Shimla: Bishop Cotton School, one of the oldest public school in Asia founded in 1859 celebrated its 150th Foundation day in the Holy Trinity Chapel here today.
Mr. P.K. Samantaroy, Bishop of Amritsar & Chairman, Board of Governors of Bishop Cotton School was Chief Guest, addressed the Sesquicentennial celebrations. The foundation day celebration was also characterized by multifaceted activities, including a Chapel service hosted by the school, march past by NCC Cadets and the School Brass Band gave
Guard of Honor to the guest.
The Founder’s Day Service was addressed by Capt. Vivek Bhasin, Old Cottonian 1970, Mr. Rohit Gandhi, a Delhi based International T.V. Journalist, documentary maker also addressed the audience followed by a panel discussion.
Bishop Cotton School was founded by Bishop George Edward Lynch Cotton, son of an Army Captain, who died leading his Regiment into battle.
Mr. Lynch was scholar of Westminster and a graduate of Cambridge, in 1836 he was appointed Assistant Master at Rugby by Doctor Thomas Arnold, one of the founders of the British Public School system. It was the young Mr. Cotton who is spoken of as the “the model young master” in Thomas Hughes’ famous book “Tom Brown’s School Days”.
His bust was also unveiled by Chief Guest, Mr. P.K. Samantaroy in the school campus here recently.
The History of Bishop Cotton School is of public interest for the part it played in the development of public school and in the wider history of education in this country. BCS was the first school to start the Prefect system, organized
games and the House system in India, almost at the same time as it started in England.
