Hare School

Main building in 2006

Hare School is one of the oldest schools in Kolkata, India, teaching grades one to twelve under the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education and the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education. The boys school was established by the Scottish watch-maker, David Hare. The establishment date is not agreed upon, but the official year of establishment is 1818. Thus the school is declared as the oldest western type school in Asia.[1] The school is situated opposite the Presidency University, and is also adjacent to the University of Calcutta and Hindu School.[2]

History

After the David Hare Book Society established the Hindu School or Hindu College in 1817, and the Calcutta School Society in 1818, David Hare established a school opposite the college in the heart of College Street. It was called Arpuli Pathshala, hare school later as Colootala Branch School, but is now named Hare School, and has been since 1867. The Bengal renaissance personality, Peary Charan Sarkar, was one of the most well-known principals of the school in the nineteenth century. The road that runs behind the school separating Calcutta University from Presidency College and Hare School is named after him.

Campus

Main playground

The combined campus of the Hare School and Presidency College is one of the largest in Kolkata.[3]

The white building of the school is of Victorian architecture, and has rooms with high ceilings, tall doors, and no windows. A third floor was constructed on top of the original two-story building. The new floor maintains the same architectural style. Another adjacent, smaller building, has also been constructed, but in a modern architectural style. The school has two playgrounds, but the larger one of these was given to the Presidency College, although it continues to be used casually by the students of Hare School.There is also a statue of David Hare shown below which is decorated every year on the eve of the so-called Daved Hare Day, celebrated by the students, teachers and staffs of the school. A large procession starts from the school to the nearby College square, where a programme is held in front of David Hare's grave.

Student life

The Hare School has around 1000 students in attendance. Each of the classes range from one to ten students, and each class is part of one of two sections, A or B, each of which contain around 40 students. Class 11 and 12 are divided into three 'streams' known as Science, Arts (Humanities) and Commerce.

2006 Saraswati Puja at Hare School

A football tournament is held during the summer at the school. Intra-section competitions as well as inter-section and inter-class ones ensure that almost every student gets a chance to play at the official tournament. During the winter, a cricket tournament of smaller scope is held. The school's largest festival is the Saraswati Puja, which is organised by students.During the event, public science presentations are held by the students.

Notable alumni

A statue of David Hare at the school

References

  1. ↑ "Overthere - Class apart". The Telegraph, Calcutta. 11 November 2009. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  2. ↑ "Hare School, Kolkata". InfiniteCourses.com. www.infinitecourses.com. Retrieved 19 May 2012.
  3. ↑ "Hare School". pages.rediff.com. Retrieved 7 February 2015.

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