St. Britto's, Goa

St. Britto is a school in Mapusa in north Goa, on the west coast of India about 10 km (6.2 mi) from the beaches of Anjuna and Calangute. It was founded in 1946 and is run by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).

History of the school

According to the Indo-Portuguese historian Dr. Teotonio de Souza, who himself was on the school staff in the 1970s, this was the third institution set up by the Jesuits in Goa. Assisting in its founding was a wine-merchant of the North Goa town of Valentino Pinto, Mapusa. At that time, the school was called Sacred Heart High School. Its previous owner had problems staffing and running it, and so handed it over to the Jesuits at a time when Goa was still under Portuguese rule. Dom Caetano Menezes, owner of St. Mary's school nearby, also handed over his institution to the Jesuits.

On 22 June 1946, The Sacred Heart School for boys and girls was handed over to the Jesuits (Society of Jesus). In the following year the girls found a place in a neighboring girls' school.

On 18 May 1948, the institution acquired the name of St. Britto High School.

Early days

Dr. Teotonio R. de Souza suggests that the reputation of the Jesuits in Goa grew with their management of Theotonio High School, which was owned by the Goa Archdiocese. Fr. Sylvester D'Souza was the first principal of the schools taken over. Both were co-educational. The Jesuits transferred girls from the schools to the Apostolic Carmel (AC) nuns who have been active in the field of education in Goa, and who went on to form the St. Mary's Convent High School, Goa, along the Altinho hilltop, Mapusa, the locale of St. Britto's.^[2]

Initially, St Britto's functioned out of the site of the Bardez Gymkhana. Priests running the school and boarders rented houses atop the hill, an inconvenient arrangement especially during Goa's torrential monsoons. The new site of the school was purchased from Cipriano da Cunha Gomes. The school's large facade dominates the town of Mapusa from a distance. The Goa Archdiocese assisted construction with a loan. Fr. Ubaldo de Sá, of Moira, is credited with the construction.

The School Coat of Arms

The School Coat of Arms is intended to inspire every boy at St. Britto with the lofty ideals expressed by it. The Coat of Arms is divided thus:

At the top, against a field of Blue, blazes the Monogram of the Society of Jesus, in a Golden sun: IHS, surmounted by a cross. IHS is the short form in Greek for the most Holy Name of Jesus, the Light of the World died on the cross to spread the Truth. We, too, should strive for TRUTH, always.

Below that, against a field of Golden Yellow, are the Palms of Martyrdom, which the Patron of the School, St. John de Britto won by shredding his blood to spread the Truth, which he did by adopting the garb and way of life of an Indian Sanyassi.

A Red Chevron separates the Lamp of Learning at the bottom of the Coat of Arms. A burning lamp dispells darkness, and a learning man dispells ignorance. Boys at St. Britto are expected to be a light unto themselves and to their neighbor.

Finally the meaning of the whole is aptly summarized by the School Motto: "Facta non Verba" written on the Scroll below the Coat of Arms. It means : "Deeds Not Words" is really what matters.

Activities & sports

The school has a Consumer Club and Eco Club, but specializes in seasonal events and celebrations in which the whole school participates: Swachha Bharat day, St. Ignatius day, Goa LIberation Day, and Christmas festivities including a carol competition.^[3]

Intramural sports include football, table tennis, badminton, chess, and basketball.Students are also trained after school hours in cricket, basketball, kabaddi, touch rugby, throw ball, net ball, sepaktakraw, and boxing.^[4]

School anthem

Cheer boy cheer Cheer the Britto flag Hail to thee St. Britto Cheer boy cheer Cheer the Britto flag Hail to thee St. Britto We thy loyal trusted band We will ever be true Light bearers and labourers   True and pure and steadfast

Ch: Let's put on the armour light Glory of Britto Let's put on the armour light Fight for God and country Alma mater our friend and guide Stay in shade and sunshine Lend us light and wisdom lore Ne'er to fail or falter Be life's journey perilous Thou to us a beacon[1]

1. ^ Anthem

Headmasters of St Britto

Fr.Sylvester D'Souza, SJ 1946–1949 Fr.Irineu Lobo, SJ 1949–1950 Fr.Edward V D'Souza, SJ 1950–1951 Fr.Peter Mendonça, SJ 1951–1952 Fr.Edward V D'Souza 1952–1962 Fr.Lino D'Souza, SJ 1962–1964 Fr.Mario C de Meyrelles, SJ 1964–1973   Fr.Teotonio de Sales, SJ 1973–1976 Fr.Vincent Gomes Catao, SJ 1976–1982

Fr.Anil Soares, SJ 1982–1988 Fr.Joe Palliparambil, SJ 1988–1990 Fr.Abraham Painumkal, SJ 1990–1999 Fr.Apollo Cardozo, SJ 1999–2011 Fr.Cedric Fernandes: 2011-present Parliament Members of St. Britto High School (2014-2015) Head Boy: Arnold Costa Dy. Head Boy: Aditya Chanekar Red House Commander: Christopher Varela Dy. Red House Commander: Floyd Crasto Blue House Commander: Delroy Nazareth Dy. Blue House Commander: Mukul Prabhu Green House Commander: Maccan Pereira Dy. Green House Commander: Dayne Fernandes Gold House Commander: Selvin Solis Dy. Gold House Commander: Jonathan D'Souza Parliament Members of St. Britto High School (2015-2016) Head Boy: Sourabh Desai Dy. Head Boy: Victor D'Souza Red House Commander: Gideon Gracias Flor Dy. Red House Commander: Karan Mangeshkar Blue House Commander: Nadeem Shaikh Dy. Blue House Commander: Mark Dcosta Green House Commander: Merrick Fernandes Dy. Green House Commander: Saish Haldankar Gold House Commander: Manguesh Shetkar Dy. Gold House Commander: Raphael Dias Parliament Members of St. Britto High School (2016-2017) Head Boy: Noah Martins Dy. Head Boy: Hrishikesh Chanekar Red House Commander: Osrick Trindade Dy. Red House Commander: Sean D'Slva Blue House Commander: Saquib Koti Dy. Blue House Commander: Steve Kerranchera Green House Commander: Alister Fernandes Dy. Green House Commander: Vallino Pereira Gold House Commander: Jerry D'Mello Dy. Gold House Commander:Gupte Shivdutt Notable alumni Councillor Oscar C. Lobo JP, first Goan Councillor in Australia. Vice-president of the Goa-based CMM Group of Companies - Eric Menezes. Dy. Chief Minister of Goa and member of the legislative assembly - Francis D'Souza. Bank of Goa manager - Salvador Pinto. Musician - Alex Braganza. Paulo Holiday Makers (a local transport company) proprietor - Mario Pereira. Director of Resicom Builders - Roy de Souza. Tourism and Travel Association of Goa chairman Ralph de Souza. De Souza Group director and musician - Noel de Souza. Newton Marques, OHS Inspector with the Australia Federal Govt. Alan de Souza, Volvo Asia Pacific Parts Manager. External links Website Mailing list of the Britto's alumni Britto's Old Boys' Association website Britto alumni webpage The Goa Jesuit Province of the Society of Jesus - The Jesuits in Goa Memoirs of a Britto boy Britto links on Google.com Jesuit secondary schools of India St. Patrick's High School, Secunderabad Loyola Public School, Loyola Nagar, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh Loyola High School, Vinukonda St. Xavier's High School, Suryapet Loyola High School, Hindupur Loyola High School, Karimnagar St. Xavier's High School, Darsi St. John's High School, Amalapuram Loyola Medium School, Amalapuram Loyola High School, Krishnapuram Loyola High School, KD Peta St. Xavier's High School, Patna St. Michael's High School, Patna St. Xavier's School, Delhi St. Xavier's School, Rohini Saint Britto High School, Mapusa Loyola High School, Margao St. Xavier's High School Loyola Hall, Ahmedabad Loyola School, Jamshedpur St. John's High School, Ranchi St John's Middle School, Ranchi St. Xavier's School, Ranchi St. Xavier's School, Bokaro De Nobili School, FRI, Digwadih, Dhanbad De Nobili School, CMRI, Dhanbad De Nobili School, Mugma, Dhanbad De Nobili School, Maithon, Dhanbad De Nobili School, Sindri, Dhanbad De Nobili School, Sijua De Nobili School CTPS, Bokaro, Chandrapura De Nobili School, Bhuli, Dhanbad St. Joseph's Boys High School, Bangalore St. Joseph's Indian High School, Bangalore St. Paul's School, Belgaum St. Aloysius College, Mangalore Xavier School, Manvi, Raichur Loyola School, Thiruvananthapuram AKJM Public School, Kanjirappally, Kottayam Campion School Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh Holy Family High School, Mumbai Loyola High School, Pune St. Xavier's High School, Fort, Mumbai St. Xavier's Boys' Academy, Mumbai St. Stanislaus High School, Mumbai St. Mary's School, Mumbai ICSE, Mumbai St. Mary's High School SSC, Mumbai St. Mary's School, Sangamner, Ahmednagar St. Vincent's High School, Pune Campion School, Mumbai St. Xavier's School, Kolhapur Loyola School, Bhubaneswar St. Joseph's School, Kendrapara Loyola School, Sankhabhanga, Baripada St. Xavier's School, Rutungia, Kandhamal Loyola School, Pajikeri, Kandhamal St. Xavier's School, Jaipur St. Xavier's School, Nevta St. Xavier's School, Mahua, Rajasthan St. Xavier's School, Bhiwadi St. Xavier's School, Behror Loyola Academy CBSE school, Maraimalai Nagar, Chennai St. Mary's Higher Secondary School, Dindigul St. Xavier's High School, Tuticorin St. Mary’s Higher Secondary School, Madurai St. Xavier's Higher Secondary School, Palayamkottai St. Xavier's Hr. Sec. School, Tuticorin Loyola Higher Secondary School, Kuppayanallur, Kanchipuram District De Britto Higher Secondary School, Devakottai St. Arul Anandar School, Oriyur Carmel Higher Secondary School, Nagercoil St. Joseph Boys Higher Secondary School, Trichy St. Joseph's School, Darjeeling St. Xavier's Collegiate School, Kolkata St. Lawrence High School, Kolkata St. Xavier's School, Durgapur St. Xavier's School, Haldia St. Xavier's School, Sahebganj St. Xavier's School, Burdwan Catholicism portal Society of Jesus Coordinates: 15°35′34.25″N 73°48′41.61″E / 15.5928472°N 73.8115583°E / 15.5928472; 73.8115583 References ↑ Faculty ↑ Beginning ↑ Activities ↑ Sports