Loyola Public School

Loyola Public School (Telugu: లొయోల పబ్లిక్ స్కూల్) is in the village of Nallapadu outside Guntur in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It was established by the Jesuits in 1964. It follows the ICSE board syllabus. The school's motto is Natus Ad Majora ("Born for Greater Things").

History

Loyola Public School is managed and administered by members of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). a worldwide organization of religious men numbering about 16,000 of whom 3,000 work in the 14 provinces of India. In Andhra Pradesh about 160 Jesuits work in schools and colleges, youth services, social work centres, parishes, mission out-reach programmes, and other Church ministries. In presecondary and secondary education alone, in South Asia, 820 Jesuits run 447 schools with a student population of 344,000.^[1]

Two names will go down in history as pioneers of Loyola Public School, Guntur. Late Rt. Rev. Ignatius Mummadi, Bishop of Guntur, Catholic Diocese brought the Jesuits to Guntur to start the school. He mustered the services of Fr. T. Balaiah, S.J., to acquire the land. Commissioned to go ahead with the project, Jesuit Fr. Papaiah, the pioneer and chief architect of the school, made Loyola Public School a reality with the help of a Jesuit brother, Stanislaus. The foundation stone of this second Jesuit educational institution in Andhra Pradesh was laid on 30 January 1964 by the Chief Minister of the State Dr. N. Sanjeeva Reddy. Fr. L.D. Murphy, S.J., became the first principal of the school which opened on 13 July 1964 with 13 boys.^[2]

Aims

The school aims to educate its students in the Jesuit tradition which acknowledges God as the author of all reality, truth, and goodness. "A complete educational objective of the School includes the training of our students to be men for others, young men endowed with that special love for the poor and concern for justice that will enable them to become leaders in the service of our nation and of the world."^[3] In its purpose the school as a minority institution reserves for itself the right of management and administration, guaranteed under Article 30 (1) of the Constitution of India.

The monogram represents the aims and aspirations of the school: a triangle which dominates the figure represents the omnipresence of the triune God from whom everything proceeds and to whom we owe everything. The peacock feather is symbolic of India (the peacock being the national bird). The clay pot Purna Kumbam signifies purity and piety. The open book with the school motto inscribed on it is to remind students of the school's ideal.^[3]

Academics

The school has labs for physics, chemistry, and biology, each of which can hold about 50 students at a time. There is also a computer lab and students begin computer class from 3rd class onwards.^[4]

The dress code provides for white shirt and khaki skirt for girls; boys have khaki shirts from 1 to 6 and white shirt and khaki trousers after that. All have black shoes and a tie supplied by the school. For Monday assembly all wear a white uniform.^[5]

Activities

Sports sponsored by the school include hockey, cricket, basketball, football, volleyball, badminton, table tennis, and lawn tennis. There is also a skating rink. There is a gym open to the boys in classes 9 and 10.

The school has an army wing troop with 100 cadets on its roll. Boys of classes 8 and 9 join the National Cadet Corps (India). The school has a shooting range where boys get training in marksmanship.^[6]

There is an active alumni club, with Mr. GVSR Krishna Reddy as president and Fr. U. Antony, S.J., as director.^[7]

References

Coordinates: 16°18′22.49″N 80°22′9.67″E / 16.3062472°N 80.3693528°E / 16.3062472; 80.3693528