Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

Jaffna Jaffna (, ) is the capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna District located on a peninsula of the same name. With a population of 88,138 in 2012, Jaffna is Sri Lanka's 12th most ...

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

Jaffna Jaffna (, ) is the capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna District located on a peninsula of the same name. With a population of 88,138 in 2012, Jaffna is Sri Lanka's 12th most ...

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

Phillips Academy, Andover ("Not for Self") la, Finis Origine Pendet ("The End Depends Upon the Beginning") Youth From Every Quarter Knowledge and Goodness , address = 180 Main Street , city = Andover , state = Ma ...

Andover Theological Seminary Andover Theological Seminary (1807–1965) was a Congregationalist seminary founded in 1807 and originally located in Andover, Massachusetts on the campus of Phillips Academy. From 1908 to 1931, it was located at Harvard University in Cambridge. ...

Newburyport, Massachusetts Newburyport is a coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, northeast of Boston. The population was 18,289 at the 2020 census. A historic seaport with vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island. The mo ...

Salem, Massachusetts Salem ( ) is a historic coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, located on the North Shore of Greater Boston. Continuous settlement by Europeans began in 1626 with English colonists. Salem would become one of the most significant seaports tr ...

Colombo Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...

Tellippalai Tellippalai or Thellippalai ( ta, தெல்லிப்பழை Tellippaḻai

on 16 October 1816. Poor pioneered the English education service to

Tellippalai Tellippalai or Thellippalai ( ta, தெல்லிப்பழை Tellippaḻai

and its adjoining villages is magnanimous and admirable and to be remembered for ever by the poor, middle and the upper class folks of the region who had an advantage of high-standard education over the other rural areas of the Jaffna peninsula in the 19th century. Though the American missionaries came with dedication and fanaticism to spread Christianity, they did not confine themselves strictly and fully to evangelism alone; they were keen to impart a liberal education. Immediately after landing in Colombo in 1813 Rev.

Samuel Newell Samuel Newell (1784–1821) was an American missionary and one of the pioneers of American foreign missions. He served with the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in India and Ceylon, where he founded the first American ''Ceylon M ...

got a charter from the British governor to impart a primary education service to the public in the parched north. They were forbidden to engage in higher education. But, in contrast to the American missionaries, the Methodist missionaries, stationed in the

Jaffna Jaffna (, ) is the capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna District located on a peninsula of the same name. With a population of 88,138 in 2012, Jaffna is Sri Lanka's 12th most ...

fort, took about four years to comprehend that they could not convert natives to Christianity without schools and in 1817 Rev. James Lynch applied for permission to their Head Office in England to establish schools. But Poor was able to commence his education service at

Tellippalai Tellippalai or Thellippalai ( ta, தெல்லிப்பழை Tellippaḻai

without any impediment in 1816. On 9 December 1816, Poor founded the ‘Common Free School’ which is currently known as

Union College, Tellippalai Union College ( ta, ஐக்கிய கல்லூரி ''Aikkiya Kallūri''; UC) is a provincial school in Tellippalai, Sri Lanka. Founded in 1816 by American Ceylon Mission, it is one of Sri Lanka's oldest schools. History Rev. Samuel Ne ...

in the ‘Dutch Hall’ that had been infested with poisonous serpents when Rev. Samuel Newel stepped into the compound in 1813. ‘The Common Free School’ was the first English school "From the opening of the first American missionary school in

Tellippalai Tellippalai or Thellippalai ( ta, தெல்லிப்பழை Tellippaḻai

illipallyin 1816, through 1848, one hundred and five Tamil schools and 16 English schools were founded." EMBASSY OF SRI LANKA, istorical ContextWashington D.C. 1998. A Pictorial Record by U.S. Information Service, Colombo - 1978. founded in

Jaffna Jaffna (, ) is the capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna District located on a peninsula of the same name. With a population of 88,138 in 2012, Jaffna is Sri Lanka's 12th most ...

. In 1818 Poor converted the school into ‘Family Boarding School’ again the first of its kind to Jaffna. The school started with six students. The first student Samuel Lochester completed his studies in 1828 and got an appointment as a teacher in the same school. Also, Poor was the first principal to admit girls and dalith students to a school. Among the five girls first admitted to the school, one Miranda Sellathurai was from the dalith class. In 1821 the total number on roll was 11 boys and 3 girls. Poor began to preach through an interpreter, but his progress in

Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nativ ...

was so rapid that he spoke the language freely in less than a year. His wife Susan died at

Tellippalai Tellippalai or Thellippalai ( ta, தெல்லிப்பழை Tellippaḻai

on May 7, 1821, after giving birth to one son and two daughters. Of the other three missionary colleagues, Edward Warren who was of fragile health, died in South Africa after leaving

Colombo Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...

in April 1818. While at

Tellippalai Tellippalai or Thellippalai ( ta, தெல்லிப்பழை Tellippaḻai

, he treated sick people and taught not only English but also the Tamil language to the natives. James Richard, who accompanied Warren to Cape Town, remained there until Nov.25, 1818 and returned to Jaffna. He survived for three more years, and died on August 3, 1822. Poor then married Ann Knight of England, on January 21, 1823. Poor moved to

Vaddukoddai Vaddukoddai (also spelt Vattukkottai, Vatukotai, Vattukotai) ( ta, வட்டுக்கோட்டை, si, වඩුකෝඩයි) is small but important town in the minority group, minority Sri Lankan Tamils, Sri Lankan Tamil dominated J ...

where he founded a boarding school for boys. This school became an important educational centre for the entire region, and succeeded in sending out well-trained teachers and Bishops to schools and churches which is currently known as

Jaffna College __NOTOC__ Jaffna College is a private school in Vaddukoddai, Sri Lanka. It was founded in 1871 as a successor to the Batticotta Seminary which had been established by American missionaries. History In 1816 American missionaries founded the ...

. He was given the degree of D. D. by Dartmouth in 1835. He was transferred to

Madurai Madurai ( , also , ) is a major city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Madurai District. As of the 2011 census, it was the third largest Urban agglomeration in ...

,

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 ...

in 1836, where he founded thirty-seven schools that he visited in succession, and frequently addressed from horse-back to crowds of adult natives. He returned to his original station at

Tellippalai Tellippalai or Thellippalai ( ta, தெல்லிப்பழை Tellippaḻai

in 1841. In 1848 he visited the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

where he created a profound impression with his able and eloquent advocacy of the cause of missions. Poor returned to

Jaffna Jaffna (, ) is the capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna District located on a peninsula of the same name. With a population of 88,138 in 2012, Jaffna is Sri Lanka's 12th most ...

again in 1850 and continued his work at

Manipay Manipay or Maanippaai ( ta, மானிப்பாய்) is an affluent town in the northern Jaffna District of Sri Lanka. The original name of Manipay is Periyapulam. It was a mission location when the American Ceylon Mission (ACM) came to S ...

until he fell a victim to the

cholera Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and ...

epidemic which struck the peninsula disastrously in 1855. Poor had performed a noble service to

Tellippalai Tellippalai or Thellippalai ( ta, தெல்லிப்பழை Tellippaḻai

in the fields of English education, the

Tamil language Tamil (; ' , ) is a Dravidian language natively spoken by the Tamil people of South Asia. Tamil is an official language of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, the sovereign nations of Sri Lanka and Singapore, and the Indian territory of Pudu ...

and social advancement; he deserves to be celebrated in a grand way, if not possible annually, at least once a century.

Daniel Poor Memorial Library in Madurai Daniel Poor Memorial Library often abbreviated as DPM Library is a century old college central library of the American College, Madurai, Tamil Nadu in India that officially began its functions on June 28, 1915. History Samuel A Morman, the gra ...

often abbreviated as DPM Library is the central library of

The American College in Madurai The American College, often referred to as American College, is one of the oldest colleges in India, located in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. It was founded in 1881 by American Christian missionaries. The red-brick buildings, in the Saracenic style, ...

, It is one of the oldest libraries present in

South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...

. DPM officially began its functions on June 28, 1915. It was built in memory of Rev. Daniel Poor.

References

See also