Cathedral and John Connon School

Cathedral and John Connon School
'Clarum Efficiunt Studia'
('Studies Maketh Famous')
Location
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Information
Type Private school
Established 1860
Locale Fort, Mumbai
Principal Meera Isaacs
Vice Principal (Senior) Jyotsna Mayadas,Nalini Samuel
Grades Lower 1 - 12
Number of students 2000
School Colour(s) Purple and black
Athletics DRO, MSSA, Anglo-Scottish
Houses (in alphabetical order)
Barham
Palmer
Savage
Wilson
Website

The Cathedral and John Connon School is a co-educational, private school located in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, established in 1860.[1] According to the Education World-C fore Survey of Schools 2010, the school has been ranked first in the all India ranking of the best schools in India.[2] It was ranked first in the Western region as the most respected school[3] and ranked first in India for its distinguished alumni.[4] It is a partner school to Bancroft's School .[5]

Contents

History

[6][7] In 1860 Bishop Harding and the Cathedral Chaplain opened a grammar school within the walled city of Bombay which, along with a smaller establishment for girls, were the first of many strands that have joined to form the Cathedral and John Connon School.

A Choir School, established with the objective of providing choristers for the St. Thomas Cathedral, Mumbai, the first Anglican Church in Mumbai was founded in October, 1875. Meanwhile The Bombay Scottish Education Society was founded in 1866. The society put up a building on the Esplanade, and named it for Mr John Connon (then Chief Registrar of Bombay).

In 1878 a high school in Byculla, set up by the Bombay Diocesan Society, was merged with the Choir School to form the Cathedral High School. The present Senior School building, a blend of Indian and Gothic architecture, was erected in 1896. A girls' school had been started in 1880.

In 1922, in a public meeting held at the Town Hall, the present Asiatic Society of Bombay library, a suggestion was put forward by the principal of the Cathedral Boys' School for the Cathedral Schools and the Scottish School to work together, instead of competing, and thus the Anglo-Scottish Education Society was conceived. The schools were re-organized into the Cathedral Boys' School, the Cathedral Girls' School, and the John Connon School.

In the 1960s co-education was still viewed with trepidation, and when in 1965, the Principal, Rev. Ridding, stated that the only way to solve the financial and logistical problems of the school was to make it co-educational, some people felt so strongly about it that they went to court to thwart the school's plans. Justice Lentin, a man famous for his courageous judgments, pronounced that the school had every right to merge if it so desired. The merger proceeded smoothly.

Today the old boys' school is the Senior School; the old girls' school is the Middle School; and the John Connon School is the Junior School. The Infant School, located at Malabar Hill, was set up in 1965.[8]

Cathedral has opened a residential branch in Lonavala, The Cathedral Vidya School.

Academics and curriculum

The Cathedral and John Connon School is affiliated with the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations[9](CISCE), and its students appear for the Council's ISC (Grade 12) and ICSE (Grade 10) examinations. English is the medium of instruction. Hindi is taught as a second language and Marathi or Sanskrit are taught as third languages. Examinations are held at the end of every school term. The school's students have performed well at the ICSE and ISC examinations and the school has maintained a 100% pass-rate.

College Board's Advanced Placement program has been conducted in the school since June, 2004. Talented students, who would otherwise be uninterested in a mainstream classroom, are offered the chance to pursue accelerated learning (college-level) courses in subjects including English, Calculus (AB and BC), Physics, Biology, Computers, World History, Chemistry and Economics.[10] The school is the only AP Examination Center in Western India.

For the ISC course (consisting of grades 11 and 12) the school divided its student body into three streams: Commerce, Science, and the Humanities. However, as of 2008 this is no longer required and students now have the option of either choosing a particular stream or choosing subjects from different streams.

Students achieving distinctions (above 75% per term in Senior School) throughout the year become eligible for the Honours Prize for that year. Those who achieve fifteen points on a complicated scoring system, at any time after Grade 8, are awarded the Scholar's Badge. This is a much-coveted honour and there are rarely more than three recipients in any given year.[7]

Co-curricular activities

Sports are part of the school's extracurricular activities. Physical Education classes and house games are attended by students on a weekly basis. Students are coached in sports. Talent is spotted during Inter-House sporting competitions and is groomed by qualified coaches. Students compete in Inter-School, District, Zonal, State and National level competitions. School, as well as House teams, are formed for football, basketball, cricket, rugby, throw ball , water polo and squash.

Students participate in DSO, MSSA, and Anglo-Scottish tournaments. Students can also participate, in an individual capacity, in sports including badminton, athletics, table tennis, squash, swimming, chess, tennis and gymnastics.[11] The Inter-House Athletics Competition (known as Sports Day among the students) is held during the latter half of the academic year.

Debates for Senior School students are conducted in Hindi and English. The faculty, along with the Debates Captain, choose the topics and these are intimated to the students eight days in advance. Inter-House competitions are held annually with each house being represented by four speakers. The school sends delegations to the Frank Anthony Memorial Debates, and other competitions.[12]

Dramatics and elocution are two other extracurricular activities. The Annual School Play is held during Founders' Week in November, and includes students from all sections of the school. The Inter-House Dramatics Competition is held every year, alternately in English and Hindi. The Annual Elocution Competition, held in English and Hindi, is one of the most eagerly-awaited events in the school calendar. Students perform pieces of their choice and are judged on their audibility, clarity and personal styles.[13][14]

Model United Nations is another activity of the school. The school sends delegations to MUN in Mumbai and India, as well as a delegation to the Harvard Model United Nations (HMUN).[15] Students also conduct the Cathedral Model United Nations [see below] themselves once a year.

Student leadership

Students have a forum called the Student Council which meets every month to discuss issues. The Council, whose members are elected by their class mates, acts as a link between the school administration and the student body in addition to giving children experience of democratic procedures. The Student Council is more of a passive forum, presenting suggestions given by the faculty to students and collecting the feedback. It is more akin to an organisation of student poll takers.

Students of Grade 12 are appointed as Prefects, Captains, and Club Secretaries. The Prefectorial Council, consisting of School Prefects and the Head Boy and Girl, maintain a close link with the school authorities, and perform a range of duties. House Captains manage their house, and strive to lead it to victory in the House Championship. They are assisted by Vice-Captains and Monitors. Games Captains guide prospective talent, as well as organizing teams for competitions in their games. Club Secretaries coordinate activities and manage members in the school's clubs.[16]

Cathedral Model United Nations (Symposium)

The Cathedral Model United Nations event is run entirely by the school's student body. Over a period of three days, students assume the roles of delegates representing countries. They form committees and debate on topics of global importance.[17] From a start in 1996 - the first CMUN had only one committee (Asia and Pacific Council), it has grown into an event with over 300 delegates attending.[18] CMUN 2007 was groundbreaking as it was the first to have delegates from outside Mumbai. Schools like Mayo College, La Martiniere for Boys, Doon School, and others attended the conference. 2011 featured the first international delegates from Rato Bangala School from Nepal. Though they didn't win much, they were outstanding. Delegates included Aayush Poudel, Amber Upraity, Ananda Gauchan, Ashraya Upadhya, Kamakshi Kanojya, Tanisha Rayamajhi and Tingi Gurung.

House system

There are four houses in the school - Barham, Palmer, Savage and Wilson - named after four founders of the school i.e. the founders of the joint venture of the Cathedral School and the John Connon School. (Original names: Canon Barham, Bishop Palmer, Arthur Savage, Percival Wilson). Students are distributed between these houses, and each is headed by a House Master/Mistress (selected from among the teaching staff). House Captains are selected from the 12th standard to lead each of the houses. The objective of the House System is to foster a sense of collective responsibility and solidarity amongst students. The House System serves as the center of school life, with students from the houses competing at sports, games and other co-curricular activities.[19]

School choir and band

The school choir dates back to the time when the school had its genesis as a choir school providing choristers to the St. Thomas' Cathedral. The Founders' Day Service and the Christmas Carol Service are the two most important events for the Choir. The choir's repertoire includes hymns, sacred classics, as well as secular music.

A school band is formed from the students. Tryouts for the school band are held once a year. The band plays rock-and-roll inspired music. It performs at the School Music festival, and at music festivals held across schools and colleges in Mumbai.

School motto

The school's motto is Clarum Efficiunt Studia translated as Studies Maketh Famous. This motto was adopted by Thomas Arthur Savage, Headmaster of the school, from Bacon's essay on “Studies”.

Studies serve for delight, for ornament and for ability…….. the general counsels and the plots and marshalling of affairs comes best from those that are learned.

School badge

In 1923 the Cathedral Schools and the Scottish School were amalgamated to form The Anglo-Scottish Education Society. Miss Whitfield, the Principal of the Girls' School, wanted a badge which was representative of both elements of the Society: Anglican and Scottish. A badge was designed in which the Bishop's Mitre represented the Anglican side, while the Scottish neighbours were symbolised by the white diagonal cross of St. Andrew. The school badge is inspired by this design.

Notable alumni

See also

References

External links