The Salvation Army and Its Contribution to Education in Kanyakumari District
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Journal of Xi'an University of Architecture & Technology ISSN No : 1006-7930 THE SALVATION ARMY AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO EDUCATION IN KANYAKUMARI DISTRICT T. S. Sasikala, Research Scholar, Dept. of History and Research Centre, Nesamony Memorial Christian College, Marthandam Affiliated to Manonmaniam Sundernar University, Tirunelveli Dr. N. Austin John Manoher, M. A., M. Phil., Ph. D, Dept. of History and Research Centre, Nesamony Memorial Christian College, Marthandam Abstract : The Salvation Army in Kanyakumari District has led the downtrodden people from the darkness into light both educationally and socially. Army’s educational service had its origin in this territory. Origin of its educational work is accidental in nature. In the beginning the Army’s missionaries collected the children from the street and taught them to read and write. They conducted teaching in the form of a Varandah school. In 1900, one hundred village schools were started and Gnanadesigar, a teacher from Attakulam became the school inspector. Tamil school in 1906 and English Medium School in 1914 were started at Nagercoil. The Army rendered school education for the socio-economic development of ‘the lowest of the low’ class people. Kanyakumari District in the state of Tamil Nadu is situated at the southernmost end of India. The boundaries of the district are Arabian Sea on the west and Western Ghats on the east.1 On the north is the district of Tirunelveli and on the south is the Indian Ocean. The northern part of the shares the mountainous landscape of Kerala and the southern part is traditionally called, the Nanjilnad.,2 compressing more plain lands, resembling the neighbouring Tirunelveli district. The territory of the district is 1684 square kilometers or 1,67,184 hectares.3 It has four taluks, two Volume XII, Issue IV, 2020 Page No: 4243 Journal of Xi'an University of Architecture & Technology ISSN No : 1006-7930 revenue divisions and ninety four revenue villages in 2010.4 The density of the population is 945 per sq. km. Among the total population, women are 7,96,510, and men are 8,03,839. Religion wise, Hindus are 8,55,941, which is 53 per cent. Christians are 6,77,676, which is 42. 34 per cent, and Muslims are 66, 449 which is 4.15 per cent. There are also a small number of others, of which Jains are 24, Sikhs are 3, people of other religious persuasion 19, and those who do not state their religion are 237.5 The Salvation Army, one of the Christian sects, was introduced in Travancore in 1889.6 Since it associated itself with the basic necessities of life, equality of men and women and the dignity of the Scheduled castes, large number of people from the villages, especially from Thovalai and Agesteeswaram taluks were attracted towards it and became Christians. The officers at the Salvation Army established schools for the education of the new entrants. In 1894, the Salvation Army established itself in areas such as Kalkulam and Kulasekaram, in Kanyakumari District.7 The contribution of The Salvation Army to Kanyakumari District is substantial, though, primarily in the field of Salvationism, but also in other spheres such as health, social work, education, etc. Among the Army missionaries in Travancore Captain Gnanadesigar played a vital role for the educational development in 1893.8 Gnanadesigar belonged to Kadicherry village working as Army officer and missionary. He collected the children from the streets and taught them in his house varanda. From this inception the Army continued the tradition of both the evangelization and social services, along with Corp (Church) ministry and educational apostolate, to the poor and the needy, especially Sambavar community.9 Though founded for the service of God, the Army has not neglected to concentrate on the problems, which affected the society. Even as evangelization was the end of their mission, basic education and health to the Volume XII, Issue IV, 2020 Page No: 4244 Journal of Xi'an University of Architecture & Technology ISSN No : 1006-7930 poor and the neglected were the main means to achieve the desired end. First, the Army created educational awareness and motivated primary education, secondly established health awareness and health institutions and finally opened educational structures. One can identify a progressive movement in the very perception of evangelization and social service. Four inter-connected phases of growth in the perspective of education are recognized as educational awareness creation, school education, skill education and technical education. The Army carried out them in close collaboration with local government. Role of the Army in Creating Educational Awareness, and Primary Schools Between 1900 and 1930 many more Army missionaries came to Travancore, which was a flourishing with primary schools. As basic education was an urgent need for the growth and development of the oppressed community, the Divisions under the direction of the Indian South- Eastern Territorial animated the children and youth through education. All the corps were in the interior area mission centres, where primary schools were started and the children of the downtrodden were given basic education. The Army placed a few of the schools under the local management. The plan of action for basic education proposed by the Army was to be implemented in the District. As the Army had set plus two as basic education and higher education as target in 1977, the Army expected the corps to implement the following.10 1. To take a corps level list of the school dropouts and illiterate and help them to pursue school education. 2. To create a fund for the needy students; to donate notebooks, writing materials, and uniform dress to them; to motivate the people to give generously for the Education Fund on occasions like celebrations. 3. Evening classes under corps supervision for weaker students. 4. To encourage dropouts to appear Volume XII, Issue IV, 2020 Page No: 4245 Journal of Xi'an University of Architecture & Technology ISSN No : 1006-7930 for X, XII examinations through tuition centres. 5. Guidance to students with regard to higher education. 6. To sponsor the studies of at least two poor, but gifted students at the corps level. And 7. To set up motivation courses on basic and higher education. The Army conducted seminars for its members and teachers and they in turn put their efforts to strengthen the Education Commission in each corps and started to encourage the students to pursue higher education. In 2005-2010, the Army paid much attention to provide guidance for higher education and so it motivated 500 young people. The programmes were organized in the Salvation Army Higher Secondary School, Nagercoil.11 The awareness creation for education has opened the door to continuing education and to new life opportunities to so many low-caste people in Kanyakumari District areas. Consultancy, collaboration, facilitation, and easy exchange of materials and evolution and promotion of standards in awareness creation are some of these added responsibilities, besides actually motivating this programme, so that the new structure can take the ground and experience them an ideological tower. Low caste community experienced hardships in the last centuries receive improvements in their life. During 1900 - 1910, about a hundred village schools were started in south Travancore. For the development of the schools, Ganadesigar was made the Inspector of Schools, gradually he became prominence throughout the territory. In 1898, the Army started its boarding school at Vadasery, Nagercoil. Ninety pupils attended the school, of them fifty were boys and forty girls. Captain Yudha Veeran was entrusted with the responsibility of supervising the schools. In 1900, the Vadesery school was shifted to Nagercoil. Mrs. Commissioner, Muthiah was authorized the supervise the Nagercoil school. Another boarding school was also started in 1904, at Volume XII, Issue IV, 2020 Page No: 4246 Journal of Xi'an University of Architecture & Technology ISSN No : 1006-7930 Madavapuram, in Madras, and excess children from Nagercoil boarding school were sent to the Madavapuram boarding school. In 1906, when one more boarding school was started at Nagercoil, the boys from the Madhavapuram boarding school were transferred back to Nagercoil boarding school. In 1906, a Tamil school was started in Nagercoil, and in 1914, an English medium school was started by Lieutenant Claracase Nurani. The English medium school was converted into Tamil medium, and served as a middle school until 1967. Later it was upgraded to a High school. In 1977, the school was upgraded to a Higher Secondary School. Schools were also started in different places. The Tamil medium schools started in 1908 were surrendered to the government later in 1957. The government didn’t give any rent to the Salvation Army for using the Army’s building at Thuckalay. Colonel N.J. Smuel fought with the government and vacated the government school and started an English medium school in 1978. Later on school has been promoted into a Matriculation Higher Secondary School and Mr. A. Monickadhas became the first Headmaster of the school.12 Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Vettoornimadam Universal access to education was introduced in 1978 and in 1980, the Army said that Army leaders had eradicated illiteracy. The Salvation Army Matriculation Higher Secondary School was started at Vettoornimadam, Nagercoil in 1978.13 The school was established by Colonel N. J. Samuel. As he took special interest to open an English medium school at Nagercoil, he got permission from the department of education, and made necessary arrangements to provide all facilities. In the beginning L.K.G. and U.K.G. classes were started. Volume XII, Issue IV, 2020 Page No: 4247 Journal of Xi'an University of Architecture & Technology ISSN No : 1006-7930 During the academic year, 1979-’80, first standard was started.