St. John's Diocesan Girls Higher Secondary School, Bhowanipore, Kolkata

GLORIOUS 125 YEARS Our school was first started in 1876 by Miss Angelina Hoare and Miss Milman, both missionaries from England and it was named Diocesan Mission School. In 1894, the administration of the school was handed over to the Sisters of the Community of John the Baptist Convent, Clewer, England, who named it St. John’s Diocesan School. It gained Government recognition only in 1900. The first batch of students appeared for their Matriculation Examination in 1909. In the same compound, an offshoot of the High School, the Dio College was started. Our institution initially pioneered enlightened education for girls in West Bengal. Then, ours was the first and only Christian College for women in this city. The recognition of the college was revoked later, because one of our students Smt. Beena Das (renowned freedom fighter of West Bengal) shot at Stanley Jackson, the then Governor of Bengal. There were many Clewer sisters who taught but it was Sister Dorothy Francis during whose tenure as the principal the reputation of the school was at its zenith. She was awarded Kaiser-e-Hind for contribution towards woman’s education. The first Indian Principal Miss. C. Das took over from Sister Hilda Francis in 1944. Then from 1960 to 1977 Miss Molina Mukherjee was at the helm of the school affairs. Then came Miss Jaya Shome who worked here from 1978 to 1982. From 1983 to 1985, Miss Nilima Pyne was appointed Teacher-in-Charge. In 1985, Mrs. T. Samuel Raj took over from Miss Pyne. Then in 1990, Mrs. Rosita Chrestien joined this school as the Principal. Mrs. Carolyn Lionel served as Teacher-in-Charge from 2011-2014 and was appointed as the Principal from December 2014. In November 2018 Mrs. Snigdha Gain was appointed the Teacher-in-Charge and in May 2019 she took over as the Principal of the school. Our second school for the less fortunate children at Elliot Lane (off Ripon Street) is running in full swing. Every aspect of their educational needs is looked after. Nutritious midday meals are also provided to the 59 children. Every year one meritorious girl student is absorbed in the mother school. Another school for the less fortunate children will start functioning in the main school premises from January 2013. It has a roll strength of 50 children. MISSION AND VISION We offer an all-round education upto the Higher Secondary level. The school has a wide spectrum of co-curricular activities, which receive as much importance as the academic disciplines. We help our girls to blossom into women, with many interests in many things. We continue our endeavours in searching for new ways to reinforce and where necessary, rebuild the sense of community oneness. We persist in instilling in our wards the principles of justice, honesty, tolerance, patriotism and discipline.