Rev. E. Noel Hodges (1886 – 1889)
When Rev. Garrett left Trinity the C.M.S. appointed in his place the Reverend E. Noel Hodges as Principal. He was a Master of Arts of Oxford, and came to C.M.S. from the Noble High School in Masulipatam. In the year that Dr. Hodges arrived the work of the school seems to have been good, although in the following year there was an alarming decline in the standard, especially of the lower classes. To the gratification of the Education Department, however, Dr. Hodges was able in the next year to report a marked improvement. The lack of thoroughness in the teaching complained of by the Inspector he put down to the fact that boys did not come young enough to school, and their attendance was most irregular-twin evils which were not cured until much later.
Dr. Hodges, like most Principals in those days, had an uphill task in trying to infuse a better spirit into the school. The work he accomplished was not immediately recognised, but bore fruit in later years. Not only did he succeed in improving the discipline of the school, he also introduced more efficient methods of teaching.
Dr. Hodges was appointed to the Bishopric of Travancore and Cochin and left C.M.S. in 1889.