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Fransalian International

"Be what you are, Be at its best!"      - St. Francis de Sales

Editorial  SFS Fr. Moget  Fr. General  Fr Archie St John's, Nagpur  Nimkheda Perpetual Profession in Brasil  England Bonteheuwel  Mission Institute  Jubilees in NE India  Mermier Opticals  MSFS Scholastics in Cameroon  Mumbai  Help in Andhra Pradesh  Cardinal Sin  Mozambique Fransalian Youth Ministry  North-East  Apostolate of Care and Healing  Confreres in Switzerland  SFS College  Vol. 9   No. 2  (2005)

Fransalian International

To improve the conditions of the people in general, the Missionaries started a number of educational institutions in and around Nagpur city and the adjoining areas. Some of these are St Francis De Sales High School (established in 1870), St John's High School (established 1880), St Joseph's Technical School (established 1898) and St Michael's School (established 1942). Besides these educational institutions, the Fransalians also established a number of other institutions of importance and relevance all over the region.

At the initial stage, St John's was known as St Francis Xavier's School, accommodated in the Roman Catholic Cathedral compound. In 1893, Fr Patrick Wall, msfs, who was then in-charge of the native Christians, was also entrusted with the responsibility of managing St Francis Xavier's School. He renamed the school as R.C. Mission School and shifted it to a newly constructed building in the Cathedral compound. He also got it affiliated to Calcutta University. In 1912, Fr John D'Costa, msfs, was appointed the Principal of the School. During his stewardship, the School continued to make steady progress in students' roll, study, sports and games. Since it was difficult for the School to continue in the Cathedral compound for want of space, Fr John D'Costa shifted it to a more spacious place at Mohan Nagar in 1929, and it was renamed St John s High School.

The first batch for the SSC Examination consisting of 39 students appeared for the Public Exam, in 1916. Since 1951 a bilingual medium of instruction has been introduced: Hindi and English. Today, the School has the strength of around 3000 boys and 90 staff.

Here, every child has been allowed to secure admission irrespective of caste, creed and religion. The Motto of the school. 'Aim High,' is not merely a cliché but an expression of the Way of Life of every one in this institution. Students have always been motivated, encouraged and guided by the staff-members to do better and be at their best. Special attention is being paid to the different levels of growth, i.e., physical fitness, spiritual orientation, intellectual development, emotional maturity, social sensitivity, religious understanding and tolerance, national unity, responsible citizenship, dynamic and purposeful leadership, nation-building-attitude, personality development and character formation.

(Fr. Joseph Pottemmel, MSFS)