Chopasani Sr. Secondary school

In 1875 two small schools, the first of their kind in Rajputana, were started for the sons of the nobles, which in 1886 were combined and re-organized under name “PowlettNobles’s School ”, so named after Col. Powlett, the then Resident. Many boys of these schools thenproceeded to the Mayo College,who have since distinguished themselves in the service of the state, notable among these were MaharajaZalim Singh.

In 1896 Maharaja Sir Pratap Singh as he was then styled, founded a school for Rajput boys of the poorer classes, who were fed, clothed and educated at state expenses. This was opened by and named after Lord Elgin and was in 1899 amalgamated with the Nobles’ School. Later the schools were again separated and they continued with varying fortunes until Sir Pratap Singh was appointed the Regent in 1911. He promptly reunited the two Schools and set on foot the scheme for developing it on present lines in April 1912.

Mr R. B. Van Wart, M.A. was appointed as first Principal of the school and within a month the plan of the new building had been prepared. The site of school, on recommendation of Col Windham, was chosen in November 1912 alongside laying the first stone into the ground and fifteen month later, the present imposing buildings came to completion, at a cost to the Darbar of over 4.5 lakhs.

The opening of the new Rajput School was held at 12:30 pm on the 8 th February 1914 presided over by His Highness Maharaja Ummaid Singh ji with chief architect of Rajput education Maharaja Sir Pratap Singh. Other dignitaries present in the occasion wereViceroy Lord Hardinge and Lady Hardinge. Original design of the main building is that of Mr. G J. O’ Brien, the then state Engineer.

Mr. O’Brien’s design has been very elaborate and the entire work of school was carried out by his successor, Mr. C. Skelton a highly dedicated person who neither reserved his time nor pains for the task in hand and deserves big accolades and congratulations for the magnificent building for which we today are proud of. Other persons involved in the job were Mr Baker &MrLutyens as architects and Mr C Skelton, MrPusha Ram &MrChunilal as contractors. Initially school was named Elgin Noble’s School and later changed to Rajput School.

The main building contains accommodation up stairs for 4 vernacular classes and for 10 classes studying up to the matriculation standard down stairs, a library and reading-room, the principal’s office and School Dafter and in the Centre is an imposing hall the largest and fairly the finest in the state. The school was conceived with a Boarding House for the Nobles, called Powlett House, to accommodate 50 boys, who paid for their own education. Other three houses for boys of poor Rajput families namely Elgin House(later named Saitan House), Hardinge House and Pratap House,each with capacity to comfortablytake 120 students. There is a swimming-pool, a stable for 30 horses, quarters for 25 teachers, as well as Assistant surgeon’s quarters and a Hospital. The school has a big farm house and Dairy Farm which act as resource centers for the practical teachings to students of the Agriculture stream.