Hill Schools - An Educational Tradition

Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong in the hills of Darjeeling have been home to some of finest schools in the country since the ninetinth century. These schools originally built by the British and Indian nobility by the ruling British in the lines of the aristrocratic private schools like Eton, Rugby and Harrows in Britain.

As the beautiful hill towns of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong started to develop as summertime residences for the British and Indian aristrocracy, the need for good schools for children emerged.

St Paul's School was first built in Calcutta (present Kolkata) in 1823 but later relocated to Darjeeling in 1864. It is Asia's one of the oldest schools and one of the most reputed schools in India.

Several schools came up one by one like Loreto Convent (1846), St Joseph's College ( 1888) and Mount Vermon School (1895).

Dow Hill (1879) and St Helen's School (1890) were set up for girls and Goethal's Memorial School was set up for boys in 1907 in Kurseong.

From the low and steamy plains 'Upward!' the old school calls;

Come share our joys and pains,

Come mould your lips and brains;

'Upward!' the old school calls.

- From the School song of St Paul's, Darjeeling