SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SCHOOL

EMBLEM

The 'CROWN' symbolizes the right of the students by virtue of their education to be natural leaders in their environment.

The 'CROSS' reminds the students of the sacrifices and hardships - trials and tribulations they should be prepared to endure to attain the desired objectives in life.

The 'LILY' stalk emphasizes purity of mind and mission in all situations.

The interlocked initials 'S'& ‘A’ are reminders to all Aloysians that they will always be a part of the Aloysian fraternity traveling the path of life with the spirit of the motto 'Virtue and Labour'

St. Aloysius School is the oldest Catholic institution in Visakhapatnam and was the centre of catholic activity for almost a century. The School is in the oldest part of the city which is now called the Fort Area, near the sea-shore. It was a complex consisting of a school, a workshop, Bishop's House and a Church, spread out into many buildings, small and big.

When the first Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales reached Visakhapatnam in 1846, there was an army school in the Fort for the children of the military personnel, conducted on Protestant lines, imparting elementary education. The army paid a special allowance for the school-going children. Fr. Tissot, the first M.S.F.S. resident priest at once understood the necessity of a Catholic School. So, already in 1847 they acquired a small house near the beach with two rooms jutting out to the sea (these still remain on the eastern corner of the school), and started a school. The boys were entrusted to an Army Sergeant and the girls to the wife of a soldier. This was the first Catholic School of Visakhapatnam.

Soon a bigger, two-storied building near by was offered for sale, on the beach. It was on the site of the present science lab of the eastern main building. It became partly the residences of the priests and partly the school. The hall on the ground-floor became a Chapel. In 1951 when the first batch of St. Joseph's Sisters arrived in Visakhapatnam from France, the Fathers left this house and went to St. Ann's Church to stay. As soon as they learned English, the Sisters took up the school. But in 1854, when St. Ann's Cathedral was constructed, the Sisters went there to stay and the Fathers returned to the Fort.

These first years were really hard. Most of the Catholic children were of the Catholic army personnel. They were supposed to attend the Army School. So the Army or rather the East India Company refused to extent any financial help to the Catholic School. But some of the parents used to pay small amounts as school fees and thus the school went on, rich only in courage and determination !

In 1858 after the Indian Mutiny, India passed from the East India Company to the British Crown, and new regulations came into force concerning schools. All missionaries, Protestants as well as Catholics began to be encouraged to open schools especially in large centres, with recognition and help from the Government. Special grants were paid by the Govt. for the children of Army personnel. Our school at Fort managed to get recognition and aid in 1864 under the name of St. Aloysius' School. It was Fr. Alexis Riccaz who placed the school under the patronage of St. Aloysius.

Children began to come from all parts of the Diocese and so a boarding became necessary especially for the poor and the orphans. A new small site, adjacent to the school was purchased in 1865. In June 1866, we find in the old records, "127 children crowded into a hall of 30x50 Ft.". Seeing the pitiable state the Inspector of Schools recommended to the Government for a building grant and Rs. 4,500/ were sanctioned accordingly. With a total of Rs. 13,000/ in 1868.

a fairly big two-storied building with 7 rooms on the top was completed having ample space in between the rooms, and a hall on the ground-floor which became the first Sacred Heart's Church. This building was pulled down in 1935 to make room for the present school chapel.

In the district manuel of Visakhapatnam published in 1869 we read: "A part of the Mission house in the Fort is converted into a chapel for the soldiers and their families, and another part into a male orphange and boys' school, and the rest serying as a dwelling for the Bishop, and the clergymen teachers. A seperate room is built on the premises for a girl's high school. In both orphanages there are 120 children (45 in the boys' and 75 in the girls' orphanage) of whom 24 are military orphans, drawing a monthly allowance of Rs. 7 each, and 16 are from out-stations paying for their boarding, the remaining 80 being supported solely by the Mission. The boy's school in connection with the male orphanage is attended by 120 boys. Course of education comprises religious instruction, reading and writing, English grammer and analysis, composition, geography, history-English and Indian, arithmatic, algebra, music, drawing and Telugu; Book-keeping is also taught when required."

According to the School Report of 1873 December, there were 140 pupils with 83 boarders, of whom 63 were the so called "orphans".

After 1873 new additions were made. To the South of the School there was a public lane from the beach road; on the other side of this lane stood fishermen's huts. These huts were purchased one after another. On this place was built a kitchen. Later on another piece of land further south up to another lane was acquired as play ground for the orphans. Later on, during Fr. Contat's time the public path between the school and the kitchen was closed with the permission of the Municipality. Thus adding bit by bit the school compound

lengthened North to South from the old Light-House battery to the present work-shop. In the school itself additions were carried on till the beginning of the century.

In 1906 the Indian Government launched the Scheme of the so-called 'European schools' designed to improve English schools in India and bring them to the standard of similar schools in England. This meant new regulations, a new curriculum and a new building for St. Aloysius School. Fr. L. F. Contat was the principal of the school and he took up the matter. Plans were prepared by the Local Fund Engineer, Mr. Arbuthnot and approved by the Director of Public Instruction, and the works started under the supervision of Fr. Cyril Allioud. In April 1908 the ground floor and the first floor of the two wings of the present St. Aloysius School were completed comprising of class rooms, a large dining hall, other rooms, at a total cost of Rs. 48,000. In 1914 the 2nd floor of the wing facing the sea was built at a cost of Rs. 10,000, and it was used as a dormitary. The Northern wing of the school on the road side was rebuilt in 1926-27 on the old building damaged by the cyclone of 1923, transforming the first floor into class rooms and putting up a dormitary on the 2nd floor at a cost of Rs. 35,000.

The second floor of the main building was put up in 1929-30 providing rooms for the staff and visitors, at a cost of Rs. 15,000, by Fr. Cowman. Thus the school building was completed as we see it today. The whole credit of it goes to Fr. L. F. Contat, its illustrious principal from 1899-1927, who made the school famous in the Madras presidency, especially in the Eastern coast of India.

More additions to the School were made by buying three more rather big buildings on the Western side, extending the school compound east-west, from the beach road to the next street separating it from the convent. It was a two storied building of Mr. Sice, a French advocate, bought in 1901 with the money sent from Annecy, and it served as the Bishop's House till 1934. This house was demolished in 1935 10 build the present school chapel. The other two belonged to a Parsee called Mr. Franjee. One was bought for Rs, 20.000 in 1922, and its first floor was used as infirmary for boys. The second was bought in 1929 for Rs. 15,000, to serve as rooms for lady teachers on the ground floor and infirmary for the nursing staff on the first floor. This building was removed by Fr. Alexander Kottam in 1987 in order to build the present modern building with the intention of starting the 'plus-two classes.

After the severe cyclone of 1923 some of the old buildings were declared unsafe, especially the big building whose ground floor served as the Sacred Heart's Church. The question of a new place of worship arose. Opinions were divided among the fathers, whether to have a seperate church or to enlarge the school chapel which would also serve the people as it was done till then. There arose also the question of ownership of St. Aloysius School, whether it belonged to the Congregation of M.S.F.S. or to the Diocese. So far there was no question of "mine and thine". But Rome itself had urged the necessity of defining clearly in all Indian Dioceses what was diocesan property and what was not. Fr. L. F. Contat and many of the fathers were of the opinion that St. Aloysius School and the work-shop built by the M.S.F.S. mostly out of their own savings belonged to them. Bishop Rossillon, though not declaring openly, thought otherwise, but kept quiet. When the Superior General Fr. Commerson came to Visakhapatnam in 1935, this question was brought to his notice and thoroughly discussed, and as a result of which an agreement was made on 12th November 1935 between the Bishop of Visakhapatnam and the Superior General of the M.S.F.S., which was later on ratified by Rome, stating among other things that St. Aloysius school was the property of the Congregation of the M.S.F.S.

The present school chapel was built by Fr. J. Baud as principal in 1936 Bishop Rossillon did not allow him to build it on the ground floor. So it was built as we see now having the ground floor rooms used for nursery classes. The total cost was Rs. 28,000. This chapel is dedicated to St. Francis de Sales as the first chapel or institution in the Diocese of Visakhapatnam dedicated to the patron of the congregation in spite of its existence here for about 90 years.

In India changes took place politically and economically. Even the system of education was affected in the country. All these had impacts on St. Aloysius school also. "The European School" became an "Anglo-Indian-School." The Anglo-Indian school certificate became the Indian school certificate (I. S. C.). Entire administration came to Indian hands and the Indian students were freely admitted. The number of students increased. Extensions were made to the buildings. Thus a new wing of the school, with three stories, was constructed in the early sixties by Bro. Jacob Vattachira, on the Western side along the lane behind the main building. Parallel to it on the eastern side in 1985, Fr. K. Alexander constructed the present boarding and kitchen, another three storied building, demolishing the old kitchen and other small buildings.

If one can judge by the subjects taught in 1862, secular education has not changed much since then. The same subjects are still taught except that Hindi is added and more science subjects are introduced instead of music. The school had a band set of its own. Sports were always in favour, although the school has no proper play ground.

At present there are 60 on the staff of which only 5 are religious personnel. The headmaster is still called Principal according to the old custom.

The catering for the fathers and boarders were entrusted to the sisters of St. Joseph from the very begining till 1947. When they withdrew, they were replaced by sisters of St. Anne of Luzern, who took charge also of the infirmary and the small boys. Nursery classes were opend later on and the same was also entrusted to the sisters. Sisters of St. Anne withdrew from the school in 1980.

Till 1940 the pupils were chiefly Anglo-Indians. To satisfy the desire of many Indians who wanted an English Education for their children, private classes were started in 1935 to accommedate Indian children in the school in addition to the 33% seats allowed by the Government regulations. This 33% were raised to 50% soon, and special facilities were permitted in Visakhapatnam considering its cosmopolitan status. The number of non-Andhra children with their mother-tongue different from Telugu was on the increase. At present all the pupils are Indians and majority of them are Andhras.

But now, the new developments of the city threaten, the very existence of St. Aloysius school in its present location. The extention of the outer harbour and the automatic loading make the place uninhabitable due to dust. Are the harbour authorities willing to take the place and buildings in exchange for a suitable place for the school and the residence? In the near future we may perhaps lose St. Aloysis school, the cradle of Christianity and of the M.S.F.S. in Visakhapatnam.