Brief History of the School

The School owes its origin to the practical patriotism of Sri Kanyaka Parmeswari Devasthanam and Charities, Madras, Just before the end of the I World War the S.K.P.D. Vysya Secondary School as it was called then was started on 1st April, 1917. There were two teachers including the Headmaster and about 50 pupils on rolls who were indigent and depended entirely on the munificence of the management for their maintenance and education. The school was then located at 29, Strotten Muthia Mudali Street, Madras – 600 001.

The main object of the Institution was to impart education on sound lines to Vysya pupils only and thus give an impetus for further studies. To fulfill this aim to a great extent Sri Vemuri Parthasarathy Chetty, B.A., retired Collector and one of the members of the committee of management organized the school on sound and systematic lines on the 1sst September, 1917. Mr. G.V.Suryanarayanamurthy was appointed as the Head Master. There were 7 classes from 1st to 7th with a strength of 130 pupils and 11 teachers. The standard of education was so high that pupils of this institution were found fit and taken into next higher classes in the neighboring recognized schools. The school continued to be an unrecognized one till 1935.

The Board of Management thought fit to extend the portals of this institution to children of all communities. They decided to recognize it as an elementary school and get the recognition of the Government.

Special mention must be made of late Mr. V.A. Kesabchandra the member – in – charge of the schools who secured recognition of the Government for the school in 1936. The school was shifted to 37, Anna Pillai Street, Madras - 600 001. The School was admitted to Government Aid permanently from the year 1938, Mr. T. Rara Rao was appointed as Head Master and the untrained staff was replaced by trained men of experience. The Head Master gradually developed the school into a Higher Elementary School with eight standards. As a result of the revision of the educational rules, a wide gap was created between the Higher Elementary School and the High School. The people of the locality who used to send their children to the school and many of them where forced to withdraw them from the school after they passed the fifth standard. Hence strength in the higher standards began to fall considerably. A good many people of the locality requested the management to convert the higher elementary school into a middle school.

Mr. A. Varadappa Chetty the then correspondent worked successfully for the conversion of the school into a high School with the assistance of the Secretary Sri. C. Subbiah Chetty and the Head Master Sri. C.Subbiah Chety and the Headmaster Sri. K. Muisalaiah, B.A., B.Ed., Accordingly in 1947 the school was bifurcated into Elementary school with standards 1st to 5th and middle school with I Form to III Form./ The middle school was shifted to 67, Narayana Mudali Street, Madras – 600 001. Under Sri. K. Musalaiah, the Head Master of the Middle School, the school began to grow in strength and popularity. Fourth Form was opened n June 1947. At the end of the year 1948 the school was shifted to 215, Govindappa Naicken Street, Madras – 600 001.

The School continued to grow in strength catering to the educational needs of the Telugu population of not only the city but also its suburbs. The present strength of the school is 750 with two Telugu medium sections and one English medium section in each class. The Golden Jubilee of the school was celebrated on a grand scale in December 1967.

Many co-curricular activities have been planned and conducted. The Scout Troop, the J.R.C., the N.C.C. and the volunteer corps helped the pupils to become well-disciplined service minded youths. A Mathematics Club, A Science Club, a Fine Arts Club have been functioning to create interest and give work experience. The Sanchayaka Bank Sponsored by the small Savings Organization has been functioning in the school. It received commendation certification from the organization for enrolling a good number of pupils as members and for having a decent amount as deposit. The school has been a second home in as much as free mid-day meals are served to about 75 deserving pupils at noon on all the working days of the school with the aid of donations received from parents, old boys, charitable institutions and the philanthropic public. Daily assembly and congregational prayer by the musical choir is a regular feature. The dramatic association developed the histrionic talents among the pupils and teachers by enacting dramas and playlets at the time of the anniversary of the school. Major and minor excursions to places of historical and cultural importance have become an annual feature.

To meet the increasing rush for admissions and to provide better accommodation, the building adjacent to the present one was acquired and a new three storied building with an auditorium and airy and ventilated class rooms was completed in 1975. With the continued interest evinced by the successive correspondents and the secretary, Sri. N. Venkataramana, B.Sc., the Institution has enjoyed good popularity in the locality.

Having completed 60 years of service for the cause of education, the school celebrated its Diamond Jubilee. Year 1977, was a crucial year in the history of Education of Tamil Nadu, when a major change in the pattern of education was planned viz 10 + 2 + 3. It was jubilee year for the school, Our dynamic enlightened and zealous correspondent, Sri. A. Sagar, B.Sc., L.P.T. has been sparing no pains to see that besides planning to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee in a fitting manner, the school is elevated to the Higher Secondary level so that our pupils with minority language medium may continue their studies in this institution.