Schoolhouse in the Clouds

by Edmund Hillary

The dramatic, often amusing story of Sir Edmund Hillary's return to the Himalayas in March, 1963, to fulfill a promise - to repay the Sherpas, a rugged Himalayan people, with schools, water systems and medical aid, for the loyal and courageous service they have rendered to many mountaineering expeditions over the years - and to do a bit of climbing.
At the close of the 1960 scientific mountaineering expedition which he described in 'High in the Thin, Cold Air', Sire Edmund Hillary asked his native helpers what one thing they most desired. The answer was "schools", and an old Sherpa remarked: "our children have eyes, but they are still blind".
In 1961 the first school was built in Khumjung, 13000 feet up the flanks of sacred Mount Khumbila in Nepal. When Hillary returned with a nine man task force to continue the job two years later, he discovered a widespread improvement int he village; many has learned to write fluently in Nepali; several, particularly children, spoke English with astonishing facility; and everywhere there was a passion for learning.
Before the nine man team was through, they had given schools to neighbouring Pangboche and Thami, revolutionized Khumjung with a crude, but efficient, mile long water pipeline, and, with the help of airdrops and fights against time and prejudice, saved thousands of natives from the ravages of smallpox.
Sire Ed's picture of Sherpa life is full, colorful and compassionate. Through Lady Hillary's own diary, we see the charm of these children, the business of everyday, the ceremonies acted out against the blue sky, sparkling river and a world of laughter. But no less exciting are the accounts by two other members of the expedition - of assaults on two great unclimbed peaks: Taweche and Kangtega.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel

180 pages

First published January 1, 1964

About the author

Sir Edmund Percival Hillary KG ONZ KBE was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer, and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953, Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers confirmed to have reached the summit of Mount Everest. They were part of the ninth British expedition to Everest, led by John Hunt. From 1985 to 1988 he served as New Zealand's High Commissioner to India and Bangladesh and concurrently as Ambassador to Nepal.

Hillary became interested in mountaineering while in secondary school. He made his first major climb in 1939, reaching the summit of Mount Ollivier. He served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force as a navigator during World War II. Prior to the Everest expedition, Hillary had been part of the British reconnaissance expedition to the mountain in 1951 as well as an unsuccessful attempt to climb Cho Oyu in 1952. As part of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition he reached the South Pole overland in 1958. He subsequently reached the North Pole, making him the first person to reach both poles and summit Everest.

Following his ascent of Everest, Hillary devoted himself to assisting the Sherpa people of Nepal through the Himalayan Trust, which he established. His efforts are credited with the construction of many schools and hospitals in Nepal. Hillary had numerous honours conferred upon him, including the Order of the Garter in 1995. Upon his death in 2008, he was given a state funeral in New Zealand.

Reviews

[Daren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely written book about Sir Ed Hillary's return to Nepal 10 years after his climbing of Everest. This time he returned to establish schools and a medical clinic, in an effort to improve the living conditions of some of the Sherpas who assisted him on his climb.

[Matthew]

Really interesting book that takes you from descriptions of Sherpa life to the efforts by Hillary and his team to build water infrastructure and schools. It also includes some passages about the scaling of two peaks in the surrounding valley. Veers close to anthropology at points but is also tempered by Hillary's quite enlightened views about the purpose of western aid to Nepal and how to most meaningfully support the people living in the Himalayas.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The honor of being the first to summit Everest couldn’t have happened to a more kind, humble, and honest man. This book was about what he did on his extended visit back to Nepal on his 10 year anniversary of that historic climb. The 1964 copyright date alone made for a very interesting read.

[Sourav]

good

[Daren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely written book about Sir Ed Hillary's return to Nepal 10 years after his climbing of Everest. This time he returned to establish schools and a medical clinic, in an effort to improve the living conditions of some of the Sherpas who assisted him on his climb.

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book and adventure

[Jeremy Slater · Rating 4 out of 5]

- A simple book, but a must-read for any altrusistic climbers