Don Bosco High & Technical School, Liluah

For schools of a similar name, see Don Bosco School.

Don Bosco School, Liluah
Virtus et Labor (Virtue and Labour)
Location
Abhay Guha Road, Liluah, Howrah-711204
Information
Type	Private; minority
Established	8th December,1937
Rector	Fr. Biji Thomas, SDB
Principal	Bro. P.A. Jose,SDB
Grades	Kindergarten to 12th grade
Enrollment	All-boys; c. 200 annually
Number of students	3000
Affiliation	Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE)
Information	School of the Year 2007, School of the Year 2010, School of the Year 2011
Vice Principal	Sr. Jomy, Holy Home Convent
Administrator	Fr. K. Raphael, SDB
Website	http://www.donboscoliluah.org/

Don Bosco School Liluah, or DBL, is an all-boys, English medium school covering lower kindergarten through grade twelve. Located in Liluah, India, the school was established in 1937, and is run by the Salesians of Don Bosco S.D.B. which is a minority institution within the Catholic Church.

The school operates under the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) and hence the students of 10th standard take Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) Examinations and those of the 12th standard take Indian School Certificate (ISC) Examinations.

The school uses the house system to foster a sense of competition and belonging. The four houses are named after Salesian saints, viz. Rua (red), Savio (green), Magone (yellow) and Vecchi (blue). Most activities in the school are organized according to the houses.

St. John Bosco, popularly known as Don Bosco, is the patron saint of the school.

The motto of the school is "Virtus et Labor".

The school has been awarded the "School of the Year" award by The Telegraph Education Foundation, Kolkata, (all schools of West Bengal are a part of which) in 2007,2010 and again in 2011.

History

Don Bosco Liluah emblem

• On 22 March 1928, Mgr. Mathias, the Salesian Provincial, signed the deed and acquired the land for a professional school at Liluah. On 24 May 1930 the factory sheds of Parry’s Engineering Works were purchased for the school buildings.

• On 8 December 1937, Don Bosco Technical School and the first parish church dedicated to St. John Bosco in India, was officially blessed and inaugurated in Liluah by Mgr. Ferdinand Perier SJ (the Archbishop of Calcutta) to serve the European and Anglo-Indian Catholics of Liluah Railway Colony.

• In January 1938 the first boy, Bonnie Morris, was admitted.

• In April 1939 the technical school started with 13 boys, under the direction of Brothers Capretti and Priolo.

• From December 1942 to December 1946, Don Bosco Liluah was requisitioned by the Government of India for the use of the army during the Second World War so the school was closed for four years.

• Don Bosco School Liluah was recognized by the Government In August 1948. In 1954 the first batch of students appeared for the Senior Cambridge Exams (ICSE and ISC did not exist then).

• The first Past Pupils Day was held In October 1955.

• In July 1958 the auditorium was inaugurated.

• In May 1959, the first batch of technical students appeared for the City and Guilds (London) exams.

• In November 1959 the main four storey building was blessed and inaugurated by the Archbishop of Calcutta in the presence of 125 dignitaries. The SE wing or the KG wing of our school was a two storey building from 1959. It was converted into a four storey building in 1977 and the ISC section started classes in that wing from January 1977.

• In January 1977 the Free Night School was started, to cater to the needs of the poor children of the locality.

• The First Inter Schools cultural and co-curricular festival (the first Bosco Blow Up) was held on September 1977, with seven schools taking part.

• Don Bosco Self Employment was started in August 1978 for the young men of the locality who are school drop-outs to enable them to learn a trade and earn their livelihood. As the self employment grew in size Don Bosco Mirpara came into existence in August 1988. Today it catersg to the needs of hundreds of youth, both male and female.

• The parish church was blessed in December 1984 by Rev. Fr. K.A. Joseph, the Provincial in the presence of Rev. Fr. Mariano Uguet, who did a lot of the work in acquiring and setting up the institution and Rev. Fr. Attilio Colussi, the first Rector. Now the Adivasis from Chotanagpur form the majority. At present there are 450 Catholic families with 2500 members. A computer Centre was set up in December 1986.

• On 1 August 1996, the CVE exams commenced for the first time in India, Liluah with 17 students. In December 1996 the north-eastern four storey building was commissioned for the boarding.

• A new auditorium became functional from December 2002.

• The old technical school building which became operational in February 1950 was constructed and remodelled in 1998.

• In February 2010, the second floor of the Technical School building was inaugurated by Rev. Fr Maria Arokia, Regional Salesian Superior of South Asia. The floor has an air conditioned multi-purpose hall, laboratories, and rooms for subjects like History, Geography, and Mathematics.

• In 1997, DBL celebrated its Diamond Jubilee, when a grand function was hosted which was presided by the Governor of West Bengal Shri K. V. Raghunatha Reddy.

• The method of education followed in the school is the Preventive System, taught and practised by St. John Bosco. It is based on Reason, Religion and Loving kindness.

Academic achievements

The school has been awarded "The Telegraph School Awards for The Best Academic Performance By a School (ICSE,ISC)" in 2007, 2010 and also in 2011.^[1] Over the past years, DBL has grown to be one of the best performing schools in Academics, in Kolkata.

The ICSE and ISC results of last 5 years:

.............................ICSE....................

Year...Total Candidates...School Average...>90% scores

2011...........195...............84.75...............66

2010...........176...............84.92...............59

2009...........184...............86.22...............62

2008...........192...............84.67...............55

2007...........197...............85.08...............64

.............................ISC....................

Year....Total Candidates...School Average...>90% scores

2011...........162................88.36.................80

2010...........172................88.36.................94

2009...........166................86.02.................56

2008...........175................86.44.................76

2007...........152................84.07.................34

Extra-curricular

St. John Bosco is the patron saint of the school

The school was winner of "The Telegraph School Awards for The School With Best Extra-Curricular Performance" in 2008 and 2009.

• The Quizzing Team of DBL has had podium finishes in quizzes like JacoIZ @ St. James School, Kolkata, Jubilee Quiz @Don Bosco School, Park Circus, Bosco Quizzard @ DBL, Limca Book of Records Quiz, Horlicks' Wiz Kids, Auxi-Fire @ Auxilium Convent School Dumdum, Quiz@ Don Bosco Bandel, Quiz @ St. John's Diocesan Girls' Higher Secondary School, TCS IT-wiz, Q-WIZ @ Chairos Quro, TERRA Quiz @ TERI – The Energy and Resources Institute, and the Puffin Starmark Quiz. A student has been the National Champion at the Philatelic Quiz at @ INDIPEX 2011 World Philatelic Exhibition held in New Delhi, organised by India Post. The prize was Rs. 50,000.

• The Debating Team finished runners up in Debating Matters India conducted in association with The British Council, in its first edition. The school has performed well in all the Model United Nations (MUN) meets attended by it and adjudged "Best Delegation" in both the MUNs attended by it last year in 2009 at La Martiniere Calcutta and St. James School, Kolkata.

• Sports available include basketball, cricket, football, volleyball, table tennis. There are coaching facilities for the former three. The trained karate troupe of DBL has won laurels on the international circuit.

• The football team is champion in the district level besides attaining podium finish in the inter-school football tournament (Bosco Goalie) hosted by the school itself as well as being the champions in Savio Football Cup (organised by Don Bosco School, Park Circus), attended by the best schools of Kolkata.

• The chess team has reached podium finishes in state-level and inter-school level competitions and meets.

• The school's "Unconventional Music" group create music from buckets, pans, containers, test-tubes, etc.

There are inter-class, inter-house and inter-club competitions and tournaments in fields ranging from quizzing to dancing, music to sporting events, debating to painting.

Youth clubs and their mottos

Don Bosco Liluah

• Dramatic Club - Actions speak louder than words
• Friends Youth Group - Change the world through love
• Leadership Training Service (LTS) Group - For God and country
• Literary Club - Endeavouring towards excellence in erudite expression
• Music Club - Heal the world through music
• Quiz Club - Cia Cempre Inquizzitive (I am inquisitive])
• Science Club - Finding an Einstein in You
• Scouts Troop - Be prepared!
• SPACE BYTE Club - Socially Positive And Caring Existence Binding You and Technology Everlastingly
• Sports Club - Fair play and sportsmanship
• Young Christian Students (YCS) Youth Group
• Yes! Nature Club - Let's make our environment greener and cleaner
• Media and Cultural Club
• Bosco Boys

Facilities

Don Bosco School, Liluah, has a school building (G+3), with two playing fields.

The Social Forest and gardens with scores of plants and trees decorate the school environment.

The school has a Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit and emergency power generator capable of running the entire school.

The school library has reference books, magazines and story-books.

The A/V Room is the place where classes are held in multimedia format.

The school has eight laboratories for Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer, Geography, History, Mathematics and Language.

There are badminton, volleyball and basketball courts, and table tennis boards. Sports gear is available from the Games Room for the recreation of the students during recess, after school hours and on holidays. Students make use of it to play chess, carom, volleyball, basketball, football, cricket, and badminton.

The school band practices in the Music Room.

The school auditorium with a capacity for more than 1500 heads, is the second largest exclusive school auditorium in the state.

The school has a 250-seater air-conditioned Examination Hall, which also doubles as another multimedia class-hall.

List of Past Rectors and Principals

• 1937-39 Fr. A. Colussi
• 1940-40 Fr. M. Ferarrio
• 1940-41 Fr. T. Lopez
• 1941-49 Fr. L. Buri
• 1950-51 Fr. J. Bacchiarello
• 1952-56 Fr. A. Buccieri
• 1956-62 Fr. M. Uguet
• 1962-65 Fr. R. Stroscio
• 1965-67 Fr. P.J. Sheehy
• 1967-70 Fr. R. Maiques
• 1970-76 Fr. A.J. Sebastian
• 1976-79 Fr. P.P. Varkey
• 1979-85 Fr. C.A. Joseph
• 1985-91 Fr. B. Fernandes
• 1991-95 Fr. J. Manippadeth
• 1995-00 Fr. D. Kachira
• 2000-05 Fr. C.J. George
• 2005-11 Fr. J. Pathickal
• 2011-till date Rector -Fr. T. Biji Principal-Bro. P.A. Jose

Events

top: Church, courts and fields; bottom: Auditorium

Sports Day

Sports Day alternates between the junior and senior school every other year, in December. All track and field competitions are conducted, with drills and dances performed by classes in between sporting events. March Past and Drill display practices are done for over a month after which Heats are conducted over 2 days. On the final day, the day of grand finale, all parents and well-wishers are invited to witness the event. Senior IAS, WBCS and IPS officers and sports personalities are invited to be Chief Guests and Guests of Honour for this event.

The teaching community is also divided and alloted one of the four houses each. The relays, specially the "Grand Relay", are the most awaited events. Prizes are given to houses for best show in "March Past", "Tug-of-War", "Tunnel Ball", "Grand Relay" and the "Overall Winners". Vecchi (blue) house was the champion in 2009.

Rector's and Parents Day

It is conducted every year, alternating between the junior and senior school every other year. This is the Annual Function of the school which is held every December, spanning over two days for the Juniors and for one day for Seniors. Students participate in musical and dance events. Skits are put up in English, Hindi and Bengali. Recitations are done.

Teacher's Day

For Teacher's Day snacks are provided to every student. Then, after paying tribute to the teachers in individual classes, students, led by the class 12s, perform items on-stage in the form of a variety entertainment. After this on-stage celebration, volleyball, basketball and football matches are conducted between the male teachers and students. While this is going on, the lady teachers take on the students in a battle of "Antakshari". The celebrations end with a lunch for the teachers.

May Day

The non-teaching staff of the school are honored with thunderous applauses, standing ovations, an on-stage variety entertainment and gifts from the students. This celebration ends with a serving of lunch.

Children's Day

For Children's Day a fete is organised. The event is open to everybody, belonging to the school or not. All members of the extended family of Don Bosco Liluah, friends and well-wishers are invited.

Fancy dress competitions are held for all classes where kids of junior classes mostly, don the dresses of Spiderman to bin-Laden, Jesus to Satan, newly-wed bride to meek old man.

Stalls are put up by every section of every class. These stalls conduct games and sell food stuffs. For this, coupons are used which can be bought from locations around the school. The money collected is used for the functioning of the Free Night School for the poor children of the locality and to buy books for them.

Mural

Other events held are Inaugural Ceremony and Orientation Programs at the beginning of every academic year, Rabindrajayanti Celebrations, Annual Award Ceremony, Excursions, Picnics, Independence Day and Republic Day, Christmas Celebrations, Foundation Day, and Farewell for Class 12.

Inter-School Fests

• Don Bosco Liluah organises the annual Inter School Fest, "Boscotsav".

The Boscotsav is a two day extravaganza, with many schools across Howrah, Kolkata, Hooghly and 24-Parganas, taking part in it. Around 50 events are conducted, including Western and Eastern Music, Western and Eastern Dance, Quiz, Debate, Unconventional Music, Painting, Science Exhibition, Art and Crafts, Carom, Chess, Photography, Gaming, Just-A-Minute (JAM), War of RJs, and Tug-o-War.

Sports events include :

• Bosco Goalie: Football
• Bosco Ping-Pong: Table Tennis (earlier, Jeet Memorial Table Tennis Championship used to be held separately).

The theme of Boscotsav is Meliora Cogito... I strive for the Best...

• DBL Sports Club organizes an annual Twenty20 Cricket Championship, The Millennium Cup, participated by the best cricketing schools from Kolkata and Howrah.

For more details visit http://boscotsav11.donboscoliluah.org Don Bosco Liluah is a participant in inter-school fests like Bosco Fest (@ Don Bosco, Park Circus), Bosco XpreZns (@ Don Bosco, Bandel), Chiaros Quro (@ Our Lady Queen of the Missions School, Salt Lake), Auxilamarylis (@ Auxilium Convent School, Dum Dum), Horlicks Wiz'kids, Josephstyna (@ St. Joseph's College, Bowbazaar).

Annual magazine "The Canvas"

The Canvas is a collection of sketch, prose, poetry and accounts, created by the authors and artists of the school. It shows photographs that record school life, and acts as a remembrance of groups, clubs and teams. A section is dedicated to the high achievers in curricular and co-curricular spheres.

Technical Section

Established in 1937,Don Bosco Technical School, Liluah is an English medium Anglo-Indian institution run by the Salesians of Don Bosco.

Courses offered :

• NCVT Trades: turner, fitter and machinist conducted by The National Council for Vocational training, DGE&T, Ministry of Labour, Govt. of India, New Delhi.
• Certificate of Vocational/Education conducted by The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, New Delhi.
• Technician Certificate in Applied Mechanical Engineering conducted by The City and Guilds of London Institute, UK.
• Mechanical Engineering Technician (Institute's Diploma)
• Auto - CAD: part of the Mechanical Engineering Technician Curriculum and offered as a 3 months course to external candidates with knowledge of engineering drawing.
• CNC Programming: part of the Mechanical Engineering Technician Curriculum and offered as a 60 hour course to external candidates with working experience on conventional lathe and milling machines.
• Training in Medical Transcription: course duration: 4 months.
• Embroidery, dressmaking and knitting (for girls only): course duration: 1 year

Don Bosco Technical Department has a machine shop with machines imported from Germany, Italy, Switzerland and the UK, as well as machinery from tool manufacturers from within India.

• Don Bosco Technical School has joined hands with Siemens in a new venture of education in technical expertise.

Night School and other Services

• Don Bosco Night School was started in 1976 by a group of past pupils. The school educates under-privileged children of the locality. Academic and Value education are mainly taught.

Fr. Joseph Pathickal the Rector and Mr. Soumen Mark James along with ten other teachers take care of the students in the night school. A few students after finishing their night school join the NIOS for their 10th and 12th standards.

• Under the Adult Education project, uneducated adults receive education and are made literate.

• The school is a centre of NIOS.

• The free Medical Unit is run by the Past Pupil's Association. The poor people of the locality are treated for free by doctors and also given free medicines every Sunday. Hundreds of desperate people get help from this unit every week. Students of the school help in this by contributing during the "Medicine Drives".

Church

St. John Bosco Church was blessed in December 1937 by Archbishop F. Perier to serve the European and Anglo - Indian Catholics of Liluah Railway colony. Now the Adivasis from Chotanagpur form the majority. In 1950 the village of Joypur was given over to Liluah. A new church was built and blessed on December 8, 1985 to replace the old.

In 1986 Hind Motors, Uttarpara and Konnagar, were added to the parish. on August 14, 1994, a new Mass center at Bhattanagar was inaugurated and a new chapel was blessed by Archbshop Henry D’ Souza to server the Christan community of that area. on August 15, 2001, Holy Family Sisters joined the parish at Bhattanagar in order to further the family apostolate through family visits and education.

Chandamari close to Belur Station is evolving into a Mass Centre. In December 2003 the foundation stone which was blessed by His Holiness Pope John Paul II was laid for the Divine Mercy Church. The church was blessed in February 2005.

Don Bosco Mirpara offers job oriented non-formal education especially for the school drop outs, and has an aspirantate. At Bhattanagar, Don Bosco Ashalayam has three homes for the orphaned boys and the Sisters Adorers have a home for the homeless girls. All of these are under the Don Bosco Liluah Church Parish.

Notable alumni

• Ravi Shukla- winner 2008 STAR Voice of India 2
• Babul Supriyo- Bollywood singer
• Laxmi Ratan Shukla- cricketer

References

1. ^ Donboscoliluah.org

External links

• Official website
• Boscotsav 2011 Official website
• Website : Past Pupil's Association
• Salesian Province of Kolkata website
• Salesians of Don Bosco in India
• Don Bosco School, Park Circus - Brother Institute

Coordinates: 22°37′10″N 88°21′10″E / 22.619317°N 88.352824°E / 22.619317; 88.352824