St. Rose's High School (Guyana)

St. Rose's High School
Location
Georgetown, Guyana Guyana
Information
Motto	Serviam ('to serve')
Patron saint(s)	St. Rose of Lima
Established	1847
Founder	Ursulines
Head of school	Paula Hamilton Preceded by = The late Ercellen Cummings-Archibald
Grades	7-12
Gender	co-ed
Houses	Brescia, Cologne, Lima, Loretto, Merici
Color(s)	White and Green

St. Rose's Secondary High School is a government school on Church Street in Georgetown, Guyana, serving students in grades 7-12 in Georgetown, Guyana. To be accepted into the school, the student must receive a certain grade in their Secondary Schools Entrance Examination (SSEE). This is the fourth highest school in Guyana, closely followed by St. Joseph High School (Guyana).

History

Six nuns and two postulants from the Ursuline convent in Athlone, Ireland traveled to the then-colony of British Guiana in 1847. The sisters, Mothers Mary Bernard Perry, Mary de Sales Molony, Mary Magdalen Doyle, Mary Regis O’Brien, superior, Mary Stanislaus Hearne and Mary Alphonsus O’Beirnem opened a secondary school for girls on August 31st of that year, the celebration of St. Rose of Lima.

Three-story structures were built to accommodate the growing student population in 1869 and 1925. The latter building included an auditorium that was the largest of its kind in Georgetown for many years. Construction began on a gymnasium in 1935. The boarding program closed in 1953, followed shortly by completion of a new wing of the school, the Marian Wing, in 1954. New laboratories and classrooms were added in the late 1960s.

St. Rose's accepted its first male students in 1975, a year before all Guyana schools became state-controlled. Despite the government oversight, St. Rose's maintained its logo (badge) of the Ursuline shield. In 2005, a board of governors was established to manage St. Rose's High School.

Student organizations and traditions

St. Rose's students are sorted into five houses. Their names, colors and mottos are:

• Brescia, red, He conquers who overcomes himself,
• Cologne, yellow, Nothing ventured nothing gained,
• Lima, pink, Excelsior.
• Loretto, blue, Unity is strength,
• Merici, green, Where there's a will, there's a way.

School Song "Serviam"

There’s a word that wakes our spirits
Lifts our thoughts on high
Where St. Ursula’s own emblem
Sparkles in the sky
As on to the Pole Star pointing
Brightly shines the Bear,
She doth point the way to Heaven
Leads our footsteps there

CHORUS:
And the badge that shows our motto
Shall be ever dear
And for God we’ll serve our neighbour
His own image here,
“Serviam” shall be our watchword,
Marching on we’ll sing
Battling against the pride of Satan
Serving Christ our King

(Repeat last 2 lines)

All St.Angela has taught us,
We will strive to do,
She shall be our guide and mother
All our whole life through.
She will know us for her children
Ursulines we’ll be:
Holding fast the cross that takes us
on to victory.

CHORUS
Storm or cloud will not dismay us,
We will do and dare
When it’s dark we’ll just remember
That the stars are there
If we fail we’ll rise unconquered;
Set our armour right;
Hope and Love will heal our bruises
Faith will win the fight.

CHORUS

The badge

The Serviam Badge is a symbol of all Ursuline schools worldwide. Although St. Rose's is now a government school and is therefore no longer an Ursuline school, the Ursuline badge was never changed, and the following is an explanation of its meaning.

Pope Pius XI has said that the badge of the Ursuline schools, with the motto "Serviam" is a symbol of Christian education.

It bears a field of stars [the constellation Ursa Minor, in which the Pole Star lies], signifying the Eternal Heavens to which we must aspire. The Little Bear “Ursus” recalls St. Ursula, patroness of Christian Education and special patroness of Ursuline Schools.

Just as the light from the Little Bear leads up to the brighter light of the Pole Star, so Ursuline Education helps students to the knowledge of Truth, here symbolised by the Pole Star, and it is Truth which will guide students on their path through life.

The Ursuline badge bears a cross - whence comes all grace into the world, to remind students that all blessings of God flow from the Redemption.

The colour Green represents the virtue of hope, the colour Silver reminds students to be sincere in all that they do.

The word “Serviam” (I will serve) expresses loyalty to Christ, and a desire to serve Him.

Alumni

The St. Rose's High School Alumni Association has chapters located throughout the world. The chapters help raise funds for the improvement of the school and its institutions.

References

• Sr Jacqueline Da Silva. "Through One Hundred and Fifty Years of History - The Ursulines and St. Rose's" (PDF). Together Celebrating 150 Years: The Ursuline Nuns in Guyana and St.Rose’s Secondary High School 1847 – 1997.

External links

• St. Rose's High School Alumni Association (New York Chapter)

http://www.strosesalumnitoronto.org/