St. Paul's School, Belgaum

St. Paul's High School is a Jesuit-run boys school located in the Cantonment area in Belgaum, North Karnataka, India, near the girl's Joseph's Convent High School^[1] and the Cathedral of Our Lady of Fatima.^[2] It was founded in 1856 and celebrated its 150th jubilee in 2006. It is recognized by the government and managed by the Society of Jesus.

History

The school was founded in 1856. Fr. Charmilliot, an Austrian Jesuit, first stepped into the compound of St Paul's as the chaplain of Our Lady of Mount Carmel chapel, that existed on these premises. From that day the Jesuits never left the premises even though their nationality might have changed. First the school had Austrian and German Jesuit fathers. They were replaced by the Portuguese Jesuits. Now Indian Jesuits of the Goa Province run the school.

Motto

The motto of the school is Induamar Arma Lucis – "Let us put on the armour of light", which means "Be a light to others, bring light to the world around you by your words, and above all by your actions."

Growth

Beginning with four classrooms and 60-70 students, the school has grown to over 2000 students. Though it was started primarily for the Catholics, it has opened its doors to students of all religions, castes, ethnic backgrounds, and colour. Scholarships and help are provided to those who can't afford the tuition.

Academic standing

The school received recognition on 30 November 1868 from Bombay University as a part of Bombay Presidency. The first batch appeared in the Matriculation Examination in 1917. It was given government grant-in-aid already from 1917.

The Inspector Mr. H. Davies wrote in 1936:

The upper classes are extremely well graded and taught, the School’s record in the Matriculation Examination being one which over a long period has entitled it to respect….The percentage of passes (24 sent up and 20 passed) is therefore 83% as against the University general average of 35% and the school stands first among the English Teaching Schools of the Presidency. The best English education is given here and conversation in English is compulsory unlike some of the other schools in the city. Discipline in language, dressing and mannerisms is the priority of this rich institution. It has earned distinctions at ten times the average rate for the Presidency and has once more secured the Latin prize.

Reorienting goals

In 1974 there was rethinking about education, especially in Jesuit institutions. The boarding had for some years a supplementary section called the orphanage, which catered to destitute children whose parents had died in plagues or other epidemics. In 1974 there was a rethinking of the hostel project when the old hostel was closed. In its place the hostel reopened its doors to the boys from the villages around. Their education is highly subsidized.

Jubilees

• In 1981 the school celebrated its 125th jubilee.
• In 2006 the school celebrated its 150th jubilee.

150th year celebrations
The 150th year celebrations of the school were held on 10 February 2006 along with the Passing Out parade of the SSLC jubilee batch. Throughout the year the school conducted extracurricular activities and celebrated its jubilee. There was a cultural fest in October 2006 known as the Anand Utsav. The school held the valedictory ceremony of its 150th year from December 7 to 10. On December 7 the school held celebrations for the students and parents. In the morning there were programmes and a magic show by Junior Marcos. On December 8 there was a grand celebration for the ex-students and teachers. Prayer services and dances were held on the occasion. On December 9 the main valedictory event was held. On this occasion a skit depicted the events from the birth of man to St Paul's in its present state. On December 19 Shaan sang.

Culture

House system

Students are divided into four Houses namely Gold, Green, Blue, and Red. Each house colour is depicted on the student's uniform, either as a badge or as a coloured shirt. They are led by four house commanders with their four secretaries. Two posts rank above the commanders - School Pupil Leader (SPL) and Assistant School Pupil Leader (ASPL). Competition is fostered among the houses in sports and studies alike.

Passing Out parade

The school conducts a Passing Out parade for the SSLC batch in February each year. The junior students produce dance performances for entertainment. The high school students of Std VIII and IX salute the Xth Std students. The SSLC students march for the last time with lamps, to the sound of the song "Now is the Hour". After the Passing Out parade, the students pose for photos with their friends and teachers. Till recently the passing out batch wore white shirts and black pants with a tie. Now they wear their normal school dress.

School anthem

The school anthem is Cheer Boys Cheer

Fests

The cultural fest is "Arrupe Fest", held in early November.

The Paulite

The school magazine, The Paulite as it came to be known later on, or the St Paul's Annual as it was known initially, was the brainchild of Fr. Claude Saldhana, S.J., who taught the matriculation class for a number of years. He published the first annual in 1941, mostly with articles by staff members and ex-students. But by the next year the main contributors were the boys.

By 1946 the senior students published the annual. It became a magazine published three to four times a year under the name Sevak. It contained articles by students as well as letters from ex-students. After that, staff members took it upon themselves to publish the magazine changing the name to The Paulite. Fr. Pat de Lima, S.J., with a little help from teachers, in particular from Fr. Thomas Ambrose, S.J., took over and published the magazine for many years until his retirement from the school.

The magazine ceased publication in 1992, then in 2004 some parents, ex-students, began publishing three or four issues a year. In jubilee year 2006, The Paulite was revived, to give students a chance to practice their skills at communication in prose and poetry.

Sports

Sports include football, hockey, cricket, and athletics. The Father Eddie Memorial Football tournament for senior boys (under 17) and the Indal Trophy (under 15) are conducted every year on St. Pauls "A" ground, while the Royceton Memorial Trophy (under 14) is conducted on "B" ground. The latter draws a large crowd with teams from Goa, Kolhapur, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, and other cities.

Notable alumni

External links

• goajesuits.in/stpauls
• stpaulsbelgaum

References