growth of education under the protestants in vilavancode...

Chapter VI

Growth of Education under the Protestants in

Vilavancode Taluk

6.1 Traditional System of Education

The traditional educational system of Vilavancode was based on the

earlier system of education that prevailed in Travancore. The

Vedapadasalas and the Kudipallikudams provided the then needed

education to the people.1 During those days, the villagers did not segregate

boys and girls. They were taught together.2 Classes were conducted in the

temple buildings, private houses or at shady places. Usually classes began

early in the morning and continued till late in the evening. There was no

regular periods. Normally the children joined the classes at the age of five

and left them at the age of fifteen.3

Initially students were taught the Vedas. The Mutts and the

Vedapadasalas imparted the needed education to the pupils who were

admitted in them. These institutions very often received support from the

1 Centre for Development Studies, Trivandrum, 1984, p. 7.

2 Travancore Archeological Series, 1937-1938, p. 185.

3 Revenue Consultations, 10 March 1826, Vol. 24, p. 854.

182

Rajas in the form of land grants and gifts.4 In these schools, the Asans

taught the pupils the three Rs.5 Normally the Asans taught the people to

write on the sandy ground prepared for this purpose. Then they were taught

to write on the specially prepared palm leaves with iron style. In the

Brahmin dominated villages like Kuzhithurai, Kollemcode and

Parthivapuram the Brahmins gave importance to the teaching of the Vedas

and the puranas.6

In the non-Brahmin remote areas like Marthandam,

Thengapattanam, there were kudipallikudams. These kudipallikudams had

their origin, when Buddhism and Jainism were prevalent in Travancore.

Normally these schools were conducted in verandahs of buildings, public

places, under the shades of trees. Sometimes schools were conducted in the

house of the Asans. These schools were only self supporting. They did not

receive any grant from the government. They received emoluments in kind,

besides special gifts on auspicious days and at harvest times from the

parents of the students. In very rare cases there were boarding facilities that

was supported by the local landlords.7 There were many Mutts attached

with temples and these Mutts were supported from the lands and grants

4 Centre for Development Studies, Trivandrum, 1989, p. 7.

5 The three Rs are reading, writing and arithmetic.

6 Revenue Consultations, 30 September 1825, Vol. 374, p. 850.

7 Centre for Development Studies, pp. 8-9.

183

given by the Maharajas. There was a vedic college at Parthivapuram

temple where 90 scholars studied during those days. There were vedic

schools in other Sivalayas of Vilavancode Taluk.8

During the medieval period physical education formed a part of

education. The pupils were trained in Kalaris. They taught the students the

art of self defence and offence. Those who attended Kalari training paid

regular fee to the masters.9 Besides these there were Gurukulas in which

the Acharyas taught them. Thunchattu Ezhuthachan, the father of Modern

Malayalam literature was one such famous Gurus. Later on there was a

stagnation in the purpose of education, which gradually became

stereotyped. The educational scenario was dominated by the Hindus. At

this juncture the Europeans came for trade.10

Following them the Protestant

missionaries who came to India understood the educational backwardness

of the people and hence they started educational work.11

The educational development at Vilavancode owes its development

to the Christian community. During the early phase of the 19th

century, the

Protestant Missionaries were responsible for the introduction of English

8 Travancore Archaeological Series, Vol. VI, p. 27.

9 Progress of Education in Kerala, Trivandrum, 1961, p. 1.

10 Progress of Education in Kerala, p. 2.

11 Gladston, J.W., Protestant Christianity and Peoples Movement in Kerala,

1850-1986, Seminary Publications, 1984, p. 70.

184

education in South Travancore. The people who went to these schools

were thoroughly changed. Understanding the causes for the popularity of

Protestantism the Catholics also adapted the same principles. The people in

general looked upon the traditional system of education that was prevalent

not only in South Travancore but also in other parts of Travancore.

Learning in those days was considered to be an imperishable wealth.

But there were no regular schools for the children. As the pioneers of

modern education in India the Christian Missionaries worked untiringly for

the eradication of superstition and poverty. The Gurukula system of

education continued till the arrival of Christian Missionaries. It was

abolished in later period due to the arrival of Christian missionaries. But

the Western education brought about salutary changes in the society.12

6.2 Efforts of Christian Missionaries

Before the arrival of Christian missionaries the people of

Vilavancode Taluk were illiterates. This was the main reason for their

backwardness. The important Christian missionaries who came to various

parts of Vilaancode Taluk were St. Francis Xavier,13

Fr. James Toumbuer,14

12 Keay, P., A History of Education in India and Pakistan, London, 1964, p. 197.

13 St. Francis Xavier was born on April 7, 1506 at the kingdom of Navarre in

Spain. He was noble by birth. At the age of 18 he went to Parish for high

education. He studied philosophy at St. Barbe. His parents inculcated in him

the importance of Christianity. After completing his education he became a

185

Rev. William Thobias Ringletaube,15

Rev. Charles Mead,16

Robert

Sinclair,17

James Emlyn18

and a host of other Protestant missionaries visited

professor in De Beavasis College, where he met Ignatius Lyola in 1524, who

came to Parish for his studies. Ignatius started the Society of Jesus. In 1925

he joined “Society of Jesus”. He started his journey on 15th

March 1540 and

he reached India on 6th

May 1542, and settled at Cape Comorin

(Kanyakumari) and established Cape Comorin Mission. From there he visited

Kottar and spread Christianity. He is known as the second apostle of India.

He worked assiduously for many years among the poor people in Kottar of

Nagercoil town. In 1592 he went to Japan. Due to his hard work people who

settled in coastal area followed Christianity.

14 Rev. Fr. James Toumbuer was a missionary hailed from Belgium. He

worked in Vilavancode Taluk in Kanyakumari District. He was born in

Brushes in Belgium on 29th

August 1924, into a rich and well connected

family. His father was Mr. Toumbuer Franz and mother was Mrs. Marie. He

studied Bible College at Louviean and completed his studies in 1949. In 1950

he reached India. In 1952 he was appointed as the parish priest at Parakunnu

through Kottar diocese. He learned Tamil with a view to mingle freely with

the local population. He started industries like Palmyrah Workers

Development Society, brush making centre, potters sangam and boat making

centre. He spent his time and energy for the welfare of the poor people.

15 William Thobias Ringletaube, the Apostle of South Travbancore established

London Missionary Society in Travancore. He was born on 89th

August 1770

at Schiedelwitz in Germany. His father was Gottieb Ringletaube.

Ringletaube dedicated himself to go the places where Christianity had not

reached. During the period of 1799 the London Missionary Society wanted to

send missionaries to India. Tingletaube was found suitable. Hence his name

was considered for the missionary, and they sent him to work in South India.

He came to India with five missionaries by Danish ship named ‘Kings

Packet’. He reached Tranquebar in the south-east cost of India on 5th

December 1804. He learnt Tamil under the guidance of Rev. Kohlholf at

Tranguebar. Vethamanickam invited him to Travancore. As this invitation he

reached Mylaudy on 25th

April 1806. He preached Christianity to the

common people. He started school at Mylaudy. The history of Tranquebar

Mission states that Rintlegaube was killed on a journey in to Central Africa in

1920. He was ordained in 1796 and sent as a missionary to Calcutta. Before

coming to Mylaudy he served as missionary to Calcutta, Tranquebar and

Tirunelveli.

16 Rev. Charles Mead who succeeded Ringletaube was a man of capacity and

courage. He was born on 8th

August 1770 at Sheedas Uites in Germany. He

came to Mylaudy at the end of 1817 and took over the work left out by

Ringletaube. The Travancore government appointed him as a judge at

186

Vilavancode and contributed their might for the welfare of the people more,

especially for education. The respect of starting English education at

Marthandam which was at the centre of Vilavancode Taluk goes to Rev.

Mead. He was followed by Rev. Sinclair Emlyn and Abbs.

Nagercoil Court. Rev. Mead worked in Nagercoil in 1818. He took first

systematic steps to the development of education of both men and women in

Travancore. He spread Christianity about 60 villages like Puthoor, Kanodoo,

Shenanvilai, Neyyoor, Palliyady and Marthandam.

17 Robert Sinclaire was the second resident missionary of Marthandam. He was

born on 15th

November 1882 at Scotland. He was ordained as a minister in

Scotland on 3rd

March 1909. He came to Nagercoil in 1910 as a LMS

Missionary. He had no time to celebrate his wedding in Scotland. So Miss.

Elizabeth Smith Bessie came to Nagercoil, after a few months and they were

married at the Nagercoil Home Church in December 1910. In the beginning

he served as a pastor. He succeeded Rev. I.H. Hacker in 1919 and came to

Marthandam and resided here from 1920 onwards. The first task of Sinclair in

Marthandam was the completion of the Mission Bungalow. He dedicated the

girls vernacular middle school on 15th

June 1922 and the Girls Boarding

Home on May 1923. Sinclaie built the marvelous stone church at

Marthandam. The foundation stone was laid on 26.07.1924 by Rev. C.G.

Marshal. The church was dedicated on 13th

May 1933. During this period

Marthandam embroidery industry became famous. The cloths were exported

to London. In 1946, Sinclair left for Scotland due to the illness of his wife

Elizabeth Smith Bessie. Robert Sinclair died on 12.09.1946.

18 James Emlyn, a Missionary of the London Missionary Society was appointed

to the Parassala Mission in 1869, after the departure of Mr. and Mrs. Newport.

In 1978 he diverted his attention towards Marthandam. At that time it was a

very backward and remote area. Mrs. Emlyn took much pains to establish a

girls school at Marthandam. Unfortunately she died in 1880. However Emlyn

opened there schools in thatched buildings. After the death of his wife James

Emlyn shouldered the responsibility of developing these schools for the next

ten years and retired from the service of the London Missionary Society in

1892.

187

The missionaries selected the remote rural areas in Vilavancode

Taluk for their field work.19

They worked only among the backward

communities.20

The schools started by the Christian missionaries provided

education to all the children in and around Vilavancode Taluk irrespective

of caste and creed.21

The Christian missionaries eradicated illiteracy among

the common people.22

The Christian Missionaries were the pioneers of English education in

the erstwhile Travancore state. However, their educational involvement

was a deep-rooted affair particularly in South Travancore as well in

Vilavancode Taluk. The Portuguese and the Dutch who came to the

Travancore state and they were engulfed in expansion. The Roman

Catholics who came even prior to the Dutch and the Portuguese were

involved in conversion. They concentrated on converting the people of the

coastal areas. But their contribution to education was not encouraging.

The respect of introducing Western education goes to the Protestant

Missionaries.

19 Martin Daniel Dhas, A Missionary Medical World in Travancore,

Marthandam, 1981, p. 1.

20 Joy Gnanadason, The Forgotten History, Madras, 1984, p. 46.

21 Gopala Krishnan, M., op.cit., p. 833.

22 Anlet Sobitha Bai, W., History of India, Marthandam, 2002, p. 94.

188

Ringletaube, the first Protestant Missionary laid the foundation for

the Western education at Mylaudy Mission Centre in 1806.23

Following the

welfare works at Mylaudy, new mission stations sprang up in Nagercoil,

Neyyoor and Parassala. Where ever they established churches in South

Travancore the Missionaries established schools also.

In 1834 Charles Mead purchased a plot at Martandam and in that site

Rev. Abbs put up a shed for mission work and conducted prayer.24

The

missionaries established village schools along with the churches in the

Martandam area. The Parassala Mission report for the year 1861 gives the

information that there existed two village schools in Nalloor and

Thoduvetty.25

In these schools, Scripture, History, Geography, Tamil

Grammar and Human Physiology were taught. Rev. Emlyn started an

English school at Kuzhithurai for Brahmins. In this school children were

admitted from 1871.26

As Mead could not supervise the work he entrusted the work to

Parassala Mission which was established in 1845 to Mr. and Mrs. Newport.

23 Nagam Aiya, V., Travancore State Manual, Vol. II, Trivandrum, 1906, p.

453. 24

Agur, C.M., op.cit., p. 728.

25 Nesaiyah, Loc.cit., p. 28

26 Parassala Mission Reports, 1861, p. 20.

189

Rev. and Mrs. James Emlyn, after the departure of Mr. and Mrs. Newport,27

supervised the Boarding School and education of women and girls.28

After

their return from their furlough in 1878 James Emlyn and Mrs. James

Emlyn diverted their attention towards Marthandam which was a very

backward area.29

Mrs. Emlyn took much pains to establish a girl’s school

at Marthandam. Unfortunately she died in 1880. However, Rev. Emlyn

opened three schools in thatched buildings. Of them two schools were

meant for boys, one of them being a middle school in which English,

Malayalam and Tamil were taught.30

The third one was an elementary

school in which all the three languages were taught. After the death of Mrs.

James Emlyn, Rev. James Emlyn shouldered the responsibility of

developing these schools for the next ten years and retired from the service

of the L.M.S. in 1892.31

These schools later became the L.M.S. Girls, the

L.M.S. Boys and the Government Schools respectively.

27 Annual Report of the L.M.S., 1869, p. 75.

28 Martin Daniel Dhas, op.cit., p26.

29 Mrs. Joshua, K., The History of our School – Marthandam, L.M.S. Girls

Higher Secondary School Centenary Souvenir, 1882-1982, p. 5. And Annual

Report of the Ninety-eighth Report of L.M.S., London, 1892, p. 152.

30 Mrs. Joshua, K., op.cit., p. 5.

31 Ibid., p. 153.

190

6.3 Women’s Education

The missionaries understood the backwardness of the women. They

could understand the women were most backward than other Taluks. So

Mrs. Emlyn established girls schools. In 1892, the girl’s school at

Marthandam had 264 pupils on the rolls. More than half of them were

Hindus. In 1892 Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Knowles (1892-1900) took over the

management of the schools started by Rev. James Emlyn.32

In 1895, in

accordance with the requirements of the government, efforts were made to

get sufficiently qualified teachers.33

In 1899 five girls were sent for the

Madras Lower Secondary Examination. All the five girls came out with

flying colours.34

Because of the constant work of Mrs. Knowles the

percentage of passes in the school was the highest in the state.35

In 1896,

Mrs. Knowles converted the school into an English School.36

She increased

the number of staff and encouraged the students by giving them

scholarship.37

The best students were supported by the Mission.38

After

32 Report of the T.D.C. for 1893, Report of Parassala Mission District, South

Travancore, p. 7.

33 Yesudhas, R.N., A History of Women’s Education in Kerala, p. 29.

34 Report of the T.D.C. for 1900, Report of Parassala Mission District, p. 30.

35 Mrs. Joshua, K., op.cit., 1882-1982, p. 5.

36 Evangelical Magazine and Missionary Chronicles, May 1897, p. 106.

37 Report of the T.D.C. for 1900, Report of the Parassala Mission District, p. 8.

191

the retirement of Mr. and Mrs. Knowles in 1899 Mrs. A.T. Foster continued

the work at Marthandam.39

Mrs. Foster added two rooms to the existing

building. In every school Bible study was made a compulsory subject.40

In 1905, Rev. I.H. Hacker was appointed as a full time supervisor of

the schools.41

Hence Mr. and Mrs. Hacker moved from Neyyoor to

Marthandam. Mrs. Winnifred Hacker worked hard for the promotion of

primary education.42

In the Girls Primary School Mrs. Saral

Sebagnanam was appointed as a teacher.43

Mrs. Winnifred Hacker started

an Embroidery Industry and encouraged the school children to learn needle

work.44

She also taught them English in the Boarding Home. As a result

four girls of the school were awarded medals on the occasion of the

coronation of George V.45

Devavaram a qualified headmaster of the School

employed his own students as teachers.46

In 1919, the local Boys Middle

38 Annual Report of the One Hundred and Third Report of the L.M.S., London,

1898, p. 136 and Report of the T.D.C. for 1900, Report of the Parassala

Mission District, p. 29.

39 Report of the T.D.C. for 1907, Report of the Parassala Mission District, p. 5.

40 Ibid.

41 Annual Report of the One Hundred and Twelfth Report of the L.M.S.,

London, 1907, p. 128.

42 Annual Report of the 113

th Report of the L.M.S., London, 1908, p. 105.

43 Ibid., 119


44 Ibid., 115


45 Mrs. Joshua, K., op.cit., p.2.

46 Ibid., p. 2.

192

School was handed over to the Government.47

Mr. and Mrs. Hacker retired

from their active service in 1919.48

After Mrs. Hacker the work of promoting female education at

Marthandam was taken up by Mrs. Bessie Sinclair.49

One of the earliest

achievements of Mrs. Sinclair was the construction of a building in 1921,

for the Girls School which was dedicated on 5.6.1922 by I.H. Hacker.50

On

that occasion Hodgson, the Director of Public Instruction offered

felicitations.51

Assisted by Miss G.M. Harris, Mrs. Sinclair and A.T.

Foster, Rev. Sinclair drew up a plan for a Boarding Home.52

At the end of

1923 the work of the Boarding Home was completed at a cost of Rs.

11,500/-.53

Towards this good cause a gift of Rs. 260/- was received from


48 Annual Report of the 125


49 Bessie Graham Smith married Robert Sinclair on 25

th December 1910 at the

Home Church, Nagercoil. In 1910 this missionary couple took charge of the

Nagercoil Mission District. They stayed with Mrs. Cave. Mrs. Sinclair

participated in the street meeting and preached the love of God. She met the

women, on the previous day and invited them to the street meetings at

Nagercoil. On the retirement of Hacker and Winnifred Hacker in 1919 Mr.

and Mrs. Sinclair made Marthandam his headquarters. 45th

Report of the

Nagercoil Home Church, 1910, p. 10. 50

Minutes of the Travancore Mission Council, February 1922, p. 47. 51

Mrs. Joshua, K., op.cit., p. 1. 52

The Boarding Home is now used as the chemistry laboratory and department

of Marthandam Christian College. Minutes of the Travancore District

Conference, 192, p. 287. 53

The influence of the Institution is one of the healthiest in the District and the

contact that it establishes with the girls constitute one of the most satisfactory

aspects of our work.” Sinclair, R., “Girls Boarding Home.” L.M.S., Ten

Years of Church and Mission in Travancore 1921-1930, p. 57.

193

the L.M.S. In 1922 there were 72 children in the Boarding Home and the

School had a strength of 321 children.54

Among the boarders twenty girls

were freely admitted and the rest paid only Rs. 315/- as against the actual

expenses of Rs. 2,770/-.55

Mrs. Bessie Sinclair undertook supervision of Women’s education

and the teaching of lace making. In 1924 a new scheme to help the poor

day-scholars was inaugurated.56

The poor pupils were provided with noon

canjee free of cost.57

This scheme paved the way for considerable increase

in the strength of the school.58

The year 1928 was an important year in the

history of Marthandam Boarding Home. The Boarders were taught

gardening and poultry59

with a view to increase their contribution to the

Home Missionary Society.60

Out of the income earned by the boarders a

54 L.M.S. Report of the Industrial Work, Industries and Properties under the

supervision of the Mission Council, 1922, p. 31.

55 Ibid., 1923, p. 40.


supervision of the Mission Council, 1924, p. 30 and Annual Report of the One

Hundred and Thirty First Report of the L.M.S., London, 1926, p. 53.


supervision of the Mission Council, 1922, p. 53.

58 Ibid., 1924, p. 34.

59 Ibid., 1928, p. 26.

60 The Home Missionary Society was founded by Travancore Church Council in

1895 with the object of spreading the Gospel in areas not reached by the

Mission so far. It was managed by native funds under native direction.

(Hacker, I.H., Hundred Years in Travancore, pp. 60-62).

194

new bell for one of the Churches was purchased and donated by the

H.M.S.61

In 1928, cholera broke out in South Travancore and it affected the

villages with all its severity.62

Naturally the girls in the Boarding Home

were sacred. But Mrs. Sinclair took special care of the children and so

none of the boarders was affected except the one who had gone to her

village during Christmas vacation.63

Though the government took steps to

help the afflicted it could not do much in the remote villages. But Mr. and

Mrs. Sinclair visited the poverty stricken villages by walking two to three

miles along with Dr. Somervell and distributed medicine to the sick and if

necessary, shifted the patients to the hospital at Neyyoor.64

In 1929, there were 193 mission schools in the southern districts of

the Mission, viz., Nagercoil, Neyyoor and Parassala. But the trained

teachers in the schools constituted only 22% of the total number of teachers

as against the 100% in schools of the Madras Presidency.65

Hence Mr. and

61 L.M.S. Report of the Industrial Work and Properties under the Supervision of

the Mission Council, 1928, p. 27.

62 Ibid., p. 27, and Russel Raj, N., Sinclair, R., “The Builder of the Marthandam

Church.” Desopakari, 125th

Malar, p. 47.


supervision of the Mission Council, p. 27.

64 Minutes of Travancore Mission Council, August 1929, pp. 49-50.

65 Annual Report of the One Hundred and Thirty Fifth report of the L.M.S.,

London, 1930, p. 70.

195

Mrs. Sinclair appealed to the council to start a Training School at

Marthandam.66

The Mission Council conceded the request and authorized

Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair to go ahead with the project. Accordingly

applications were sent to the Director of Public Instruction for permission.

The Director appreciated the efforts of the Missionaries and approved the

proposal for starting a Tamil Training School.67

In May 1932, the Tamil

Higher Secondary Training School was started with 24 students.68

This

training school was accommodated in the Girls Middle School building

which had been built at a cost of Rs. 12,000/-.69

By 1936, the strength in

the Training School had increased to 35.70

The students took active part in

evangelical work, itinerary and the activities of the H.M.S.71

In the girl’s school Mrs. Bessie Sinclair trained the children in

knitting, stitching, embroidery and lace making. This enabled the girls to

earn their bread in the future.72

As the knowledge of the Malayalam

language was necessary for securing a job in the government. Mr. and Mrs.

66 Travancore Mission Council Minutes, February 1932, p. 12.

67 Ibid.

68 L.M.S. Report of the Industrial Work and Properties under the supervision of


69 Minutes of Travancore Council, February 1936, p. 127.

70 Ibid.

71 L.M.S. Report of the Industrial Work and Properties under the supervision of


72 Mrs. Joshua, K., op.cit., p.2.

196

Sinclair obtained permission from the Mission Council to start a Malayalam

medium section in the school at Marthandam.73

Under the guidance and directions of Mrs. Sinclair an Old Students

Association was formed.74

The object of the Association was to help the

former students both professionally and spiritually and to maintain closer

contact with them.75

Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair were able to build the girls’

school and the Boarding Home at the cost of Rs. 25,000/-.76

They also built

a new church with the income earned by the lace industry.77

In order to

recoup her health Mrs. Bessie Sinclair went on furlough in 1937.78

But she

could not return due to the Second World War. Sinclair passed away on

13.12.1977 in England.79

After the retirement of Robert Sinclair in 1939,80

G.D. Trowell and

Mrs. Vera Rilham Trowell assumed charge of the educational work at

73 Minutes of the Travancore Mission Council, February 1935, p. 38.

74 L.M.S. Report of the Industrial Work, 1936, p. 13.

75 Ibid., p. 127.

76 Ibid.

77 Sinclair, R., “Girls Boarding Home – Marthandam.” L.M.S., Ten Years of

Church and Mission in Travancore, 1921-1930, p. 57.

78 Travancore Mission Council Minutes, August 1937, pp. 6-8.

79 George, D.H. and R. Sinclair, L.M.S. Girls Higher Secondary School

Centenary Souvenir, 1882-1982, p. 11.

80 Mrs. Joshua, K., “The History of our School.” L.M.S. Girls Higher Secondary

School, Marthandam, 1882-1982, p. 3.

197

Marthandam in 1941.81

Under Mrs. Vera Trowell the Vernacular Middle

School was abolished and a new type of Middle School was introduced,

which required a graduate to be the headmistress. Mrs. Joshua was the first

Indian lady to be appointed as the headmistress.82

In 1949 the girls’ school

was upgraded as a High School.83

In 1952, Mr. and Mrs. Trowell were

transferred to Trivandrum. Then D. Fletcher, a native of Marthandam took

over the management of the mission schools at Marthandam.84

In 1947, the Vernacular school was about to vanish and a new type

of Middle School was introduced in Travancore. Trowell, the Manager of

the Marthandam Mission Schools amalgamated the Boys and Girls Middle

School into new Middle School. After completing the Middle School

education the pupils had to go to Nagercoil or Neyyoor for higher studies.

It became very difficult to the poor students of the Marthandam region to

pursue their higher studies. Understanding the sorry plight of these

students, Mrs. Kanagam Joshua, the then Headmistress of the school took

necessary steps to upgrade it into High School and obtained the required

81 Minutes of the Travancore Mission Council, February 1943, p. 9.

82 Ibid., January 1944, p. 18.

83 Mrs. Joshua, K., “The History of our School.” L.M.S. Girls Higher Secondary

School, 1882-1982, p. 3.

84 Ibid., p. 4.

198

permission from the Department. Pupils were admitted in this School for

the first form in 1948, Third form in 1949 and Fourth form in 1950.85

At first the High School functioned as the co-educational institution.

In 1955, Madras State Education Department issued an ordinance

disallowing to function any school as co-education institution. So

Marthandam Mission High School had to be split into two. It paved the

way for the emergence of two new schools, the L.M.S. Girls High School

and another L.M.S. Boys Middle School on 6 June 1955.86

In June 1955, L.M.S. Girls High School began to function as a

separate entity. Mrs. Kanagam Joshua was the first Headmistress of the

Girls High School. She saw some poor students attending the afternoon

class without taking food. So she arranged noon meals for the poor

students.

Mr. Gloria Titus succeeded Mrs. Joshua in 1964. She worked here

for nine years.87

Mrs. Lilly became the Headmistress in 1973 till 1978.88

In 1978, the Government of Tamil Nadu changed the education

pattern into 10, +2 in the school level. According to the new system of

85 Rev. Joshua Knowles, Parassala Mission Report, 1898, p. 2.

86 Ibid., p. 3.

87 Ibid., p. 3.

88 Ibid.

199

education existing P.U.C. was abolished and plus two pattern for two years

was introduced. So the L.M.S. Girls School was upgraded into a Higher

Secondary School in Vilavancode Taluk. During the period of Padma

Justus the first batch of English medium section sat for their S.S.L.C.

Examination in 1982.89

Thus, as years passed by, the L.M.S. Girls Higher

Secondary School is progressing.

The involvement of Christian missionaries for their educational

system was a deep rooted affair particularly in South Travancore. The

Portuguese and the Dutch who came to the erstwhile Travancore state even

prior to the British were the Roman Catholics. They did not do much

towards the cause of education because they were interested in the

propagation of their faith. But the Protestant missionaries who arrived later

were the first to introduce English education in Vilavancode Taluk.90

James Emlyn wanted to teach English language to the children. So

he started an Anglo-Vernacular School in Marthandam on 15 April 1882.91

The Anglo-Vernacular school marked a new era in the educational history

of Vilavancode Taluk. It was a middle school for boys in which English,

Malayalam and Tamil were taught. Hitherto there was no scope for female

89 Rev. Knowles, Parassala Mission Report, 1898, p. 3.

90 Nagam Aiya, V., Travancore State Manual, Vol. II, Trivandrum, 1906,

p. 453.

91 James Emlyn, Annual Report of Parassala Mission, 1871, p. 7.

200

education. So Emlyn started Girls’ elementary school in 1882.92

In that

school, Tamil, Malayalam and English were taught.

Mr. Timothy Daniel was in charge of the middle school. Mr. Paul

was in charge of Vernacular school and Rev. Emlyn employed a Nair

woman for the Girls School.93

In 1894 Martandam became one of the main

centres of education in the Parassala Mission district. At first in 1895 five

girls were sent for Lower Secondary Examination held at Madras.94

It was

very difficult to the girls to attend school regularly due to poverty and other

difficulties in their houses. Transportation facility was practically nil. So

Mrs. Knowels transferred the Girls Boarding School to Martandam which

was formerly located at Parassala in 1886.95

The Marthandam English Lower Secondary School had about 250

students in 1898.96

Marthandam English Girls Lower Secondary School

had 80 students. J. Knowls succeeded in obtaining grant-in-aid from

Travaancore Government for both schools in 1899. Year by year the

92 James Emlyn, Annual Report of Parassala Mission, 1871, p. 19.

93 Joshua, K., “History of the School,” Centenary Souvenir, L.M.S. Girls Higher

Secondary School, Martandam, 1982, p. 1.

94 Ibid.


96 Ibid.

201

students’ strength of the school increased. In 1901, twenty-seven teachers

worked in the schools and all of them were Christians.

Rev. Sinclair came to Marthandam and assumed charge as Manager

of the two schools in 1919.97

He found that the existing Girls’ School

building was in a dilapidated condition. The leakage of rain water inside

the class room was a hindrance to the students and to their studies. He

constructed a new building and I.H. Hacker dedicated the school on 5 June

1922.98

Now it is called L.M.S. Boys’ Higher Secondary School.

Sinclair saw the Boys’ Middle School and Girls’ Middle School

were functioning opposite to each other. Therefore he wanted to keep the

two schools away from each other. In view of that he built another school

building for girls at a distance of 300 metres away from the boys school in

1929.99

It is the present L.M.S. Girls’ Higher Secondary School. Sinclair

started a Tamil Teacher Training School in May 1932 in the old girls

school building.100

The Training School functioned upto 1945 only. Thus

under the missionaries the schools were functioning well.


98 Ibid., 1919, p. 13.

99 Ibid., p. 2.

100 Ibid.

202

6.4 Education under Travancore Kings

Seeing the efforts of missionaries, the kings invited them to start

schools at Trivandrum and other places. First English schools were

opened. When the policy of the government underwent changes

Malayalam and Tamil Schools came to be established in three grades,

namely primary schools, middle schools and high schools. Primary schools

taught upto class V, the course of instruction being confined mainly to

reading, writing, elementary arithmetic and simple lessons in History and

Geography.

The educational system of Travancore consisted of three important

branches, namely, the Malayalam and Tamil schools, the English schools

and the colleges.101

Primary education was free throughout the state.102

Co-education

was adopted as the departmental policy for all primary schools. The

general rule in the state was that school education should be imparted only

to children who have completed 5 years and consequently schools were not

allowed to admit pupils below the age of five.103

101 Anlet Sobitha Bai, op.cit., pp. 94-95.

102 Travancore Archeological Report, 1944-45, p. 143.

103 Travancore-Cochin Administrative Report, 1950-51, p. 87.

203

Even though the government encouraged primary education there

was poor response from the public. In order to eradicate illiteracy the

government appointed a committee to enquire into the defects of the

educational system. The Statham Committee of 1933 recommended

against the immediate introduction of compulsory primary education

because of its prohibitive cost. But the Papworth Committee of 1945

considered the matter and recommended that universal compulsory

education should be introduced in the state area by area.104

When Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer was the Dewan of the State he

evolved a scheme for nationalizing primary education with the principal

object of bringing all primary education under the direct control of the

state.105

But it was stoutly opposed by the Catholics. The government

recognized the importance of primary education and took steps to make it

compulsory and universal. The Travancore Primary Education Act was

promulgated by His Highness the Maharaja.106

The Protestants meekly

surrendered some of the schools including the primary school at

Kuzhithurai and one of the three schools at Marthandam and now they are

104 A Review of Education in India (1947-1961), New Delhi, 1961, p. 326.

105 Narchison, J.R., et al., Called to Serve, A profile of the Kottar Diocese,

Nagercoil, 1983, pp. 65-66.

106 Proceedings of the Travancore Cochin Lesiglative Assembly, Second

Session, 1951, Vol. BI, Trivandrum, 1953, p. 2276.

204

called Govt. Girls’ Higher Secondary and Govt. Higher Secondary School

at Marthandam.

6.5 After Independence

During the year 1948, Sri Gabriel Nadar and Sri A.

Chidambaranatha Nadar who were MLAs of Travancore requested Sri

Panampilli Govinda Menon, the Chief Minister to promote primary

education in Tamil in Vilavancode Taluk instead of Malayalam where the

majority of the people spoke Tamil.107

On par with the other parts of Travancore the school education at

Vilavancode Taluk underwent a major change. The Malayalam, Tamil and

Sanskrit middle schools were converted into new type of Middle Schools.

This conversion was given effect from 1947-1948 when the preparatory

class was abolished and Form I was opened against class VI. People with

S.S.L.C. and T.T.C. qualifications were posted for teaching English.108

The Malayalam and Tamil School Leaving Certificates were issued

to candidates who passed Class VII. Those who possessed such

qualifications were eligible to seek appointments in the subordinate ranks

of the public service. Similarly, the English School Leaving Certificates

107 The Travancore Legislative Assembly Proceedings, First Assembly, 1948,

Trivandrum, 1949, p. 751.

108 Assembly Proceedings 1952, First Session, Trivandrum, 1952, p. 115.

205

gave eligibility for admission to university courses of study and to the

public service.109

From the year 1947-48 compulsory education was brought into

effect in Travancore. Since Vilavancode is a part of Travancore, also

accepted the order of the government and continued its works. The teacher

pupil ratio in 1948 was about 1 : 50, later it was improved to 1 : 40. The

cost of primary education per pupil was about Rs. 25 per annum.110

Due to the depression after 1929 the government encouraged private

agencies to start schools. Many private managements were also willingly

came forward to start new schools. The Government recognized the service

rendered by private agencies for the development of education.111

There

were institutions of various grades from the lowest primary standard to the

highest college course run by private agencies. These agencies shared with

the government the task of public instruction and received substantial grant-

in-aid from the Government.112

Schools were accordingly opened in many parts of Vilavancode

Taluk also. The system of awarding grants to educational institutions


110 Travancore-Cochin Administration Report, 1951-52, p. 126.

111 Travancore-Cochin News, March 1951, Vol. II, p. 5.


206

fostered the rapid growth of education.113

During the year 1955 there were

six Middle Schools in Vilavancode Taluk which were under the

management of the Diocese of Kottar.114

During the year 1948 the Private school teachers were not regarded

as government servants as they were not recruited according to the Public

Service Recruitment Rules and were also not governed by the rules of the

Travancore Service Regulations. The responsibility to pay the teachers

vested entirely with the managements who have employed them.115

The growth of the schools has increased the number of teachers in

profession, and the number of families dependent on the profession also

increased considerably. Their problem became the problem of a major

section of the population. The government examined the question from the

various sides and prepared a scheme in consultation with all those

interested in the matter.116

113 Sivaraman Nair, U., op.cit., p. xii.

114 The six Middle Schools in Vilavancode which were under the Diocese of

Kottar were St. Barnadette’s, Mangalakunnu, St. Francis, Vavarai, St.

Joseph’s Trituapuram, R.C. Enputhanthurai, St. Mary’s, Melpalai, St.

Aloysius, Velliavilai. Fr. Narchison et al., Called to Serve, Nagercoil, 1983,

p. 64.

115 Travancore Information Listener, Vol. III, February 1948, No.6, p. 6.

116 The Travancore-Cochin News, 1

st March, 1951, Vol. I, p. 11.

207

The scheme required private managements to remit 80 percent of the

fee collection of their schools into the Treasury for meeting the salary of

teachers. The remaining 20 percent was left with the managements for

contingent expenses.117

The teachers were given a satisfactory scale of pay

uniformly in all the institutions and a teacher was to receive his or her pay

from the managements, who in their turn, have to draw the same from the

Treasury by means of bills countersigned by the Inspectors under whom the

schools functioned. The money required to pay the teachers over and above

the 80 percent of the fee collection was met by the government.118

Private

school teachers have also been given security of tenure under the Private

Secondary School Scheme introduced in 1950.119

Another scheme for the introduction of basic system of education

was taken by the government.120

Preliminary work regarding introduction

of basic education in the primary schools were done in consultation with

the Director of Public Instruction, Trivandrum.121

Construction of

buildings for the conversion of primary schools at Kuzhithurai along with

five other schools in the state into basic schools was taken up by the

117 The Travancore-Cochin News, 1

st March, 1951, Vol. I, p. 11.

118 Narchison, J.R., et al., op.cit., p. 66.

119 A Review of Education in India (1947-1961), New Delhi, 1961, p. 238.

120 Travancore-Cochin News, 1

st March 1951, Vol. I, p. 12.

121 Administrative Report, 1952-53, p. 248.

208

government.122

Thus the government attempted to improve education

following the footsteps of the L.M.S. Missionaries.

6.6 L.M.S. Boys Higher Secondary School

Originally it was established in 1882 by Rev. Emlyn. It grew faster.

The L.M.S. Boys Higher Secondary School was started on 6 June 1955 as

Middle School for boys. Before that the school was developed as a Model

School by the efforts of Headmasters like Henry Nayakam, A.S.Jasper, R.

Daniel Raja, D. Dennison and N. David Solomon. There was no high

school for boys at Marthandam. In order to provide higher education to the

boys Ninth standard was added to this school in 1960.123

The school was

upgraded as a High School in 1962. J.B. Thankaraj was appointed as the

Headmaster of the School in 1968.124

M.B. Sam, the Manager of the school

saw that the existing school building is insufficient for the increasing

pupils. He built two class rooms at the cost of Rs. 50,000/-.

In the academic year 1979-1980 the school celebrated its Silver

Jubilee. D.T. Raja became its Headmaster. He wanted to upgrade the

School into a Higher Secondary School. By his efforts the school became

122 Administrative Report Travancore-Cochin, 1953-54, Trivandrum, 1955,

p. 187.

123 Joshua, op.cit., p. 3.

124 Francis, G., Centenary Souvenir, L.M.S. Boys Higher Secondary School,

Marthandam, 1979-1980, p. 97.

209

Higher Secondary in the academic year 1980-1981.125

In this year

Mr. D. David Solomon took charge as the first Headmaster of the L.M.S.

Boys Higher Secondary School. He got the government sanction to start

the groups consisting of Mathematics, Commerce and Science with English

as medium of instruction in the Higher Secondary level.126

In 1985, C. Jeya Singh Paul became the Headmaster of the School.

During his period lot of works were done for the welfare of the School. He

constructed 4 class rooms at the cost of 5 lakhs rupees.127

He also

constructed a cycle shed, one store room for mid-day meals, separate

bathrooms for the pupils and teachers at a cost of Rs. 2 lakhs.128

In 1992, G. Francis became the Headmaster. He constructed the

compound wall and installed a gate on the eastern side at the cost of

Rs. 10,000.129

From 1997 to the present day D. Isaac Paul Raj is the

Headmaster, and the school has the staff strength of 35 consisting of 28

teachers and 27 non-teaching staff.130

The School emerged as one of the

important institutions in the Vilavancode Taluk.

125 Francis, G., Centenary Souvenir, L.M.S. Boys Higher Secondary School,

Marthandam, 1979-1980, p. 97. 126

Ibid. 127

L.M.S. Boys School Annual Report, 1990. 128

Ibid. 129

Foundation Stone, 1922. 130

L.M.S. Boys School Annual Report, 2000-2001.

210

6.7 Govt. Girls Higher Secondary School

Joshua Knowles knew that the elementary education alone could not

improve the living condition of the female children. He wanted to give

higher education to them. Accordingly he started Anglo-Vernacular

Middle School for women. At first in 1895 five girls sat for Madras Lower

Secondary Examination held at Nagercoil. To make the pupils enthusiastic,

scholarship was awarded to the needy girl students. Marthandam English

Girls Lower Secondary School had 80 students.131

In August 1963, it

became a High School.132

After that it was upgraded into Higher

Secondary in 1980. In 2000-2001 the Headmistress was Jesolight Selvy.

Total teachers are 26, and non-teaching staff 9. The Government Girls

Higher Secondary School has 403 students and 17 sections.133

The present Government Boys school was started by Rev. Emlyn in

1892.134

Then it came under the fostering care of the Knowles between

1892 and 1900.135

In 1899 education came under the Foster family.136

In

131 L.M.S. Boys School Annual Report, 2000-2001.

132 Govt. Girls Higher Secondary School Report, 2000.

133 Ibid.


135 Report of the Parassala Mission District, 1982, p. 7.

136 Ibid., 1907, pp. 5-6.

211

1905, Mrs. Hacker supervised the educational programme.137

Winnifred

Hacker worked hard for the development of education.138

In 1919, the local

Boys Middle School was handed over to the Government.139

Then onwards

this school came to be called as Govt. Boys High School. Present

Headmaster is Mr. M. Gangadharan. The school has a strength of 760

students with 48 sections.140

Sixty teaching and thirteen non-teaching staff

are working in the school.

In an attempt to increase the standard of education the government

introduced Primary, Middle and High School education. When the district

was formed and merged with the Madras State in November 1, 1956, the

Government of Madras changed the education policy. It permitted the

private managements to start schools. Most famous private schools were

started and running successfully. Some of them are Christhuraja

Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Good Shepherd Matriculation

Higher Secondary School and Hindu Vidyalaya Higher Secondary School.

In addition to these schools at Marthandam, many Matriculation High

Schools are there. White Memorial Matriculation School, Seventh Day

137 Annual Report of the L.M.S., 1907, p. 128.

138 Ibid., 1908, p. 105.


140 Govt. Boys Higher Secondary School Report, 2000.

212

Adventist Matriculation School, Vidya Jothi Matriculation School are

important and are very helpful to the people of Marthandam area.141

Besides the academic or general courses, Vocational courses are also

taught at the Higher Secondary School level, so as to enable those students

to seek jobs on the strength of their vocational education or to choose self-

employment for which the course may be useful. For further studies in

specific subjects the courses serve as the stepping stone. In the

Government Higher Secondary School at Marthandam computer

programming, Office Secretaryship courses were introduced.142

In the L.M.S. Higher Secondary School at Marthandam, Medical

Lab Assistant Course was introduced.143

In the same school Nursing and

Lab Technician courses were also started as vocational course.144

6.8 Collegiate Education

6.8.1 Nesamony Memorial Christian College

Before 1962 there was no college at Vilavancode Taluk. Most of the

people of the Taluk were economically backward. They did not care to

send their children for higher education to any place beyond their native

141 Thiyagaswamy, Personal Interview, Marthandam, 11.12.2000.

142 Annual Report, Christuraja English Medium School, 1980.

143 Ibid., L.M.S. Boys Higher Secondary School, Martandam, 2001.

144 Ibid., Good Shepherd Higher Secondary School, Martandam, 2003.

213

village. Further transportation facilities were very limited and that too only

the rich and well to do could afford to send their wards. Thus a college at

Vilavancode was the crying need of the people and finally a college was

established at Martandam by the Kanyakumari Diocese.145

Though Vilavancode Taluk was forging ahead there was no college

to cater the needs of the people of Vilavancode and adjacent Kalkulam

Taluks. In the meantime, the C.S.I. Kanyakumari Diocese was formed in

June 1959 with Vilavancode, Kalkulam, Thovalai and Agastheeswaram

Taluks.146

The people who lived at Thovalai and Agastheeswaram Taluks

enjoyed the benefit of Scott Christian College and Hindu College at

Nagercoil. But there was no college at Vilavancode and Kalkulam Taluks.

So the general public had to send their children to Nagercoil for college

education. It was expensive too. Many parents could not afford to meet the

expenses. A college at Marthandam was the crying needs of the people of

Vilavancode. Taking into account of the crying needs of the people, the

Kanyakumari Diocese decided to open a college at Marthandam. 147

145 At present there are four colleges functioning in Vilavancode Taluk. They

are Nesamony Memorial Christian College, Martandam, Devikumari

College, Kuzhithurai, St. Judes College, Thoothoor and Annai Velankanni

College, Tholayavattam.

146 Hector, S.S., Marthandam Pastorate Centenary Souvenir, N.M.C.C.M.,

p. 101.

147 Petition of Mr. William, M.L.A. to the Bishop, Kanyakumari Diocese, 1958.

214

The Diocesan Executive Committee established an adhoc committee

consisting of N. Dennis (Convener), G.A. Ambrose, J. Nesamony, P.S.

Wilson, and S. Amose, pastor, on 4 January 1964.148

The Diocese provided

20 acres of land for this purpose with some buildings as well as some

financial assistance. The marthandam Church donated Rs. 500/- for the

construction of building.149

The public in and around Marthandam, the

parents, students and members of teaching and non-teaching staff have

taken keen interest in the growth of the college. They contributed very

good amounts and donated timber for the construction of the college

buildings at different times for its development.

With the permission of the Madras University the Pre-University

class was started on 6 August 1964 with 171 students.150

Dr. J.D.K. Sunder

Singh became the first Principal of the college. In 1965 the college was

upgraded into a first grade college with Mathematics, History and

Economics asmajor subjects. The strength of P.U.C. classes increased to

five batches. Dr. J.D.K. Sunder Singh constructed the present Economic

Block, History, English and Tamil medium blocks and English Literature

148 Report from the Principal, N.M.C. College, Marthandam, 1987.

149 Ibid.

150 Ibid.

215

block. From the academic year 1966-67 this college was affiliated to the

Madurai Kamaraj University with effect from July 1978.151

In 1966, J.M. Arthur came as the Principal of the college. During

this period the college emerged as a full-fledged institution of higher

learning. It flourished with eight pre-university batches and B.A., B.Sc.

degree courses. In 1968, B.Sc. Chemistry was introduced. During the year

1971-72, B.Sc. Botany and B.A. English Literature were introduced.

In 1971, V.J.I. Grant came as the principal of the college. There was

no library building for the college. Knowing the need of the library he laid

the foundation stone for the library building. During this period the

University granted affiliation to start M.Sc. Physics and M.Sc.

Mathematics.152

After his retirement Prof. C. Devadhas became the

principal.

In 1982, Commerce degree (B.Com.) was also introduced. In 1983,

M.A. History was introduced.153

In 1984 this college was renamed as

Nesamony Memorial Christian College after the name of Nesamony who

has rendered yeoman service for the growth and development of the

151 Report from the Principal, N.M.C. College, Marthandam, 1987.

152 Arthur J. Harris, N.M.C.C., Marthandam.

153 Annual Report of the N.M.C.C., Marthandam, 1994.

216

college.154

During the year 1986-1987, M.Phil. course in History was

added to the existing courses. In the year 1988-1989, B.Sc. Computer

Science was introduced. In 1992-1993, M.Sc. Zoology and M.Com.

courses were introduced. Moreover he constructed the first floor upon the

western portion of the Library hall at the cost of Rs. 15 Lakhs.155

In 1994,

the Principal made all arrangements for the promotion of the History

Department of this college as a full-fledged Research Centre.

In 1994, P. Jeyasingh became the Principal of the college. During

the period M.C.A. course was started and inaugurated on 26 September

1994.156

As there was no space for M.C.A. course, he built a Science

block. He collected Rs. 12 lakhs through Parent-Teacher Association of the

College.157

During the year 1997-1998, number of students in the rolls was

increased considerably. In 1997, the History Department became a

research centre. Number of teachers working in the college are 113 and

non-teaching staff strength was 63. In 1998 Dr. Johnson V. Joel Singh

became the Principal of the college. In the year 1999-2000, Master of

154 Annual Report of the N.M.C.C., Marthandam, 1994.

155 Ibid.

156 Ibid., 1995-1996.

157 Ibid.

217

Business Administration was introduced158

and successfully running today.

This college remains to be one of the leading institutions of the state.

The Protestants were the pioneers in establishing educational

institutions not only in Vilavancode Taluk but the whole of South

Travancore. The educational institutions that they started have grown up

and produced great scholars and social reformers. The educational

endeavours of the Protestant missionaries gave a fillip to the Catholics to

enter into educational ventures.

158 Annual Report of the N.M.C.C., Marthandam, 1999-2000.

growth of education under the protestants in vilavancode...

Documents