Holy Family High School (Mumbai, India)

Infobox School | name = Holy Family High School


imagesize = 120px
motto = Loyalty Through Service
established = 1945
type = Private
principal = Fr. Swamy
enrollment = Approx. 2,600
free_label = Board
free_text = S.S.C.
location = Mahakali Caves Road
Andheri (East)
Mumbai 400 093
country = India
information = (91) [phone]
(91) [phone]

Holy Family High School is a private Jesuit boys school located in the suburb of Andheri (East) in Mumbai, India. It is a primary and secondary education school, providing education from upper kindergarten or first standard (grade) through tenth standard. While the school primarily is English-medium, there is also a smaller Marathi-medium section that runs in parallel from the fifth to the tenth standard.

The school has had an active Parent-Teacher Association since 1964.

History

The following is a list of the historical events associated with the school in order of their occurrence:
* Holy Family High School was started in 1944 as a parish institution in an old single-storied structure by Fr. Denzil Keating S.J. The school's first headmistress was Maud D'Costa.
* In 1963, a new school building adjoining the Holy Family Church was inaugurated. This building was extended in the 1970s to have multiple stories, with new classrooms and a school hall. A mini stadium was built on the old school ground using funds donated by Jitendra Shah.
* A few years later, it was felt that the building then was insufficient to cater to the growing number of parishioners. A decision was made to sell the building and construct a more spacious one with its own playground on a plot of land not too far away.
* On 22 October 1985, Fr. Lisbert D'Souza, S.J. (Provincial Superior of the Bombay Jesuit Province) blessed the foundation stone of this new school building.
* On 16 July 1988, Bishop Ferdinand Fonseca blessed the new school building.
* On 7 January 1989, under the tenure of Fr. Tony J. D'Souza S.J. as vicar, and Fr. Francis Gonsalves, S.J. as principal, the new school building was formally inaugurated by Simon Cardinal Pimenta, the archbishop of Bombay.

Old building

The old school building near the Holy Family Church was built and extended with the help of student efforts such as donations, raffles, and school fêtes. A new hall and classrooms were constructed. This was a major milestone in the progress of the institution.

This building lacked facilities such as filtered drinking water and a cafeteria. This building also did not have an adequate playground or facilities for sports. Foot injuries were common when kicking footballs on dusty muddy ground with stones and hard leather school shoes. For annual sports events the Vinayalaya Jesuit seminary grounds behind the school building and church were used.

While established in the old building, the school had female students for a few years. Some were admitted for year 11 science and commerce streams. Earlier in the schools history females were accepted at lower levels as well.

Anniversaries

50th anniversary

In 1995, the school celebrated its 50th anniversary. There was a grand celebration to mark the event, including a massive display of fireworks. Among the many present were several of the school's ex-principals. A time capsule containing fifty years of school information was buried at the foot of the Holy Family statue to be reopened in the year 2045.

60th anniversary

In 2005, the school celebrated its 60th anniversary. With the initiative of Principal Fr. Francis Swamy, S.J. and the school's PTA, a five-night fête was held on the school's grounds. Special attractions were the presence of celebrities who were present for the occasion. The event was broadcasted live on cable TV.

Addition of facilities

In 2005, the school added an amphitheatre. As of 2008, a semi-olympic size swimming pool is under construction. These were undertaken with the initiative of the school's PTA.

Activities

Academic

Merit cards are presented to students who did well academically a means of further encouragement. On the other hand, students who need disciplining can be humiliated in the presence of their peers at school assemblies and presented with grey cards, yellow cards etc. The colour of the card is indicative of the number of wrongdoings.

Extracurricular

Class picnics are held once a year. Craft and painting courses are offered.

Jesuit brothers undertake responsibilities to manage various aspects of school activities. Brother Bruno D'souza S.J. has been associated with the school for several years.

Policies

In 2004, the school put into effect a ban on the use of plastics by its students. Students are not allowed to bring in items made of plastic, especially plastic bags. This was done due to the environmental concerns associated with the use of most plastics.cite news
first = Indira
last = Rodericks
author = Rodericks, Indira
title = 'No Plastics' Zone
url = http://www.cybernoon.com/DisplayArticle.asp?section=xtras&subsection=bombayfirst&xfile=July2004_extraspecial_standard336&child=extraspecial
work = Cybernoon
date = 2004-07-01
accessdate = 2007-01-04]

Criticisms

Disciplining methods

Many of the school's principles used harsh physically abusive disciplining methods. Caning, hockey sticks, knotted rope whips were used. Flagellation was mete out for even minor offenses such as being late to school. Some students would faint after caning. Such punishments were not protested by parents at the time. Teachers used wooden rulers to hit students on hands and knuckles as a means of punishment.

More recently, however, the school frowns on the use of abusive disciplining methods. Instead, the services of the school's counselor are used.

Management

In 1978, a teacher's strike was held demanding increased salaries from management. The final exams were delayed as a result of the strike.

afety

Food and water safety

The lack of safe drinking water in the old building resulted in jaundice and waterborne diseases for students who drank water from taps. In the 1970s, slums on the school grounds and peddlers just outside the school grounds sold unhygienic food to students. Many students suffered from amoebic dysentery as a result of consuming this food.

Grounds safety

The presence of stones on the school's playground led to foot injuries when playing football. In the 1970s, some students died from King Cobra snake bites while playing in the Vinalaya Jesuit seminary ground behind the old school building. Their families were not financially compensated.

Learning

The size of each class exceeds sixty students. Due to this, the quality of teaching can been compromised with individual students not receiving sufficient attention.

Students are not allowed to borrow books from the school's library to take them home.

List of principals

*Fr. Denzil Keating, S.J. (1944-49)
*Fr. Julius Gomes, S.J. (1949-51)
*Fr. Fred Britto, S.J. (1951-52)
*Fr. H Jiminez, S.J. (1952-60)
*Fr. Basil Fernandes, S.J. (1960-66)
*Fr. Joe D'Abreo, S.J. (1966-68)
*Fr. Henry D'Cruz, S.J. (1968-70)
*Fr. Percy D'Souza, S.J. (1970-71)
*Fr. Valero Aleu, S.J. (1971-74)
*Fr. Joe D'Abreo, S.J. (1974-77)
*Fr. Joaquim Mascarenhas, S.J. (1977-80)
*Fr. Sebastian Fernandes, S.J. (1980-82)
*Fr. Joaquim Mascarenhas, S.J. (1982-86)
*Fr. Edmund Carrasco, S.J. (1986-88)
*Fr. Francis Gonsalves, S.J. (1988-90)
*Fr. Tony Fonseca, S.J. (1990-95)
*Fr. Joaquim Mascarenhas, S.J. (1995-98)
*Dr. Fr. Francis Swamy, S.J. (1998-present)

References

External links

* [http://holyfamily72.tripod.com/hfhs.html Holy Family High School] (informal)
* [http://www.holyfamilypta.com/ Holy Family High School Parent-Teacher Association]
* [http://holyfly.tripod.com Holy Family Church]
* [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&ie=UTF8&ll=19.117364,72.862058&t=h&z=18 Satellite view of Holy Family High School by Google Maps]