The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : School's 150th anniversary

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 19, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

School's 150th anniversary

J. Malarvizhi

It was established by Scottish missionaries

CHENNAI: The picture of the group of students from Goudie High School has turned sepia with age. Mohana Rangan had studied there around fifty years ago and fondly remembers the trip the group made to Poondi to celebrate completion of SSLC in 1951.

The history of the school itself goes back just under a hundred years further, in fact. The alumni are planning to celebrate the 150th anniversary in September this year. A group of the old students has come together this year to mobilise funds for the celebrations. The old students plan to collect at least Rs. 25 lakh to help improve facilities and set up a trust to pay for the education of very poor children.

The school has been a pillar for the district itself, asserts J. Selvakumar of the 1981 batch who has taken the lead in this effort. Students from places including Sathyavedu, Arakkonam and Poondi stay at the hostel housing around a hundred currently, he said. Plans for the 150th anniversary include expansion of the oldest building on the campus by adding two floors to it, without disturbing the façade.

Scottish missionaries established the school in 1857, some time after the two Presidency colleges in Chennai and Kolkata. William Goudie took over the administration a few years later and the school was named in his memory. Now, more than 2000 students — mostly from under-privileged families — study there. The Church of South India's Madras Diocese, the current bishop of which also studied there, runs it. The Goudie Alumni Association may be contacted at 27660470 or 9894172123.

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