.
History
Founded in 1877 by the Brothers of the Christian Schools, the administration was transferred to the Diocese
of Port Louis
in 1985. The college has been providing free education since 1977 with a variety of curricular choices.The school forms part of the Elite colleges in Mauritius. The college obtained its first laureate in the year 1947 named Boulle Bernard and his brother Boulle Michel succeded him in 1948. The Rector Mr Serge Ng TaT Chung, former student and teacher at the college received the insignia of MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF THE STAR AND THE KEY OF THE INDIAN OCEAN for his contribution in the sector of education.
In the early 1930s, the wooden buildings were replaced by reinforced concrete
ones. Additional facilities were later built: physics and chemistry labs in 1939, a gymnasium in 1970, and five new classrooms and an amphitheatre in 1994. A pre-vocational department was created in 2001. The college enrolls only students at form 1 level who scored 22 units or more.
The motto Ad Altiora Cum Christo and the badge were created in 1940 by Gaëtan Boullé, a former student.
During World War II
, the college was requisitioned as a war hospital, although there was no actual fighting in Mauritius. During that time St. Joseph's College students had to study at the Royal College of Curepipe along with their teachers.
Ideology
St. Joseph's College specifically establishes emphasis on academical excellencebut also on a myriad of other activities such as Sports, Music and other extra-curricular activities. The college also hosts its the traditional School Mass on the 19th of March, the annual Sports day, Music day, Fancy Fair, Debate
competitions and various competitions which surely contribute to the development of the child within the fields of reasoning, critical thinking
and physical attributes among others.
During the celebration of the 120th birthday
of the College in 1997 a bust of St. Joseph - sculpted by Mr. Karl Hervet - was unveiled in the school yard.
St. Joseph's College has also embedded pre-vocational department within its main infrastructure
. Its aim is to train children that have been unable to pass the CPE exams twice and give them the opportunities they need for a prosperous future
.
Infrastructure
The college can also boast to have a big school compound where different activities can take place for the bettermentof the students. The college has been entrusted with two football grounds, three basketball
courts, eight volleyball
courts, one state of the art Gymnasium, one tennis
court and even an amphitheatre
. These components are fully exploited during the recess time.
Other Activities
The end of year period of time at St. Joseph's College has always been very special for both the School Leavers and the CollegeAdministration. It is during this time that is held the School Leavers Mass followed by the eagerly awaited School Leavers Dinner and the End-of-Year Party, otherwise known as the Prom Night.
The college also organises admirable events such as the fancy fair
which happens to be a tremendously huge success amongst all the other colleges on the island. A different aspect is easily conveyed on the very day of the fair, in comparison to the other fairs; amongst the activities, a magnificently inspiring show has been confined to a possibility of occurrence within the event as uniquely-inspired entity
, which is dubbed as the Student Folies whereby the sublime talent of the "Josephiens" are adroitly unveiled.
The college is one amongst the national colleges on the heavenly-inspired island of Mauritius.
Factual Section
1877→ Opening of Saint Joseph's College
→ The registration of the first pupil had taken place on January 15 1877. He was called France Plaideau. Saint Joseph's College had been born.
→ The pupils actually resided within the compound of the school. The general term used for this occurrence was "boarded".
1883
→ The first gymnasium opened in 1883. For several decades, there had always been at least one physical education
teacher
.
→ Sports was deeply anchored in the school tradition
. The football pitch, surfacing with asphalt
and maintenance of the basket-ball and volleyball grounds were always one of the preoccupations of the administration. Contribution of St. Joseph's College in the promotion of sports in Mauritius is far from being thin.
→ Music
has always had an important part in the activities of the students. In the 19th century, the fanfare of the College was very appreciated. Bro. Léonien Marie, music teacher for 30 years, had created many vocations. These last years, Mr. Jean-Claude Selvon has been in charge of the choir
which had participated in many public events.
1899
→ Used stamps were collected and sold and the proceeds used to purchase a statue
of the Immaculate Virgin Mary. A very large stone
was procured from a nearby building site and installed in the middle of the interior yard
.
1927
→ The College celebrated its 50 years of existence. As a result of their recruitment
, most of the students were catholic
and very few students were of colour. This ethnic filtration
at the stage of recruitment was widely practiced among the catholic schools. But the Brothers revolutionized this practice, Bro. Gordien in 1929 put aside the ethnic belonging from their recruitment criteria. This was to be a revolutionary decision of the Mauritian church of then. The Brothers therefore formed students without any distinction. They worked for Mauritianism. At about the same period they took a decision with high risks: they were to give the students new infrastructure, renovated and of modern standard.
→ During the cyclone
on 23 January the building was quite badly damaged. Therefore in 1927 the College submitted to an expertise check and the situation of the building was found quite alarming. "It is all in wood
, mostly rotten and requires urgent repairs". The students according to this expertise were not even safe from building hazards. All these factors led to the unanimous decision of constructing a new building made of re-enforced concrete
. A former student, Max Boullé, architect
drew up the plans for the construction of a new building.
1933
→ The school
chapel
was inaugurated on 17 November 1933.
1939
→ The Science
block - Physics
and chemistry
- was added as a separate building in 1939.
→ The 1939-1945 war caused distress and difficulty to St. Joseph's College and Mauritius in general. Although there was no actual fighting in the island, communication
, exports and imports - especially of food
- suffered. The military
requisitioned the building and transformed it into a hospital
.
1940
→ In May 1940, political events in Europe got out of hands and France surrendered. England was alone in its struggle. The British Empire
had taken extreme precautions. Mauritius was not spared and knew real psychological conditioning. Secret inquests by the police force were increasing. Threats came to the College. In this context of war, and under the pressure of events, a certain effervescence
was in the premises. The Brothers, except a few, joined two political groups. Relationships with the higher majors were broken. They had to cope by themselves until the end of the hostilities. In the midst of the general nervousness, unfounded and useless insults were directed towards the College's director, Bro. Ignatius.
-
-
- A Man of Legend
-
-
- Bro. Ignatius (Jean Schmitz) had a high prestige in the Mauritian society and the world of education. Having been in the country for more than 26 years, there was only the war to insult him. He bore those insults with courage and unwavering tenacityTenacityTenacity is the customary measure of strength of a fiber or yarn. In the U.S. it is usually defined as the ultimate strength of the fiber divided by the denier....
which characterized his entire religious life.
- Bro. Ignatius (Jean Schmitz) had a high prestige in the Mauritian society and the world of education. Having been in the country for more than 26 years, there was only the war to insult him. He bore those insults with courage and unwavering tenacity
-
- He was from GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, born in a militant catholic familyFamilyIn human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
. Young, he entered the scholastic of the Brothers of the Christians Schools and was appointed to Mauritius. He arrived in 1913. Not yet acclimatized, he had to face the difficult years of WW1 (1914-18). He was the only German among Italian, British and French religious in the community and only teacher teaching to young children in enemy territory!
- He was from Germany
-
- Between the two wars, Bro. Ignatius, deputy rectorRectorThe word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
during the time of Bro. Augustus and director as from 1934, gave all he had between the two wars. He restored the College so as to meet the requirements of modern regulations and, when he had the financial capabilities. Bro Ignatius wanted pupils of all social levels, ethnic origins and religious faiths to understand each other. The CollegeCollegeA college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
was opened to coloured boys in 1929, and afterwards he took care the true Mauritian pupils were taken in. The College created the commercial section in 1939 under his investigation.
- Between the two wars, Bro. Ignatius, deputy rector
-
- Arrest: On May 20 1940, the policePoliceThe police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
summoned the director. Some days later, a militaryMilitaryA military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
vehicleVehicleA vehicle is a device that is designed or used to transport people or cargo. Most often vehicles are manufactured, such as bicycles, cars, motorcycles, trains, ships, boats, and aircraft....
came to the College and came to rest in front of the stairs of the College: Arrest of Bro. Ignatius! The scene was witnessed by 200 students. Strangely, an hour later, they brought him back in Curepipe and the Brother resumed his work. Yet, the British thought his presence awkward. On June 7, the authorities pressurized the ArchbishopArchbishopAn archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
, Mrg. Leen, to signify their decision. Bro. Ignatius should resign from his function as Rector of the College and had not the permission to leave the College's premises.
- Arrest: On May 20 1940, the police
-
- Post war: The EducationEducationEducation in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
Ordinance, 1944 came into being. It offered more libertyLibertyLiberty is a moral and political principle, or Right, that identifies the condition in which human beings are able to govern themselves, to behave according to their own free will, and take responsibility for their actions...
to teaching and corrected the privilege of state schools over private ones.
- Post war: The Education
-
- The new Code needed secondary school teachers to have at least the CambridgeCambridgeThe city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
SchoolSchoolA school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
Certificate. Already in the past, the young Brothers, with a French education, had to display all their talent to get prepared to secondary school English teaching. According to traditionTraditionA tradition is a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes , but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings...
in the Institute, they studied hard out of school. As such, Brothers from Mauritius and Réunion regularly performed very well in the College of Preceptors examinations of the London Chamber of Commerce and the University of LondonUniversity of London-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
and CambridgeCambridgeThe city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
. The post-war eraEraAn era is a commonly used word for long period of time. When used in science, for example geology, eras denote clearly defined periods of time of arbitrary but well defined length, such as for example the Mesozoic era from 252 Ma–66 Ma, delimited by a start event and an end event. When used in...
brought about rapid changes in the domain of education and new demands. From this point, the College would present students for the Higher School Certificate examinations and should satisfy the demands of the Department of Education so that its Form VI students may be eligible to the English Scholarship. To achieve this, more qualified personnel was required, the only solution was link the community to an English speaking Province.
- The new Code needed secondary school teachers to have at least the Cambridge
→ As from 1940, the College made its contribution to the war effort. A rescue office and more than fifty beds, under the Red Cross responsibility, monopolized many rooms. In addition, two Home Guards fixed the place as their rally point and Brothers were part of those two organizations. Also, the playgrounds were used as exercise fields.
→ In June 1942, the military authorities put forward their intention to transform the College into a war
hospital
. Arrangements were quickly made. Fortunately, it was suggested that buildings be shared with the Royal College of Curepipe. The Brothers moved to Leclézio Avenue, in Curepipe, in a house lent by one of the College's benefactors, André Robert.
→ As from 1 July 1942, the new school
system
came into being. The Royal College had classes from eight to noon and St. Joseph's College from half past twelve to five. Parents and teachers were getting used to the half day of work. As such, the Préparatoire and Classe V ceased to exist in 1943, parents preferring their children to attend schools in which ladies were in charge. The older students worked better and had more time for personal work. The studies, in general, were not affected by the war
.
→ The Royal College's rector, T. B. Barnes, showed himself conciliatory: he shared his resources with the Brothers. The science teachers could use the laboratories. Paradoxically, the war brought the two institutions together.
→ St. Joseph's College was in exile for four years and came back to its original premises on the 28 June 1946. The College received Rs 37 500 as compensation from the military after deducting expenses for rebuilding after the cyclone of 1945.
→ The motto Ad Altiora Cum Christo - Towards Heights with The Christ - as well as the badge are born. They were created by a former student, Gaëtan Boullé.
1946
→ On the month of June, St. Joseph's college changed from the Madagascar
province
jurisdiction
and fell under the wing
of Irish missionaries.
1947/1946
→ As soon as the Scholarship
of England
(HSC) was available to private institutions, St. Joseph's College produced laureates. The firsts were Barnard Boullé (1947) and his younger Brother Michel (1948).
1955
→ Creation of the Old Boys Association by Gustave Rey.
1970
→ September 24: inauguration
of the new Gymnasium.
1975
→ The first scholarship
for Economy
was taken by Dheerendra K. Dabee, a student at St. Joseph's College. In addition to Government scholarships, there were also many students who won others given by the Collège d'Agriculture, the Fondation Mauricienne, the Alliance Française, the British, French, New-Zealand, Russia
and India
amongst others.
1977
→ Since January 1977, the Government has taken in charge the schooling of all secondary school pupils in Mauritius and Rodrigues. Mauritius
was the first country
in the third world to make free education
at second and third levels available to all its people.
1985
→ Mr. Daniel Koenig, former laureate
of the College in 1951, became the first lay Director, or Rector
in 1985. When he retired, he was replaced as Rector in 1992 by Mr. Serge Ng Tat Chung, another past pupil. Mr. Daniel Koenig was recently the manager of St. Joseph's College until his decease.
1994
→ 19 Jan: Inaugural of a new block comprising five classrooms and an amphitheater.
1997
→ The College celebrated its 120th birthday in 1997. On 19 March, a bust of St. Joseph - sculpted by Mr. Karl Hervet - was unveiled in the school
yard
.
1999
→ Opening of the new computer
room
, Espace Informatique St. Jean-Baptiste de la Salle.
2001
→ 19 Mars: St. Joseph's College's pre-vocational department is inaugurated. Its aim is to train children that have failed twice the CPE exams and give them the opportunities they need.
2009
→ Mr. Veerapen, Assistant Rector and fomerly teacher at the school retires. Mr. Karl Tat Chin, another past pupil, is entrusted with the honourable title
of the new Assistant Rector
.
2010
→ The Daniel Koenig Junior Science
Laboratory
in operation for Form 1 to Form 3 students.
2011
→ New Computer
Laboratory set up - A Research/ Resource Centre with Network, Audio & Video
facilities.
Alumni
A prestigious boys' college in Mauritius for its good academic and athletic performance, its notable alumni include Vishnu Lutchmeenaraidoo who was once entitled as a minister of finance, famous architectMarc Daruty De Grandpre, Minister Micheal Sik Yuen and Senior Puisne
Judge
Bernard Sik Yuen just to name a few.
See also
Complete List of Secondary Schools (Mauritius & Rodrigues)SJC is one among the national colleges of Mauritius.