Christian Girls' Higher Secondary School, Tura

Christian Girls' Higher Secondary School
Knowledge For Excellence
Location
Tura, Meghalaya, India
Information
Established	1921
Founder	American Baptist Mission
School district	West Garo Hills
Principal	Bethsida Cheran Momin, (2007/8 - 2012/13)
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Meghalaya Board of School Education, Tura
Website	http://abdkindia.org/cgs/

The Christian Girls' Higher Secondary School is a secondary school in Tura, Meghalaya, India. It is one of the oldest schools in the state of Meghalaya, as well as in the whole of the north-east of India. It was established in 1921, in its present location. But the history of its formation dates back to 1874. It is the only school in the world where "Wangala", the traditional dance form of "the Garos" (known as "A`chik" in the local language, and "Mande" in Bangladesh) is taught as part of the school curriculum.

Brief History

Mentions of schools for Garo girls were first made by Dr. Miles Bronson in 1868; followed by Dr. Stoddard who wrote of a girls' school at Rajasimla. In 1874 Mrs. Keith opened a Boarding School for Garo girls in Goalpara. When M. C. Mason and E. G. Phillips arrived in Goalpara, they asked the 'Women's Society' for a special school for Garo girls. As a result, Ms. Marian Russell arrived in Tura in 1879, with the specific purpose of opening such a school. Initially, it was a challenge for the pioneer missionaries to get anyone to attend their schools; and many times they had to literally go from village to village trying to convince the locals to send their children to the school. In 1883, Ms. Russell herself went to Nishangram and built a school out of bamboo. Thirty eight girls, mostly grown-ups, came to her. From then on, the school began to grow in spite of many adverse circumstances being faced along the way. The school was not always known by its present name; it underwent many name changes, which is briefly described below.