Janaki amma, my grandmother was the first girl from our family to study in Baker Memorial School. The first Mission Girls' school was started in Kottayam by Mrs. Fenn and Mrs Baker in 1820 or so. It was probably one of the very first Girls' Schools in India. Girls especially from Hindu, Nair families were not given school education in those days.
Grandma used to tell me how she got the basic education. It was during the British rule that Baker School started. Kizhakkedathu family is one of the reputed Nair families of Kottayam. Kizhakkedathu tharavad, built in 1776, is situated near the school in the heart of the town.
Grandma narrated the story of her education as this…. The British ladies from the school visited each near by houses and explained the importance of education for girls. Thus they came to our joint family. As the men in our family had education they understood the English language. But they were so orthodox and not ready to change their traditional ways of life. Still the determined British ladies didn’t give up hope.
They would come every morning trying to convince the men until they succeeded in taking my grandma to school with them. I’m not sure whether any of her sisters followed her.
Grandma was 11 years old in 1908, when she was picked up by the teachers to school. One day the elders or Karanavars of our family would send her, but the next day they would refuse. But the teachers didn’t lose hope and they would come again to convince the family to educate the girls, and take her to school. This repeated for a long time till grandma became a regular student.
Grandma could get education only for 2 years in the English medium school as she got married at the age of 13. The 2 years learning made her well versed in English. She was an ocean of knowledge, especially on Hindu scriptures and culture. She used to write letters to my children in English at the age of 90. When she passed away in 1994 at the age of 97, she had completed rewriting Ramayan in simple language, as could be understood by small children.
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