Brief History

Oriental High School was established and run by the church and its mission; therefore, its history is intertwined with that of church and mission. The Presbyterian Church of India is the offspring of Presbyterian Church of Wales. Formerly the Presbyterian Church of Wales was known as “The Walsh Calvinistic Methodist Church” and the Mission Board was known as “The welsh Calvinistic Methodists Foreign Missionary Society.” It was founded in 1840 with its headquarters at Liverpool, (Now at Cardiff, Capital of Wales).

In March, 1849, Rev and Mrs. William Pryse arrived at Cherapunjee. Mr. Pryse visited Sylhet at the end of the year and began his mission in the plains. In 1951, Rev. William Pryse paid a visit to Cachar plains pushing forward as far as Manipur Boarder. In 1856 Pryse opened a school in Silchar, the capital town; and also began a missionary work in the Cachar District. In 1863, a High school was opened in Silchar with 150 pupils’ enrolment. During this time Captain Steward was the Government agent and had provided enthusiastic and support to the work of Pryse. Rev. Pryse died unexpectedly in August, 2nd, 1869. Due to the unavailability of persons to serve as missionary in the Sylhet Cachar field was abandoned in 1872. Rev. & Mrs. J. Pengwern Jones and Miss Sarah A. John arrived in Sylhet on 28th November, 1887 to resume the work on plains. Rev Dr. TJ Jones, M.A., Ph.D. moved to Silchar from sylhet before the end of March 1893. Two lady missionaries Miss. Elizabeth Williams and Miss Laura Evans joined Dr.Jones at Silchar in the month of May 1893. It was around 1895, the land which belonged to Government Prison Department was purchase and new houses were built for the mission.

The mission intended to have school for Christian girls only. During September, 1938, the new school work began. No contractor was engaged. The school was build under the direct supervision of Rev. Reese personally. He was an excellent builder. The foundation stone was laid by Rev. T.W Reese on May, 10, 1939; the new Girls’ Vocational school was opened by Miss Laura Evans, the senior Lady Missionary on the 20th of March, 1940 with 50 pupils on the roll. In this school they taught practical subjects such as cooking, housekeeping, child welfare, care of sick, Hygiene, Needle work and weaving. Unfortunately, the missionaries could not maintain the school properly from 1943 to 1946 especially because of war between Britain & Japan. The military authority requisitioned all the mission buildings. Besides after the partition of India in 1947 travelling was a difficulty from India to East Pakistan. From the report of Miss E.M Lloyd, B.A., it was visible that the school was preparing to upgrade class up to VI in the year 1948. As per the report of Miss Gwen C. Evans, at the beginning of 1950 there were 75 girls in the school. Girls’ hostellers consists of 50 Cachar girls, 10 Pakistani girls, 4 Manipuri girls, 2 Lushais girls and 2 Khasis. They also had boys up to class 3 and they left for Government High School after that. The missionary's report about this school has been visible till 1954. In the reports, Miss Nayak, P.Roy and Mrs. Ghose are visible as the prominent staff of the school from the Silchar Locality. It is also found that Miss Evans was continually going backward and forward from Silchar to karimganj during the year 1953.

The Presbyterian Churches in Barak Valley, mission and its schools were under the care of missionaries till 1958. Then the mission works and the churches were looked after by the Presbyterian Church of India (Assembly) till 1974. In 1974, the Prebyterian Church of India (Assembly) handed over all the matters relating to Church Administration and Mission concerned to the Presbyterian Church of India, Mizoram Synod. The name of the school was rechristened as "Oriental High School" in the year 1977. The first batch of HSLC candidates appeared in the year 1988. Then the Synod Mission Board of Mizoram Presbyterian Church built a magnificant school building adjacent to the old one and this was inaugurated on the 5th Day of May, 1999. In the same year, the school received full recognition from SEBA and it also celebrated its Diamond Jubilee.

the persons involved in this school and their various capacities are mentioned below:

Presbyterian Missionaries in Silchar

1. Mr. & Mrs, Pryse	1856-1867	10. Rev. & Dr. T.W. Reese	1919-1950
2. Dr. & Mrs. T.T Jones	1891-1903	11. Miss. I. Evans	1924-1950
3. Miss Williams	1891	12. Miss. P. Jones	1924-1947
4. Miss. Evans	1891	13. Miss. Olivan Reese	1929-1944
5. Miss Laura Evans	1892	14. Rev. Marwin Jones	1940-1943
6. Miss. A.E Roberts	1892	15. Rev. & Mrs. Adams	1942-1946
7. Miss. Ellen Hughes	1899	16. Rev. Brewin James	1950-1953
8. Miss. E. M. Lloyd	1903	17. Rev. Jenkins James	1953-1954
9. Miss Lora Evans	1916-1926 or 1931	18. Rev. H. R. Henry Rechard Jamess	1954-1955

Barak Area Officers (Headquarters Silchar): School Ex-officio Chairmen

1. Rev. Zairema	B.Sc., B.D.	Assembly Officerr	1958-19688
2. Rev. Ram Rymbai		Assembly Officer	1969-1971
3. Rev. E. M. Chulai		Assembly Officer	1972-1973
4. Rev. Lalpianga	B.A., B.D.	Cachar Officer	1974-1985
5. Rev. R. Lalengkima	B.A., B.D.	Administrative Secretary	1986-1991
6. Rev. S. Lalkhuma	M.A., B.D.	Administrative Secretary	1992-1997
7. Rev. Zosangliana Colney	M.A., B.D., M. Th.	Administrative Secretary	1998-2000
8. Rev. Vanlalchhunga	B.D, M.Th.3	Administrative Secretary	2001-2003
9. Rev. K.Lalhmingliana	B.A., B.D., M.Th.	Administrative Secretary	2004-2006
10. Rev. Ralthansanga Ralte	B.A., B.D.	Administrative Secretary	2007-2012
11. Rev. Z.D. Lalhmachhuana	B.Th., B.D.	Administrative Secretary	2013-2018
12. Rev. Dr. Rualthankhuma		Administrative Secretary	2019-2021
13. Rev. Lalrintluanga Ngente		Administrative Secretary	2022

Headmasters Of Oriental High School:

1. Vanlalchhuanga	(B.A., B.Ed.) Mar.1977-Sep.1978	7. Khalhliana Raltee	(B.A., B.Ed.) 1994-2000
2. Lalthlamuana	(B.A.) Oct. 1978-Jan.1979	8. Malsawmdawngliana	(M.A., B.Ed.) 2001-2002
3. Rozama Chawngthu	(B.A.) Feb.1979-May.1980	9. J. Lalkima	(M.A., B.Ed.) 2003
4. Lalramliana Pachuau	(B.Th) Jun.1980-Feb.1981	10. Lalthlengliana	(B.A., B.Ed.) 2004-2005
5. Hauthuama	(B.A., B.Ed.) Mar.1981-Dec.1986	11. Saidinga Sailoo	(B.A., B.Ed.) 2006-2008
6. C. Hualliana	(M.A., B.T.) 1987-1993	12. K. Lallianzuala	(M.A., B.Sc.(Hons) B.Ed.) 2009-2018
13. Lalrinawma	(M.A, B.Ed.) 2019

LIST OF SCHOOL MANAGING COMMITTEE, ORIENTAL HIGH SCHOOL: 2022 - 2025:

SL. NO.	DESIGNATION	NAME	PHONE NUMBER
1	Chairman	Rev Lalramdinthara	9862813299
2	Secretary (Headmaster)	Lalrinawma	9957294736
3	Member (Citizen representative)	Mr Ramchhanngama	8732830549
4	Member (Teachers representative)	Mr Lalbiakzuala Pachuau	7640925218
5	Member (Teachers representative)	Ms Vanrammawii Hrahsel	9862397316
6	Member (Parents representative)	Mr Sanjoy Kumar Paul	6000294800
7	Member (Parents representative)	Mr K. Amritlal Singha	9401459459