Continuing Our Story about Namma MADRAS
The Great Men and Women Who Formed our City
OLCOTT MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL, BESANTNAGAR
Colonel Henry Steel OLCOTT, was born in the year 1832, in New Jersey USA. After graduation, he was a military officer, lawyer, journalist and later in 1864 became a spiritualist. He and Helena Blavatsky (12/8/1831 - 8/5/1891), a Russian spiritualist joined together to form the Theosophical Society of USA in 1875. He was the first president and she was its Secretary. They left USA in 1878 for India to establish the Theosophical Society at ADYAR, Madras. He was a Buddhist and he worked in Sri Lanka to revive Buddhism. On May 19, 1880, he and Blavatsky were formally acknowledged as Buddhists at Galle in Sri Lanka.
Helena died in London in 1891, but Olcott pursued the work with the Theosophical Society at Adyar. Madame Annie Besant joined him in this pursuit and after Olcott's death in February 1907, Annie Besant took over as its president and continued the work. When Olcott returned from Sri Lanka earlier, he saw the pitiable plight of the (now called) SC, STs at Adyar. No one was ready or willing to teach these children. Moved by their condition, he started a free school for these poor children. That was in 1894. After his demise in 1907, the school was renamed Olcott Memorial School.
The school had nearly 700 students initially, a majority of them from the fisher folks. There is a free hostel for the poorest of poor students, free crèche and day care centres for children of working women, Vocational Training Center for poor women where tailoring and housekeeping skills. All facilities are free, run by donations from the Theosophical Society. Public of Adyar and Chennai also donate.
It is a great school, medium of instruction is Tamil and now vastly improved. The students who pass Std XII from here, after doing necessary graduation, almost always join their old school, to teach the young children, uplifting their society. The current Principal of the School is also their old school-mate. After 123 years, even today the school looks majestic, beautiful. Every so often my wife and I pass by this school, and we remember Col OLCOTT reverentially, with gratitude and pride.
One man, OLCOTT from far off US came here and worked selflessly to improve the conditions of the poor people of Adyar and surrounding kuppams. Salute and respect to these man and woman.
There is an OLCOTT-Kuppam nearby the Besantnagar beach !!
On the 378th birthday of Madras, let us bow our heads to such noble souls like Olcott, Annie Besant.
Rajappa
22-08-2017
The Great Men and Women Who Formed our City
OLCOTT MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL, BESANTNAGAR
Colonel Henry Steel OLCOTT, was born in the year 1832, in New Jersey USA. After graduation, he was a military officer, lawyer, journalist and later in 1864 became a spiritualist. He and Helena Blavatsky (12/8/1831 - 8/5/1891), a Russian spiritualist joined together to form the Theosophical Society of USA in 1875. He was the first president and she was its Secretary. They left USA in 1878 for India to establish the Theosophical Society at ADYAR, Madras. He was a Buddhist and he worked in Sri Lanka to revive Buddhism. On May 19, 1880, he and Blavatsky were formally acknowledged as Buddhists at Galle in Sri Lanka.
Helena died in London in 1891, but Olcott pursued the work with the Theosophical Society at Adyar. Madame Annie Besant joined him in this pursuit and after Olcott's death in February 1907, Annie Besant took over as its president and continued the work. When Olcott returned from Sri Lanka earlier, he saw the pitiable plight of the (now called) SC, STs at Adyar. No one was ready or willing to teach these children. Moved by their condition, he started a free school for these poor children. That was in 1894. After his demise in 1907, the school was renamed Olcott Memorial School.
The school had nearly 700 students initially, a majority of them from the fisher folks. There is a free hostel for the poorest of poor students, free crèche and day care centres for children of working women, Vocational Training Center for poor women where tailoring and housekeeping skills. All facilities are free, run by donations from the Theosophical Society. Public of Adyar and Chennai also donate.
It is a great school, medium of instruction is Tamil and now vastly improved. The students who pass Std XII from here, after doing necessary graduation, almost always join their old school, to teach the young children, uplifting their society. The current Principal of the School is also their old school-mate. After 123 years, even today the school looks majestic, beautiful. Every so often my wife and I pass by this school, and we remember Col OLCOTT reverentially, with gratitude and pride.
One man, OLCOTT from far off US came here and worked selflessly to improve the conditions of the poor people of Adyar and surrounding kuppams. Salute and respect to these man and woman.
There is an OLCOTT-Kuppam nearby the Besantnagar beach !!
On the 378th birthday of Madras, let us bow our heads to such noble souls like Olcott, Annie Besant.
Rajappa
22-08-2017
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