Indian News Letter

COCHIN STATE GETS A CATHOLIC COLLEGE
From Our Own Correspondent
DELHI There has been a lull on the anti-Christian front during September. As a contrast the Church has shown her strength by the opening of a new Catholic college at Thevara, in Cochin State.
Cochin State, on the west coast of India, has five first grade colleges; of these four arc Catholic. The oldest celebrates its silver jubilee this year. The new college is in a suburb of Ernakulam, the seat of the Syriac Archbishopric.
It is conducted by the Carmelite Fathers of the Syrian Rite, and has a total enrolled strength already of 312 students, of whom 275 are living in, in the four fine hostels which have been built.
The college is affiliated to Madras University. and offers courses for B.A. and B.Comm. degrees of the University.
The Principal is the Rcv. Peter Thomas, T.O.C.D., well known for the past fifteen years as headmaster of the Sacred Heart High School at Thevara, and the vice-Principal, the Rev. Fr. C. J. Varkey, formerly Education Minister to the Government of Madras, is another well known Catholic educationist in South India. The' staff of 27 includes 20 Catholics, and the students are 50 per cent. Catholic.
The college foundation stone was laid on May 16, 1943: the college was opened on July 1, 1944, in the presence of the Dewan of Cochin, representing the Government and the Royal Family, and the Chief Justice of the State. a Cochin Catholic. Tributes were paid by the Dewan to the Catholic clergy of Cochin for the notable work being done by them in the land. The opening of this college in so short a time is a remarkable tribute to the energy of the missionary fathers in this part of India.