St. Britto's, Goa

St. Britto High School, Mapusa
Location
Mapusa, Goa, India
Information
Motto Facta Non Verb
(Deeds Not Words)
Patron saint(s) St. John de Britto
Established 1946 (1946)
School board Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary
School number 0832-2252266
President Fr. Simon Fernandes, SJ
Principal Fr. Cedric Fernandes, SJ[1]
Affiliation Jesuits (Catholic)
Website stbrittohighschoolmapusa

St. Britto is a school in Mapusa in north Goa, on the west coast of India about 10 km (6.2 mi) from the beaches of Anjuna and Calangute. It was founded in 1946 and is run by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).

History of the school

According to the Indo-Portuguese historian Dr. Teotonio de Souza, who himself was on the school staff in the 1970s, this was the third institution set up by the Jesuits in Goa. Assisting in its founding was a wine-merchant of the North Goa town of Valentino Pinto, Mapusa. At that time, the school was called Sacred Heart High School. Its previous owner had problems staffing and running it, and so handed it over to the Jesuits at a time when Goa was still under Portuguese rule. Dom Caetano Menezes, owner of St. Mary's school nearby, also handed over his institution to the Jesuits.

On 22 June 1946, The Sacred Heart School for boys and girls was handed over to the Jesuits (Society of Jesus). In the following year the girls found a place in a neighboring girl's school.

On 18 May 1948, the institution acquired the name of St. Britto High School.

Early days

Dr. Teotonio R. de Souza suggests that the reputation of the Jesuits in Goa grew with their management of Theotonio High School, which was owned by the Goa Archdiocese. Fr. Sylvester D'Souza was the first principal of the schools taken over. Both were co-educational. The Jesuits transferred girls from the schools to the Apostolic Carmel (AC) nuns who have been active in the field of education in Goa, and who went on to form the St. Mary's Convent High School, Goa, along the Altinho hilltop, Mapusa, the locale of St. Britto's.[2]

Initially, St Britto's functioned out of the site of the Bardez Gymkhana. Priests running the school and boarders rented houses atop the hill, an inconvenient arrangement especially during Goa's torrential monsoons. The new site of the school was purchased from Cipriano da Cunha Gomes. The school's large facade dominates the town of Mapusa from a distance. The Goa Archdiocese assisted construction with a loan. Fr. Ubaldo de Sá, of Moira, is credited with the construction.

The School Coat of Arms

The School Coat of Arms is intended to inspire every boy at St. Britto with the lofty ideals expressed by it. The Coat of Arms is divided thus:

At the top, against a field of Blue, blazes the Monogram of the Society of Jesus, in a Golden sun: IHS, surmounted by a cross. IHS is the short form in Greek for the most Holy Name of Jesus, the Light of the World died on the cross to spread the Truth. We, too, should strive for TRUTH, always.

Below that, against a field of Golden Yellow, are the Palms of Martyrdom, which the Patron of the School, St. John de Brito won by shredding his blood to spread the Truth, which he did by adopting the garb and way of life of an Indian Sanyassi.

A Red Chevron separates the Lamp of Learning at the bottom of the Coat of Arms. A burning lamp dispells darkness, and a learning man dispells ignorance. Boys at St. Britto are expected to be a light unto themselves and to their neighbor.

Finally the meaning of the whole is aptly summarized by the School Motto: "Facta non Verba" written on the Scroll below the Coat of Arms. It means : "Deeds Not Words" is really what matters.

Activities & sports

The school has a Consumer Club and Eco Club, but specializes in seasonal events and celebrations in which the whole school participates: Swachha Bharat day, St. Ignatius day, Goa LIberation Day, and Christmas festivities including a carol competition.[3]

Intramural sports include football, table tennis, badminton, chess, and basketball.Students are also trained after school hours in cricket, basketball, kabaddi, touch rugby, throw ball, net ball, sepaktakraw, and boxing.[4]

School anthem

  1. ^ Anthem

Headmasters of St Britto

  • Fr.Sylvester D'Souza, SJ 1946–1949
  • Fr.Irineu Lobo, SJ 1949–1950
  • Fr.Edward V D'Souza, SJ 1950–1951
  • Fr.Peter Mendonça, SJ 1951–1952
  • Fr.Edward V D'Souza 1952–1962
  • Fr.Lino D'Souza, SJ 1962–1964
  • Fr.Mario C de Meyrelles, SJ 1964–1973  
  • Fr.Teotonio de Sales, SJ 1973–1976
  • Fr.Vincent Gomes Catao, SJ 1976–1982

  • Fr.Anil Soares, SJ 1982–1988
  • Fr.Joe Palliparambil, SJ 1988–1990
  • Fr.Abraham Painumkal, SJ 1990–1999
  • Fr.Apollo Cardozo, SJ 1999–2011
  • Fr.Cedric Fernandes: 2011-present

Parliament Members of St. Britto High School (2014-2015)

  • Head Boy: Arnold Costa
  • Dy. Head Boy: Aditya Chanekar
  • Red House Commander: Christopher Varela
  • Dy. Red House Commander: Floyd Crasto
  • Blue House Commander: Delroy Nazareth
  • Dy. Blue House Commander: Mukul Prabhu
  • Green House Commander: Maccan Pereira
  • Dy. Green House Commander: Dayne Fernandes
  • Gold House Commander: Selvin Solis
  • Dy. Gold House Commander: Jonathan D'Souza

Parliament Members of St. Britto High School (2015-2016)

  • Head Boy: Sourabh Desai
  • Dy. Head Boy: Victor D'Souza
  • Red House Commander: Gideon Gracias Flor
  • Dy. Red House Commander: Karan Mangeshkar
  • Blue House Commander: Nadeem Shaikh
  • Dy. Blue House Commander: Mark Dcosta
  • Green House Commander: Merrick Fernandes
  • Dy. Green House Commander: Saish Haldankar
  • Gold House Commander: Manguesh Shetkar
  • Dy. Gold House Commander: Raphael Dias

Parliament Members of St. Britto High School (2016-2017)

  • Head Boy: Noah Martins
  • Dy. Head Boy: Hrishikesh Chanekar
  • Red House Commander: Osrick Trindade
  • Dy. Red House Commander: Sean D'Slva
  • Blue House Commander: Saquib Koti
  • Dy. Blue House Commander: Steve Kerranchera
  • Green House Commander: Alister Fernandes
  • Dy. Green House Commander: Vallino Pereira
  • Gold House Commander: Jerry D'Mello
  • Dy. Gold House Commander:Gupte Shivdutt

Notable alumni

  • Councillor Oscar C. Lobo JP, first Goan Councillor in Australia.
  • Vice-president of the Goa-based CMM Group of Companies - Eric Menezes.
  • Dy. Chief Minister of Goa and member of the legislative assembly - Francis D'Souza.
  • Bank of Goa manager - Salvador Pinto.
  • Musician - Alex Braganza.
  • Paulo Holiday Makers (a local transport company) proprietor - Mario Pereira.
  • Director of Resicom Builders - Roy de Souza.
  • Tourism and Travel Association of Goa chairman Ralph de Souza.
  • De Souza Group director and musician - Noel de Souza.
  • Newton Marques, OHS Inspector with the Australia Federal Govt.
  • Alan de Souza, Volvo Asia Pacific Parts Manager.

External links

Coordinates: 15°35′34.25″N 73°48′41.61″E / 15.5928472°N 73.8115583°E / 15.5928472; 73.8115583

References

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