The school at Shantiniketan was established on 22 December 1901 (7th Paus 1308) with five students and five teachers. Among the teachers there were Brahmabandhab, Rebachand (Brahmachari Animananda), Jagadananda Roy, Sibdhan Bidyarnab, and Laurence.Brahmabandhab didn't take classes regularly. He frequently went to Calcutta and while he stayed at Shantiniketan he simply adviced Rabindranath on how to enforce discipline in the School. Within 4/5 months, Brahmabandhab resigned and a graduate teacher, Monaranjan Bhattacharya, joined as Headmaster. Rabindranath wrote to Pravat Kumar Mukhopadhyay that within few days the number of students rose to 12 and for this increase of students extra teachers and increased accomodation became necessary. A boarding house was constructed for the accomodation of students.
As per promise, Rabindranath explained, in an essay, "the early period of Brahmacharyashram" which was published in Aswin issue of 1343 of Prabasi as 'Ashramer Rup O Bikash'. In that essay Rabindranath wrote in a footnote that someone complained to Maharshi Debendranath about the conversion of Brahmabandhab and Rebachand to Christianity. But that was not true. Rabindranath wrote, "I know that one of my relative have done this. But my father replied that he was not afraid because he had founded ' Shantam Shibam Adwaitam' there."
Of course this foot note did not reveal the reason for the resignation of Upadhyaya and Rebachand from Shantiniketan. The explanation submitted by Kartik Chandra Nan in this repect was more acceptable.
That Maharshi Debendranath and Adibrahmo Samaj were not pleased with the Christians was not a secret. It was quite natural for them to become displeased with the Catholic Brahmbandhab and Rebachand. Prof. Gaur Gobinda Gupta, lecturer for the first batch of students of Shantiniketan, referred to an incident which was very important. "Prof. Mohit Chandra Sen, on an inspection tour to the Shantiniketan, offerred a pictorial Bible to the students of Shantiniketan as a prize. The book, filled up with bold type of English letters and coloured pictures, was dear to Prof. Gaur Gobinda Babu. On learning this Rebachand was pleased and explained the meaning of the pictures to Gaur Gobinda. At this, some teachers of the school became curious about the intention of Rebachand. When Brahmabandhab came to learn the whole story, he called back Rebachand and he himself cut off all connections with the School.
It may be mentioned here that Rabindranath was secular and this was known to everybody. The decision taken by Brahmabandhab was due to some other reason. It can be noted here that Sibdhan Bidyarnab, the sanskrit teacher of the School, also left the school within a few days.
