ST. BEDE’S HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL - CHENNAI
St. Bede’s Higher Secondary School
Right from its origin in the year 1907, St. Bede’s had one objective, that of providing a thorough Catholic education for Anglo-Indian boys of Catholic parentage. For admission in the school, priority is given to Anglo-Indians, Catholics and children of the locality. At present the School has 1523 students on rolls, of which 534 are Catholics, 99 Protestants, 248 Muslims, 635 Hindus and 7 of other faiths. The teaching staff comprises 46 members including 3 full-time Salesians. Of the teachers, 22 are men and 23 women. Catholic teachers number 35 and the non-Catholics, 10. There are also 11 non-teaching staff and 3 Office staff members. Catechism and Moral Science classes are conducted daily. First Friday masses are held regularly. The annual retreat and twice a year formative sessions are conducted for the senior boys. Liturgical singing is given special emphasis. The School has various Associations, with their respective activities, such as, Scouting, NSS, the English Literary Association, the Philatelic Club, Junior Red Cross, Science Club, RSP, Environment Club, Dramatics and Communication Club, Music Group and the Bedean Choral Society. All this helps bring out the best in the students as they form themselves to face the future. However, discipline in the School needs to be toned up. In 2007 St. Bede’s will celebrate its centenary year. For this, a project for improving the facilities in the school and building a new auditorium are in the plans.
The Orphanage
There are 109 Catholic Anglo-Indian boarders in the Orphanage, from Std. VI to XII, mostly from the Archdiocese of Chennai-Mylapore and from poor family backgrounds. They have daily Eucharist, Rosary and Goodnight talks, while First Friday Mass & Adoration, monthly recollection, Marian and Don Bosco devotions are also fostered. Feast days are celebrated earnestly. Boys are trained in brass band, singing and liturgy classes, coaching for sports and games, and regular animation programmes are also conducted. They are well-looked after by the Salesians. While they are good in games, music and dancing, quite a number of them do not succeed in passing their term examinations in the lower classes, though in X and XI Std. Board examinations, they all succeed to pass.
Dominic Savio Matriculation School
The Dominic Savio Preparatory School begun in the year 1957 as a feeder school for St. Bede’s, was upgraded to a Matriculation School in the year 2005. At present, it has 551 students on rolls, with 193 Catholic boys from KG to Std. V. The teaching staff comprises 20 members, all women, of which 19 are Catholics. There is 1 male office staff and 3 domestic staff members, all Catholics. The students are divided into 4 houses and also in various groups, such as, choir, art, dance, environment, etc. The Cubs’ Association has also been introduced. A number of workshops and competitions are conducted to help the students attain an overall growth. Monday and special Thursday assemblies are moments of animation. Catechism and moral classes are conducted daily. Once a month, the Holy Eucharist is celebrated, and the annual celebrations on the Feast of St. Dominic Savio, All Souls’ Day, Christmas, etc. Parents are also animated through the PTA on a monthly basis. To mark its 50th anniversary this year, the School brought out a pictorial book on the life of its patron, and performed a beautiful and original musical on the life of St. Dominic Savio. Plans are being drawn up to build a spacious school building for the influx of new students each year.
PTA, Past Pupils’ Unit and the Salesian Co-operators
The PTAs of both the schools are very active this year because of the golden jubilee and forthcoming centenary celebrations. The Rector animates the parents during the PTA meetings. The School’s Past-Pupils unit, under the name of Old Bedean Association (OBA), has 3000 registered life members, 200 ordinary members, 3 former National Presidents and 1 International Vice-President. It has, however, in the recent-past, been experiencing a hard time. Due to problems with its President, regular meetings could not be held. However, now that things have been sorted out through a judicial verdict, the OBA will once again function effectively. In view of the School’s Centenary Year in 2007, the Unit is trying to contact many more past-pupils so as to make the centenary celebrations a memorable one. The above-mentioned problem has in a way affected the smooth functioning of the Salesian Co-operators, as the OBA President is also a Coordinator of the local Unit. There was a kind of uneasiness in all the meetings after August 2005. This too will soon be resolved. The Co-operators meet twice a month, once for the Holy Eucharist and once for reflection and sharing. They visit the sick and help the night school children, besides sponsoring some of their activities. Three new cooperators have joined this year. But there is a difficulty in recruiting young Co-operators.
The Night Schools
The Salesian community runs 2 night school centres: one in the school campus itself with 167 children and 8 teachers, and the other at the School Ground with 25 children and 1 teacher. Apart from helping them with their academic studies, many competitions, tournaments, seminars, camps, cultural & feast day celebrations and educational-oriented programmes are organized for the children during the year. Three Salesians are directly involved in the running of the night school centres.
bedes@bedeschennai.org ; stbedes@donboscochennai.org
St. Bede's Anglo Indian Hr.Sec.School
Santhome High Road,
CHENNAI - 600 004.
Cell – 98401 27439
