City Landmarks – Church Mission School

Jinnah, Intekhab Alam, Mushtaq Mohammad, Sadiq Mohammad and Haroon Rasheed all went to Church Mission School. It will be interesting to know how this place become a nursery of a generation of great cricketers. The chowkidar was clueless about it. Perhaps the kids playing in the empty courtyard were the answer themselves.

Let’s see what we know about the school. Colonel Henry W. Preedy, the first collector of Karachi founded the school in 1846. He was also the patron of Christ Church which is across the street. The mission society of Christ Church also managed the business of school. The school was nationalized in 1971 and thus started the decline in quality of education and subsequent negligence by the bureaucrats in power. A Familiar story. Or perhaps even worse. The vast grounds inside the school boundary made it an attractive location for hosting receptions for weddings. Though govt. seems to have taken notice and put an end to the nonsense. The place was in news again for the wrong reasons when registers containing names of famous students including founder of the nation went missing. Few new blocks have been added to the school and old blocks have been renovated albeit with a bit pompous finish. Surprisingly most of the newly renovated blocks did not have any furniture inside and looked if they have not been used since the restoration.

The chowkidar’s family lived inside the quarters at the back of the school building. He came with his granddaughter on his shoulder. He’s been with the school since ages and happily lived the memories of bygone era. He was one of those who stop living in the present and look back to the past instead of future.