Wynberg-Allen School is a boarding school in India, founded in 1888. It is located in the hills near Kulri, Mussoorie, India. The alumni of Wynberg Allen School are known as Allenites or Alwynians. The school ranks number 10 of the best residential schools in India according to rankings such as Education World (EW) India School Rankings and EW Residential Schools Survey.
Video Wynberg Allen School
History
From a meeting in Kanpur in 1887 of friends, Mr. Powell, Mr. and Mrs. Foy and Brig. Condon, who became the founders, came the first school at Jabarkhet along the Tehri road. Initially started as Christian Training School and Orphanage with Eugenie Catherine West (died 1895) as its first superintendent, later it was named Wynberg Homes and eventually became the Wynberg Allen School. It provided education in the hills for twenty children. It was established as a Non-Conformist School though from the beginning, as far as funds permitted, no child of any denomination was refused admission. In 1894, the school moved to the present Wynberg Estate.
In 1916 the Governing Society was formed. The object of the society was to provide for and give to children, wholly or partly of European descent, an education based on Protestant Christian principles.
Up to 1926, boys and girls had been accommodated on the Wynberg estate. In that year, however, older boys were transferred to the new Henry Allen Memorial School built on an adjacent hill which became the Senior School for Class 7 and upwards.
In 1957, the school became a co-educational institution. In 1968, a block, consisting of class rooms, dormitory accommodation for Junior boys and members of staff, was opened in Wynberg. The school has an auditorium, gymnasium and a science block (including a computer lab) in Allen, the Senior School. The school is managed by the Wynberg Homes Society, a society registered under the Societies Act of 1860, on inter-denominational lines through a Board of Management.
The school accommodates around 700 children. The principal is Mr. Leslie Tindale.
Maps Wynberg Allen School
Governance
The school is managed by The Wynberg Homes Society, a society registered under the Societies Act of 1860. The school motto is Excelsior.
The school runs from January to December; and the academic year during which the students are in residence and attend classes, normally extend from March to November.
Houses
The school has four houses named after the school's founders:
- 'Foy' corresponding to the colour yellow; Crest: An eagle; House motto: Seek and ye shall find
- 'Condon' corresponding to the colour green; Crest: A tiger; House motto: Be valiant be strong
- 'Powell' corresponding to the colour red; Crest: Knight on horseback; House motto: Work conquers all
- 'Allen' corresponding to the colour blue; Crest: Knights, visor & shield; House motto: Never despair
Over the course of the school year, each house accrues points through participation/winnings in mainly extra-curricular events and the house with the highest tally at the end of the year wins the "Cock House Trophy". The name of the winning house is declared amidst much suspense on Prize Day, which is typically held on the last day of the school year.
Uniform
The winter uniform consists of green blazer, white shirt and grey trousers. The tie is striped with gold and green.
Prefects
There is one boys and girls school captain and vice-captain each for the Senior and Junior Schools along with prefects. These appointments carry with them disciplinary powers. The school has also in the past conducted leadership workshops to help form the decisions of awarding these posts. There are separate house captains appointed.
Sports
The school has facilities for sports and its students have participated in national championships. The school has two playing fields, a gymnasium, swimming pool, basketball court, tennis court, squash courts and five indoor courts.
Sports played include:
- Field Hockey
- Football
- Basketball
- Swimming
- Cricket
- Squash
- Table Tennis
- Billiards & Snooker
- Volleyball
- Handball
- Throwball
- Badminton
- Tennis
Inter-house sports and athletics along with inter school meets are held. Some of the most noted competitions are those held between rivals St. George's College, Mussoorie. An annual track and field event takes place.
Motto
The school motto is Excelsior. This is derived from the poem Excelsior by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Notable alumni
- General Shankar Roy Chowdhury - Chief of Staff, Indian Army (1994-1997)
- Saeed Jaffery - actor
- Sunil Mittal - industrialist
- Rahul Bhandari - Hedge Fund Investor
- Jitendra Singh - Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Member of Parliament, Alwar
- Lt. Karamjeet Singh Judge - Victoria Cross (posthumous)
- Charles Dyson DFC - World War 2 Ace
- Dinshaw Eduljee - World War 2 fighter pilot, Air Force Cross
- Nawab Shah - Bollywood actor
- Meiyang Chang - TV personality, actor
- Simran Mahendrawal - Model, Television personality and Top Model of the World India 2015
- Prem Das Rai, 1970 - Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, Sikkim State
- Elizabeth Davenport, Javelin, Olympian (1960)
Bibliography
- Jalil, Rakhshanda (2013). Excelsior the Story of Wynberg Allen School. Pragun Publications (2013). ISBN 9383098112 and 9789383098118
References
Source of article : Wikipedia