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| The Fountainhead Essay Contest
The Fountainhead Essay Contest
for High School Students In India
Introduction
Objectives
The Plan
The Road Ahead
The Budget
Support the Contest
Introduction:
Over the past five decades, Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead
has become a modern classic. Not only has it retained its popularity, it
is perhaps one of the most intellectually stimulating books that inevitably
leaves it mark on the reader.
Therefore, the idea of conducting an essay contest
as a way of introducing this powerful book to students in India had been
with us for quite some time. Such a contest has been successfully organised
by the Ayn Rand Institute in North America for well over a decade now.
Finally, we decided to go ahead and organise such a contest for high school
students in 1998. In the following year we mailed to over 1000 schools
and junior colleges spread all over India.
The objectives of the contests are as follows.
Objectives:
-
To introduce a modern classic to students;
-
To provide incentives to study the ideas of Ayn Rand, one of the most powerful
writers of this century;
-
To inculcate the virtue of independence and inquiry;
-
To identify students who are interested in the ideas of freedom;
-
To identify teachers and schools interested in promoting similar activities.
The Plan:
There had been some sporadic attempts to organise similar
contests in India in the past. With the aim of encouraging greater participation,
we have decided to give as many prizes as possible. The first prize is
Rs 5000/- and the total prizes come to over Rs 22,000/-. Three schools
with the highest number of participants are also recognised, and given
sets of Ayn Rand's books.
To give the students maximum time to enable them
find and read the book we announce the contest before the summer vacations
in May. In view of the possibility that some students may not easily find
a copy The Fountainhead, we have decided to make it available
to school libraries at lowest possible price if requested.
To further help the teachers encourage their students
to participate, we also make available on demand copies of The Teacher's
Guide to The Fountainhead, by Andrew Bernstein.
Regular mailers are sent to the schools over a six-month
period. Volunteers visit select schools in some cities to promote the contest
and gauge the response of teachers and students. The feedback of
the volunteers has been quite positive. It helped in identifying teachers
and schools that were particularly keen to encourage their students.
The Road Ahead
The positive response from students and teachers suggest
that the contest has in these two years been able to achieve the objectives.
We hope to be able to expand the contest and make it a permanent feature
of the annual school calendar here. We are also working to develop follow
up activities for the students and teachers in the form of discussion groups,
seminars, and residential camps. These will substantially help in consolidating
the support base and go a long way in sustaining this contest in the coming
years.
We are also hoping to introduce a new contest for
undergradute students based on the novel Atlas Shrugged.
The Budget:
Following is the approximate breakup of expenditure for conducting this
essay contest in India.
Prizes
Rs 25,000
Postage
Rs 20,000
Printing
Rs 15,000
Stationary Rs
5,000
Administration Rs 15,000
Miscelleneous Rs
5,000
-----------------------------------------
Total
Rs 85,00
For the various follow up activities, we need additional support.
Seminar
Rs 15,000
Discussion group Rs
5,000
Residential camp Rs 75,000
Support the Contest:
So, far this effort has been supported by Liberty Institute and
Mr.Vikram
Bajaj. We welcome all help in terms of money, time as volunteer, and
suggestions that will make the contest more effective. Donations to Liberty
Institute are exempt under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act. Join us in
this fulfilling endeavour.
Together we can help create a better tomorrow
Liberty Institute
96/10 Pushp Vihar I
New Delhi 110 017
Tel: 91-11-6512441 / 6528244 Fax: 91-11-6527868 / 6856992
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Fountainhead Essay Contest
