Beautiful Testimonials of Yore

A character/conduct certificate or a testimonial is an important document esp. when joining an educational institution as a student or as a teaching faculty.  It is also an important item for employers when they take in their candidates.  In recent times, the 'Character Certificate' is reduced to a proforma that is filled up and submitted after signatures and seals.   

In the earlier times, it was written by hand in full usually by the person himself.  I have a few with me from my forefathers' time.  Reading them is a real pleasure.  Just read to feel the beauty of the language used in them.  Click on the images to enlarge to be able to read.  For convenience, I've reproduced some excerpts in italics. 

This is from Marrimallappa's School, Mysore, issued by the then Head Master, none other than the great M.Venkatakrishnayya [also renown as Thathayya and grand old man of Mysore].  It was issued to my great grandfather, Mylar Rao [also 'Malhari Rao'] in 1888, when he left that school after teaching Arithmetic.  I handed over a copy of this document that has Thathayya's signature to the School in 2008 much to their delight.  He writes ".... He mixes with the boys like a friend, solves their difficulties and proves himself a very acceptable teacher.  Notwithstanding this, he maintains the discipline of his class.  His conduct and qualifications are praiseworthy."

From there, he joined The Hindu Theological High School in Madras [now Chennai] which he left in 1891.  It has the original signature of the founder of that reputed school which still exists today. I had the pleasure of sending the above letter and a certificate [original] to the school which they really liked, because of the signature of the much revered Head Master!!  Read my separate blog on this.  In the above it is written beautifully thus: "In consideration of the circumstances mentioned in your letter of that date, I regret to have to accept your resignation of your post here, with effect from the 1st Proximo, signed by R.Sivasankara Pandiyaji, Head Master.  

  

Mylar Rao had passed his B.A. at Central College, Bangalore in 1886-87.  R.H.Piggott, M.A, writes [1st October, 1888] thus:

Mr."K.Malhar Rao BA, was my pupil in English and Mathematics during the last two years of his college course.  His diligence and courtesy were always exemplary and he acquitted himself with credit in his final examination.  He speaks English with unusual clearness and accuracy, and his mathematical knowledge is sound and substantial.  I have formed a high opinion of his personal character and am confident tht he will prove a conscientious, popular and successful teacher."

J.Cook writes ".....from his very good and moral character, and gentlemanly manners I should say he was specially fitted for such an institution [which in fact was the one in Madras as above], and I have much pleasure in recommending him for the managers of the Theological High School.  I am sure he would be a great favourite with pupils and I have no doubt he would do his utmost to discharge his duties to the satisfaction of the managers."

Same J.Cook writes another: "...... He is a young man of good appearance and good manners and I have a very high opinion of his general character and abilities.  I have no doubt he will do well in whatever line of life he may follow: and I have every hope that he will maintain the good name he has borne in this college.  He has a good physique and was an ardent cricketer and a general favourite with his classmates.  He has my best wishes for his future career."

This was by A.Narasim Iyengar, Durbar Bakshi to HH The Maharaja of Mysore on 27th Sept. 1888.  "I am glad that I know K.Mylari Rao for the last 7-8 years [He was 20 yrs old in 1888].  He was drawing a scholarship from the Palace till he passed his B.A.degree examination held in the years 1887 and 88.   I have invariably been having very good accounts of his college life in which he has never had a single failure.  His behaviour and character have been exceptionally praiseworthy and I am confident he will prove himself to be a very useful hand to any institution which may avail itself of his services."

In this one, T.R.Venkataswami Iyer writes: "......... I had ample opportunity to watch his progress and character. He has a good taste for the subject and very fair ability and a habit of doing his work with great neatness.  And as for conduct, I have never come across a more well-behaved student.  I am confident that he will do any High School Mathematical teaching most satisfactorily and shall be very glad to hear of his securing a place."

In 1888, Mylar Rao was 20 and had finished his B.A.  He was collecting testimonials for furthering his career.  

This is a certificate issued to my father by Mr.S.V.Ranganna, the renown University Professor in English. [Click on letter to read, fully legible].  He was also our relative.

This one was issued by P.Raghavendra Rao, Retired First Member of Council, Mysore State, to my grandfather when he was looking for a govt. job in 1927.  

In those days, not everyone gave testimonials to all and sundry. When someone wrote one, it carried its weight and so it was valued much.

Old testimonial returns to where it originated

Just out of curiosity, I happened to google-search if "The Hindu Theological High School, Madras" still existed. My great grandfather K.Mylar Rao was a teacher in that school when it was started in 1889 (to 1891). There were two papers (pictured above) that he had got from the Head Master in 1891 when he left that job on the lookout for a better one. On the left is a certificate (notice the 'Aum' on top of it) written in beautiful script and on the right is a letter (read the language!) accepting his resignation.

I do not know the circumstances when he changed the spelling in his name from Malhari Rao to Mylar Rao.

To my surprise and utter delight, the search took me to the school's website. Immediately, I thought why not I return those two papers to the school because it had such a long history.

I learnt that the school was founded by Sri P.Sivasankara Pandiyaji . I reckoned that his original signature in the two papers might be of some interest to the school authorities now. My e-mail through the 'contact us' button on the website to the school offering the two documents (pictures were attached) was promptly answered by the present head master in a most enthusiastic tone. The school was really interested. The beautiful signature of the founder Sri Pandiyaji himself reveals much of his character. It came as no surprise that my forefather who having worked with such a great man, had risen to such heights.

Here is a brief on the school - The Hindu, 2006.

After a couple of e-mail exchanges the two original papers in reasonably good condition, were packed and dispatched to the school. Mylar Rao had procured them for a purpose at that time and since that purpose had been well served, they went back to where it originated, 118 years later, after I developed serious curiosity and those two papers developed history over all those years. It gave me immense pleasure in sending them back. The head master expressed his happiness in his message but before that, he had already dispatched me a school dairy and brochure as compliments.

The reputation of the school is recorded here in these messages. (click).

These were among the bunch of testimonials Mylar Rao collected in 1891 to support his endeavours. Around the same time, he had collected one from Marimallappa's School, Mysore, where he was a teacher before he went to Madras and from Central College, Bangalore where he did his B.A in English and Mathematics in 1888. He had put up the thread-tag himself to this bunch, in all likelihood in 1891 itself. I could have thrown them off any day because they were all faded old papers, but no. The language in them appealed to me, reflecting on the quality of education that was imparted at that time.


Now I had to cut the thread-tag away for good reason.