As Bishop of Calcutta, on 28TH July 1859, he conducted a service for the foundation of a public school at a hill station. Collections were made. in most of the Churches of the Diocese for this purpose. The collections were utilized to found the Bishop's School at Jutogh, Shimla. The land and the buildings on it were a gift from the Viceroy. Three private houses were purchased by Bishop Cotton out of the India Public School Fund for Rs.17,000/- The school opened for students on 15th March 1863. Though mentioned in correspondence as the Simla Public School, it never actually bore this name. The first boy, Frederick Naylor, joined the school on 16th March 1863, creeping like a snail, unwilling to school, watched by the staff in curiosity and amusement. 35 boys were admitted that year and the school increased its strength to 65 students by the year 1864. This was the highest number the buildings and grounds permitted. A change of site was then deemed necessary because the Jutogh site was divided by a public road which was inconvenient. Bishop Cotton personally reconnoitred ten sites in September and October 1864, and finally approved the South end of Knollwood Spur which belonged to the Rajah of Keonthal. After lengthy negotiations, the site was acquired through the intervention of the Viceroy and the foundation stone for the new buildings was laid on 26th September 1866, by H.E. the Viceroy, Sir John Lawrence, elder brother of Sir Henry Lawrence, founder of the Military Asylum at Sanawar (now known as Lawrence School). In September 1868, the school moved to Knollwood, our present site.
