Selaiyur Hall, one of the three men’s residential halls on the Madras Christian College campus. 1937 was the year when it came up and began functioning, and thus 2012 sees it celebrate 75 years, the Platinum Jubilee of the hall, making it a special year for all Selaiyurians past and present.
It was in 1930 that the Madras Government decided to set apart 390 acres from the Selaiyur reserve in Tambaram, for the purpose of relocating the college to a more spacious setting from its original base in George Town. As per the recommendations of the Lindsay Commission on Christian Higher Education, the Missionaries who built the college, decided to establish Halls rather than hostels, which would function as semi-autonomous units in a democratic manner, with residents being given the power to manage their own affairs with the help of a student cabinet. The Hall system was an innovation in India and which was modeled on the hoary institutions of Oxford and Cambridge. It has been exceptionally valuable in promoting brotherhood and acquiring wonderful values and culture, besides giving the residents a sense of responsibility.
The ‘first tree’ of Tambaram was cut on 5thJanuary 1932, commencing the construction of the new campus. Incidentally, among the various Halls, Selaiyur Hall buildings were the first to be completed in 1937. Friday 29th January, 1937 heralded the beginning of the great journey at Selaiyur Hall when a group of students, faculty and old students slept overnight for the first time. Selaiyur along with St. Thomas’s was built with 4 balcony rooms at the 4 corners, which today are given to the Chairman and General Secretary of the hall, along with ex-cabinet members or Mighty Selaiyurians.
Selaiyur has always occupied a pivotal position in shaping MCC life. There is an essential difference between the common hostel system and the hall, because one has a personal relationship with all others.
Selaiyur Hall was and still is one of its kind, being the chief fore-runner among the Halls ever since it came into existence.
How the name came about:
There is an interesting story behind the naming of Selaiyur Hall. The first hall to be named was Bishop Heber Hall, as it was already functioning with that name as a hostel in Royapettah. Therefore, Dr. A.G.Hogg, the Principal of the College invited suggestions from students and faculty for naming the other two halls. Some of the names suggested were Vandalur Hall, Coromandel Hall, St.Anderson’s Hall, Thiagaraya Hall, Gurukul Hall, Shantiniketan Hall, New Town Hall, Cosmopolitan Hall, Centenary Hall, St.Thomas’s Hall and Selaiyur Hall among others. Of course the last name was chosen, and thus Selaiyur Hall attained complete hall status with its name being fixed. Since then every MCCian when told about Selaiyur is reminded about the hall, rather than the actual place that exists in Tambaram.
How the name came about:
There is an interesting story behind the naming of Selaiyur Hall. The first hall to be named was Bishop Heber Hall, as it was already functioning with that name as a hostel in Royapettah. Therefore, Dr. A.G.Hogg, the Principal of the College invited suggestions from students and faculty for naming the other two halls. Some of the names suggested were Vandalur Hall, Coromandel Hall, St.Anderson’s Hall, Thiagaraya Hall, Gurukul Hall, Shantiniketan Hall, New Town Hall, Cosmopolitan Hall, Centenary Hall, St.Thomas’s Hall and Selaiyur Hall among others. Of course the last name was chosen, and thus Selaiyur Hall attained complete hall status with its name being fixed. Since then every MCCian when told about Selaiyur is reminded about the hall, rather than the actual place that exists in Tambaram.
The Hall Song and Hall chant:
Like all the halls on the MCC Campus, Selaiyur Hall has its own hall song and hall chant. The Hall song was written and composed by Rev. G.C. Martin, Selaiyur Hall’s second warden.
SELAIYUR HALL SONG:
If you come to Tambaram and if you want to stay, sir (twice)
Come to good old Selaiyur Hall (thrice)
And be a gentleman, sir.
For we are the boys of Selaiyur Hall (twice)
And if you want the best of all
Come to Selaiyur, sir.
Selaiyur has a remedy for every kind of evil (twice)
Food, fun and friendship (thrice)
But study is the devil, sir
For we are the boys of Selaiyur Hall (twice)
And if you want the best of all
Come to Selaiyur, sir.
If you are looking everywhere for someone to injure, sir (twice)
Try a game of basketball (thrice)
Where broken bones are sure sir
For we are the boys of Selaiyur Hall (twice)
And if you want the best of all
Come to Selaiyur, sir.
If you meet a frightful bore whose talk you cannot endure, sir (twice)
Send him off to Heber hall !
Send him off to Thomas’ hall !
Send him anywhere at all
But not to Selaiyur sir
For we are the boys of Selaiyur Hall (twice)
And if you want the best of all
Come to Selaiyur, sir.
The person lives in Tambaram from youth till he is mellow (twice)
Lives as he ought to live (thrice)
And leaves a jolly good fellow
For we are the boys of Selaiyur Hall (twice)
And if you want the best of all
Come to Selaiyur, sir.
For we are the boys of Selaiyur Hall (twice)
And if you want the best of all
Come to Selaiyur, sir.
