St. Xavier's School
Affiliated to CISCE- JH006
Bokaro Steel City
Affiliated to CISCE- JH006
Bokaro Steel City
When Jesuits founded St. Xavier’s in 1966, they looked to the very heart of their order for inspiration in choosing a name. They found their inspiration in St. Francis Xavier; who was one of the companions of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, and that’s how St. Xavier’s- our Xavier’s- became the pioneer institution of education in the Bokaro Steel City.
To this day, we - the Xavier’s remain committed to the ideals embodied by the members of the Society of Jesus throughout its rich history. Those Jesuit ideals include an emphasis on academic and human excellence, the importance of holistic growth, and cura personalis- the education of the whole person.
We strive to live up to the ideals set by St. Ignatius and know they are integral to what St. Xavier’s has become.
The Jesuits General Invites Australian Vice Provincial Fr. Austin Kelly to undertake a new mission in Chotanagpur.
Six Australian Jesuits set sail in February 1951 from port Melbourne to begin work in Hazaribagh. The group include Fr. John Moore, Fr Kevin Grogan and Fr Lou Lachal.
Bokaro Steel Plant went under construction in 1963.
Bokaro Steel Plant - the fourth integrated plant in the Public Sector - started taking shape in 1965 in collaboration with the Soviet Union. It was originally incorporated as a limited company on 29th January 1964. Its first blast furnace became fully operational on 2nd October 1972 and the first phase of 1.7 MT ingots steel was completed on 26th February 1978 with the commissioning of the third Blast Furnace.
The plant felt the necessity of a school in Bokaro Steel City where the children of their employees could be taught up to the higher secondary or its equivalent stage through the medium of English, and so invited Xaviers Hazaribagh Association to undertake the opening and running of such a school.
Fr. John Moore arrives in India in 1951. In 1952 he became the founder principal of St. Xavier’s School, Hazaribagh. In 1965 he started St. Xavier’s School, in Bokaro Steel City.
The opening assembly held at St. Xavier's Bokaro's Maraphari campus with 120 students from classes 1 to 8 and 12 staff members.
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi addressing a gathering on the occasion of concrete pouring of the first blast furnace of Bokaro Steel Plant.
The Social service School (Hindi Medium) starts in August 1968. An Australian volunteer, Mr. Athol Brewster is credited with pioneering the Hindi school he received help from all quarters including the Mahila Samiti. Senior students and teachers and Bokaro Steel City’s Ladies Group taught these children.
In 1977, members of the St. Xavier's Historical Society had the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Morarji Desai.
In 1980, the community and school bid Fr. John Moore farewell. He died eight years later in Hazaribagh on 2nd October 1988, but his ideals still continue to guide our lives. He taught us “Make your reach further than your grasp, or what’s a heaven for?”
Mr. Tony Abbott, the Australian Prime Minister, visited St. Xavier’s School in 1981.
During the anti-Sikh riots in 1984, the town administration and the Sikh community turned to St. Xavier’s. The school provided shelter to about 6,500 people for more than a week.
After Fr. John Moore stepped down, the baton of administration was handed over to Fr. Ken McNamara. Fr. McNamara is credited with giving the school its present look. The beautiful playgrounds and the huge buildings that we see today are the fruits of his endeavor. It was a blend of his architectural skills, combined with his aesthetic genius and vision for the future that resulted in the school’s present form.
In the academic year of 1986, the computer education was introduced.
The Silver Jubilee was celebrated in 2006. The school extended appreciation to everyone who has contributed to St. Xavier's success so far. With fanfare and display, the 25th anniversary was honoured.
The students and faculty of St. Xavier’s School had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to interact with former President of India, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. Students also had the opportunity to meet Shila Dhikshit, Delhi's Chief Minister.
2006 saw the Ruby Jubilee celebration. Aluminia had a chance to appreciate their recollections of their time in school. A cultural bonanza of performances by students and alumni enriched the event.
Over 500 students from primary to senior classes participated in the cultural programme which depicted the life journey of the school.
‘When we honour the past, we energize the future and the present becomes a celebration.’ The celebrations continued with the felicitation of our former teachers, maintenance staff and all those who contributed in their own little way to make St. Xavier’s what it is today. The Golden Jubilee could well be called the Year of Gratitude, because we have so much to be thankful for.