Sri Rama School Arkula to mark centenary

Sri Rama School Arkula to mark centenary

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, June 23, 2016: Sri Rama Higher Primary School, Arkula, at Farangipete in the taluk, will complete 100 years on March 31, 2017, and various programmes will be held on the occasion.

Addressing media in the city, school headmaster Devdas K R said that the school was established on March 31, 1917, on the day of Ramanavami. The founder of the school, Ramachandra Hegde, admitted nine children to the Kannada medium school on the day. Maji Kotyappa was the first teacher of the school.

The teachers in the school themselves gathered an amount to start a library, a mahila mandali, mid-day meals, and notebooks for children during those days. Also, cultural programmes such as Yakshagana were held.

The donors, too, have helped in the development of the school. Dasa Elementary School in Sujir and Krishna Elementary School in Kodman were started as the branches of the school, after 1923.

The salary of teachers was paid by the amount collected by staging plays in Nehru Maidan in Mangaluru, during the earlier days of the school. C V Nayak was the first President of the school society.

Mahatma Gandhi had come near the school to deliver a speech during the freedom struggle and the people of the village donated funds for freedom struggle. In 1960, the school headmaster Gopalakrishna Hegde was conferred the National Award for Teaching.

Acharya Vinoba Bhave had also paid a visit to the school. Writer Panje Mangesha Rao had visited the school for inspection and wrote his comments on the remark book. Today, the school has been equipped with e-learning kit, computers, internet and LCD. 240 students are studying in the school now.

On the occasion of the centenary celebrations of the school, the administration committee has planned several projects such as Rangamandira, centenary building, Balavadi centre and organising workshops and various other programmes.

Old students invited : A meeting will be held at the school on June 26 at 9.30 am. The alumni of the school and interested people are requested to participate, Devaraj said. Committee Honorary President Vajranabha Shetty, and President A K Jayaram Shekha were present at the press meet.