Competitive Houses

For many years, in fact right up to 1983, the Homes had two boys' houses Viz. Oakshott and Lewis and two girls' houses Viz. Blackburn and Preston. As a result, competition in all activities was limited. One House Match was all there could be among the boys and one among the girls. In 1982, the system was expanded to three houses encompassing boys and girls, the Houses were Oakshott, Lewis and Oldham. However, numbers increased rapidly, and in 1983-84 itself it was decided to expand the three houses to four and to keep them distinct from the Cottages.

Four of the prominent benefactors were selected and the Houses named after them. Laidlaw House after Sir Robert Laidlaw (Yellow), Plummer House after Edward Plummer (Green), Cockburn House after David Cockburn of Kotagiri (Red) and Hamilton House after J.G. Hamilton (Blue). Girls and boys belong to these four houses and Inter-House Competitions are held in the following sports and games: Cricket, Hockey, Football, Basketball, Table Tennis, Tennis, Chess, Cross Country, P.T. & Gymnastics and Track & Field. On the Co-curricular activities side, Inter-House competitions are held in Singing, Elocution ,Debating, Quizzing and Dramatics, besides Studies and Discipline. Elocution and Debating are held in three divisions and in English, Hindi and Tamil. Singing and Quizzing is also held in three divisions and Dramatics, though the Houses compete only in English Dramatics, drama in Hindi and Tamil is also encouraged.

The four houses compete for the coveted Edward Hammick Cock House Shield.