St. Xavier's High School, Patna

St. Xavier's High School
Academia Sancti Xaverii
logo of school
Address
St. Xavier's High School
Location in Patna, India
West Gandhi Maidan Marg, Patna - 800 001, Bihar, India
(Map)
Coordinates 25°37′9″N 85°8′26″E / 25.61917°N 85.14056°E / 25.61917; 85.14056Coordinates: 25°37′9″N 85°8′26″E / 25.61917°N 85.14056°E / 25.61917; 85.14056
Information
School type Private, day school
Motto For God and Country
(Latin: Pro Deo Et Patria)
Religious affiliation(s) Roman Catholic
Patron saint(s) St. Francis Xavier
Established 17 January 1940 (1940-01-17)
Founder Fr. Marshall D. Moran
School district Patna district
Authority Society of Jesus
Session April–March
Administrator Fr. Sushil Sah, S.J.
Rector Fr. Jose Elampassery
Principal Fr. Jacob Olickathotty, S.J.[1] (2013-present)
Staff varies
Teaching staff 100
Grades LKG to XII
Gender Boys (1940-1999), Co-educational since 1999
Age range 4-17
Enrolment 2500 (approx) (2013)
Average class size 55-60
Medium of language English
Language English, Hindi
Hours in school day 6-7 (approx)
Classrooms Well-equipped
Campus type Urban
Houses 4 (Leopards, Tigers, Lions and Panthers)
Color(s) Gold and blue         
Slogan St. Xavier's School till the end, Xaverians for life
Once a Xaverian, Always a Xaverian
Song हम सब साथी सेंट जेवियर्स के.. (Translation: We all companions of St. Xavier's..)
Nickname SXS Patna
School roll in alphabetical order
Publication Xavier Life
Yearbook Xavier Yearbook, Xavier's Life Annual
Affiliations ICSE, BSEB
Website www.stxavierspatna.in

Old building of St. Xavier's

St. Xavier's High School, Patna (often abbreviated: SXS Patna or SXHS), is a private, co-ed, college-preparatory high school, in the neighborhood of Gandhi Maidan in Patna, Bihar, India. It is the oldest Jesuit school[2] in the city of Patna and in the state of Bihar, established by missionaries from the American Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus.[3] Founded in 1940, it is named after St. Francis Xavier, a Spanish Jesuit saint of the 16th century, who travelled to India. The independent, non-diocesan school is operated by the Patna Province of the Society of Jesus and located in the heart of the city of Patna. The alumni association of St. Xavier's, known as St. Xavier's Alumni Association (SXAA), is one of the country's oldest[4] boasting over 3,500 members.

Xavier & Biscomaun Bhawan from Golghar in Patna

History

In the late 1930s, the superior of the Jesuit Patna Mission, Fr. Frank Loesch, was approached to set up a school in the city of Patna.[5] Fr. Loesch was to be assisted in this task by Fr. Marshall D. Moran. Fr. Loesch decided to open a Cambridge school to provide service to the people of Patna and Bihar. There were other such Jesuit schools in North India in places like Calcutta and Darjeeling, including one of the oldest ventures in Patna – the Irish Christian Brother's St Michael's High School. But most of these schools provided education to the children of Catholics, British expatriates and Anglo-Indians. The new school in Patna was to be for Indians of all castes and creeds. St. Xavier's High School opened on 17 January 1940 with Fr. Moran as its first Principal.[5] In 1949, the vice-chancellor of Patna University asked Fr Moran, who also served on the senate of the university, to supervise exams in Kathmandu, Nepal. In October 1949, Fr Moran crossed into Nepal to become the first Jesuit priest to enter the country in over 200 years. Later he was invited by the Nepalese Government to open a Jesuit school in Nepal. Fr Moran went on to establish St. Xavier's School, Godavari, Nepal in 1951.[6]

After Fr Moran left for Nepal, Fr. Edward Niesen became Principal of St. Xavier's, Patna. In 1953, Fr. Niesen also moved to Nepal and the leadership of the school was passed on to Fr. Gordon E Murphy, S.J., who served as Principal of the school for nearly 16 years.

The school ceased to be a Cambridge school when the Jesuit fathers took over St Michael's High School from the Irish Christian Brothers in December 1968. Fr. Murphy left St. Xavier's to become Principal of St Michael's High School. Fr. Joe Paschal became Principal of St. Xavier's. Many of the students and teachers also moved to St Michael's, but many teachers and students stayed behind. The curriculum set out by Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) was adopted in place of Senior Cambridge Examinations.[5]

In the early 1980s a small computer lab with BBC Microcomputers was set up under the supervision of Fr Tim Ribeiro. In 1995, Xavier's Centre for Computer Studies was established within the campus.

After being a boys-only school for 59 years, in 1999 St. Xavier's became co-educational, one year at a time beginning with grade one. That same year, under the administration of Fr. Peter Arockiasamy, Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) was introduced as an alternate course for students preferring the English medium education. Today ICSE and Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) courses run simultaneously. That same year St. Xavier's High School along with Patna Women's College and the Patna Holy Red Cross Society celebrated Diamond Jubilees. In 2008, under principal Fr. George Nedumattam S.J., +2 was introduced in the BSEB course. In 2009, St. Xavier's switched from Hindi to English as the medium of instruction in junior classes. In 2013, Lower Kindergarten (L.K.G.) was added.

Campus

The school is situated at west Gandhi Maidan Marg in Patna, in the heart of the city. The school began operations in the early 1940s in what is now the Jesuit residence. In the late '40s under Fr. Frank Loesch the main building which houses the school office and classrooms came into existence, and in the 1950s it was extended. This part of the campus accommodates the school auditorium, library, science labs, and staff rooms. In the late '90s a new building along the southern boundary was constructed, for more classrooms.

Until the late 1960s, the school provided boarding facilities for its students.[7] Xavier has facilities for sports: a swimming pool, a cricket pitch, a basketball cum korfball court, a tennis court, a table tennis room, and handball court. The school was one of the first to provide swimming facilities in Patna, in the 1950s.[8] The main campus also has a canteen, a cafeteria, and a church. For sports such as athletics, cricket, football and hockey, the school uses Gandhi Maidan, which is across the main road in front of the school. The main residence for the Patna province of Jesuits is at Xavier.[9] The ground floor in front of the school building is used for assemblies and ceremonies. The school has a principal residence besides the school building, and a guest house nearby along with several gardens besides those at the Jesuit residence.

Infrastructure and other facilities

There are separate school buildings for the Kindergarten (two-storied), for the Primary School (five-storied), and the third for the Secondary School (three-storied) which includes laboratories for physics, chemistry, and biology, two multi-purpose halls, spacious classrooms, and a library. There are five computer labs with over 200 computers equipped with Microsoft Windows and Zip drives. By early 2008, St. Xavier had become the first school in Bihar and one of the first in Eastern India to use Smart Boards in classrooms. The school has also installed Educomp smartclasses in every classroom from 1st through 12th grade.

Computer Lab, Primary Building

The school offers private, citywide transportation services for students and faculty through Pandey bus services. It was one of the first schools in India and only school of Bihar to introduce elevators in the buildings. In 2010 the school installed CCTV cameras on campus and along corridors to monitor the students and premises.

Lift Construction activity in 2010

Patna doesn't have a real korfball court.[10] In August 2012, St. Xavier's announced construction of a dedicated Korfball court for the use of the Korfball Association of Bihar (KAB) and future korfball stars.[10][11] The Cricket Academy (XCA) was set up to provide youngsters specialized training.[12][13]

Academic

Affiliation

The school is affiliated to the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, New Delhi as well as the Bihar School Examination Board, Patna.

Subjects

Subjects taught at Xavier's for junior classes (from classes I to V) are English and Hindi language and literature,[14] social science, mathematics, general science, moral science, drawing and crafts, general knowledge, computer (class III onwards), Sanskrit/Urdu (class V), and writing skills.

For middle classes VI to VIII, the subjects are English and Hindi (language and literature), physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, geography, history, civics, value education, Sanskrit/Urdu (till VII), general knowledge, and SUPW.

For senior classes IX and X, the subjects taught at ICSE level are English language, English literature (differentiated into drama, prose and poetry), Hindi (prose only, ekanki suman and gadya sankalan and language), math, physics, chemistry, biology – math and science are required subjects – geography, history and civics, computer application/economic application (either one), value education, and SUPW.

The two streams for senior secondary classes XI and XII are Commerce and Science. Class XII is preparation for BSEB examinations held statewide in February–March.

School session

The school year is from April to March, divided into three semesters. Days are divided into eight-periods, ordinarily from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. The order in which the classes meet varies from day to day. Saturday is half-day.

Cricket Nets, Baby Field

Motto & slogans

Fr. Marshall with Jawahar Lal Nehru

The motto of the institution is "For God And Country", with the implication that God comes first.

The school has a variety of slogans from school spirit slogans to senior slogans to educational slogans to anti-bullying slogans. Some common slogans used by Xaverians are:

  • Once a Xaverian always a Xaverian
  • St. Xavier's School till the end, Xavier's for life

Student groups

St. Xavier's Patna - Bettiah basketball game, Inter Jesuits Tournament

Student council

The Student Council is a body of student representatives, headed by the Head Girl and the Head Boy. It is made up of the captains of the teams and representatives from other co-curricular activities along with elected and nominated students of each class from grade VI through X. Parliamentary procedure is used at meetings and the main purpose of this group is to assist the Principal, Vice-Principal, staff, and students in fulfilling their responsibilities. The Principal moderates the Council with a creative sort of guidance. The student members help maintain order in the school during the Assembly and breaks, in between classes, and also on important occasions like the Annual Day and the one-act-play festivals.

Dramatics

Each year, the school conducts senior and junior one act play festivals. Students from grade IV-X take part in this.

General Knowledge (GK) Club

Students become members of the junior, inter, and senior G.K. Clubs according to their classes.

Debating

As a co-curricular activity, debating is offered to the students of Grade VI and above during and after class hours.

NCC

A National Cadet Corps unit has been functioning at St. Xavier's since January 1980. The cadets are entirely from grades VIII to X.

The Air Wing NCC was raised in 1980 at St. Xavier's, with fifty cadets enrolled in the first year. This was troop no. 15 of no. 1 Bihar Air Squadron NCC, Patna. From 1981 onwards, St. Xavier's Air Wing cadets have been represented at Gandhi Maidan Ceremonial Parades, as on Republic Day, Independence Day, and NCC Day. Apart from the regular activities, cadets take part in the ATC and CATC at Air Force Station, Bihta (Patna), or at the Homeguard Training Centre, Anandapur, West Bengal.

LTS and YCS

Leadership Training for Service and Young Christian Students are popular activities. LTS recruits all seniors; YCS is for Christians. Members strive to be faithful to the motto "For God and Country" and to the uplifting of society.

Tarumitra

Tarumitra is a student forum promoting ecological sensitivity.

SPIC MACAY

The Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture among Youth (SPIC MACAY) holds weekly meetings on campus and invites students to participate in their activities.

Primary Building of St. Xavier's High School, Patna

House system

Students are grouped into four houses: Panthers, Tigers, Leopards, and Lions.[15] Each house has a House Captain and a House Vice Captain – generally from grades 10 and 9 respectively. Reporting to them are the House Representatives – one for each of the other grades. Nomination is based on academics, community involvement, behavior, and popularity. In addition to leading their respective houses, the officers maintain discipline around campus. The houses compete against each other in sports. On the annual sports day, the winning house is declared on the basis of points earned throughout the year.

Xavier's Cricket Academy

Xavier's Cricket Academy (XCA) is a cricket academy of St. Xavier's High School, Patna,[13] in association with Amikar Dayal Centre for Cricket Excellence. XCA is managed by former cricket captain of India's under-19 team, Amikar Dayal.[16] This academy is the state's first professional cricket training academy at the school level.[17]

XCCS

Under the guidance and supervision of its founding director Fr. E.C. Sebastian, the Xavier Centre for Computer Studies (XCCS) was established in 1995. It is a registered society under Societies Act XXI of 1860 bearing registration no. I/1955-56 and later headed by Fr. Arun Ignatious, S.J. It is located on the campus of St. Xavier's High School, Patna.[18] It was the oldest Programme Centre (0516P) for its region of the IGNOU Computer Programme CIC, DCO, BCA and MCA in 1996.

Under the supervision of the Fr. Gregory Gomes, the centre reached several milestones, such as being designated "Largest Centre of India". It had about 9000 fresh candidates in 1999-2000. Even during the slump in the IT industry, XCCS was constantly the most sought after centre admitting the largest number of students, which rises each year.[19]

Publications

Xavier Life was a magazine published for and by the students, with an editorial board of students interested in journalism. A Jesuit Father usually served as moderator. Students had almost complete freedom in its planning and publication. In the 1970s through 1990s up to four issues of Xavier Life were published each year.

Xavier Yearbook captured life at St. Xavier's in a very creative manner. Though not published every year, Xavier Yearbooks were an integral part of the school's history and tradition. The yearbooks were primarily photographic publications, which highlighted and commemorated life of students and staff through the years. Published regularly in the decades of the 1940s and 1950s, the format was very similar to that of high school yearbooks in the United States. In 1968, a joint yearbook was published for both St. Xavier's and St. Michael's. In the 1970s and 1980s, yearbooks were published in 1972, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, and 1988.

Xavier's Life Annual is an annual magazine produced by an editorial board consisting of several teachers, headed by the most senior English language teacher. Features include the talks by the principals, rectors, and vice-principals, group photographs of all classes, photographs of office bearers and major events, and English and Hindi articles written by students, teachers, and alumni.

Principals of St. Xavier's

Fr. Marshall D. Moran SJ (1906-1992)
Fr. Marshall D. Moran SJ[1940-1951]
Fr. Edward Niesen SJ[1951-1952][20]
Fr. Gordon E Murphy SJ[1952-68][21]
Fr. Joe Paschal SJ[1968-1972]
Fr. Scaria Mamoothil SJ[1972-1978]
Fr. George Thana SJ[1978-1985]
Fr. George Manimala SJ[1985-1990]
Fr. Lawrence Pascal SJ[1990-1996]
Fr. Peter B. Arockiyasamay SJ[1997-2003][22]
Fr. Victor L Osta SJ[2003-2006][23]
Fr. George Nedumattam SJ[2007–2013][24][25]
Fr. Jacob Olickathotty SJ[May 2013 – Present]
Senior Most Batch
Saint Xavier's

St Xavier's Alumni Association

St. Xavier's Alumni Association is an alumni organization for former students of St. Xavier's High School, Patna. It was founded in 1947, has over 3,500 members, and is one of the oldest alumni associations in the country.

Notable alumni

  • Sujit Mukherjee (1944): Teacher, Author, Translator & Publisher. Chief Publisher, Orient Longman.Taught English at Patna University, National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, Poona University and University of Wisconsin, Madison. Also, posthumously awarded Sahitya Akademi Award for his translation work.
  • Man Mohan Sinha (1948): Air Marshal, Indian Air Force
  • Tejendra Khanna (1954): Lt. Governor of Delhi
  • Nikhil Kumar (1955): Governor of Kerala. Former IPS officer and Member of Parliament
  • Sujoy K. Guha (1955): Biomedical Engineer
  • N. K. Singh (1956): Member of Rajya Sabha. ex IAS and Former Principal Secretary to the PM
  • Sanjaya Lall (1956): Development Economist and Professor of Economics, Green College, Oxford University.
  • Shyam Saran (1961): former Foreign Secretary, Govt. of India
  • J. K. Sinha (1961): former Director General of India's Central Reserve Police Force
  • Prakash Koirala: Nepalese Politician. Son of former Nepalese Prime Minister B P Koirala and father of actress Manisha Koirala
  • Salman Khurshid (1970): Minister of External Affairs, Government of India, New Delhi
  • Abhayanand (1970): Present D.G.P of Bihar and famous educationalist
  • Abhayanand, 48th D.G.P of the state of Bihar and famous educationalist
  • Dilip Sinha (1970): Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to the UN in Geneva.
  • Arun Kumar Singh (1971): Indian Envoy to France, earlier India's Deputy Ambassador in the US.
  • Arup Roy Choudhury (1972): CMD, National Thermal Power Corporation
  • Jagat Prakash Nadda (1974) : National General Secretary, Bhartiya Janata Party & Former Cabinet Minister, Govt of Himanchal Pradesh
  • Syed Saba Karim (1982): Former Wicket Keeper, Indian Cricket Team, Board of Control for Cricket in India selector
  • Sandeep Das (1985): Tabla Virtuoso
  • Manish Mehrotra (1990): Award Winning Chef
  • Vikram Seth: writer[26]
  • Keshav Singh (2013): National Medallist Boxer[27]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Feast of St Ignatius of Loyola today - Times Of India". Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 31 July 2013. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  2. ↑ "About Us". Stxavierspatna.com. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  3. ↑ "Patna-Chicago Connection" (PDF), Jesuit International, archived (PDF) from the original on 26 April 2012, retrieved December 2011 Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  4. ↑ Our Correspondent (16 December 2011). "Xavier's alumni to honour top cop". Telegraphindia.com. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 "History". Stxavierspatna.com. 17 January 1940. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  6. ↑ Archived 20 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ↑ "Campus". Stxavierspatna.com. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  8. ↑ Anonymous (7 November 2000). "The JAAI Blog: St. Xaviers Alumni Association (Patna) by Dr. K. V. Srinivasan". Jaai.blogspot.in. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  9. ↑ "St. Xavier's High School, Patna". Sxspatna.blogspot.in. 2013-04-13. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
  10. 1 2 Frank Krishner (2012-08-13). "Courting korfball: Girls, boys and baskets! - Times Of India". Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
  11. ↑ "online fee payment facility", St. Xavier's School, Patna (the official), archived from the original on 28 May 2018
  12. ↑ City's first cricket academy at school level The Times of India. Retrieved 9 May 2013
  13. 1 2 "School pitches for academy". Telegraphindia.com. 8 May 2013. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  14. ↑ ""Concept of human emancipation in Hindi Dalit literature" published by Xavier teacher". www.patnajesuits.org. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  15. ↑ Vithika Salomi, TNN (2013-12-08). "Panthers win St Xavier's team championship - Times Of India". Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
  16. ↑ "Xavier's Cricket Academy becomes functional - Times Of India". Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 2013-05-09. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
  17. ↑ "Cricket Academy inaugurated". Education.mathrubhumi.com. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  18. ↑ "Xavier's Center for Computer Studies". Sxspatna.edu.in. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  19. ↑ XAVIER CENTRE FOR COMPUTER STUDIES (XCCS) Archived 21 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine. sxspatna. Retrieved 10 Mar 2012
  20. ↑ Archived 23 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine.
  21. ↑ "The Murphys" (PDF), Chicago Jesuits: We Band of Brothers, December 2011, archived (PDF) from the original on 25 November 2011
  22. ↑ Madurai jesuit Archived 3 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine.
  23. ↑ "OXYGEN ... a movement". OXYGEN ... a movement. Archived from the original on 26 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  24. ↑ Vithika Salomi, TNN (5 May 2013). "Board exam results: Students keep their fingers crossed - Times Of India". Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Archived from the original on 11 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  25. ↑ "Staff & Members". Sxspatna.edu.in. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  26. ↑ Sangghvi, Malavika (10 November 2014). "From the mouths of moms". Mid Day. Archived from the original on 30 March 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  27. ↑ {{https://vijaypratap.atavist.com/boxer1}

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