St. Francis Institution
Encyclopedia
St. Francis Institution or Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) St. Francis is a secondary school in Melaka, Malaysia of the La Sallian
Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools
The Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools is a Roman Catholic religious teaching congregation, founded in France by Saint Jean-Baptiste de la Salle and now based in Rome...

 tradition. It is called 'SFI' by the local population. Alumni, or Old Boys, are known as 'Franciscans' or 'Lasallians'.

History

The school traces its origin to the founding of St. Mary’s School in 1872 by Rev. Fr. Maximillian de Souza, better known as 'Father Bachino.' Originally, the school was supposed to serve the Catholic education of children in the Parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...

.

In 1880, the school moved to a two-storey building in its present location and was renamed St. Francis Institution by the then principal, Rev. Fr. Deloutte.

The colonial government withdrew its aid in 1902, forcing the school to suspend operations. However, the following year, the school was re-opened by four Christian Brothers led by Rev. Bro. Joseph. Student figures were rising rapidly and it was soon apparent that an expansion was needed. Therefore, in 1906 the 'U-Building' was erected. Its name comes from its when viewed from the air.

In 1922, principal Rev. Bro. V. Augustus purchased the Malacca Rubber Plantation building adjoining the school premises. After its renovation, the building was turned into quarters for the Brothers. The grounds at its back increased the size of the playing field.

In 1926, the first school band in Malacca was formed. It has been known as the Cadet Band since 1930.

In 1938, a chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...

was built on the school grounds.

Peter King Tuen Chan, together with Fr. Lancelot Rodrigues, donated a new three-storey block to the school in 1986. The new building was named after Chan's father, Chan Sui Ki, a Hong Kong businessman and philanthropist.

The year 2002 marked a century under the direction of the La Salle Brothers and a hundred and fifty years since the arrival of the Brothers to the Malay Peninsula.

In 2005, Franciscan Club Kuala Lumpur was inaugurated. The same year, the club launched an online community website for all Franciscans in the world. The community is known as www.thefranciscan.org and is also the official SFI website.

List of Brother Directors

  • 1902 - 1903 Bro. Maurice Joseph
  • 1903 - 1911 Bro. Alman Dositheus
  • 1911 - 1915 Bro. Lewis Edward
  • 1915 - 1916 Bro. Claude-Marie
  • 1916 - 1918 Bro. Lewis Edward
  • 1918 - 1920 Bro. V. Augustus
  • 1920 - 1921 Bro. Lewis Edward
  • 1921 - 1923 Bro. Claude-Marie
  • 1923 - 1929 Bro. Barnitus Kennedy
  • 1930 - 1931 Bro. Defendant Louis
  • 1931 - 1936 Bro. Dominic John
  • 1936 - 1947 Bro. V. Augustus
  • 1948 - 1953 Bro. Edmund McCullagh
  • 1953 - 1956 Bro. T. Michael
  • 1956 - 1956 Bro. Patrick Donovan
  • 1956 - 1958 Bro. Leonard Aloysius
  • 1959 - 1962 Bro. Alban De Rozario
  • 1962 - 1966 Bro. Anthony McNamara
  • 1967 - 1968 Bro. Edwin Cheng
  • 1969 - 1971 Bro. Phillip Daly
  • 1972 - 1976 Bro. Cassian Pappu
  • 1977 - 1988 Bro. Harold Reynolds
  • 1988 - 1999 Bro. Ambrose Loke
  • 2000–present Bro. Ambrose Loke

External links

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