Tuesday, 28 October 2014

Maude Mainwaring to Dr. S.C.Biala, Cambrian Hall’s journey to Diamond Jubilee

A nostalgic recount by an ex-student



From the principles lay down by Mrs. Maude Mainwaring the founder principal of Cambrian Hall to presently Dr. S.C.Biala, Cambrian Hall has stood the test of time and remained on firm footing as a true school in every sense. Be it academics or extra co-curricular activities, the school has always shined bright and carved out a special place for itself in the league of majors.

The principal ship of the school over the years has changed hands from late Mrs. Maude Mainwaring to late Mr. Meredith Doutré, Mr. Edger Allen Tuck, Mr. GW Mayer, late Mr. RC Singhal and presently to Dr S. C. Biala. All these eminent educationists were/are highly qualified with long and rich experience of teaching coupled with administration and ably assisted by talented, experienced and professional teachers that have taken over the challenging task of leading the school which very aptly has risen as its motto “To Greater Heights”.

In the efforts for continuous up gradation of educational standards, the school has always adapted to the most modern techniques of teaching and chalked a path keeping in view the need of the times and stood tall like the mighty oak. Cambrian Hall is lovingly called “CH” by its well-wishers.

Celebrating its Diamond Jubilee having completed 60 glorious years Cambrian Hall is one of the leading and oldest coeducational, day and residential English medium school of the Doon. With only five students on its roll having classes Nursery to Standard II when the school established on 12th July, 1954 at 12 Lytton Road, Dehradun with Mrs. Maude Mainwaring the then, one of the finest teacher in the town, as the founder Principal Cambrian Hall has grown over the years and is among the best in class. With its present sprawling over 35 bhigas green campus amidst the Dehradun cantonment adjoining to The Doon School, its alumina are countless number of the top-notch officers of the Indian defense forces, civil services, academicians, corporate executives and many other professionals and business tycoons.

The momentous journey of the school could not have been possible but for the dream and hard work put in by Late. Col. Shashi Shumshere J.B. Rana a philanthropist from the lineage of the Royal family of Nepal, the school’s founder Chairman/President and his team of dedicated educationists that Cambrian Hall today is a respected school of the town with over 1500 students in classes I to XII. Affiliated to the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, New Delhi for Cambrian Hall imparting education has never been a business unlike many new age schools cropping up all around. It believes in what a school is for i.e. quality education, high moral standards along with necessary extra-curricular activities must for any child’s personality development to the fullest. The only thing it does not indulge in is blowing its own trumpets for cheap publicity.

Committed to the cause of education since the demise of her husband the visionary Col. Shashi Shumshere J.B. Rana in the year 1988 Rani Chandra Raj Laxmi the present President of Cambrian Hall School Trust while maintaining a low profile for self has further cemented the vision and moral values of Col. Shashi and maintained high standards of education and overall grooming of a child. Her humility is her greatest asset which has made Cambrian Hall scales the crest.

A very inspiring school motto ‘To Greater Heights’ which is also the lead phrase of the school song, Cambrian Hall emblem depicts a hand holding “Khukuri” (Nepalese knife with an inwardly curved edge, similar to a machete) and snow-clad mountains in the background, as if extending invitation to most beautiful but challenging world of nature. One can well imagine the far-sightedness of the founders of the school who were extremely conscious of nature and environment way back in 60s.

October 30, 31 and November 1, 2014 will witness the school formally celebrate its Diamond Jubilee among its past and present students, associates, eminent personalities and well wishers.

As an ex-student I owe my education to this great school. I have studied here right through from Kindergarten onwards over 30 years back. In fact my family has a long association with Cambrian Hall of more than 40 years and still going. Ours is a family kind bonding with this great institution and have always considered it as a school of choice. My family is proudly associated with Cambrian in all its momentous occasions – i.e the Silver, Gold and now the Diamond Jubilee.

The school takes pride in the fact that many of the schools in the town and different places across the country are today led by once Cambrian Hall teachers. The present Principals of St. Thomas School, St. Jude School, Hilton’s School, Riverdale School, Carman School, Guru Nanak Academy, Bishop Cotton and many others have their roots in this great institution. Likewise schools like Col. Brown, Constantia School, Bishop Heritage School, Patna and few others had teachers from Cambrian Hall lead them. Truly Cambrian Hall is mother of all schools in the Doon!

Cambrian Hall has also set up many novel traditions and is a first on many fronts. It was among the first coeducational school of the town to cater to national and international students both as day scholars and boarders. It possessed an Auditorium way back in mid seventies when most of the schools did not have one. The early seventies also saw Cambrian Hall a proud owner of school buses fleet to ferry children from across the Doon valley. During those days none other school in its class possessed its own school bus fleet, Cambrian Hall did. The NCC too was a part of school curriculum, though optional was again an innovative way of imbibing the spirit of patriotism among the students.

In the sphere of games, its annual sports equated to the District level sports at one time. The inter school boxing matches with some leading schools of the country were once a regular annual fixture at Cambrian Hall. The only other local schools which saw this sport in those days were the Rashtriya Indian Military College, The Doon School and Indian Military Academy (IMA).

A Museum of birds and small animals to infuse the love for nature among the students was a pride of Cambrian Hall so were the many clubs which focused many activities every Saturday afternoon. An all religion temple at the school was among the many firsts here. Likewise there are countless fronts where Cambrian Hall has stood as a leader to date.

While Cambrian Hall celebrates its Diamond Jubilee, one cannot miss remembering the teachers of yester years whose efforts and dedication is matchless. Some names of teachers who I saw in my tenure up to early 1980’s which comes to my mind who have left unmatched impressions on me and to whom I feel offering my obeisance and respect are Mr. Eral Shephard and Mrs. J.Shephard, Mr. D.Bulter-White and Mrs. D.G.Butler-White, Mr.Shanti Swaroop, Mr.Mohinder Singh Siddhu, Mr.D.N.Sharma, Mr.P.P.Singh, Mr. K.N. Bahuguna, Mr.R.Jordan and Mrs. S.Jordan, Mr. Roshan Lal, Mr.D.B.Rana, Mrs. V.Saxena, Ms. Jagbala Singh, Major (Retd). O.P.Trihima, Mrs. D.Fanthome, Mr. W.H. Thomson, Mr.A.E.Lunn, Ms. E.Edwards, Mr.A.W.Hilton, Mrs.Ketley, Mrs.M.Chopra, Mrs.J.Ghosh, Mrs.N.Greenwold, Mr and Mrs. Pratt, Mrs. R.Hensman and her daughter Ms. I Hensman, Ms.C.L.Joyce, Mrs. Q. Barnes, Mrs. M.Barth, Mrs.Pritam Kaur, Mr.G.Mackrodt,  and Mrs. Y.Mackrodt, Ms.P.Mackenzie, Mrs.K.Matloob, Mr. V.McNamara, Mrs, N.McNamara, Mr.V.N.Nigam, Mrs.D.G.Peters, Mrs.A.Pitre, Mr.F.Sharp, Mr. and Mrs. Darshan Singh, Mr. D.Wangchuk,  Mr.R.Cearns, Mr.J.Dennis, Mrs.N.Gideon, Mrs.Veena Guha, Mr.R.Jenkins, Mrs.U.Khanduri, Mr.R.Lawless, Mrs. M.Mathews, Ms. Suman Mehra, Mrs.V.F.Peters, Ms.S.Alam, Mr.R.Gardner and Mrs.V.Gardner, Mr. and Mrs. Giani, Mr.A.K.Raina, Mr.M.Khare, Mr.K.K.Sharma, Mr.Sealy, Major (Retd) D.P.Kala, Mr.Thakur Singh and many more both academic and non academic staff members who I may not remember now but their contribution beyond words.

Today, like me all Cambrianites feel happy to see Mr. Shyam Singh Thapa, Mr. Birbal Chhetri the Physics, Biology laboratory keepers and Mr. Pushkar the Sports Store keeper as the longest-serving staff members who were in my times and still dedicatedly serving the school with same vigor and zeal what we saw them then. They have put in their whole life to the cause of Cambrian Hall. These gentlemen among the many others are the true custodian of this great school but for their efforts and efforts of similar great teachers Cambrian Hall would not have been where it is today.

Long live Cambrian Hall! 

4 comments:

  1. Hello, Arun.
    I'm the nephew of Desmond and Dulcie Butler-White. I live in Australia and never met them, but I'm compiling a short history of my family and was wondering if you have any personal recollections or anecdotes that I might include in my account. Any contribution would be most welcome. Many thanks, Simon BW

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  2. Mr Butler-White was our physical instructor and took our PT sessions. Very fit and an upright gentleman.

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  3. Very nicely recounted Arun... brings up a flood of vivid memories. I am Sandeep Srivastava and was there from KG till Class X. Moved out in 1982.

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  4. Great and that i have a super present: House Renovation What To Do First house exterior renovation

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