Christ Church Anglo-Indian Higher Secondary School

Christ Church Anglo-Indian Higher Secondary School
File:Christ Church Anglo Indian Higher Seconday School.JPG
Location
Anna Salai, Chennai, Tamil Nadu India
Information
Type	Co-educational
Motto	"Do Your Best"
Established	1842
Principal	Dr.Colin
Staff	75
Grades	Kindergarten to Grade 12
Number of students	1000+
Campus size	Large
Affiliation	Tamil Nadu Board of Secondary Education

Christ Church Anglo-Indian higher Secondary School is located in Anna Salai, Chennai

History

The first of the congregations is that of Christ Church and its school and has its beginnings in 1842 when the East Indians who lived and worked in neighbouring Narasingapuram, Chintadripet, Pudupet and Royapettah sought a church and school close to them.

In a reference to its East Indian congregation, a footnote to a brief history of the Church says, "At the beginning of the 19th Century, they were called Indo-Britons, in the second and third quarters of the century they were known as East Indians, in the fourth quarter they were known as Eurasians, and they are now (early 20th Century) called Anglo-Indians. These changes were made at their request". It might have added that it is male European lineage that determines the Anglo-Indian.

School Building Construction

This Mount Road congregation first met in 1842 in a building loaned them by Thomas Parker Waller, an Englishman whose livery stables the property originally was. A school was established in another building in the property and the children had to compete for space in the campus with horses, a variety of coaches, and farriers and grooms. A few years later, Waller decided to donate to both the area the congregation and the school were using in order that they could raise a church and better school buildings, which they could separate from the stables.

The land and buildings Waller gifted the parishioners were estimated to be worth Rs. 12,000. Here, work began in 1850 on Christ Church, to a design by John Law. The tall-steeple Anglican Church, which was consecrated in 1852, cost Rs. 37,000 - and that included raising the building, developing the compound, and the solid wooden furniture, (made by Deschamps, one of the better-known furniture makers of Madras of the time) that's still there! Attention then turned to building a block for the school. Since then, additional buildings have been added for a growing school and the Church itself was renovated a couple of years ago through the efforts of a congregation that's rather different from what it was in the first days of the Church.

Facilities

The school enrolls children from kindergarten to higher secondary level. It is affiliated to the Tamil Nadu Board of Secondary Education, India. The medium of instruction at Christ Church Anglo Indian School is English language, and one other language from Hindi or Tamil language, is mandatory. The school is affiliated to Anglo Indian system of Tamil Nadu until class 10 and the Tamil Nadu State Board for classes 11 and 12.

Trivia

• On 24th July 2009, The Christ Church (1985 batch) alumni Students celebrated their re-union after a span of 25 years. All Staffs and Teachers participated. Retired Teachers and Staffs were present to acknowledge the grand 25th year Re-Union.

News

• Visit of Mrs Carole Waller Leese, Mr Trevor Leese, Mrs Ruth and Mr Jon Whisson, who were the benefactors and direct descendants of late Mr Thomas Parker Waller. (a businessman who has contributed in a major way for the establishment of Christ Church School in Chennai city).

External links

• Government of India - Department of Higher Education - List of recognized school boards

• The Article from "The Hindu News Paper"