Holy Family High School (Mumbai)

Holy Family High School
Loyalty through Service
Location
Mahakali Caves Road Andheri (East) Mumbai 400 093 India
Information
Type	Private
Established	1945
Principal	Fr. Swamy
Enrollment	2,600
Information	(91) (022) 2687-3702 (91) (022) 2687-0618
Board	S.S.C.

Holy Family High School

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 a Parent-Teacher Association since 1964.

History

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. The 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, the building became too small to cater to the growing number of parishioners. The building was sold and a more spacious one constructed, with its own playground, on a plot of land not 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.

First structure (1945)

Old logo

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 building lacked facilities such as filtered drinking water and a cafeteria. It had an inadequate playground and poor facilities for sports. For 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 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 broadcast live on cable TV.

Addition of facilities

In 2005, the school added an amphitheatre. In 2009, a semi-olympic size swimming pool was added These projects were undertaken with the initiative of the school PTA.

Activities

Academic

Merit cards are presented to students who do well academically. Students who need disciplining are presented with cards at school assemblies, the colour of the card indicating the number of wrongdoings.

Extracurricular

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

Policies

In 2004, the school banned the use of plastics by its students, due to environmental concerns associated with the use of most plastics.

Criticisms

Disciplinary methods

Some of the school's past principals have been accused of using excessive corporal punishment in the form of caning as well as, allegedly, random implements such as hockey sticks and knotted whips, even for minor offenses such as tardiness. Also, teachers used wooden rulers to hit students on hands and knuckles or slapped them as a means of punishment.

More recently, however, the school frowns on the use of corporal punishment. Instead, the services of the school's counselor are used.^{[citation needed]}

Learning

The size of each class exceeds sixty students. Due to this, the quality of teaching can be compromised.

Some teachers pushed students to join their private coaching classes.

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)

External links

• Holy Family High School (informal)
• Holy Family High School Parent-Teacher Association
• Holy Family Church
• Satellite view of Holy Family High School by Google Maps