It was a special day for the students, parents, teachers, and alumni of the Madras Christian College Higher Secondary School here on Monday. For the old boys, it was also time to reminisce the time spent on the campus and relive the years spent learning, playing and having fun.
Speaking on the occasion of the institution's 175th year celebrations, Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who is an alumnus of the school, recalled how he got admitted to the institution with great difficulty.
“My brothers M.K. Muthu and M.K. Alagiri were studying here. But since I did not clear the entrance examination, Mayor Kuselan recommended my case,” he said.
It was a matter of pride and delight that he himself later went on to become the Mayor of Chennai, Mr. Stalin added.
He pointed to the contributions made by Rev. John Anderson, Rev. William Miller, and later, Kuruvilla Jacob, in building the institution from strength to strength.
Mr. Stalin noted that it was heartening that the once all-boys school had now begun admitting girls.
“The school's performance in academics is also improving every year, and the pass percentages in the Class X and XII examinations have risen significantly,” he said.
On the education system in Tamil Nadu, Mr. Stalin said it had risen to match international standards. Several schemes were being implemented for the benefit of students, he pointed out.
Union Minister for Shipping G.K. Vasan, also an alumnus of the school, outlined the initiatives taken by the Central and Tamil Nadu governments in education.
“School education is integral to the development of every individual for it lays a strong foundation for an individual's knowledge, ability and character. The school has the pride of producing some of the greatest minds in the country, who have made a mark in several fields,” he said.
Commending the school for its quality and standard, he told the students: “You are lucky to have such opportunities. Make the best use of them.”
Earlier, Mr. Stalin laid the foundation for a new Miller Hall and launched the school's official website and the digital services of the library.
The old boys in the audience responded to every new initiative with thunderous applause, evidently delighted about their school acquiring more facilities.
Seventy-five-year-old P. Eashwaran said he joined the school in the early fifties. “What I value most about the experience in this institution is the discipline they inculcated. I was an eager participant in the activities of the NCC wing. This event brings back all those memories.”
