St. Xavier's Institution

Infobox Secondary school
name = St Xavier's Institution

motto = "Labor Omnia Vincit"
"Labor Conquers All"
established = 1787
type = Government Non-Boarding all-boys secondary School
affiliations = Malaysia Ministry Of Education
headmaster = Reverend Brother Paul Ho
founder = Jean-Baptiste de la Salle
chaplain =
chairman =
enrolment = 1500
grades = Standard 1 - Standard 6
Form 1 - Form 6
free_label_1 = Abbreviation
free_1 = SXI
colours = Green and gold
campus = Farquhar St.
city = Georgetown
state = Penang
country = Malaysia
website = [http://www.sxi.edu.my www.sxi.edu.my]

St Xavier's Institution is a well-known boys' school in George Town, Penang, Malaysia, named after Saint Francis Xavier, the pioneering Christian missionary and co-founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit Order). While being a boys' school, girls are also admitted, albeit only in Form 6. The abbreviated name for the school is SXI with the pupils known as Xaverians.

SXI is well known for its high academic and sporting prowess among Malaysian secondary schools. It is considered one of the best non-residential schools in Malaysia, and its students have achieved national and international honors in various sports such as bowling and squash, and in other extra-curricular activities like marching band competitions and parliamentary debating. The Xaverian, an annual publication, is arguably one of the best school magazines in Penang. Fact|date=May 2007

History

SXI had humble beginnings in 1787 as a Malay language medium school in a hut in a jungle clearing.

In 1825, as an English medium school, it was named St. Francis Xavier's Free School. On April 20 1825, the De La Salle Brothers took over the management of the school and its 80 pupils. In 1857 it was relocated in a building of 30x50 metres on Farquhar Street.

During the period, Penang Island was plagued with sanitary issues. The town itself was unsanitary and the mortality rate was high. Despite these conditions, SXI was progressive. It entered its pupils for government scholarships , the prestigious Queen's Scholarships, and from 1892, for the Cambridge exams. The building was enlarged, and in 1900 the enrolment rate rose up to over 400 pupils.

During the 1900s, Penang rose up to be a major shipping port, due to the rise of tin mining and rubber industry. Strict health regulations, the invention of motorcar, the need for rubber tyres and electricity, all these brought prosperity to Penang. SXI had over 1000 pupils and hygiene was a compulsory subject. Morning and afternoon sessions was implemented. The boarding department was flourishing, the school has a spacious playing field and a cadet CORP was formed. But in December 1941, during the Japanese occupation, SXI was bombed. It ceased to function during the Japanese occupation years.

After the war, SXI was housed in huts on the school field pending the completion of the new building. The secondary had "forms" and the primary schools had "standards". SXI had its own laboratories and workshops and a systematic canteen replaced the hawker system. School uniform was compulsory, elaborate prefect and monitor system was established while school games and athletics were more organized. SXI had a Form-6 system, and Bahasa Melayu became the medium of instruction.

The original building was destroyed in World War Two when the allied nations bombed the school which has been used as the navy headquarters for the Imperial Army of Japan. The current building was completed in 1952.

Apart from the main building at Farquhar Street, the branch primary school, SRK St Xaviers Cawangan is situated in Jalan Brother James, Penang.Other than that,the main primary school,SRK St Xaviers is located at Jalan Sekolah La Salle,Air Itam,Penang.

St.Xavier Institution was one of the sites in the City of George Town which was awarded the Unesco World Heritage City status on 7th July 2008. ( The Star, 7th July 2008)

La Sallian Brothers

The school has traditionally been headed by the brother of the La Sallian order, with a Brother Director (like a headmaster) and a Brother Supervisor (like a deputy headmaster). In recent years, the Brother Supervisor was replaced with two assistant principles, whom are non-brothers.

The current Principal for SXI is Reverend Brother Paul Ho, with Brother Charles Levin as the Brother Director.Currently there are 3 brothers still staying in SXI. Bro. Paul is the last of the Xaverian Brothers principals in the school and after his retirement at the end of 2008, an as-yet-unnamed principal, almost assuredly a non-Brother will take over.

Affliation

SXI is affiliated to other La Sallian Educational Institutions such as:
* La Salle School, in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur
* La Salle School, in Jinjang, Kuala Lumpur
* La Salle School, Klang, Selangor
* La Salle School, in Kota Kinabalu
* La Salle School, in Peel Road, Kuala Lumpur
* La Salle School, in Petaling Jaya
* La Salle School, in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur
* St Andrew's School, in Muar, Johor
* St. Francis Institution, in Melaka
* St. George's Institution, in Taiping, Perak
* St John's Institution, in Kuala Lumpur
* St Joseph's School, in Kuching
* St Martin's School, in Tambunan, Sabah
* St Anthony's School, in Teluk Intan, Perak
* St. Michael's Institution, in Ipoh
* St. Paul's Institution, Seremban, in Seremban
* St Xavier's Institution, in Penang

tudents

As the norm in Malaysian boys secondary schools, girls are enrolled only in the lower and upper sixth forms while Forms One through Five are strictly boys only. The students of St Xavier's are fondly known as Xaverians.

Uniform

The traditional uniform was a white shirt, white trousers with a green tie (similar to the uniform of [http://www.sji.moe.edu.sg St Joseph's Insitutition] in Singapore). In the 1970s, the federal government imposed national school uniforms as opposed to uniforms distinct to each school. Therefore, Xaverians wear the common navy green long pants and white shirt as found in other secondary schools in Malaysia. The green tie, symbolic of the institution, stayed on.

School motto

"Labor Omnia Vincit" (Latin) which means Labour Conquers All.

School Colour

As with other La Salle schools, the official colour for the school is darkest green

School Anthem - Alma Mater

All through our college a voice is resounding,
Promptly respond to your duty's sweet call,
Hearken you all for the trumpet is sounding,
Your mater's proclaiming her watchwords to all

"(Chorus)"
Forward her children dear,
Ever with hearts sincere,
Render with joy to your mater her due,
All that is vile reject,
Heaven will e'er protect,
Sons of St Xavier's valiant and true,

Labour will conquer your motto still bearing,
Forward with courage in ways that are just,
True to your standard, be doing and daring,
As faithful Xaverians in Heaven your trust

"(Chorus)"
Forward her children dear,
Ever with hearts sincere,
Render with joy to your mater her due,
All that is vile reject,
Heaven will e'er protect,
Sons of St Xavier's valiant and true!

Apart from from the anthem "Alma Mater" above, When the Saints Go Marching In is the other unofficial anthem of the school and is also played in many of the school's functions.

Current address

Saint Xavier's Institution,Farquhar Street,10200 GeorgetownPulau Pinang, Malaysia.

SRK St.Xavier's InstitutionJalan La SallePulau Pinang, Malaysia

SRK St Xavier's Institution CawanganJalan Brother James,Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.

Notable alumni

Notable people who have studied in St. Xavier's including:
* Tan Sri Dato Justice Michael Chang Min Tat, Federal Court judge and Commissioner of Law Revision and Law Reform
* Kapitan Chung Thye Phin, son of Kapitan Chung Keng Quee and last Kapitan China of Perak
* Y.M. Tuan Syed Safi ibni al-Marhum Syed Alawi Jamal ul-Lail, Raja of Perlis Indra Kayangan (1897 - 1904)
* H.H. Raja Tuan Syed Alwi ibni Al-Marhum Raja Syed Safi Jamal ul-Lail, Raja of Perlis Indra Kayangan (1904 - 1943)
* H.H. Raja Tuan Syed Hamza ibni al-Marhum Syed Safi Jamal ul-Lail, Raja of Perlis Indra Kayangan (1943 - 1945)
* Datuk Mohamed Sopiee Sheikh Ibrahim, teacher, scoutmaster at SXI and a past President of the Old Xaverians' Association
* the late Tan Sri Wong Pow Nee, the first Chief Minister of Penang
* Composer Jimmy Boey
* The Star journalist Datuk Khor Cheang Kee
* Dato' Ng Poh Tip, former Editor-in-chief of the Star Publications
* Wong Sulong, former Editor-in-chief of the Star Publications
* Michael Aeria, Group Chief Editor for the Star PUblications
* Mehul, St Xavier's No 10(in studies)
* Wong Chun Wai, Deputy Group Chief Editor for the Star Publications
* Tan Sri Dato' Seri Nor Mohamad Yaakaop, Finance Minister II, Malaysia
* Deputy Heritage Minister Datuk Wong Kam Hoong
* DAP leader Karpal Singh.
* Tan Sri Dato' Dr. Ani bin Arope, former Chairman of Tenaga Nasional Berhad
* Professor Dr. Tarcissius Chin, former CEO of Malaysian Institute of Management
* Professor Lee Hoong Phun, Deputy Dean, Faculty of Law, Monash University, Australia (Sir John Latham Professor of Law)
* Kelantan-born marine tycoon Datuk Nik Sapeia Nik Yusof reputed to own the largest fleet of deep-sea trawlers in the region
* Datuk James Frederick Augustin (1898 - 1985), headmaster of Sultan Abdul Hamid College and Ibrahim School (now known as Sekolah Menengah Ibrahim) in Sungai Petani, assistant superintendent of education for Kedah and Perlis until (1953 - 1958), Federal Legislative Council member, appointed by Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman as the government's special representative to Pope John XXIII's coronation and later, his funeral in 1958, and Pope Paul VI's coronation in 1963
* Cartoonist and satirist Reggie Lee
* Tan Sri Karnail Singh Nijhar (K.S. Nijhar), Member of the Malaysian Parliament representing the Subang constituency and also one of the three vice-presidents of the Malaysian Indian Congress
* Kedah-born Tun Haji Abdul Daim bin Zainuddin, Minister of Finance
* Toh Pheng Shiew, St.Xavier No. 2(In studies)!
* Mr.Anthony Tan, Businessman of the Decades(30years)-MYLO!

External links

* [http://sxi.edu.my St Xavier's Institution]
* [http://asia.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldxaverianspenang Old Xavierians' Yahoo Message Board]
* [http://www.e-lasallian.org E-Lasallian Network]
* [http://www.harbx.com/sxi/forum/index.php Saints of 1997 Forum]