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| The Bentinck Higher Secondary School,Madras en.wikipedia.org |
Growth and Development:
The Bentinck Higher Secondary School, located on Jermiah Road in Vepery, Chennai, is one of the oldest and most respected girls' schools in South India. Established in 1837 by Mrs. Anna Drew, a missionary with the London Missionary Society (LMS), the school began with just 21 orphaned girls, aiming to provide education to the underprivileged, especially those from lower caste and poor families—an unheard-of initiative in 19th-century British India. Originally known as the London Mission School, it began with basic instruction in needlework and scripture, conducted in a bungalow.
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| Bentinck Higher Secondary School,Vepery,Madras schoolsuniverse.com |
The school gained prominence under the stewardship of Mrs. William Porter in the 1840s, who worked to improve enrollment despite prevailing gender and caste biases. By 1852, the school moved to its permanent campus in Vepery. In 1915, it was renamed in honor of Lord William Bentinck, the Governor-General of India known for his progressive social reforms.
One of the school’s most influential headmistresses was Marjorie Sykes, an English educationist and Gandhian, who joined in 1928. She immersed herself in Indian life, learned Tamil, and emphasized inclusive, mother-tongue-based education. She served as Principal from 1930 to 1939 and later joined Rabindranath Tagore at Santiniketan and Gandhi's Nai Talim education project at Sevagram.
Historically, the school taught in English, Tamil, and Telugu, reflecting the linguistic diversity of the Madras Presidency. It also had hostels for students from distant regions, including Andhra Pradesh and Meghalaya. In 1898, it gained recognition as a high school, and in 1978 became a higher secondary school.
Current Status:
Today, Bentinck School, aided by the Government of Tamil Nadu, offers education primarily in English medium, from primary to higher secondary levels. Though the Telugu and Tamil sections are no longer functional beyond Class 10, the school still upholds its founding mission of inclusive education. With a student strength exceeding 2000, it remains a sought-after institution for girls’ education in Chennai. Its legacy of social reform, linguistic inclusivity, and missionary dedication continues to inspire. The school building itself, over 170 years old, is considered a heritage structure and stands as a monument to progressive female education in colonial and post-colonial India.
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