with 20 girls in South India and
considered to be the third in India. It was maintained at an amazing cost of Rs. 18/- per annum.[6] It
is like a beacon light of knowledge in Tirunelveli District. At present it is in Tuticorin district. However, the school faded out of existence in
1826. In 1843, Mrs.Anne Cammaerar who succeeded in re-established Girl’s school
against much opposition from men.[7] This school began growing
ever since Canon Arthur
Margoschis was made superintendent of the school in 1876. A Boarding School was
started in Nazareth providing a sound “elementary” education, so that its
pupils received a good “middle class”
education in 1880. Later a department
had to be added to provide instruction for girls in preparation for the higher
examination for women. As per Madras Diocesan Committee Report in 1884,
Nazareth was the only place which sent students for the Middle School Government
Examination and the students excelled in their performance due to the efforts of well trained teachers
trained in St. John’s Training School.
Canon Arthur Margochis upgraded the Normal Elementary School to a High
School[8] in 1886-1887. In
1888, Rev. D. Periyanayagam, B.A., L.T. was appointed as the Headmaster and the
school became a full-fledged high school.
But in 1890 the school was degraded to Higher Grade Middle School, when
the high school classes were attached to Caldwell School at Tuticorin. The first set of seven girls from this School were appeared for the
Matriculation Examination in the Madras Presidency. Out of 7 appeared, 5 were passed. In 1908, the Director of Public Instruction on
seeing the tremendous growth and the
high standard of the school upgraded as a Government
recognized Middle School in 1909. [9] A few
girls, who have passed the Matriculation Examination, were sent to the S.P.G.
College at Trichinopoly.[10] Two of them have taken the B.A., degree of
the Madras University in 1910.[11]
The main Building of the High
School was opened by Rev. R. W. D Ashe Esq. I.C.S. and his wife on 15th
September 1910.[12] A room was named after him. Many Missionaries like Miss. Neadham, Miss
Davidson, Miss. Marks, Miss Green, Miss. Evans, Miss Swingler, Mrs.
Harris and Dr. (Mrs). Mac Donald had rendered commendable service to these
Institutions. Until 1912 this school remained a Model School for Higher Grade Teacher
Trainees. However it was upgraded
again as High School in 1930. This school became the First High School for Women in South India.[13] Again this school was upgraded as a Higher Secondary School[14] on 1 July 1978 and grow from strength to
strength as a seat of learning till date.
PREPARANDI SCHOOL AT
NAZARETH
Preparandi
School for Women was established by James Hough at Nazereth.[15] The Missionary Societies appealed to the
Women Missionaries to work among South Indian Women. Miss Sarah Tucker, wrote letters to her
friends and collected 24 Sovereigns and sent to his brother John Tucker with
the aim to educate women in South India.[16]
Mrs. Sargent, the C.M.S. missionary appreciated the physically challenged Sarah
Tucker’s deed and proudly called her as “the first promoter and supporter of female
education in Tirunelveli.” [17]
C.C.Giberne
opened First Female Normal Teacher Training School at Kadachapuram in November,
1843 with the assistance of Miss.Sophia Hobbs.[18] It had 22 girls in 1846.[19] Some unmarried missionaries viz. Sophia Hobbs,
H.T. Hobbs, Hawkins and Newman were also trained in this school. They induced the widows and elderly women to
become teachers and the Bible women. All
trained women were employed on the suggestion of John Devasahayam. In 1855, 12
women were admitted as students and in the subsequent year, 17 women were
admitted as students.[20] This
institution was abolished in 1856 due to financial deficit and insufficient
staff after C.C. Giberne returned to England in 1849. So, the girls were shifted
to Palamcottah Boy’s Training Institution and female department was created and
a shift system was introduced. However,
Rev. Sargent realized and stressed the need for starting a separate training
school exclusively for women. Unfortunately, due to the sudden demise of Miss.
Sarah Tucker in 1857, the development of this school was hampered.
The
Wood’s Despatch also emphasized the need for training of teachers, and adequate
inspection system.[21]
There was a demand for well qualified
trained teachers in government and private schools throughout the Madras
Presidency. The trained teachers were not adequate for the demand, but a
commencement was made in the direction of supplying trained teachers by the
leading educational societies. As a result, a Vernacular Training School was
established by the Church Missionary Society (C.M.S.) at Palamcottah in 1856,
and the Society for the Propagation of the Gospal (S.P.G.) at Sawyerpuram and
Vediarpuram.[22] Subsequently,
late Sarah Tucker’s friends decided to restart a Training School for girls by
the close of 1858.
ST. JOHN’S TEACHER TRAINING INSTITUTE (1877)
Margoschis Higher Secondary
School, Nazareth had its humble beginning in 1839. It was started as a mixed Elementary School
with the separation of Girl’s School in 1849, which continued to be a Boy’s
Elementary School. In 1880, Rev. Canon Arthur
Margoschis started a Lower Grade Teacher Training School as a part of Girl’s Boarding
School at Nazareth and upgraded to the Upper Secondary or Matriculation
Standard in 1877. Those who completed IV Form got the teacher training. The
rural school which was started by Rev. James Hough became the model school for
these trainees. Canon
Margoschis‘s letter to his Home
Ministry, in 1878 clearly stated that Teacher Training Institute was started with
18 girls at Nazareth. Among them 12 girls were prepared and appeared for
Government Examination. Out of 12 students 8 were secured first class and 2 were secured second class”.[23] Three
years later, the High School classes were transferred to the Caldwell High
School, Tuticorin and this School was
once again reduced to the Lower
Secondary Standard.
In the year 1900,
the Higher Grade Training classes at Tuticorin was transferred to Girls’ High
School, Nazareth by the efforts' of Rev. Margoschis, who was a great academician
an due to the efforts of Miss. Evans and Miss. Swingler. In the mean
time the School was recognized as the Middle School under the Madras
Educational Rules (DIS No. 5034 dt. 09.08.1909) in the year 1909. With the abolition of Secondary Grade Training in
1912, the School ceased to be a Model School.
The Third class which was attached to the School was abolished in July
1912. The School continued as an efficient Middle School till 1930, when it was
raised to the status of a High School and the Fourth Form was added. It became a complete High School in the year
1932 and was permanently recognized under the Madras Educational Rules vide DIS
No. 3754/32 dt. 23.10.1932. From 1943 onwards the
training school was administered by women alone. Until 1953 Teacher Training School remained
Higher Grade Training Institute. From 1956 onwards it had been upgraded to
Secondary Grade Teacher Training School. In 1957 it was changed to a Basic
Education Training Centre. The students made threads and weaved clothes in the
Basic Education Training Centre. Cookery and gardening were compulsory
activities in Basic Education Training. In 1973 the Basic Education system was
removed from the teacher training
schools and the training schools were known as ‘Teacher Training
Institutes.’ The certificates which were issued as TSLC (School Teacher
Licentiated Certificate) were changed as Diploma in Teacher Education. Still this institution promotes
Diplomo in Teacher Education[24] in
this district. Students were admitted from various pastorate of the Diocesan of
Tirunelveli.[25]
From 1931 onwards
buildings were constructed in the school campus. St. Gabriel Hostel for Teacher
Training Girls and Guardian Angels Hostels for Lower Grade girls were completed
in 1943. In 1943 classrooms for Kindergarten and Teacher Training were built.
The high school classes were conducted in the upper rooms and the classes of
Training in the lower class rooms of the large building of the Girls High
school. As the number of the high school girls increased, separate buildings
were constructed for Teacher Training, Nursery and Kindergarten girls. Again
this school was raised to the status of a Higher Secondary School in July 1978
Margoschis Higher Secondary School is serving more efficiently in the field of education in Tirunelveli district.
SARAH
TUCKER GIRLS TEACHER’S TRAINING INSTITUTE
After
the death of Miss Sarah Tucker,[26] her intimate friends Maria, Sovia and Sovana
from England formed a Committee to fulfill her long cherished ambitions to
educate women in South India. They
donated 268 Sovereigns [Amount is equal to 8 lakhs ] and $17 [Shillings] to Mr.
John Tucker to start a permanent institution with the permission of Rev.
Sargent in the name of Miss. Sarah Tucker.[27]
Rev. Sargent bought 16 acres of land at Palamcottah and established the same.
Rev. Austin Dibb and Miss. Meredith were appointed as its teacher.[28]
This institution was opened in a temporary building in 1858, under the
competent head of Miss. Mary Richards who served till 1865.[29]
In 1859, girl students were shifted from Palamcottah Boys Training School (already mentioned in this chapter)
and admitted to the newly opened Sarah Tucker Normal Teacher’s Training School.[30] This School, educate women up to III Form
(VIII Std) in vernacular language.
English subject was not introduced, according to the statement of Mrs. J.
Lilly Pushpam and Mr. M.Jesudoss, the Retired teachers of Elathur village in Shencottah
Taluk.[31] After
III Form, girls were appeared for the Teacher’s Training Course Examination for
Higher Grade Teacher’s Certificate. This Normal School for Teachers in the name
of Sarah Tucker Teachers College was incorporated by the Act of the Legislative
Council of India. [32] One report stated that Hundred out of
fifteen were widows due to child marriage and early death of their husbands in
Tirunelveli district. The economic need
of widows and their pitiable social status strive themselves to join and parent’s were also willing to sent them for teacher
training. Since, women were appointed as teachers that led to the progress of women’s education in
this district.
The
Sarah Tucker Female Training School flourished rapidly under the competent
guidance of Rev. Mr. & Mrs. Lash, the C.M.S. missionaries who took charge
of the institution in 1867. Trainees had
their teaching practice in the Model School, where they were taught with the
help of illustrations, flowers, nuts or models from the museum, paper, coins,
dolls and vessels. On certain occasions,
they were sent to teach the illiterate neighbour’s to read
and write.[33] On 14th
February 1869 the Sarah Tucker Institution was reopened in a permanent building by Rev. P.S. Royston, who
was the Secretary of the Madras Corresponding Committee of the C.M.S.[34]
The
below Table No. 6 clearly stated about the total strength of Training Schools
for Mistresses in the Madras Presidency during the academic year 1913-14. Madras
secured the first place and the second
place was Tirunelveli district with regard to the strength of the Misstresses. But the growth
and development of women educators in Tirunelveli district was far ahead than
Madras District. There was no European
scholar found in Tirunelveli district.
So the native people of Tirunelveli were highly motivated and admited
their daughters for Mistresses than any other district in Madras Presidency.
Hence, Tirunelveli was the pioneer district in women’s education. The following scheme of education was not
only to educate the women of Tirunelveli district, but also to create educators
to the entire Madras Presidency.
TABLE NO. 6 STRENTH OF MISTRESSES IN
TIRUNELVELI AND MADRAS DISTRICTS ON 31ST MARCH, 1913 & 1914
Districts
|
Scholars
|
|||
1913
|
1914
|
|||
NonEuropeans
|
Europeans
|
NonEuropeans
|
Europeans
|
|
Madras
|
118
|
13
|
119
|
19
|
Tirunelveli
|
50
|
-
|
59
|
-
|
12districts
Total
|
452
|
13
|
466
|
19
|
Source:
Compiled from Report on Public Instruction in the Madras Presidency 1913-14
Vol.II, p.71.
REV. LASH’S SCHEME OF EDUCATION
Rev.
Lash introduced a new scheme of education to attract the caste Hindus to join
in the Christian Mission Schools. He opened Girl’s school in different places in
and around Tirunelveli and Palayamkottai,[35]
to provide job opportunity for those who were trained from the portal of Sarah Tucker Teacher Training Institute. So, Rev. Lash established a network of Sarah
Tucker Branch Schools all over the district.
Miss.
Usborne and Harriet Usborne gave a
donation of $5,000 twice for these Branch schools and both the Usborne sisters
gave annual subscription[36]
for the development of Lash’s Scheme of Education, Out of which, the first Branch School was
opened at Adaikalapuram, on 1st April, 1870. The interest drawn from the donation of Miss
Usborne, helped Rev. Lash to establish 40 branch schools throughout the
district.[37] Caste
Hindus and Brahmin girls were prevented from attending the school due to long distance. So, Lash purchased a land near Agraharam to start a school. Since, the
amount was donated by Usborne sisters, the schoold was named as Usborne
Memorial School and the foundation stone was laid on November 4th
1878 at Palamcottah and it was opened by the District Collector R.H. Buckle. It
was interesting to note that Palamcottah Y. M.C.A. was also started here on the same day.[38] The Usborne Memorial School was used for
public lectures as well as religious meetings till the Centenary Hall was
opened in 1903. About 100 students were enrolled in the first year itself and
the strength increased steadily. Caste
Hindu girls in Palamcottah used to wash and change their school dresses when
they reached home so as to get freed of the contamination contracted through
breathing the same air with their Christian teachers.[39]
Rev.
Lash wanted to implement his proposal to give job opportunity for the trained girls
of Sarah Tucker Training School. At once
Rev. Lash wrote a recommendation letter to one of the missionaries who was in
charge of supervising school to give job to trained girls who were jobless.
This shows his effort in recruiting all trained teachers to the schools, and
trained teachers were exceeded in number than the need of this district. So,
the well trained teachers were appointed in Madurai, Tanjore, Madras, Ceylon
and Mauritius.[40]
Sarah
Tucker Model School became a High School in 1890 with first five girl
students. The strength of the school
rose to thirty four in 1897. This School
had IV, V, and VI Forms,[41]
where the students were very poorly dressed.
Some of them were nearly naked and wore only a piece of cloth round
their waist. So the school management
provided petticoats and jackets to wear during class hours only. In
order to encourage the girl children to attend schools regularly, they were taught
useful hand-work in Palmyra leaves and tapes, games like Badminton, Net Ball,
and Kummi, regularly distribute plantain fruits, sweetmeats and introduced
Gardening in school.[42] In the opinion of Vasanam Ammaiar’ s those who have completed
tailoring were rewarded Scicessors, measurement tape, needle and thimplet as
gifts[43]. Thus,
the missionaries were taking care of the girl children’s personal health and
hygiene. Miss. Walford, inculcated the reading habits in them and also motivated
them to utilize the Library in a useful way.
Free
Boarding and lodging facilities were provided to the students. A grass mat and
a pillow were also provided free of cost. The Missionaries followed strict
rules in the boarding. The students were
asked to bring their own plate and tumbler.
The daily menu was rice and pepper water in the morning, rice and curry
at mid-day and mutton and fish in the evening. The students should wake up by 5.50 a.m. and
beds were kept in the racks and were expected to sweep the rooms, verandahs and
paths round the school. Some students were
given the responsibility to bring water from the well for cooking and
drinking. They performed the above mentioned
work in turn duty and then took bath at the well. They must take oil bath on every Saturday.[44]
OOZHIYASTHANAM TEACHER TRAINING SCHOOL
Sarah
Tucker Girls Training School was bifurcated on the eve of 1934 and one was
shifted to the C.M.S. Catechists Training Centre. So the school campus was named as
Oozhiyasthanam.[45] This
school offered Teacher Training to women.
Till 1947, there was no separate Governing Board for Ooliyasthanam
Training School. A separate Governing
Board for this school was framed on 3rd September 1947. The proposal to collect Rs. 5/- per year for
each student hailing from the girls was accepted.[46]
There was a separate Boarding
House for the school. To overcome the
financial burden in the Boarding House, the finance subcommittee decided to
raise the Boarding fees from Rs.11/- to Rs.12/- from September 1947 onwards. The fee structure was accepted by the
Executive Standing Committee on 12th October 1948. There was a model school attached with this
institution. The student’s strength was
not enough for all training students to practice. So the school approached the Sarah Tucker Branch Schools to permit for teaching practice
at Mathakoil and Puttaharathi.[47]
SARAH TUCKER
BRANCH SCHOOL AT MELAPALAYAM:
During
the tenure of Rev. Lash, there were 55 Branch schools with 1764 pupils on the
rolls. When he left for England the
entire management of Sarah Tucker Institution was left on the shoulders of Miss. Annie Jane Asqwith.[48]
She decided to start Sarah Tucker branch school at Melapalayam, which was a
thickly Muslim populated area. They were
socially and economically backward. So
A.J. Asqwith wrote a letter to Mary Tucker, the niece of Sarah Tucker to donate
liberally to start a school in Melapalayam area. Mary Tucker immediately sent a considerable
amount to start a school and the children came in large numbers to this school.
Their performance was good in the annual Government Examinations. By responding to the letter of A.J. Asqwith
addressed to London Mission Society, London, in 1901, an unknown donor, sent
300 dollars to her. With this amount she purchase a land for the construction
of Melapalayam Branch school. Thus, a
school for Mohammaden children was started in the permanent building on 27th
December 1901.[49] In
order to encourage the children, Miss. A.J. Asqwith wrote many letters to
London Society to send Bibles, picture books, bags, and other small gift items
to be as Christmas gifts or as prizes for good performers in their
studies. All branch schools formerly
supervised by Missionaries of Sarah Tucker Institutions were placed under the
control of pastorates (sub division of diocese of a district) since 1927.[50] The
following table help us to understand the development of women’s education in
Tirunelveli district.
TABLE NO. 7 FEMALE SCHOLARS IN NON-EUROPEAN SCHOOLS
ON 31ST MARCH 1913-14
District
|
Female Population of School age(Census of
1911)
|
Female Scholars in Non-
European schools on the 31st
March 1913-14
|
Percentage of scholars to population of
school age
|
||
1913
|
1914
|
1913
|
1914
|
||
Tirunelveli
|
1,38,723
|
18,358
|
19,093
|
13.2
|
13.8
|
Source: Report on Public Instruction in the Madras
Presidency 1913-14,Vol.II, p.
76.
The
above Table No.7 clearly stated that the total number of girls in schools were
19,093 in Tirunelveli. A considerable
number of students enrolled in Tirunelveli than other parts of Madras
Presidency in 1913-14. Approximately 1:6 of the female scholars were from
Tirunelveli district in the year 1913-14. The growth of Higher Education in Non- European
schools slightly increased even at the outbreak of First World War. Since Women’s education gained its importance
much, the parents send their daughters to schools in Tirunelveli district
without considering the threat of World War I.
SARAH TUCKER
COLLEGE, PALAMKOTTAI
Another
remarkable landmark in the field of Women’s Education in Tirunelveli District
was the establishment of Second Grade College for Women which had its origin in
1885.
The Sarah Tucker Institution was one of the earliest to be
started in South India for women. Miss.
Sarah Tucker’s friends were formed a committee and raised fund for this
prestigious institution. Hence, this institution was named after her, who took
great interest in educating young women in Southern India, though she never
came toIndia. In 1893, a College Chapel had been erected and 5 new masters’
houses were built by Miss.Catherine Tucker, sister of Miss Sarah Tucker. Additional land had since been acquired and
substantial buildings were erected for the college and high school
departments.
There
were 3 students in this college at the commencement. In 1891 students were appeared for the
Matriculation Examination and in 1896 the Training department was raised to the
rank of a Second Grade affiliated College of the University of Madras in 1895
and got its affiliation on January 1896.[51] There were 40 students under training
including primary and second grades, the college strength was 381 on the rolls, including all departments in
1907-08. The following faculty member were there in its inception Miss. A.J.
Askwith , the Principal and Manager, Miss.G.M.Walford, Vice-Principal, Miss.
A.M. Naish,B.A., Miss.M.L. Pawson,B.A., Miss.R.E. Howard, and Miss. E.T.
Stevens,B.A. They all were worked as
Assistants during the academic year 1906-07.
Besides these ladies there were 2 Indian graduate Professors who were
all Trained L.T.’s ( Licentiatded in Teaching or equivalent to present B.Ed.) and three other masters, also 4 F.A., 9 Upper
Secondary and 10 Lower Secondary mistresses worked in this institution.
The
below Table No. 8 clearly stated that
the increasing strength of women in Sarah Tucker College in Tirunelveli district as compared
with that of Madras Rayapuram college in 1912-13 , 1913-1914. The women students were doubled in the very
next year because the people of the Tirunelveli district realized the value of
giving higher education to their daughters even at the threat of First World
War.
TABLE NO. 8 FEMALE SCHOLARS IN
NON-EUROPEAN WOMEN’S COLLEGE IN MADRAS PRESIDENCY IN 1912-1913 AND 1913- 1914
NAME OF THE COLLEGE
|
1912-1913
|
1913-1914
|
Palamcottah
Sarah Tucker College
|
7
|
14
|
Rayapuram
U.F.U.M. College
|
15
|
14
|
Total
|
22
|
28
|
Source: Report on Public Instruction in the Madras
Presidency 1913-1914, Vol.II,
p.76.
For
part III the College got affiliation in Geography and Mathematics in 1927. But Mathematics and Geographywere not taught
1935 and 1936 respectively, due to lack of qualified lecturers. The
Hoard Memorial Block, was erected from locally raised funds in 1938. Affiliation to Physics and Chemistry was
obtained in1939. In 1939 the college was
made as a First Grade Institution with affiliation in Part I English,
Part II, Tamil and Part III, Group IV-a History and Economics of the B.A.
Course. Further affiliation in Group V Tamil and Early South Indian History was
granted in 1942. Geography in the
Intermediate was suspended in 1942. It
introduced science subjects in the intermediate course though the college had
no laboratories for science. Hence the
college utilized the laboratories of St.
John’s College. Subsequently, Mrs.
Laizzy Joseph was appointed as the Principal on 3rd Setember
1947 by the Sub – committee of the Executive Standing Committee for the college. She was the first Indian Principal of the
college.[52] In the same year, the Madras University
Commission informed that unless science laboratories were not constructed and
equipped before June 1948, courses with science subjects would be
disaffiliated.[53] A site of 40 acres at Perumalpuram, four
furlongs south of Palayamkottai Railway Station, was purchased for the
construction of the science block and construction was started in 1948 and
completed in 1949. The new science block
was opened on 30th July 1949 by Mr. Alagappa. The Diocesan Council[54]
resolved to give Sarah Tucker College the highest Priority in the Diocease, until
the construction of science block was completed. The Diocesan council requested the Synod of
the Church in an appeal through the South Indian Board for Christian Higher
Education and the National Christian Council and for funds from America for
building, equipping the library, furniture and for creating endowment for
scholars.[55] The 14
Dioceases of the C S I were asked to give a recurring grant to this college. The Government granted Rs. 75,000/- for
building and Rs. 10,000/- for equipment.[56]In
anticipation of Government grants, the construction work was started with a
loan of Rs.56,810/-. The account was
audited and the report was submitted to the Executive Standing Committee. The Dioceasan Council promised to give the
Sunday collections of 16th October 1949 all over the Dioceasan areas to
the College. The Executive Committee
meeting held on 21st October,
1949 resolved to authorize the Diocesan Treasurer to raise a sum of Rs.
54,000/- by pledging the necessary Government securities to the bank and
advanced the amount to Sarah Tucker College as loan. The loan period was for only six months. The loan of
Rs. 85,000/- was given to the
college against the Government grant for building and equipment. [57]A
sub-committee consisting of 8 members under the Rev. M.C. Langton (Convener)
was formed to raise the required amount of money. This committee told the college that no new
building should be erected on the college campus until they repay the
loan. When the Science laboratory
problem solved by constructing laboratory of their own, another problem arose
for the science students of the Intermediate classes, after the practical class at the new laboratory the students had
to come back to the college for attending lectures in other subjects and had to
walk for two miles or four furlong distance, since there was no transport
facilities available. So the Governing
Board of the college decided to built lecture rooms with hostel to accommodate
about 200 students with the estimate of Rs.
1,60,000/- . The Government
sanctioned Rs. 75,000 for hostel building.[58] In order to meet the remaining expenses, the
Decease of Tiruelveli in 1951 observed Sarah
Tucker College Week from August
4th to 11th. The entire offerings of the week were spent
for the construction of new buildings at Sarah Tucker College. It was completed
and opened by Miss. Helan of the United States Information Service, in
November, 1952.
THE PROPERTY
SUB-COMMITTEE & SCHOLARSHIPS
In
order to encourage women’s higher education in this district, the Property Sub
–Committee recommended the transfer of 57 acres in the Pannikulam circle, 8
acres and 37 cents of Pannikullam
bungalow land, 120 acres at Udayathm in Radhapuram circle, 75 acres at
Megnapuram as endowment to the Sarah Tucker College.[59]
The income from these properties was utilized for issuing scholarships. The year 1948 was the Golden Jubilee year of
the college, which was celebrated on 4th November to 6th November
1948. Thus, the entire district was involved in the growth and development of
this college, which is still well known for higher education in this district.
Apart from collegiate education, the table No. 9 shows that there were two
girls institution which promote High School education for women approved by the Government till
1907-08 in Tirunelveli District.
TABLE NO. 9 DPI RECOGNIZED GIRL’S HIGH
SCHOOLS IN 1907-08
District
|
S.No.
|
Name of the Institution
|
Tinnevelly
|
23
24
|
Nazereth,
St. John’s High School for Girls
Palamcottah,
Sarah Tucker College.
|
Source: Compiled
from Madras
University Calender 1907-08, p.5.
To
encourage higher education for Hindu and Mohammadan women scholars, the
following scholarships and medals were given to women candidate for their academic
excellence in Madras University in the year 1907-08.
THE GRIGG
MEMORIAL MEDAL
The
Grigg Memorial Medal [60]was
instituted by friends of Mr.Grigg, M.A., I.C.S., to commemorate his services in
the cause of female education, and was accepted by the Senate at a meeting held
on the 25th November 1898.
The endowment consists of Rs. 2,000 invested in 31/2 per cent Government
securities, the interest on which was awarded annually as gold, silver or bronze medal to the Hindu or
Muhammadan female candidate who completed the B.A., degree examination and secured
the highest marks in the English
Language Division. In case if there was no
qualified Hindu or Muhammedan, the medal was awarded to a Native Christian,
Eurasian or European female candidate who fulfils the conditions. The terms and
conditions of the award were as follows:
·
In the event of the medal being made of silver
or bronze, the balance of interest
was given in the form of books.
·
The medal has on the obverse the effigy of Mr.
H.B. Grigg and on the reverse the words “The Grigg Memorial Medal”.
·
The Senate shall have a power to make such
changes in the conditions of award as new circumstances may render desirable.
The
number of scholarships awarded by the Government was doubled in respect of those
tenable in colleges, secondary schools and higher elementary schools. The rates of scholarships were increased from
Rs. 3 to 4 in Forms I to III from Rs. 6 to 8 in High School classes, from Rs. 9
to 12 in Intermediate Classes and from Rs. 14 to 16 in Degree Classes.
GOVERNMENT
POLICIES TO ATTRACT WOMEN TEACHER
When the Education
Department of the Government of Madras began its work, it inherited very few
Government institutions. It was evident
that the government had given less importance in the field of education.
Besides the Missionaries, the indigenous schools in the Presidency educated
1,61,687 children and native enterprise had already created 12 Secondary
Schools, of which 9 were placed on the aided list.[61]
Thus at the outset, the Education
Department of the Madras Government found a scheme of education already awaited
judicious encouragement. There were only 3 Government Schools of Secondary
Education in 1854. Therefore Provincial
schools were opened in 4 important towns and Zillahs. The Government thus
followed the policy of taking direct part in the provision of Secondary
Education.[62] By
revision of grant-in-aid rules private managers had also to be encouraged to
participate in the extension of education in the Presidency.[63]
However,
evidences shows clearly that there was no school run by the government till the
first Education Commission and the majority of the schools were monopolized by
the missionaries in Tirunelveli district. The Government
introduced many schemes to attract women Teachers as follows:
·
One such scheme was the introduction of
Provident Fund Scheme to all recognized Secondary and Elementary schools for
all certificated teachers, pundits, instructors, clerks and librarians whose
pay was not less than Rs. 20 per mensem in 1923. The scheme was extended to
members of the staffs of colleges. This scheme benefited the destitute and
widows too.[64]
·
An Advisory Board on Education was constituted
by Government to advise on Secondary education and collegiate education in
1946, bywhich, the districts of Tinnevelly
was bifurcated and placed in the charges of separate District Educational
Officers[65] and one additional
Inspectress of Girls’ Schools were appointed.
·
To attract the girls, the government introduced
regional language as the medium of instruction in Secondary Schools, which was
implemented by Sarah Tucker Management in their institution to taught regional languages
for certain period regularly.
·
With regard to the payment of dearness allowance
to teachers in aided secondary schools, Government decided to permit
managements to grant allowances at the rates at which Government servants in
corresponding grades were paid, for the purpose of assessing the teaching grant.
·
Government agreed to pay one half of the
dearness allowance to the staff, the remaining amounts had to be paid from the
management funds. [STC management followed this method]
·
To increase the number of trained teachers, government granted stipends to teachers who were under
training from Rs.8 to Rs. 12 for the higher elementary grade and from Rs. 12 to
Rs. 18 for the secondary grade.[66]
An
important development in the sphere of education was the establishment of
Boards for Secondary and Intermediate Education.[67] Some of these boards were formed by executive
orders of Government, legislative enactments; purely advisory in nature, while
others prescribed courses of study and conducted examinations at the end of the
high school stage or the intermediate stage. The recommendation of the Calcutta
University Committee relating to the separation of the intermediate classes
from the University had been rejected throughout the greater part of India. In
Madras, there was a Secondary School -Leaving Certificate Board which consists
of the Director of Public Instruction as ex-officio President, six officers of
the Educational Service and seven non-official members. Its members were
appointed for a period of 3 years but were eligible for reappointment. The Secretary to the Commissioner for
Government Examination acted as a Secretary to the Board. The Board conducted a Public Examination for
pupils at the end of their Secondary School course and awards school-leaving
certificates in accordance with a scheme approved by the Government since March 1911. [68] The number of those who took School – Leaving
Certificate examination was 9,786 against 8,961 in 1913-14.
The University of Madras have found it
necessary to issue certain rules and directions regulating the admission to
affiliated college of holders of school leaving certificates. But, these rules came
into full force only after 1915-16.[69] On 31st March, 1915, the number of
girls in public institutions has increased from 1,019,544 to 1,054,161. The increase of 24,294 compares with one of
89,617 in 1914. The percentage of
increase was 2.2, as compared with a decrease of 1.5% in the case of boys. The percentage of those under instruction to
those of a school-going age was 6.3, as against 5.9 in 1913-14.[70]
According
to the government Resolution of 1913, the need for a special curriculum of
“practical utility” for girls was stressed.
The report of public instruction stated the same fact that, the
curricula for girls schools follow the curricula which was in use for boys
schools. But modifications were made not
only in different provinces but in different schools in the same province so as
to make them more suitable for girls and to the local conditions and people.[71]
Already, the missionaries of Tirunelveli introduced separate curriculum for
women and taught vocational oriented courses to make them to become
economically independent after the formal education.[72]
(Mentioned in chapter IV)
The
Hartog Committee (1929) and the Basic Education Committee (1938-1939), recommended
to introduce separate curriculum for boys and girls. Even the All India Women’s Conference on
Educational Reform (1927) demanded specialized education for women to fulfill
their “peculiar” role in society. Thoughthe
women were treated as subordinates in the society, inculcation of obedience, chastity, patience and the joy of
motherhood, formed an intrinsic part of
the curriculum even after a century of introduction of women’s education in
Tirunelveli district.
The
Basic Education Scheme envisaged the
opening of vocational courses and approved by the Secondary Education Board and
the Government. In 1938, the Congress Ministries were bound to give effect to
the Wardha Scheme. The main objective of
Mahatma Gandhi “is free universal education in the whole country in about 20 to
25 years’ time”.[73] This scheme basically had two revolutionary
features. It envisaged a compulsory attendance of boys and girls from the age
of 7 to 14 and advocated that books were
to be replaced by work, play, experience and concrete life-situations. Five
years earlier than the scheme could be introduce, the Zakir Hussain Committee
recommended that, a number of training schools in selected rural areas – where
teachers would learn the technique of education through crafts and productive
work and be trained to teach in the new basic schools. It was also recommended that the Education
Departments should immediately undertake a survey of its requirements and “plan
out a detailed programme of action.”
When the Wardha Scheme was generally approved throughtout the country,
the churches in Tirunelveli district has also “plan out a detailed progrmme of
action,” to use the existing agencies
and training schools to make an effective contribution to the spread of
education. Hence, the management of Churches of Tirunelveli district, convened
the South Tamil Regional Conference and had discussion on the New Type Training School.[74]
It recommended the S.P.G., S.P.C.K.,
T.E.L.C churches to start as many experimental schools as possible at an early
date and transferring all management
schools to a central organization under T.E.L.C for easy implementation of a
new type of training school.
THE NEW TYPE OF TRAINING SCHOOL
The new type of training schools had to offer one-year course
to “specially
selected and preferably experienced teachers from existing schools” and
the rugular three-years’ course, besides “specially organized refresher courses.”
They insisted that properly trained teachers should be appointed the run new
basic schools. However, the missionaries, had started a training school at
Pasumalai, with its 173 acres of land with equipment and already built agriculture,
poultry and cattle farming and a score
of crafts was also used to give training to the teachers.
The
Appendix VII observed that the number of schools per village was largest in
Tinnevelly South and lowest in Ramnad East. The backwardness of the latter area
and the greater percentage of illiteracy in itmake the people to introduce effective methods in the matter of ensuring
attendance of school children. The lower
average number of children per school in that area, according to local reports,
was due to the indifferent attitude of parents to send their children to
school. From this point of view, the position in Tinnevelly North was the most
satisfactory – for, the average number of children attending school was the
largest (56) in spite of the fewer number of schools per village (.38). But the need for promoting girls’ education
was greater in this area as well as in that of Ramnad East and West. One of the causes for backwardness of
education in all areas except Tirunelveli South was the levy of fees, and it
would be noticed that fee- paying capacity was low in Ramnad West, lower in
Tirunelveli Central, West and North and lowest in Ramnad East. The reason for the variations are as follows:
The
old C.M.S. Circle of the Tirunelveli Diocease and the Madras Corresponding Committee
areas, have failed to do their duty towards the teachers. The teacher should teach and proselytizing
without pay in village church. Moreover
the Churches were levied and collected certain fixed contributions from these
teachers. Further, if the teachers
failed to collect the fixed contribution from the church members’ the dues of
the Church were debited to the accounts of the teachers and deducted from the
salary of the teachers. To put an end to
this practice and protect the rights of the teachers, the Government published
Fort St. George Gazette dated 1st March, 1938 and passed certain rules.[75] These rules were as follows:
·
In future every teacher working in a school
under private management must possess a teacher’s license issued by the
Education Department.
·
No
deduction of any kind shall be made from the pay of an elementary school
teachers except in the case of fines imposed for disciplinary reasons.
·
The new rules provides for power to withdraw
recognition from any school in which teachers were not being paid in accordance
with the terms set out in their licenses.
·
The District Educational Councils recommended
the inspecting officers that pay the teachers’ salaries by way of a
grant-in-aid directly to the teachers.
·
The new rules also provide that not less than 90
per cent of the teaching grant received by a school should be paid to the
teachers by way of salary.
A
special scholarship fund was created for the benefit of teachers and clergy to
educate their wards without difficulties in Tirunelveli Diocease. At Nazereth, the Home Board raised fund as “Special Indian Workers’ Fund”
to met the educational expenses of
village school master’s wards. The
Circle Chairman at Mukuperi near Nazereth in the Tirunelveli Diocese had
started endowments for two village schools in his area by conducting ‘bhajana’
parties, entertainments, sports, shows and exhibitions during important
Christian and non-Christian festivals and collections in cash and kind were
made and built to start on endowments
for each school in about ten years’ time.
PROBLEM OF TEACHER’S
AND INTRODUCTION OF WELFARE SCHEMES
The
teachers may be classified into three categories. “Scale teachers who were
drawing salary according to the old prescribed scale, although, a temporary cut
had been enforced. Teachers on
Government Grant receiving their grant in advance every month and in addition a
small remuneration of Rs.2. They were
called as Advance Grant Teachers. The
third type of teachers receiving their grant when Government assigns were
called Post Grant Teachers.
These teachers were very few.
They were entertained at their own request, the reason being that they
wish to complete their certificate or do not like to work outside their native
villages”. [76]
The
Appendix No.VIII shows the average number of schools per village in South
Tirunelveli. However, these schools were discouraged due to lack of income from
the village Christians as they were less in number. So the teacher-in-charge
was unable to raise sufficient income for school work. The net annual deficit was about Rs.
12,000/-. In order to wiping out the
deficit the teachers have to collect a certain fixed sum from the members of
the Church known as the “Contract System”.
The
limitation of Contract System was that if the teacher failed to collect the sum
of amount from the local church member’s, the deduction of the teachers’ salary was made by the Local Council and Madras Correspondence
Committee’s General “Cuts.” For instance, a teacher on a salary of Rs. 25
per month pays out Rs. 11-10-4. Another
way of hard case of a teacher and his wife on a salary of Rs.42 receive only
Rs.24 after meeting the M.C.C. and the local cuts, and the losses under the
contract system. This family was helped
by his wife’s brother paid Rs.10/- per
month to give education to their grown-up children.
A
higher-grade teacher on Rs. 20 per mensem suffers a cut of Rs. 5-4-0 (General
and Local) and a loss of Rs. 3-12-0 under different items, and his net receipt
of his salary was only Rs. 11. It was out of this that he had to support his
wife and two children. In certain
pastorates, the teachers should wait for getting arrear of salary for more than
four months. Only in an exempted area like
M.C.C. headquarters, where the teacher had been given responsibility of school work alone. The Contract System was not in force in few
new villages. The above information made
it clear that how the contract system affect the teacher and his family and pay
status of a village teachers.
VICTORIA
GIRLS’ SCHOOL, MELUR [TUTICORIN]
Rev.
Caldwell and Mrs. Eliza Caldwell were interested in the education of the Indian
women, and they had been very successful at Idaiyangudi. In 1861, Mrs. Eliza Caldwell informed S.P.C.K. to establish maximum number of
Boarding Schools for Girls to educate them.
In the mean time they were shifted to Tuticorin in 1881 and established 2 Day Girls’ Schools at Melur and
Keelur, in 1883, and the third one at
Vadakkur in 1884.[77] Of all the 3 schools, Melur school was chosen
for further development. Rev. Adamson, the S.P.G. missionary established an
Institution for the Education of Girls in 1881, then known as a Normal School
for teacher training. When the Golden
Jubilee of Queen victoria’s was celebrated all over the British Empire; Rev. Caldwell named this school after Queen
Victoria and invited Rt. Rev. Bishop Johnson, the Metropolitan of India and
Ceylon (Present Sri Lanka) to declare the School formally open on the 8th
November 1887. Mrs. Eliza went in a round
and the villages in that area and persuaded
the parents to send their children to Victoria Girls’ School, so as to get rid
of their illiteracy and shed their backwardness. Within 8 years, the School was upgraded as a
High school, and the Normal School was shifted to Nazareth. Higher education for women was then stopped and
the School had to continue only as a Middle School. In January 1906 lace making was introduced in
this School and it was something very novel in India in those days. The School became a Higher Elementary School
in1910. Upto 1927, about 40 years from
its inception, the School was under the management of the S.P.G. missionaries. It
came under the management of the Tuticorin Circle Committee in 1927 and the
Circle Chairman became its Manager.
During the year s 1934-1938, the strength of the School was 250 only up
to VIII Standard. Lord Erskine, the then
Governor of Madras visited this school in 1936.
In 1937 the Golden Jubilee of the
Victoria Girl’s School was celebrated with 350 pupils on its roll. There were 11 women teachers, all of them were spinsters.
The Jubilee address was delivered by Miss. Thilakavathy Paul, B.A. B.T., the
then Headmistress of Kshatriya Girls’
High School, Virdhunagar and later Headmistress of Bentinck Girls’ High School,
Madras. She was also an alumni of
Victoria Girls’ School. The School
bagged Gold Medals twice consecutively in the examinations conducted by the S.P.C.K. There was a Girls Guide Movement with 2
Patrols and the Blue Birds got the coveted Stalin Shield in the very first
years of its history. About 63 pupils
resided in the Boarding. Miss.
Santhosham, who was a strict disciplinarian, was in charge of the school
hostel. Miss Lucy C. Western laid the
Foundation Stone for a small building where instruction in cooking was given to the girls.
Miss. Viana Philip, was appointed as the first Headmistress of the
School in 1932 and she retired in 1952.
She was succeeded by Miss. A. Solomon as the Headmistress in 1952, and
Fourth Form was started in 1954. In 1955
V.G.S. became a full-fledged High School with the addition of the Sixth
Form. The First batch of 50 students was presented for the S.S.L.C.
Examination held in 1956. Only one girl
had passed the S.S.L.C. examination. But
there arrived on the scene as Headmistress Mrs. Annie Pandian who inspired the
public confidence about this school. One
of her students Miss. V. Saraswathi remarked that “Mrs. Annie Pandian was an excellent teacher
of English, making the lessons interesting, humorous and lively, toned up the school’s
standard to a very high pitch. She was equally interested in extra-curricular
activities. She had a knack of finding out the talent of girls in music,
drawing, acting, sewing, and arranged for their display and development. She made them to keep their classrooms clean
and tidy. She also stressed the need for
personal hygiene. The students were grateful for the lessons which they have
learnt from V.G.S. Still this institution was well known for its quality of
female education in Tuticorin.
The
M.C.C. introduced ‘common cooking’ and
made the girls help in cooking and gardening to reduce the expenses and raising vegetables for the requirements of
the boarders in this school. Further it
also suggested introducing gardening at Elliot Tuxford Girl’s School, Nazareth.
The
rural reconstruction activity at Mavidupannai was a proof of the possibilities
of such a piece of extension work in several other higher elementary schools
and implemented the same activities in every higher elementary school. One serious obstacle to the adoption of any
progressive policy withregard to the reorganization of the higher elementary
schools in the Tirunelveli Diocese was the absence of a single centralized
management. However, there was a closer
union between the various authorities with a view to the adoption of more
efficient methods with regard to the organization and working of these schools.
The
Holy Cross School for girls was started in 1906 and was raised up to high
school in 1941. The year 1906 witnessed the birth of another school for girls,
viz., Viagula Matha Convent School, the forerunner of present St. Aloysios
Girls School. In fact it was reported
that even before 1906 the school functioned within the convent and in 1905 the
sisters had opened another school in the north of the town. The Bon Secours convent established in 1895
within the precincts of Our Lady of a Snows Church had its own school for
girls. By 1909 the nuns of Holy Cross
convent had two schools to take care of one for the European or Eurasian or
Anglo-Indian girls and the other for Indian girls. St.Mary’s College for women was started in
year 1948, immediately after the independence.
St. Antony’s School at V.E.Road for the benefit of scheduled caste
children and Puckle Channel School was started in 1911 for the children of the
ward. Besides St. Mary’s College, a
pioneer institution [in present Thoothukudi]
for the cause of women higher education , the Holy Cross High school was
subsequently upgraded as Holy Cross Home Science College in the year 1975. This
created new grounds in the diversification of womens education too,
priority was given in women’s educational institutions as the church could
count five higher secondary schools for girls in the town as compared to four
for boys. Besides these, 17 elementary
and middle schools to complete the network of the educational institutions also
maintained by the Catholic church in Thoothukudi.[78]
HIGHER
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN TIRUNELVELI DIOCESE
The
Tirunelveli Diocese of the Church of India, Burma and Ceylon maintained 44
higher elementary schools and 5 middle schools, of which 14 were for boys and
25 were for girls and only 10 were ‘mixed’ schools. These schools have grown up to meet local
requirements and have been established mostly by local enterprise. Almost all schools were founded by the early
missionaries with fewer infrastructures.
Some schools had very low strength of the student and financial constrains. Many schools amalgamating the existing boys’
schools with the girls’ schools at
Idaiyankudi and Nallur or by the admission of boys in the girls’ school and
vice versa.
As
per the Public Instruction of 1926-27 in the case of secondary schools, aided
elementary school buildings were generally reported to be fairly satisfactory. It was also reported that in many places the
schools were located in buildings which were not accessible to Adi –Dravida and
Adi-andhras.[79] But, in
Tirunelveli district infrastructure of the school was better and special
schools were opened for Adi-Dravida and
they were admitted in other schools which were maintained by the local
government.
The
Vernacular languages [Tamil and Telugu] of the Presidency were used as the
medium of instruction in the higher Forms in 434 schools which sent candidates
for the SSLC Public Examination in 1946. Government permitted higher elementary grade
trained teachers, with a minimum service of three years in recognized schools,
to appear as private candidates for the Secondary School Leaving Certificate
Public Examinations after passing the Training School Leaving Certificate
Examination. For the Training School
Leaving Certificate examinations 132 (148) dependants of persons serving in the
armed forces were admitted without payment of fees. The subject of Carpet
Weaving was deleted from the scheme of examinations and the last examination on
that subject was held in April 1946.
The
number of candidates examined for the English Standard Public Examination
increased to 26,796 (26,487), of whom 7,514 (7,420) were girls, and of these
candidates, 9,051 (11,487) including 2,715 (3,289) girls were successful. Dependants of service personnel admitted to
the examinations, without payment of fees numbered 120. The examination fee was increased from Re.
1-8-0 to Rs.2 the remuneration for setting a question paper from Rs. 10 to
Rs.15 and the remuneration for valuing answer papers from 2 annas to 3 annas
for each paper, all these changes were to come into effect for the public
examination in 1947.[80]
MEDICAL EDUCATION
The
examination in Indian Medicine were held in April and October 1946. The number of candidates appeared
for Medical Examinations were 209 and 113 respectively. A Board of Examiners in Indian Medicines,
consisting of 13 members, were appointed for three years from 26th
March, 1946. The Madras Medical College
had on its rolls, 1,942 students. There
were 195 women students out of a total of 837 in the M.B.B.S. Classes. In order to motivate women in the Medical Education, the following scholarships
were announced by private and the Government in Madras Presidency.
Bharati
Lakshmi Scholarship was founded in session 1883-84 by the then Maharaja
of Travancore to encourage female medical education in Southern India.[81] The Balfour Memorial Medal [82]was
founded by the Committee instituted to collect funds for commemorating the
services of Surgeon-General E.Balfour, and was accepted by the Senate at a
meeting held on the 30th April 1890. The endowment aimed to encourage
medical study among women.
The
Central Committee of the National Association for supplying female medical aid
to the Women of India (commonly known as the Countess of Dufferin’s Fund), with a view to encourage the study of
medicine among women, offered to award annually a gold medal, to be called the
“Queen-Empress
Gold Medal” to the female student obtaining the highest number of marks
in passing either the L.M. & S. or M.B.&C.M. examination of the
University of Madras. The committee’s offer was accepted at the meetings of the
Senate held on the 15th October 1886, and the 24th
February 1887.[83]
Though
many scholarships were introduced in the field of medicine the researcher was
not able to find the receipent of the above said award and the list of women
doctors from Tirunelveli district from
the available sources. But the researcher identified a Lady
Doctor Mrs. Leela Thambidurai, who was appointed as Doctor at Vidivelli Ashram,
Sayamalai in 1932. Mid-wives and Nurses
were also trained under missionaries. One
among them was Mrs. Gnanammal James,who studied up to 7th Standard. The young widow of Sivalaperi
village took training as a mid-wife and attending dressing in hospitals and after
a long thirty three years of service. She
retired as a Government hospital worker at Ambasamudram.
The
researcher reveals that the Higher Educational Institutions were under C.S.I.
Tirunelveli Diocese in 1947 as follows:
110 Girls in Colleges, 289 women
were in three Teacher Training Schools, 473 Girls were in
three Special Schools, 22,503 girls were studied in Middle and Primary Schools[84]. Compared
with boys, girls were studied
more in Teacher Training Schools and in Special Schools in 1947. It made the study very clear that women’s
education focus on self reliency and economic independence. The researcher
concluded that the growth of female
higher education in Tirunelveli district between1820- 1947 was
significantly high. The encouragement
of Indian languages was only a wish for dream and the language spoken and
understood by the masses continued to languish.
The desire of the Despatch was to evolve a policy to grant – in – aid
which would enable the government completely to withdraw from the field of
education. Up to 1884 Christian
missions were the only private agency in the field of education and the
government did not have the courage to entrust the work of education. There was no government institution for women
found in Tirunelveli district. The event of 1857 and the Queen’s Proclamation
of 1858, the Stanley Despatches of 1858 and 1859 had all made the officials in
India precautions in their dealings with the missionaries and strained the
relations between them to a considerable extent. The missionaries alleged that
the officials of the Education Department made it difficult for them to work
either within the system or independent of it.
It observed that “the difficulties and the importance of women’s
education were adequately appreciated by the officers of the Department of
Education, and invited the view of the Governor – General – in – Council as to
the nature and degree of the influence which had safely and properly be exerted
by the officers of the Department of Education, to promote the extension of
education for women. Moreover, the
C.M.S. missionaries, who were the monopolizes of women’s education in
Tirunelveli district by established
hundreds of primary schools, and few high schools and one women’s college,
teacher training schools for women were established and introduced new policies
for the welfare of women and teachers in this district. The first women’s College had its origin
dated back in 1864, which was recognized as a Second Grade College by the
University of Madras in 1896, and upgraded as a First Grade College in 1939. Still this institution promotes women’s
education in this district. The First
Girl’s High School started in1820, The First Teacher Training Institute 1843 known as Sarah Tucker Teacher Training
Institute and Oozhiyasthanam Teacher’s Training Institute and Sarah Tucker
Women’s College still catering to the
needs of women in the field of higher education.
[3] Siqueira,T.N.,
Modern
Indian Education:Teaching in India Series XXX, (London, 1967), p.33.
[4] Stuart. A.J., Tirunelveli
District Manual, pp.156-211.
[6] Thangiah. A.G., History
of the St.John’s Girls’ Higher Secondary
School, Nazareth Margoschis College at
Pillyanmanai, St. John’s Church Golden Jubilee Celebrations, (Nazareth,
1978), p. 16.
[7] Muller
George. D.S., & Jacob. R.S., Bicentenary of the Tirunelveli Church
(1780-190), Commemoration Souvenir,
(Tirunelveli, 10th July, 1980).
[8] Jeyaseelan.A.D.,
Father
of Nazareth, St. John’s Church Golden Jubilee Magazine, (Nazareth,1978),
p.7.
[9] Sherrock. M.A., South Indian Missions Containing
Glimpses into the lives and Customs of the Tamil People, S. P. G. in Foreign
Parts, (Westminister, 1910), pp.56-7.
[10] Durai Raj. C.P., Ungallukku
Theriumma, (Tamil), St. John’s Church Golden Jubilee Magazine, (Nazareth,
1978), p. 27
[12] St. John’s Teacher Training
Institute, Post-Centennial Silver Jubilee Block Dedication Souvenir 1877-2002, (Nazareth, 18.12.2003), p.1.
[13] Thangiah.A.G.,
History
of the St. John’s Girls’ Higher Secondary School, Golden Jubilee
Celebrations of St. John’s Church, (Nazareth 1978), p.16.
[16] Proceedings
of the C.M.S., 1833 -1838, (London, 1838), pp.101-105.
[17] Appasamy
Paul, The Centenary History of the C.M.S. in Tirunelveli,
Palamcottah, 1923, p. 40.
[19] Richard Dickinson and Nancy Dickinson, Directory
of Information for Christian Colleges in India, (Madras, 1967), p.163.
[20] Sarah Tucker
Girls Hr. Secondary School Centenary Special Magazine, (Palamcottah, August, 1990).
[21] Wood’s
Educational Despatch, 19th July, 1854, No.49, Paras, 3-5,18,
74,83,93-94, TNA.
[23] Ganam Rhenius Gnabagartha Vidhuthi Thirappu Vizha 145 Anndu Vizha 1856-2001,
Sirrappu Malar 4.6.2001,(Tamil) Bishop
Sargent Teacher Training Institute, Palayamkottai, p.18;
St. John’s Teacher Training
Institute Nazareth, Post-Centennial Silver Jubilee Block Dedication (1877-2002) Souvenir 18 .12. 2003, pp.1-10.
[26] Appasamy Paul, op.cit., p. 126.
[27] Church
Missionary Record , 1858; STC Girl’s Hr. Sec. School Centenary
Souvenir 1890-1990, pp34-35.
[28] Christudas.T.A., Sargent Athiyatcher
(Tamil), (Palayamkottai, 1990), p.81.
[29] Mary Deva
Packiam. op. cit. p. 23
[30] Appasamy.A.J.
Golden
Jubilee History of the Tirunelveli Diocease, Palayamkottai, 1947, p.21.
[31] Interview with
Jesudoss.M., Ex- military man, Retired teacher of Moovirundazhi Village
on 14th September, 1991.
[32] Lalitha Jeyaraman, “History of Education in Madras
Presidency 1800-1857”, (Unpublished M.Phil. Dissertation, University of
Madras, 1986), p. 128.
[35] Caldwell.R., op. cit. p.27.
[37] Christudas.T.A., op.cit., pp. 153-154.
[38] The
Hindu, English Daily dated 05.11.1878, p.3.
[39] Calwell. R., op. cit. p. 31.
[40] Caroline Jebadurai, Contribution of the Church to the
emancipation of women in India, consultation on the History and Heritage of
Christianity, (Palayamkottai, 1992), p.8.
[42] Annual Report of Sarah Tucker Institution 1916-1918,
pp.13-14.
[45] Souvenir of One Twenty Five Year Celebration
Sarah Tucker Training Institution, (Palayamkottai,1970), p.23.
[51] University
of Madras – Calender for the Academic year 1907-08, p.29.
[52] The
Tirunelveli Diocease Minutes of Education Standing Committee, 1947,
p.1.
[59] Tirunelveli
Diocesan Council Report 1952, p.2.
[60]
University of Madras –Clender for the academic year 1907-08, pp.29-30.
[62] Report
on Indian Education Commission, 1881, para. 30, p.22.
[64] Report
on Indian Education Commission 1881, para.161, p.95.
[65] Madras in 1946 (outline of the Administration)
Part-I, (Madras, 1947), p.106.
[68] Report of Indian Education Commission 1881, Para.47,
p.26; Thina Thanthi, dated 08.12. 2010, Chennai, p.23.
[69] Sharp.H, Government
of India, Bureau of Education-Indian Education in 1914-15, (Calcutta,
1916), p.8.
[71] Littlehailes.R.,
Progress
of Education in India 1922-27 , Ninth Quinquennial Review Vol.1, Government of India, Calcutta, 1929, p.162, para.272
[72] Thiravium Yesudasan, A., St. Pauls Church,
an article published in Centenary Festival Magazine, Maignanapuram 29.01.1985.
[75] Madras Government
Fort St. George Gazette dated 01.03.1938
[76]
Ponnaiah, J.S., op.cit., pp. 128-130.
[77] Extract from Victoria Girls’ Higher
Secondary School, Tuticorin 1887, A Centenary Souvenir, 1.4.1991, Tuticorin, pp.9-19.
[78]
Sinnakani.R., Gazetteer of India Tamil Nadu State: Thoothukudi District,
Chennai, 2007, pp.1006-7.
[84]
Portrait of a Diocese Tirunelveli, (Palayamkottah, 1992), pp.18-19.
No comments:
Post a Comment