Looking Back Detail Page

01 Apr

We began the year 1963 with a record number of students – 725 - but, the numbers soon went down to 700 and we end the year with 715 students.
Unfortunately, only 48 boys have finished the Senior Cambridge and 108 have applied for admission to Std. III and even if we take only 70 we shall have in 1964 nearly 750 students on the rolls — another record.
The Staff:  In January, thanks to our Superiors, we welcomed Rev. Fr. S. J. Vicent, S.J., as the first Vice-Principal of Campion School and Prefect of Discipline.  He has many bright ideas and with his youthful energy he has introduced several new features for the benefit of the School.  Being fully in charge of discipline he has seen to it that boys behave always like little gentleman and though rather on the strict side his strict rule was necessary now that the numbers have increased to over 700.
Mr. R. S. Rouse came in for English in the higher standards, Mr. K. C. Leslie for Physics and Chemistry, Mr.A.C Gaur for Geography, and Mr. C. Soares for various subjects; Mr. Lambert G. Stanley came to help us in the office.
Our Results:  The Senior Cambridge results were, the best in town.  We sent 33 students of which 32 passed - 12 with a first class, 13 obtained a second, 6 a third and only one failed.  Avijit Chatterjee, the Schoo1 Vice-Captains and a Troop Leader, stood first not only in CAMPION but in the whole State, and received immediately the offer of 2 scholarships, one from the Indian Government and one from the American Government and, as he could not accept the Delhi scholarship, since his father had higher income than the maximum allowed by the rules, he accepted, the American one and is now in the States quite happy and. eager to profit by every minute at his disposal to the great astonishment of all his fellow students.
The Building:  By the end of December we were lucky to take possession of one more flat on the ground floor of Arthur House and at once we started the alterations to suit the needs of the school.  By January we could accommodate the 2 third standards and give the centre-room to the Old Boys Association.  Just a few days ago we were able to come to an understanding with another tenant from whom we shall get a spacious room to accommodate another class.
The ideal, of course, would be to get both the buildings exclusively for the school, but we still have three tenants left in each building.
Equipment:  The Library has received special attention at the hands of the Vice-Principal, a lover of books, with the addition of new steel cupboards and a big number of books for all the standards.  The Reading Room, or Rooms, were well attended chiefly during the monsoon period with fine new reviews suitable for children. The Laboratory was finally completed and according to several visitors it is one of the best in India.  40 boys can make each experiment individually.  It is well provided with the best equipment.
EXTRA - CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES:  The Auxiliary Cadet Corps have improved a good deal.  Twelve air rifles were bought for target practice at a cost of nearly Rupees three thousand.  They had a room for themselves right from January and from June they have been running the School Tuck Shop.  In February they went to Aarey for a three-day training.
Parents’ Day:-  The Parents’ Day Parade at which Rear-Admiral A. K. Chatterjee presided and took the salute, was an unprecedented success.  According to the Admiral, the Parade was wonderful, he had never thought such a parade possible in a school: the turn-out, the uniform, the March Past, all 'showed a very high degree of efficiency.  The Air Scouts made their first appearance and gave a fine display of aerobatics.  Eight scouts were awarded the President’s Badge by the Admiral. The combined units of Scouts, Sea Cadets and A.C.C. Cadets put up a good show of pyramids to end the function.
The huge number of visitors applauded constantly and praised the whole show as “a school wonder.”
The Scout Band was really remarkable. The whole display was such that it attracted the Editor of Eve’s Weekly which is about to publish an article on Campion School all on his own initiative. The exhibition was also extraordinary.  There was the craft exhibition with models worked out by the boys throughout. The year and the Air-Land-and-Sea Exhibition put up by the Scouts with the help of several shipping and air companies.  The beautiful models of ships and planes attracted visitors· during the three days it was kept open.  We calculated that nearly four thousand people visited the exhibition.
The class socials started this year brought in the Parents of Std. III to VI in contact with the teachers.  Unfortunately we could not have them for the higher standards.  We hope however to have them for all the classes in 1964
Sports:  We have not won laurels but we have taken several steps ahead and we hope to do better next year.  However, we have played matches with various schools and joined for the first time the Inter-Schools’ League 5th Division Football tournament as we as the Table-Tennis tournament.
Our athletic meet won the appreciation of one and all and it was difficult to say which House was better in the fine and complicated Physical Display.  Several records were broken.
The Harmonica Club:  The School Harmonica Class is progressing very well under Mr. Phiroze Damri and played several tunes on All India Radio, Bombay, in the “Wonderland Programme.” They also took part in the Talents Contest and Master Adi Bulsara and Mehernosh Manecksha were runners-up.
The Hohner Harmonica Club will be celebrating the Si1ver Jubilee before the end of the year .
Other Activities:  We started this year a Photography Club and we are thankful to Rev. Fr. J. Coll, S. J. of the St. Xavier’s Co11ege Technical Institute for his thrilling lectures on photography.
There has been a keen and healthy competition right up to very end between the Loyola House and the Xavier House for the top school honours and finally the Loyola House has won again. I am sorry to have to confess that spite of constant efforts we have not been able so far to secure at good plot in which to build a Campion School worthy of the name.  We have not, however, given up.  We shall continue in our endeavors next year.  Any help from any parent on this point will be highly appreciated.
Our Social –Work:  The boys have collected old clothes, books etc. for several orphanages and Rs. 3,400 for the Kune-Katkari Settlement.  The Katkaris, whom we have tried to educate with the help of this money, are considered a wild tribe in Maharashtra.  I think we should still help them much more.
The collection for the Bombay City Social Education Week won the School first place and a nice shield.  We handed over Rs. 2,2OO.
Catholic Life:  Our active of Catholic life suffered a blow with the death of Fr. G. Cortes; however Rev. Fr. Molina has helped far above his strength up to the end of September when he had to be hospitalized and undergo a very serious operation.  I am glad to be able to report that he did remarkably well and is again with us to lead, as Superior, the destinies of Campion School.
We have had Mass and Communion for the Staff and Students often in the year and every Friday Fr. Molina gave a talk to the Crusaders, followed by Communion.
Old Campionites Association:  Our Old Boys continued the work started two years ago and were responsible for the running of the Canteen on Parents’ Day Sports’ Day, etc. They have now a fine room where they can play billiards (on one of the best tables in town), chess, etc. They had their annual dinner at the Taj Mahal Hotel where His Highness the Nawab of Palanpur was the guest of honour.
I am glad to be able to state that most of them are doing wonderfully well both in India and abroad-four of them left lately for the U. K. and the U.S.A. for higher studies three of them have top rank in the Grant Medical College, others in various engineering colleges, and one of them-Calli Contractor-was awarded the cup for the best Cadet of the Second Maharashtra Battalion.  Others like Nirmal  Ruia are already Directors of big firms.  They all keep up the good name of Campion School and help the School authorities at all functions.
Thanks To Donors:  We thank all those who have helped the school m one way or the other, and the A.C.C. Cadets thank in a very special manner S. Kartar Singh Dhingra for the 4 beautiful cups of the 3 best Cadets and best Leader of the Year
My thanks as Principal are due to all the members of the Staff for their whole hearted co-operation in all the activities of the School.  
We thank St. Joseph and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, who have looked after Campion School and obtained from the Almighty His visible protection and brought the School through uneventful year to a brighter future.