Thompson Women's Training Institute

While concentrating on the educational development of the people of Orissa, the missionaries also put special emphasis on female education, for the upliftment of the status of women. O?Malley, has correctly observed that ?Female education in the first half of nineteenth century was the child of no one but the missionaries?. The missionaries established some lower primary, upper primary and middle vernacular schools for girls. One of those efforts of missionaries was the establishment of the orphanage and the Wigner Primary School, Cuttack in Orissa in 1837. Rev. A Sutton started this school by gathering some orphan girls. With the care and concern of missionaries, especially of Mrs. and Rev. John Buckley this lower primary school developed to be an upper primary school and a middle vernacular school, named Buckley Girls? school in 1946. In 1892, there were 5 teachers and 3 monitors (Senior students to assist the teachers) for 6 classes in this school, as the number of students increased day by day ?8? more monitors were appointed as ?Teacher Trainees? to help the teachers. This concept of appointment of teacher-trainees to help the teachers gave birth to the idea of establishment of a teacher training Institute.