CALVE COLLEGE

Calve College, established in 1875 and named after Calvé Souprayachettiar, a prominent member of the respected merchant family, holds a significant place in history. Originally offering education in French, the institution served the educational needs of the local Hindu and Muslim children. In the years 1877 to 1880, it was managed by a congregation, after which an English section was introduced. By 1885, Calve College had transformed into an upper primary school, welcoming children of all castes without any discrimination.

Initially under the management of the Department of Education, Calve College was exclusively for boys and did not have a pre-primary section. Architecturally, the building harmoniously blends colonial and indigenous styles, featuring a distinctive Madras terraced ceiling supported by wooden rafters. Its façade boasts a series of arcaded corridors, a central colonnaded porch, and a European-inspired pediment crowning the main entrance. The spacious classrooms, situated around a U-shaped courtyard, are complemented by colonnaded verandas with high ceilings and numerous tall windows, providing natural ventilation during hot seasons. The first floor encompasses a similar verandah, and the tiled sloping roof extends beyond the outer wall to efficiently drain rainwater. The entire wooden framework, including beams and rafters, supports the traditional Mangalore tiled roof.

Tragedy struck Calve College during the devastating ‘Thane’ cyclone in 2011, causing severe damage. As a result, classes from grades 6 to 10 were temporarily relocated to a middle school in Kuruchikuppam. Subsequently, due to the collapse of the Town Hall building, the remaining plus-1 and plus-2 classes were also shifted.

After almost three years of planning, the restoration work on Calve College Government School has finally commenced. The Public Works Department has undertaken the replacement of wooden rafters and beams on the ground floor, aiming to preserve this cherished educational institution and its architectural heritage for future generations.