Auckland House School is a
co-educational school
Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to ...
in
Shimla
Shimla (; ; also known as Simla, List of renamed Indian cities and states#Himachal Pradesh, the official name until 1972) is the capital and the largest city of the States and union territories of India, northern Indian state of Himachal Prade ...
,
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh (; ; "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen mountain states and is characterized by an extreme landscape featuring several peaks ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. It was founded by
George Eden (Lord Auckland),
Governor-General of India
The Governor-General of India (1773–1950, from 1858 to 1947 the Viceroy and Governor-General of India, commonly shortened to Viceroy of India) was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom and after Indian independence in 1 ...
, in 1836. The school originally served 32 students. Lord Auckland sold the school in 1868; the local
school board
A board of education, school committee or school board is the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or an equivalent institution.
The elected council determines the educational policy in a small regional are ...
moved the institution to
Lakkar Bazaar
Lakkar Bazaar is a marketplace adjoining the Ridge in Shimla, India. Shops offer wooden articles targeted mainly at tourists. There is also a roller skating rink in Lakkar Bazaar. The state hospital known as Indira Gandhi Medical College and ho ...
in 1869. Auckland was rated among India's top schools in a survey by Mainline Media and
The Pioneer awarded the school an A+++ rating based on a perception survey conducted amidst the public and academicians. It is affiliated to
ICSE. Today, the School is managed by
The Church of North India (CNI).
History
Auckland House School has an interesting history that dates back to 1836 when
Lord Auckland
Baron Auckland is a title in both the Peerage of Ireland and the Peerage of Great Britain. The first creation came in 1789 when the prominent politician and financial expert William Eden was made Baron Auckland in the Peerage of Ireland. In ...
, the
Governor-General
Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...
at the time, purchased the house. Later, when the Viceroys moved elsewhere, the school authorities bought the house in 1868. In 1864, Rev. J.B. D'Aquilar initiated the idea of establishing a school for girls to provide them with quality education based on Christian principles. The Church-related ladies group in Dalhousie gave shape to this idea, and the school was initially planned to be set up in Dharamshala. However, at the behest of the wife of
George Edward Lynch Cotton, it was founded in Shimla in 1866 at Holly Lodge on Jakhu Hill and was known as 'The Punjab Girls School.' The school started with 32 students, and Mrs. Mackinnon was the Headmistress at the time. In 1904, Miss Strong from
Cheltenham Ladies College
Cheltenham Ladies' College is an independent boarding and day school for girls aged 11 to 18 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. Consistently ranked as one of the top all-girls' schools nationally, the school was established in 1853 to pr ...
became the Headmistress, and the school gained popularity, earning the name "The Cheltenham College of India." In 1905, the school building suffered extensive damage during the
Kangra earthquake, resulting in the Governors' decision to demolish it and build a new one on the same site. The construction of the new building began in December 1920 and was completed by January 1921. From 1908 to 1952, St Hilda's Society,
Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
, substantiated the school with principals and staff, during which time Indian girls started to be admitted. Students from various countries, including Thailand, Ethiopia, Turkey, Australia, and New Zealand, were enrolled at the newly built Auckland House, which resumed classes after the earthquake. In 1962, the School acquired the "Belvedere" estate, which is now the boys' campus, marking another milestone in its expansion. Auckland House School provides education to the children of parents who work in various countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. It also accommodates children whose parents work in the
Armed Forces
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
or
Central Government
A central government is the government that is a controlling power over a unitary state. Another distinct but sovereign political entity is a federal government, which may have distinct powers at various levels of government, authorized or dele ...
, offering them a consistent education through the 'boarding house' option. Over the years, the school has grown from a small institution with 32 students to one of the finest in India, boasting a strength of over 1400 students.
House System
Each house at Auckland House School, named after a significant catholic figure, has its own color, motto, and crest. Students are assigned to a house when they join the school and participate in various inter-house competitions and events throughout the academic year. These competitions include sports, debates, music, drama, and other extracurricular activities. The students also take part in community service projects and other social initiatives under their respective house banners.
The house system is an integral part of the school's ethos and culture. The school also has a housemaster or housemistress for each house, who acts as a mentor and guide for the students.
References
{{reflist
Educational institutions established in 1868
Christian schools in Himachal Pradesh
Education in Shimla
Schools in Shimla district
1868 establishments in India
British-era buildings in Himachal Pradesh