Calcutta Boys' School

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Calcutta Boys' School
Dei Mundus Deo.jpg
Dei Mundus Deo (L. The world of God for God)
Location
72, S.N. Banerjee Road, Kolkata - 700014
Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Information
Established 1877
Principal Mr. Raja McGee
Students 1996 (appx.)
Classes Nursery (4+) to 12 (ISC)
Website [1]

Calcutta Boys' School was founded by the Rev. James Mills Thoburn (Methodist Missionary to India, and later Missionary Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church), and was opened in 1877. It was endowed by the late Robert Laidlaw and others interested in the education of the sons of the Anglo-Indian and domiciled European community.[1]

Contents

[edit] Origins

The origins of CBS are closely linked with the establishment of the Methodist Episcopal Church in India. On January 9, 1873, the Reverend William Taylor founded the work of the Thoburn Methodist Episcopal Church in Calcutta (Kolkata).[1] He was succeeded by the Reverend James Mills Thoburn. The latter's ardent preaching soon rendered the Entally Baptist Chapel unable to cope with the increasing number of converts.[2] In February 1874, a new Chapel was dedicated and opened at 145 Dharamtolla Street. This Chapel was built at a cost of 16,000 rupees largely due to the generosity of George Bowen of Bombay who donated 10,000 rupees.[3] Soon even this chapel proved unable to accommodate the growing congregation, until a larger church was constructed on Dharamtolla Street, where it still stands today. The New Thoburn Church was dedicated on December 31, 1875. In 1888 Rev. James Mills Thoburn was elected Missionary Bishop of India & Malaysia - the first ever Missionary Bishop in India.[2]

Bishop James M Thoburn

It was Bishop Thoburn who founded the Calcutta Boys' School. First located at Mott Lane, and then later housed in a room on Corporation Street (known as S. N. Banerjee Road today), the school struggled for survival without a building of its own. It acquired a permanent residence in 1893 thanks to the generosity of a man who could be regarded as the chief patron of the school: Sir Robert Laidlaw

Sir Robert Laidlaw

The Girls School was erected in 1886, during the principalship of Miss Hendrick.[4]

[edit] School

The motto of the school is "Dei Mundus Deo" (Latin for "The world of God for God"). Initially the school was known mostly for extra-curricular activities, however studies picked up after Mr Clifford Hicks joined. Mr. Hicks was the son in law of Mr. Fritchley, and was popularly referred to as 'chicks' by the students.

Horace Fritchley and his wife

When he took over the reins as principal, he introduced the motto "Two yards outside the school gates the jungle begins". An educationist, later nominated a Member of the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Hicks believed that the guardians of the students were required to be interviewed more rigorously than the students themselves, and during his tenure, this principle was adhered to strictly.


During Clifford Hicks' time as principal the newest of the three buildings that currently house the school was built. Named the "New Building," the construction was made possible by donations collected by the students of the school.[1] The school library (now housed in the old domitory) is named "The Clifford Hicks Memorial Library". The CBS Archives is also housed in the Library. Mr.Hicks made CBS the best school in Calcutta for the students who wanted a chance, an opportunity. He, and his team of teachers, the Sassoon brothers, Mr. Guha, Mr. Shaw helped CBS become the most successful school in the sixties.

New Building and Renfrew House

The school reached new heights under Alfred Martin. It was during Mr. Martin's tenure that the school changed over from Senior Cambridge to the ICSE and ISC system affiliated to the Indian Council of Secondary Education. Throughout the 1980s, students ranked prominently in the ICSE and ISC rankings. Unlike the Hicks era, Mr. Martin encouraged students to participate in such co-curricular activities as were consistent with studies, like Debating and Quizzing. The school developed a healthy debating society and a quiz club, which during the 1980s swept most of the inter-school meets. The school also did well in the British Council One Act Play competitions during the late 1970s and the early 1980s, under the tutelage of Mr. Guy Dantes, a teacher of English. Teachers like Mr. Kodaikanal, Mr. E. Warrier (since deceased), Mr. Lawrence W. Hartnett (now the principal of a major school in Dubai after serving as principal of Assembly of God Church School) raised the standard of English teaching.

Possibly the biggest contribution during the Martin era was the school's strength in the mathematics and science faculties. Stalwart teachers like the late Mr SK Deb, Dr S Biswas, the late Mr Gautam Mitra, Dr Choudhury and Mr BK Saha had great influence over the shaping of students in the most critical years of their lives; as did senior science teachers like Mr DN Bhattacharya and Mr AG Pal. CBS students of the 70s, 80s and the early 90s era still consider the influence of these teachers as the key reason behind the success in their professional careers today.

CBS has performed excellently both academically and co-curricular including Sports and has thereby established a authoritative position in being one of the best schools in India. The school not only attends other school-fests but also stages the annual school-fest 'Concord'.

The main building in 1893

Mr Gilbert Samuel, principal in 1997, expanded the curriculum of the school to include co-curricular activities, allowing the students of CBS to regularly secure first and second positions at international Olympiads, including a second place finish at the 2003 Biology Olympiad and the International Infomatics Olympiad in 2004.[5] In 2005 CBS won the under 16 national cricket tournament, and in 2004 the national rounds of the Inter School Frank Antony Memorial Debate.[6]

The present Principal Mr. Raja McGee( the youngest Principal CBS has ever had in the last 130 years) introduced an elected Students council- "The United Students Organization (USO)". Organization of a grand 3 days language festival- "Lingua Fiesta" and a computer, science & Maths festival- "COSMA" has been introduced since 2007.

[edit] Houses

The House system was introduced in CBS in 1916.

The four houses into which the students are divided on admission to the school are named after those who made the most contribution to the school - Thoburn for red, Warne for gold, Henderson (previously christened Pritchard) for blue and Laidlaw for green.

House events such as the Lingua Fiesta, the Football/Cricket Tournaments, the COSMA and the Annual Athletic Meet in the month of December breed a sense of kinship. The house that emerges victorious at the end of the House competition is awarded a trophy for its endeavours.

Each house is assigned a House Master or Mistress that looks after the activities of that House, and ensures a democratic process of selection and nomination for the offices that are associated with the governing of the house.

[edit] School anthem

Hail Alma Mater we sing to thee,
thou, more than worthy of our loyalty,
guide of our youthful days,
our praise to thee belongs,
accept Alma Mater now our heart felt songs.
Hail! Alma Mater,we sing to thee,
enshrined forever in our memory,
thy living spirit leads us
in the way of truth,
To thee Alma Mater,rise the songs of youth.
Hail Glorious C.B.S we pledge to thee
ourselves, our love and our loyalty,
here we have learnt
Tis that makes a lad so strong,
With thee C.B.S is just where we belong.

[edit] Student Activities

Academic and co-curricular activities are both given importance at Calcutta Boys' School. This is evident from the awards and certificates that the students of the school have won. These include competitions ranging from international olympiads, national and local quizzes, debates, inter-school festivals as well as those won by the students of the school at The Telegraph School of the Year Award, an award given by an English newspaper.

The school also has an Interact Club which runs social projects.

Non-competitive activities take place in the school, such as quizzes,debates, plays, Eastern and Western music competitions.

A number of public events are also held, ranging from the annual Suvrojit-Somak Debate, which is organized in memory of two students of the school to the annual inter-school fest, Concord which is today, one of the most well known fests of the city and also happens to be the first inter-school fest in the city. This fest, usually held at the Kala Mandir Auditorium in the city, is renowned for its Quiz and the Western Music event.

The School Annual Concert is played out before students and parents. The awards given on the night include not only those for academic excellence, but also for extra-curricular activity.

The Inter House Athletic Meet takes place around the month of December, with parents in attendance in addition to most of the school. The lighting of the athletic meet flame and the hoisting of the meet flag followed by the marchpast forms the mainstay of the day. The other events in the Meet include floats, relays, and other races, such as the 100m, 200m and 400m.

The "Lingua Fiesta" (Language festival) & "COSMA"(a computer-science-Maths festival)are major inter-house competitive festivals organized by the school.

The school magazine, was published as the CBS Chronicle from 1909. By 1986 it came out once an year. Between 1986 and 1988 it was run wholly by students, without any intervention from the staff. However, due to financial constraints, instead of being printed, the 1987 issue was brought out with a silk screen and cyclostyled/mimeographed pages. The magazine regained its print form shortly after 1990.

[edit] Principals

Principals of Calcutta Boys' School:[7]

  • 1881 Clyde A Martin
  • 1883 A.S. Busby
  • 1885 The Rev. Wm A. Carroll
  • 1888 The Rev. Frank Latimer Mc Coy
  • 1889 G.S. Bomwetsh
  • 1894 The Rev. Benjamin J. Chew
  • 1897 J. Gordon Kennedy
  • 1902 The Rev. F.B. Smith
  • 1909 The Rev. John Wesley Simmons
  • 1914 The Rev. David Huron Manley
  • 1915 T.P. Campbell
  • 1917 The Rev. David Huron Manley
  • 1919 George Allen Odgers
  • 1923 Ronald Scott Gibbons
  • 1924 George David Allen Odgers
  • 1927 Rev. R.S. Gibbons
  • 1931 H.C. Fritchley
  • 1952 Clifford Hicks
  • 1975 Reverend Morgan (acting)
  • 1975 Mr William Edward Torrick (acting)
  • 1975 Alfred Martin
  • 1991 Girish Roy
  • 1997 Gilbert Samuel
  • 2003 Joseph Raymond Emmanuel
  • 2007 Raja McGee

[edit] Notable alumni

[edit] Official Website

www.cbskolkata.org

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Clifford Hicks by Alfred Martin, Pulse, Calcutta, February 1980.
  2. ^ a b "visions & victories in Hindustan" by Bishop B.T. Badley
  3. ^ "The Opening Gate 1873-1923" Ed.by Louise Holloway Joyner
  4. ^ Cultural and Educational Life in Calcutta
  5. ^ The Telegraph, 2 June, 2003; 5 June, 2004
  6. ^ The Telegraph unable to find exact date.
  7. ^ This is the list exactly as it appears on a plaque outside the CBS conference room. It is certainly not accurate as Mr. Hicks was appointed the principal in 1952 and not 1953.
  • Visions & Victories in Hindustan by Bishop B.T. Badley

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