St. Britto's, Goa
St. Britto High School, Mapusa | |
---|---|
School Coat of Arms | |
Location | |
Mapusa, Goa, India | |
Information | |
Motto |
Facta Non Verb (Deeds, Not Words) (Deeds Not Words) |
Patron saint(s) | St. John de Britto |
Established | 1946 |
School board | Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary |
School number | 0832-2252266 |
President | Fr. Simon Fernandes, SJ |
Principal | Fr. Cedric Fernandes, SJ[1] |
Affiliation | Jesuits (Catholic) |
Website | stbrittohighschoolmapusa |
St. Britto is a prominent school in north Goa, on the west coast of India and located in the headquarters town of Mapusa. It was founded in 1946 and is run by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).
History of the school
Indo-Portuguese historian Dr. Teotonio de Souza, part of the school's staff in the 1970s, says this was the third institution set up by the Jesuits in Goa. Its founding was assisted by Valentino Pinto, a wine-merchant of Mapusa. Initially, the school was called Sacred Heart High School. Its previous owner faced difficulties in staffing and running it, and handed it over to the Jesuits on 22 June 1946, in Portuguese-ruled Goa. Dom Caetano Menezes, the owner of St. Mary's school nearby, also handed over his institution to the Jesuits. The school's name was changed to St. Britto High School on 18 May 1948.
Early days
Dr. Teotonio R. de Souza suggests that the reputation of the Jesuits in Goa had been on the rise with their management of Theotonio High School, owned by the Goa Archdiocese.
Fr. Sylvester D'Souza was the first principal of the schools taken over, and both were initially co-educational. The Jesuits transferred the girls from the schools to the Apostolic Carmel (AC) nuns, already active in education in Goa, who went on to form the St. Mary's Convent High School, also at Mapusa, along the Altinho hilltop, where St. Britto is itself located.[2]
Initially, St Britto's functioned from the Bardez Gymkhana site. Priests running the school and boarders rented houses atop the hill, an inconvenient arrangement more so in Goa's torrential monsoons. The new site of the school was purchased from Cipriano da Cunha Gomes. The Goa Archdiocese assisted construction with a loan. Fr. Ubaldo de Sá, of Moira, is credited with the construction.
The school's large facade dominates the town of Mapusa from a distance.
The School Coat of Arms
The School Coat of Arms is divided thus:
At the top, against a field of blue, is the monogram of the Society of Jesus, in a golden sun: IHS (the Greek shortform for the name of Jesus), surmounted by a cross. Below that, against a field of golden yellow, are the palms of martyrdom, which pay tribute to the Patron of the School, St. John de Britto. A red chevron separates the lamp of learning (to dispel darkness and ignorance) at the bottom of the coat of arms. At the bottom is the school motto, "Facta non Verba" on the scroll below the coat of arms, which means Deeds Not Words.
Activities & sports
The school has a Consumer Club and Eco Club, but specializes in seasonal events and celebrations in which the whole school participates: Swachha Bharat Day, St. Ignatius day, Goa LIberation Day, and Christmas festivities including a carol competition.[3]
Intramural sports include football, table tennis, badminton, chess, and basketball.Students are also trained after school hours in cricket, basketball, kabaddi, touch rugby, throw ball, net ball, sepaktakraw, and boxing.[4]
School anthem
Cheer boy cheer
Cheer the Britto flag
Hail to thee St. Britto
Cheer boy cheer
Cheer the Britto flag
Hail to thee St. Britto
We thy loyal trusted band
We will ever be true
Light bearers and labourers
True and pure and steadfast
Ch: Let's put on the armour light
Glory of Britto
Let's put on the armour light
Fight for God and country
Alma mater our friend and guide
Stay in shade and sunshine
Lend us light and wisdom lore
Ne'er to fail or falter
Be life's journey perilous
Thou to us a beacon[1]
Headmasters of St Britto
- Fr.Sylvester D'Souza, SJ 1946–1949
- Fr.Irineu Lobo, SJ 1949–1950
- Fr.Edward V D'Souza, SJ 1950–1951
- Fr.Peter Mendonça, SJ 1951–1952
- Fr.Edward V D'Souza 1952–1962
- Fr.Lino D'Souza, SJ 1962–1964
- Fr.Mario C de Meyrelles, SJ 1964–1973
- Fr.Teotonio de Sales, SJ 1973–1976
- Fr.Vincent Gomes Catao, SJ 1976–1982
- Fr.Anil Soares, SJ 1982–1988
- Fr.Joe Palliparambil, SJ 1988–1990
- Fr.Abraham Painumkal, SJ 1990–1999
- Fr.Apollo Cardozo, SJ 1999–2011
- Fr.Cedric Fernandes: 2011-present
Parliament Members of St. Britto High School (2014-2015)
- Head Boy: Arnold Costa
- Dy. Head Boy: Aditya Chanekar
- Red House Commander: Christopher Varela
- Dy. Red House Commander: Floyd Crasto
- Blue House Commander: Delroy Nazareth
- Dy. Blue House Commander: Mukul Prabhu
- Green House Commander: Maccan Pereira
- Dy. Green House Commander: Dayne Fernandes
- Gold House Commander: Selvin Solis
- Dy. Gold House Commander: Jonathan D'Souza
Parliament Members of St. Britto High School (2015-2016)
- Head Boy: Sourabh Desai
- Dy. Head Boy: Victor D'Souza
- Red House Commander: Gideon Gracias Flor
- Dy. Red House Commander: Karan Mangeshkar
- Blue House Commander: Nadeem Shaikh
- Dy. Blue House Commander: Mark Dcosta
- Green House Commander: Merrick Fernandes
- Dy. Green House Commander: Saish Haldankar
- Gold House Commander: Manguesh Shetkar
- Dy. Gold House Commander: Raphael Dias
Parliament Members of St. Britto High School (2016-2017)
- Head Boy: Noah Martins
- Dy. Head Boy: Hrishikesh Chanekar
- Red House Commander: Osrick Trindade
- Dy. Red House Commander: Sean D'Slva
- Blue House Commander: Saquib Koti
- Dy. Blue House Commander: Steve Kerranchera
- Green House Commander: Alister Fernandes
- Dy. Green House Commander: Vallino Pereira
- Gold House Commander: Jerry D'Mello
- Dy. Gold House Commander:Gupte Shivdutt
Notable alumni
- Councillor Oscar C. Lobo JP, first Goan Councillor in Australia.
- Vice-president of the Goa-based CMM Group of Companies - Eric Menezes.
- Deputy Chief Minister of Goa and member of the legislative assembly - Francis D'Souza.
- Bank of Goa manager - Salvador Pinto.
- Musician - Alex Braganza.
- Paulo Holiday Makers (a local transport company) proprietor - Mario Pereira.
- Director of Resicom Builders - Roy de Souza.
- Tourism and Travel Association of Goa chairman Ralph de Souza.
- De Souza Group director and musician - Noel de Souza.
- Newton Marques, OHS Inspector with the Australia Federal Govt.
- Alan de Souza, Volvo Asia Pacific Parts Manager.
External links
- Website
- Mailing list of the Britto's alumni
- Britto's Old Boys' Association website
- Britto alumni webpage
- The Goa Jesuit Province of the Society of Jesus - The Jesuits in Goa
- Memoirs of a Britto boy
- Britto links on Google.com
Coordinates: 15°35′34.25″N 73°48′41.61″E / 15.5928472°N 73.8115583°E