History of Education in Tamil Nadu (From Ancient Times to 1970)

Back of the Book Vidvan, Dr. Francis S. Muthu is a 'Tamil scholar' (' Vidvan' of Madras University and Bachelor of Oriental Learning ( B. O. L. ) and Bachelor of Education ( B. Ed. ) from Annamalai University ). He is a'Poet' (‘Kavingnar Muttharasan ' ) and a 'Sociologist' (an M. A. and Ph. D. in Educational Sociology and Statistical Methodologies from Loyola University of Chicago), a ' Labor Economist' and an 'Employment and Training Professional’. He worked for the Cook County Government, Chicago, for more than thirty years as a labor economist and an Employment and Training professional and retired as the Director of the Department and Training. He was the first Asian American to head a Cook Co Department in its 150 years of history. He was a professor of Tarn of Madras and an Adjunct professor of Industrial and Educational 5 University of Chicago and at Triton College, River Forest, Illinois research papers were published by several journals in India and in various Tamil organizations in U. S. A. He has presented research subjects including Tamil language, literature, culture and civil national and international conferences.

He is one of the founders of the Chicago Tamil Sangam in 1969, the and, as a matter of fact, the first association for the South Indians Founder / President of the International Institute of Tamil Culture Inc. He is also the Editor- in- Chief and publisher of the International Culture & civilization, which is the revival and republication of 'Tan and published by the late internationally known Tamil scholar, and International Association of Tamil Research ( IATR ),Rev. Xavier S. known as Thani Nayaga Adigalar.

Dr. Francis Muthu was the Secretary General of IATR. Upon his in the 9th Conference held in Kuala Lumpur in 2015, the 10th International - Seminar on Tamil Studies was held in Chicago on July, 4th - sponsored by IATR and co- sponsored by the Federation of Tamil America (FeTNA) and the Chicago Tamil Sangam. It was a very SUCCE which gave primary importance to scientific approach to the study the Tamils, Tamil language, culture and civilization. Dr. Francis S.11 Academic Committee for the Conference. The General Body of IAT the 10th International Conference-Seminar in Chicago elected him Presidents of IATR. He is also Chair of the IATR- USA Branch.

Foreword History of Education in Tamilnadu: From Ancient Times to 1970 is a well - researched, historical - critical account of education in Tamilnadu, the nine chapters being indicative of the landmarks concerned. It is surprising to note that such a close chronological study has not been undertaken so far even though Thaninayaga Adigal did the pioneering work in this area of research by coming out with a characteristically excellent treatise on the state of education in ancient Tamilnadu during the Sangam age. Inspired by this, Dr. Francis Savarimuthu has delved deep into the worthy subject and continues the narrative from the Sangam age to the sixties of the twentieth century focusing on the periods of Jain and Buddhist education, Brahmanic education, of the East - India Company prior to 1813, Monroe to Wood's Despatch, Wood's Despatch to Lord Curson, Lord Curson to the Sadler Commission, Diarchy to Independence, and Post - independence.

Recent excavations at a place called Keezhadi in Tamilnadu firmly reveal that as early as the sixth century B.C. the Tamils gave prominence to literacy of a high standard. This historical truth is corroborated by more than one Sangam classic. It is quite evident that besides having large towns, capital cities and a complex social structure, they had developed a fairly advanced culture long before the arrival of the Aryans. Unlike any other race in the world of that time including the much - praised Greeks and Romans, the Tamils believed in the oneness of mankind eschewing the divisions based on race, religion, nation, colour, caste, creed and language.

Preface When I was studying in the Department of Education for my Bachelor of Education degree (B. Ed.), at Annamalai University, India, my professor of history of education was lecturing on the history of education starting from Socrates of Greece and ending with John Dewey of USA with very little reference on education in India or in Tamil Nadu. When I asked him whether there was any educational activities in ancient Tamil country with its rich culture and civilization that are very much found described in our Cankam classics and medieval literatures, he first ignored me and later he said that he did not know much about them and that I could go ahead research and write the history of education in India, especially in Tamil Nadu. I started researching the literatures as I am a Tamil scholar (`Vidvan' of Madras University) and other educational documents from the Government of India and Madras State during the English period. I did not see much written comprehensively on the history of education in Tamil Nadu except a brief history of education in ancient Tamil Nadu during the Cankam period and in the Madras Presidency during the English rule.

When I came to Loyola University of Chicago, USA, for my doctoral degree, I continued my research on the history of education in Tamil Nadu using the modern historical methods. The educational documents and books in the Regenstein library of the University of Chicago and in the Library of Congress in Washington, D. C. were very helpful. My special thanks to the librarians of the South Asian section in the Regenstein Library of the University of Chicago. I decided to submit the history of education in Tamil Nadu for my master's degree, even though I had already started the empirical research for my doctoral degree in sociology of education focusing on education and social mobility in Tamil Nadu using sociological and statistical methodologies.

Introduction Tamil Nadu, one of the four States in Southern India, is located in the southeastern part of 'peninsular India. The area of Tamil Nadu is 50,331 square miles and it consists of the districts of Madras, Chinglepet, South Arcot, North Arcot, Thanjavur, Ramanathapuram, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, Salem, Tiruchirappalli, Coimbatore and Nilgris. According to the 1961 census population was 33,636,953. The estimated population in 1969 is 38,627,000. The Capital of Tamil Nadu is Chennai formerly known as the city of Madras, and the language of the people is Tamil, the only classical language in the world continuously spoken for over 5000 years.

Ancient Tamil Nadu extended over, the entire Indian peninsula with the Vankata hills, (the Tirupati hills in Andhra Pradesh) as its northern border. Southern India is geologically the more ancient part of India and it was the cradle of the most ancient civilization in India. The classical or Cankam period, from 3rd century B.C.E. to 3rd century C.E. was the golden age of Tamil Nadu. The great culture and civilization of Ca/11(am Tamils was unique in the cultural history of India. It was also a period of great literary activity and every line of the classical poems reflects this great civilization. Life was secular, humanistic and optimistic and this was in turn the basis of their educational philosophy. Everyone in their casteless society sought education without restriction. The first chapter of this book deals with the educational ideas of the ancient or the classical period of Tamil Nadu.

By the end of the third century of the Christian era the cultural conquest of Tamil Nadu by Northern Indian religions began.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages