The
educational efforts of Christian Missionaries had been more successful in
Tirunelveli than in any other part of India.
Because, on the eve of 19th
Century Western Missionaries began to serve in Tirunelveli, which made a great
impact on education by the introducing innovative educational policies not only in Tirunelveli district but also in
India. It is a matter of interest to
look back upon historical landmarks of modern education in India. The present work attempts to study the innovative
educational policies of Missionaries of Tirunelveli district. In Madras Presidency the education was first
taken up successfully by the Christian Missionaries, who were the pioneers of women’s
education in Tirunelveli district of Madras Presidency and innovative policy
makers of India.
Till
1820, there were no formal women’s educational institutions in Tirunelveli
district. However, before the advent of
the Christian missionaries, a group of educated women were found in Tirunelveli
district. It is proved from the
Collector’s reports to the Ft. St.
George on 20 September,1819, that the hereditary slave system existed in
Tirunelveli district. The class of dancing
girls was also in the habit of purchasing young girls, cheaply from the Thykulla or Thykeler caste or weaver
caste for the purpose of educating in their profession. The purchased slave girls were trained to
adopt the same profession of their adopted mother. However, a few upper caste girls had
private home tutelage, formal education was outside the realm of experience for
most Tamil girls until Christian missionaries started schools in Tamil
districts. Bishop Robert
Caldwell also had opinion that literacy had dawned on the Tirunelveli woman
only with the advent of the missionaries. The above statement made it clear that establishment
of formal educational institution for women was the innovating policy of the
Christian missionaries in this district.
INTRODUCED
FORMAL GIRLS’ SCHOOL
The
first girls school was started in 1820 by Rev. John Hough with 20 girls at
Nazareth. Thus, Rev.
John Hough became the forerunner
of establishing Girls Formal institution to impart education to female children,
and thereafter, natives requested the
missionaries to establish Boarding school. However, this school was
revived by Anne Commaerer (C.M.S. missionary) in the face of much opposition
from men. The girls school at Nazareth (S.P.G.) was destined to
become the first school for Indian girls to be recognized as a high school by the
Madras Department of Public Instruction. The girls of this school were the
first batch to appear for the Government Matriculation Examination in the
entire state of Madras Presidency.
FREE EDUCATION AND MARRIAGE ASSISTANCE SCHEME
In order to encourage women’s education in the
mission schools, they introduced innovative policies and implemented in their
schools. Girl students were exempted from payment of fees and free boarding
and lodging were provided. Further, they were also given presents
of money and clothes. The
present Tamil Nadu Government has announced for exempted from payment of fees, scholarship
on monthly basis and supply priceless school uniform to school going children.
Besides
the above provisions, a dowry
of Rs.45 was given to each girl who left to get married after
completing III Form. The above innovative policies of the
missionaries, now adopted by the Tamil Nadu Government to encourage women’s
education, the amount is increased according to the present money value Rs.
50,000 for a girl, who completed degree and 4 gram gold for sacred tie. Definitely this policy welcomed by all
economically backward families, because of this Marriage Assistance Scheme reduce the burden of the parents to
spend money for giving education to their wards and marriage expenses
considerably. Thus, the missionaries were
the innovative policy makers for ever in the field of education.
INTRODUCED VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
Beginning of
the Nineteenth century, women were subjected to hardship and most of them were
leading a miserable life in Tirunelveli district. In order to relieve the unprivileged women,
the women missionaries played a vital role in enhance the status of women in
the society by introducing industrial education after school hours. The S.P.G.
missionary was a pioneer in Industrial Education in Tirunelveli District. The
mission industrial schools were founded long before the Government of Madras
started such school.
The remarkable development of 1844 was taken place when the missionaries
started Industrial Schools to women in Tirunelveli district. Beginning of Industrial school led to the
development of International trade by women and paved way for economic
independence to them. At present the Tamil Nadu Government implemented “Add on course” to provide technical knowledge
like Front office management course, computer operator, data entry operators
for placement after the collegiate education.
It is nothing but the course
innovated and implemented by the missionaries aim of introducing technical
education to women, destitute, slave girls, and orphans in those days.
HYGIENE
AND SANITATION SCHEME
For
instance, the major occupation of the women folk in those days in Tirunelveli
district was making Jaggery, which was a very labourious task and the women
spend the whole day on it. They lived without cleanliness,
restless, hygiene, and recreation, which led them to be vexed in life. Therefore, the women missionaries began to organize Women’s Union for the well being of the Jaggery making women. Now, the Tamil Nadu Government encourage women self help group and give skill training and exhibited
their product at Chennai. The missionaries taught hygiene and cleanliness and
provide clean petticoats during the school hours. The present Tamil Nadu
government had distributed free uniform to all
government school children and supply sanitary napkins to adult girls.
WIDOW’S
WELFARE SCHEMES
The Society of Propagation of Gospel records
clearly stated that fifteen out of hundred women were widows. Zenana Missionaries introduced Industrial Education, Teacher’s Training
Institutes for women and providing employment opportunity for widows and
illiterate women to enhance their economic status. The Government also allotted special Quota
for destitute women or widows in educational institutions and placement in
Government organizations.
WELFARE
SCHEME FOR THE ORPHANS
The
large numbers of orphan children were thrown under the care of the missionaries
during the famine of 1878, which led to the missionaries to establishment of St. John’s
Orphanage industrial education that was the only solution of enabling
orphans to become economically independent position. The Government of Tamil Nadu has announced “Thottle
Kulanthai Thittam or Cradle Baby Scheme” for the welfare of neglected
or orphan girl children.
The
history of technical education in Tirunelveli district traced back to 1844 when
Mrs. Eliza Caldwell, started a school for girls to teach lace- making at Idayangudi.
With the help of designers, there were 36 variety of lace product knitted by the women. This school is well known for its silk thread
and zari work all over South India. The finished products were sent to
England. These products were well
reputation in the world market. There
were 80 women were employed, which enable them to earn a fixed amount to
support their family by promoting international trade. Mrs.
Eliza taught knitting to the Boarders in the afternoon. She
introduced sewing, fancy and needle work also taught for aged women in the
industrial school. In Tamil Nadu Government
announced Add on Course a
scheme to empower Arts and Science College students by providing free fashion technology and textile related
courses to get employment opportunity in future.
INTRODUCED
SHIFT SYSTEM
Tirunelveli Missionaries regulated the working hours and
reduce the working hours for 5 to 6
hours a day, for the temporary workers
were work only once in a week to motivate the women to involve in industrial
school activities. To encourage the workers, the missionaries had given rice
and clothes as gift. Moreover, the
workers were allowed to take the raw material to home and work. The wages fixed according to the quality of
lace work design, length and breath. For instance, in
January 1906 lace-making was introduced in the Queen Victoria School, Tuticorin
by Mrs. Eliza Caldwell and it was something very novel in India in those days.She
developed the school to very high standards of efficiency and usefulness
introducing lace making as a profitable craft. Whereas
the Tamil Nadu Government has introduced job oriented courses tie up with “Self- help groups” and Women’s
organizations to promote trade and enhance the economic status of women and
develop entrepreneurship of girls after education.
SPG
Art Industrial School, Nazareth was started on the 14th November 1878 for the
orphans of St. John’s Orphanage with school up to the III Standard and
Vocational Training in Carpentry, Tailoring and Gardening. They taught industrial work along with
general education and introduced Shift System. So that
when they left the Orphanage they may earn for their livelihood. For instance, in 1882, the National
Indian Association has organized an exhibition of Needle work in Madras. Whereas the Government of India and
State government was organizing exhibitions, trade fairs with the assistance of
College Bazaar and gave subsidy to the self –help group products, handloom and handicraft articles in the main
cities and encourage the traditional handicraft. In order to save handloom and traditional
craft, the departmental awareness campaign and awards given to the expertise
institutions.
WOMEN’S
UNION
At Meignanapuram, an Embroidery and Basket
Industry was established by Mrs, John
Thomas, where she taught sewing also.
They sold the finished goods at Kodaikanal and England. Further, Meignanapuram was well known for its
baskets made up of palm leaf and ribs,
Addukku petti [baskets kept one over the other or small size to big size
baskets], Tailoring machine cover box in
India and Abroad. Later on this work may be introduce as cottage industry with
the help of Government. The Government
has appointed teachers to teach to the village women. Initially, women hesitated to involve in this
work, later on women were interested to join with this course and produce palm
leaf products for sale. These were
collected and exported to Colombo and
earn foreign exchange, which enhance their economic status. The entire family
members involved in this cottage industry work. The Industrial & Technological studies
and practices included as many as 18 items viz. Carpentry, Masonry, Block
smithy, Tailoring, Embroidery, Spinning, Weaving Dyeing, Model drawing plan
Drawing, Geometry, Painting, Gown-Making or Dress Making. Lamp-wick Making,
Lace making, Rattan work, Typing and Shorthand. At present the Government
introduced Two Self-Employment Projects i) Manufacture of Palm leaf Products
and ii) Production of Palmyrah Fibre for Girls were started with kind help of
Khadi and Village Industries Board and
CASA in order to provide a means of livelihood for the innumerable poor and
also educated Girls and drop-outs in the Rural Area. The Products have great export demand. The
products have earned their name for their great skill and good quality of
workmanship.
INTRODUCED
TECHNICAL EDUCATION FOR DIFFERENTLY ABLE
Miss.
Annie Jane Asqwith, decided to rehabilitate the blinds by making them to be
self reliant. For instance she taught
how to pull a Punkah and pay to Subbu, the first blind student of first blind
school in South India. At once he
expressed his interested of learning.
So Annie Jane Asqwith with the help of Dr. Willium Moon of England, they invented
and introduced Moon type of Tamil
Braille in Tirunelveli Blind
School to teach reading and writing to Subbu. Later Subbu brought many blind
boys and girls to learn and read like him.
Aavudaiammal is the first blind girl student of Blind school. In 1895 deaf school was started by Miss
Florence Swainson, where she taught each deaf child a trade along with general
education. These two missionaries were
to give confidence to the blind and deaf, to give education and to provide them
vocational training, to make them to be self reliant economically and enhance
their social status by self earning. Followed by the Missionaries,
the Tamil Nadu Government has run a vocational training centre for the
differently able and quota allotted for getting opportunities in government
organizations and make them to be a self reliant. At present the government has introduce many policies
through separate Board for differently able.
Initially, twice a week the differently able
did knitting and plain sewing for a change of work. Girls were taught basket making and mat
making and all kinds of sewing. Later
they supplied some surplus for the native clergy. She also found a ready market for the
products made by the children like dress materials, embroidery works etc. Thus they earned a good income. Miss. Sunday and other friends in England sold
cross stitch made by the deaf and dumb students. Blind school
products established a market at Kodaikanal.
The missionaries and British officials who came there for their summer
holidays purchased the materials. Besides, a large quantity of nice work products were sent to England and
Canada for sale, which cause for the introduction of International Braille to facilitate the blind women to carried
on international trade conduct independently. The basket, rope,
net, mats, rugs, bed-sheets and carpets
and other allied handicrafts made by these blind students had a good
market due to their durability. Whereas the Tamil Nadu Government introduced Personality
enrichment courses like communication
skill or spoken English to develop soft skill to get job opportunity through
rehabilitation centres or NIVH (National
Institute for Visually Handicapped). After
the completion of VIII standard, Vocational training was given for five years
and proficiency certificates were issued by the Joint Director of Industries
and Commerce, Madras by the Palayamkottai Blind and Deaf schools.
INTRODUCED
SELF SUPPORTING INSTITUTIONS
The
Roman Catholic Industrial School at Palamcottah
had commercial section alone.
St. Joseph’s Institute for Home Industries was founded and managed entirely by
the efforts of Mr. Roche Victoria, M.L.A., a Roman Catholic leader and
Municipal Chairman at Tuticorin. The
unique feature of the school was self-supporting scheme, with numerous
courses than in any other government-aided or Mission-managed institutions of
the type. The courses include
manufacture of paraffin candles, painting, brass-band, photography,
clay-modeling, fret-work, sculpture, silver, gold and nickel plating, besides
carpentry, tailoring, weaving, printing, book-binding and mat-making. Further, the School Staff were in charge of a
Rural Reconstruction Centre, about eight miles away from the town, where
excellent beginnings had been made in poultry-farming, bee-culture and animal
husbandry.. The products made at the
School were sold at Exhibitions or to different Catholic schools for
prize-giving. Pillow lace
made in Tuticorin was in great demand in Europe, the industry had
been replaced by embroidery and drawn thread work . In the Holy Gross convent at
Tuticorin, the girl students were taught dress-making and needle work. At present many Educational institutions are
mostly recognized based on self – supporting institutions or
self-financing educational institutions. Hence, the missionaries of Tirunelveli
district were the innovative policy makers of Education not only in Tirunelveli
district of Madras Presidency but also in India.
CONCLUSION
The researcher conclude
that after the introduction of innovative policies in the field of education in
Tirunelveli district of Madras Presidency, tremendous changes took place in
socio-economic, education, culture. Some
of the innovative policies were dowry after completion of VIII standard, free
food, accommodation, free dress for school hours, free dress for festival
occasions, everyday incentive, Innovative Institutions like formal girls
school, boarding school, industrial
school, co-education school, teachers training schools, women’s college,
special schools open to educate women, self supporting schemes, and earn for
their livelihood. Economic independence
led to the development of women’s education, employment, liberation from the
age old traditional social bondages.
Widows were given employment opportunities and their remarriage was on
the rise. It helped them to become more independent. The growth of
domestic industries especially lace, there was enormous growth in the number of
working women. They earned a decent
living through jobs and achieved economic independence. Missionaries helped slave girls to earn
money by lace work and embroidery. As a result, the social status
of women increased. Their life became
more decent, clean, healthy and enjoyable.
Today Tirunelveli
is still remembered the name of the
women missionaries who worked for the Young Indian women. Many a women and
children became literates. The
institutions founded by the missionaries still expanded and survived and
offered a wide variety of education irrespective of caste and creed. Thousands of civil servants, entrepreneurs’
and educationalists began to come and testimony to the selfless service, and
achievements of the women missionaries. The humble beginning of innovative
policies in the field of education led to the development of women not only in
the field of education, which help them to spread their wings in enormous field. The above references clearly stated that the
present Government has adopted the innovative policies of the missionaries with
slight modification with change according to the need of an hour.
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