While stories of Darjeeling usually swarm around the mall and sunrise on Tiger Hill, several fascinating accounts steeped in nostalgia, lurk behind the old walls of the British boarding schools that abound the hill town. “The boarding schools, apart from promoting a distinctive value chain, were parallel economic systems in themselves,” says Debarshi Roy, author of ‘Growing with the Himalayas’ which was launched at the Oxford Bookstore. Unfortunately, however, despite their century-long existence, not much has been written about them, nor are people aware of the rich cultural implications of the schools. Especially, as the hill town witnesses a volatile political situation, Roy feels that his book might be able to throw light on how it affects the education system. “Firstly there’s very little understanding about the history of these schools. And then with this unrest, most people are likely to gives these school a miss. More because there are so many options available in the form of the glossy day boarding schools in and around Kolkata,” says Roy, now the executive director of the G D Goenka Public School in Siliguri.

While doing his research, Roy also realized that even people in North Bengal were not fully aware of the history of these schools. St Paul’s, St Helen’s, Goethal’s Memorial School, Mount Hermon, Loreto Convent, Dr. Graham`s Homes and St. Joseph`s North College – were mostly established over a hundred years ago, with the idea of dispensing education as charity. However, over time, things changed, the schools turned into almost ‘elitist’ centres of excellence. “In a small town like Darjeeling, these schools function as an economic system. Firstly, they employ hundreds of locals in the form of teachers, helpers etc. Secondly, there’s indirect employment for stationery dealers, dressers, hotel owners who provide accommodation for the parents on and off etc,” says Roy.

Most of the stories of the school are lost, or difficult to endorse as they remain alive through oral traditions. “I had to go through old magazines, almanacs, newspapers for information. I tried meeting former students and teachers but was surprised how several were not aware of the histories,” recollects the author.