St.Aloysius Orphanage & Day School, Mali Panchghara, Kolkata

In 1845 Msgr. Carew, the third Vicar Apostolic, opened a Residential-Cum-Day school in the name of St. Aloysius Seminary at 2 Cullen Place (Presently 2 Mukhram Kanoria Road) Howrah. The school at Serampore was transferred to Howrah under the able guidance of its Rector Fr. Megirr. Due to some reasons the school was closed down in 1850. In 1893 Fr. Medlycott, who was appointed at Howrah was very keen in setting up a school. The Church being too large for its small congregation, it was decided that a part of its sanctuary was to be partitioned for the school. Thus in 1894, under the able guidance of some Irish Christian Brothers, the old school of St. Aloysius was revived. In 1911 Fr. De Wacchter reopened St. Aloysius on the roof of the church. This time it started as “St. Aloysius Orphanage and Day School” with boarding. The school and the boarding was basically setup with the idea of catering to the poor Catholics and orphan Anglo Indian community of the locality, children of other faith, irrespective of caste, creed or community were also accepted. Under the able guidance and cooperation of various Headmasters and Parish Priests, St. Aloysius Orphanage and Day school flourished as an early educational institution with its Christian values and social obligations. At this time, there existed on the same premises, another free school for Catholic Day Scholars, named “St. Francis Xavier’s poor school”. In 1946 Fr. Peter Gomes sj (Parish Priest) amalgamated the two schools and embarked upon building permanent huge building wide class rooms, hall presbytery. On 15th August 1949 the foundation stone of the school building was laid by Archbishop Ferdinand Perier sj and in January 1950 the scholastic year began in the new school building. The students were prepared for Secondary Modern School Examination. St. Aloysius Orphanage and School, is a Catholic institutions under rights and powers granted to religious and linguistic minorities by the constitution of India (Art 29&30). This school is recognized by Education Department of West Bengal under the Anglo Indian Board of West Bengal and affiliated to the Council For Indian School Certificate Examinations, New Delhi. In 1974, the school was affiliated to the council of Indian School Certificate Examination – New Delhi, under the able guidance of Fr Michael Bhaju and the school sent its 1st batch of students for the ICSE Examination in 1976. In 1992 due to unavoidable circumstances the Orphanage & the Boarding was shifted to Kharagpur.