Midnapore Collegiate School

Midnapore Collegiate School established on 14 November 1834,^[1] is one of the oldest schools in Bengal as well as India. The students and teachers of this school made contributions to Indian Freedom Movement during the British Rule. Khudiram Bose, a martyr in the freedom struggle was one of the notable students of this school. Some other famous alumni of this institution are Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and Manik Bandopadhyay. Famous Brahmo Samaj leader Wrishi Rajnarayan Basu as head masters had also contributed in building up the tradition of the institution.This was formerly the Zilla School of Midnapore (currently Paschim Medinipur) at West Bengal. The school has a big campus, with a basketball court, and it has well-equipped science labs, Experienced teachers of various subjects^[2] and bright students. The school is a renowned educational powerhouse with great results in both the Madhyamik and the Higher Secondary examinations. The students of this school also shine in competitive exam like JEE, NCERT, Olympiad etc. The school now consists of 47 teachers and about 1400 students.

Early history

The school was a fruit of some sincere and educationist people of Midnapore. With the economic help of Tezchandra Mehtab Raybahadur,^[3] the school had started its journey with just a few thatched huts and 18 students. The first headmaster was Rasiklal Sen and after just two years, the school got the honor of governmental Zilla School in 1836.As the Calcutta University was established in 1857, the school came under its supervision and was enlisted among the higher class educational institutions of Bengal. During the time of British Headmasters Sir F. Tydd and Mr. Sinclare, the school had started blooming its petals. Their thought about teaching was,"the interrogative system of teaching should be carefully pursued during every step of the scholar's progress as the simplest and most effectual means of conveying knowledge." It's important to mention that 'Sahityasamrat' of Bengal, Rishi Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and his elder brother studied here.

Rajnarayan Era

But the total break out of the school in educational, social and cultural field took place during the age of Rajnarayan Bose. The socio-religious reformer and famous educationist took over the post of headmaster in 1851,^[1] and after a glorious work-life of 15 years, he retired in 1866. During this period, the name of the school was spread widely for its superior educational quality and its role in freedom movement. Another son of Medinipur, Sri Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar who was then the Principal of Sanskrit college, Kolkata, received the order of Council of Education that Rajnarayan Bose, Professor of English Department, would be appointed as the 4th Headmaster of Midnapore School. Rajnarayan Bose was already a stalwart figure in the field of Brahmo Samaj movement and have been a Young Bengal leader. He took over the post of headmaster on 21 January 1851. He was a revolutionary educationist of that time as he had ushered in a complete redress in the education system,^[4] i.e.,

• He had abolished corporal punishment and introduced a friendly and cooperative atmosphere among the teachers and students to make education more interesting to them.

• He had immense hatred against the well-practiced procedure of "committing to memory and vomiting to paper". He always followed the rule of teaching through interaction of both students and teachers. His eloquent speeches with humorous jokes gradually attracted even the heart of the most dull student in the class. He put stress on interrogative teaching, so that the fundamentals of the student becomes strong.

• He understood that the students also need place for physical exercise and sports so that there mental and physical power can be properly manifested, so he made a lawn tennis court and a gymnasium in the school premises.

• He wanted students to be educated in " Character Making Education", so he advised teachers to look after the moral development of the students, so that they can be " Man in a true sense."

• He observed that students sitting in benches without back-support, cannot keep their backs straight, so their attention span becomes shorter while studying. So he introduced seats with back-supports for the first time.

• Being an active leader of Young Bengal, He was moved by the 'Academic Association' of Henry Louis Vivian Derozio. So he also introduced Debate Associations and Mutual Improvement Association in school level.

Due to his prosperous ideas of education and revolutionary nationalist thoughts, the name of the school spread not only for its education, but also in the field of freedom fighting. during his time, the school started shining in Entrance examinations. Not only that, the school was the cradle land of nationalist movements, widow-marriage, female education, Brahmo Samaj movements and many more socio-political activities. The eloquence of his speeches and the vastness of his 'charisma' spread around very fast. He was probably the first Headmaster of any Governmental School who had dared to inspire his students to join freedom movement, and even had hoisted the National Flag in the school premises. This eminent educationist adorned the chair of Headmaster till 1866.

The age of Nationalism

Midnapore has been a cradle land of the sacred fire of militant nationalism and this school in Midnapore was noted for nurturing the nationalist movement since early ages. The teachers like Hemchandra Kanungo,Gnanendranath Basu, Pyarilal Ghosh, were the beacon light of nationalist teachings. It is interesting to know that Khudiram Bose, probably the youngest martyr hanged, was a glittering alumni of this school. A bad student judging by his exam records, he found his real interest in something else, something daring. His 'guru' in this field was Satyendranath Basu, an alumni as well as a teacher of this school. Rest of the history is known to all, how he smilingly took the hangman's noose on 11 August 1908. But what is rather unknown is that the school had preserved a table which he had broken before a British examiner. A statue of this great martyr can be seen in the school's garden now. Khudiram's political master, Satyendranath Basu was hanged in the same year on 23 November. Another alumni, Anathbandhu Panja went to the Gallows in 1933. Tyrant District Magistrate James Peddie was shot dead on 7 April 1931, inside this school by two fearless freedom fighters, Shri Bimal Dashgupta & Jatijiban Ghosh. One can still find this room in this school which had been reconstructed and inaugurated by the main suspect in the political-murder case, Bimal Dashgupta himself.

Between these fiery days, the school had another glittering student named Prabodh Kumar Bandopadhyay who secured first division with letter marks in compulsory and optional mathematics in 1926. But the world of Bengali Literature knows him in a different name, Manik Bandopadhyay. Leading Muslim League politician and Justice Sir Abdur Rahim; Dr.Hassan Suhrawardy, The first Muslim Vice Chancellor of Calcutta University; Cambridge Tripos and Wrangler Birendranath De, great economist Sukhamoy Chakraborty, Premchand-Raichand scholar Surya Kumar Agasthy, Historian Narendranath Das And Physiologist Narendra Mohun Basu, scholar Kartik Chandra Mitra are some among the glittering alumni who graced the school in various walks of life.

Succession List of Headmasters

Notes

References

• http://midnaporecollegiateschool.org
• http://midnaporecollegiateschool.blogspot.in/
• http://www.schoolspedia.com/website/midnapore-collegiate-school-paschim-midnapur