GP CAPT ACHCHYUT KUMAR

P

erched at an altitude of 6,800

feet above mean sea level and

spread over an area of 36 acres

of forest land, pasture land,

vegetable gardens and orchards, is

an institution whose fortunes have

swung in close synchronisation

with the fortunes of the country

during the last 150 years. The story

of All Saints College is one of how

a molehill went on to become a

mountain; battling against the

vagaries of time but always standing

firm on its foundation.

If an individual’s life history were

to be written as is the history of All

Saints College it would, perhaps,

run thus; from “rags to riches, from

destitution to affluence”. Such has

been the fluctuations in the fate of

this institution which has survived

primarily due to the dedication and

determination of its staff at all levels

and through all times.

In 1869, a project was formed by

some public spirited residents of

Nainital, Dr. Condon, Mr. H. S. Raid

and a few others for founding a school

for the Anglo-Indian, European and

other children of the town. Thus,

a small co-educational school was

started with the approval of Bishop

Milman of Calcutta with an English

woman, Miss Bradbury, as its first

Principal, and with just two students.

In 1871, with an increasing number

of students, the school underwent a

division with the boys’ section being

called as the ‘Diocesan Boys’ School’

which went on later to be named

Sherwood College. The girls’ section,

called the ‘Diocesan Girls’ High

School’, was set up at ‘Stoneleigh’

where Ramsay Hospital stands, today.

The School was shifted to the Ayarpata

Hill, its present location, in 1892.

The same year, the All Saints’ Sisters,

an Anglican religious Order, took

charge of the school; after which it

was known as All Saints’ School.

The Diocese of Lucknow bought the

estate in 1915 and the School came

under the management of the Holy

Family Sisters. On the departure

of the Holy Family Sisters, in 1945,

the present Junior School Building,

which was originally the training

college for teachers, was shouldered

by the All Saints’ College Society, of

which the Bishop of Agra Diocese

(The Church of North India) is the

Chairman. Succinctly, as of today, All

Saints College, Nainital, is an English

medium residential-cum-day girls’

college imparting quality education

milestones