Himalayan Times (1955)

KUMUDINI HOMES

OPENING Op DHARMA HALL

Kalimpong, May 31

The premises of the local
Kunmdini Homos, popularly
known as tho Town School, was
throbbing with life when on
24.5.55 Sri T. Wangdi, Dy.
Minister, Tribal Welfare,
Government of West Bengal
declared open, amidst a huge
gathering of men, women and
children the newly constructed
72' "Dharma Hall" of the

School. The hall has been cons-
tructed at a cost of Rs. 45000/-
raisod by public donations tho
two largest individual donations
being of Rs. 30,000/- and Rs.
2000/- from General Kkraj
Shamsharo J. B. Rana and
Dr. Gopal Chandra Das Gupta
respectively.

The Head Master Sri T. R.
Sharnia giving the history of the
Kuraudini Homes said in his

speech:

"In the year 1924 Sri M.
C. l'radhan, Late Chumbey
Tshering Late Thomas and
others started a night school
with teachers voluntarily offer-
ing their free services. This
night school continued shifting
here and there in the town
wherever free accomodation or
accomodation on nominal rent
was available. In 1034 a small
site with hardly 1500 sqft area
was obtained in the middle of
tho town and a small structure
was built by public subscrip-
tion. In the same year the
school became a recognised pri-
mary school admitting dav
scholars also. In tho year 1936
it was raised to M. F. Standard
and was recognised as such by
tho authorities.

Tho unmanagable rush in

the only High School managed
by the Missionaries in tho sub-
division nocossiated the open-
ing of Class VII in the year
1946 by adding second storey
to the old cutcha building. The
credit of the expansion of that
building and opening higher
section goes solely to Late D.
S. Gurung who was then its
president. The site however was
not at all suitable for running
a High School. When the acute
difficulty of getting a suitable
site was being felt, a splendid
gift of landed property of 8
acres with residential buildings
worth moro than a lac of ru-
pees was made by Rai Bahadur
R. P. Shaha of Calcutta in the
year 1947, tho year of our gett-
ing freedom. The entiro pro-
perty including the institution
is named Kuraudini Homes
according to the wish of the
donor. The donor further dona-
ted cash Rs. 2500/- to construct
sheds for immediate use. With
this money, with subscription
and other reserve funds wooden
structures were constructed
spending about Rs. 7000/- and
higher classes were taught
there. The board of Secondary
Education West Bengal granted
recognization to the school as
High School from 1-1-52.

The problem of providing
accomodation to the growing
number was the most difficult
hurdle. From the beginning of
1953 the committee took the
risk of constructing pucca build,
ing without fund but trusting
on the public for donation. As
work progressed, donations were
leeeived, General Ekraj Sh»m-
sher J. B. Rana being the

chief donor who donated Rs.
30000/- for the construction of
the school Hall. In the mean-
time tho disposal of the old
school fetehod 12000/- Thus
with those funds a new building
has been erected and so far
Rs. 79128/- has been spent.
The Hall now completed is the
best school Hall in North Ben-
gal. The School is managed by
a committee of elected repre-
sentatives of guardipns, donors,
teaching staff and persons in-
terested in education. The roll
strength in the secondary classes
only is 365."

The entertainment provided
by the School ohildren was of
high order and their display of
Folk-Dances was highly appre-
ciated by all present.

Sri T. S. Wangdi in his
address promised State help to
the institution.

FOR SALE

Offers invited for (i)
One "mo Model Gestetner
Duplicator" machine in ser-
viceable condition and (2)
one "Royal" Typewriter
machine made in U. S A.
in serviceable condition after
rjetty repairs.

Machines may be ins-
pected at the office of the
District Board, Darjeeling
luring office hours.

The Machines may not
be sold unless a reasona-
ble offer is received.

The last date of re-
ceiving offer is 31st July
1955.

R. S. PRASAD, M.L.C.

Vice-Chairman,

District Board,
_Darjeeling. '