The Lawrence School, Sanawar (near Kasauli), Himachal Pradesh, India was founded by Sir Henry Montgomery Lawrence of the Army of the colonial India’s British Raj. It was established on 15 April 1847.
The school has graduated many dignitaries and is a reputed co-educational, residential public school of India. Sanawar is Affiliated to C.B.S.E. In appreciation of the contribution of Sanawar, the Govt. of India issued a special stamp and first day cover on 3 october 1997. Interestingly many creative Sanawarians maintain a low-profile.
Henry Lawrence wanted to establish a chain of schools with a view to provide education to the children of the deceased and serving soldiers and officers of the British army. Lawrence was himself killed in the Indian rebellion of 1857, also called India’s First War of Independence. His dream took shape and four such schools, initially known as Lawrence Military Asylum, were established in different parts of India: the first two during his lifetime in the year 1847 at Sanawar and the second at Mount Abu in 1856; the third at Lovedale, near Ootacamund on 6 September 1858, and the fourth in Ghora Gali (near Murree, now in Pakistan) in 1860.
History
Founded by Sir Henry Montgomery Lawrence and Lady Honoria Lawrence, Sanawar is believed to be the first co-educational boarding school in the world. On 15 April 1847, a group of 14 boys and girls camped at the top of the foothills of the Himalayas. They lived under canvas for some weeks anxiously waiting for the first buildings to be completed before the arrival of the monsoon. Thus did Sanawar come into existence. By 1853, the school had grown to 195 pupils when it was presented with the King's Colour. One of only six schools and colleges ever to be so honoured in the entire British Empire, the others being Eton, Shrewsbury, Cheltenham, the Duke of York's Royal Military School and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Sanawar has held its Colour for the longest unbroken period.
The tradition of military training at Sanawar has always been strong and was of such a high standard that several contingents of boys were
enlisted from the School and sent straight to the battlefields of the Great War. In appreciation of this, the School was redesignated in 1920 as the "Lawrence Royal Military School", and, in 1922, the
Prince of Wales personally presented the School with new Colours. The School Colour continues to this day to be trooped at the Founders Celebration in early October and Sanawar pupils continue to make a major contribution to the defence of the country to this day.
The first Principal of the School was the Rev. W. J. Parker, (1848 - 1863). Notable events during his period include the first Founder's Day in 1849, and the opening of the Chapel in 1851. Parker was followed by the Rev. J. Cole (1864 - 1886), the Rev. A. Hilldersley (1886 - 1912) and by the fourth Principal, the Rev. G. D. Barne (1912 - 1932) who developed Sanawar into a major public school along English lines with House and Prefectorial systems, games on an organised basis and a curriculum working towards Cambridge University Examinations.
The School continued to evolve and modernise throughout the middle and later years of the last century. In 1956, Mr. E. G. Carter, retired as Principal and was succeeded by Major R. Som Dutt (1956 - 1970), the School's first Indian Headmaster. He laid the foundations for the school, as it is today, India's foremost residential coeducational public school. Developments have continued since that time, most notably under the leadership of Mr. S. R. Das (1974 - 1988).
Sanawar is situated on an independent hill, about 3 kilometers from Kasauli. The Birdwood School, a British-era building that houses the classrooms, covers an approximate area of 1 acre, with no discrimination over space allocation between boys and girls. Situated on the the first floor of the Birdwood School is the Barne Hall, an auditorium with two levels of seating facing a raised stage, on which the House Shows, debates, quizzes and various cultural performances are enacted. Extra-curricular subjects such as Art and Sculpture are taught in spacious workshops, a little removed from the Birdwood School.
