B 4

There was a grammar school as a part of the Kottayam College. In England the secondary schools that taught grammar, language and the basics of other subjects were called Grammar Schools. Kottayam Grammar School followed that model. The missionaries wanted to establish three grammar schools. One was in Kottayam and the other two were in Munroe Island and Cacard respectively. These schools were supposed to be the nurseries for the college. It was in 1820 the missionaries sent a proposal for this to the Madras Corresponding Committee.

In this simple and illustrative relief sculpture Sarath Mari portrays one of the interesting moments that takes place inside a grammar school. Heads of two boys are seen in the sculptural frame and they are keenly looking at the blackboard where the suggestions of grammar and arithmetic could be seen. The closed door shows the strictness of education. Students are cut off from outside distractions. These two boys are sitting in two different rows and are cleverly shown by the artist by adjusting the size of the heads. It also suggests there are more students in the classroom.