Madurai :
Scholars, alumni and students gathered in large numbers to celebrate yet another milestone in the illustrious history of Sethupathi Higher Secondary School here. One of the oldest schools in the city, the two-day annual day celebration to commemorate its 125th anniversary was launched in its premises on Friday.
Although the school has produced freedom fighters, scholars, exceptional thinkers and speakers, the school is best known as the school where Subramanya Bharathi taught. The poet and renaissance personality had a stint as teacher here in 1904. The function on Saturday is expected to witness a large number of scholars and representatives of local administration.
Sethupathi School was started by Venkatarama Iyengar, who was then running a town primary school in the same area. Baskara Sethupathi, the then ruler of Ramnad, had supported establishing the school by donating his guest house. Bharathi worked in the school for a salary of Rs 17 a month in 1904. The school has received a coat of paint and have underwent repairs to sport a new look on its 125th b’day.
The function on Friday involved all the stake holders and was organised by the Madura College Board. Addressing the gathering, G Manivannan, one of the directors of Madurai College Board, said many schools in Madurai have been producing many top students. But most of these students are from well-off families.
However, Sethupathi Higher Secondary School has been transforming sons of auto rickshaw drivers, load men and other members of the working class into good class students. “The school was started basically to support the education of the students from unprivileged section. We have been producing centum in subjects including science, social science and mathematics,” he said.
Addressing the gathering, V V Rajan Chellappa, mayor, Madurai Corporation, said the school has the reputation for having produced a vast number of scholars. Lauding the school for its service to the society, he said the school has done so much to the society. The school has been the destination for a large number of underprivileged children from the surrounding areas.
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Madurai> Large number / by V Devanathan, TNN / January 04th, 2014