Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (RJP)
Bantwal, Apr 11: The new building of St John’s Higher Primary School in Allipade of Bantwal taluk will be inaugurated on Monday, April 13 by Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, the bishop of Mangaluru.
Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, will celebrate the Eucharist at 4 pm with the invited priests. In the programme to be followed after the Eucharist, the bishop will inaugurate and bless the new building.
Fr Maxim Noronha from Modankap, Fr Jerald D’Souza from CBE Mangaluru, Fr Benjamin Pinto from Agrar, Sr Narcisa Sequeira from Bengaluru, district in-charge minister Ramanath Rai, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and MLC Ivan D’Souza will be the chief guests.
Girija Rama from Sarapady zilla panchayat, Sheshanarayana Karinja, Bantwal BEO, Vilasini Shanthaveera Poojary, Sarapady taluk panchayat member, Sampath Kumar taluk panchayat member from Uli, Dhananjaya Shetty, president, Sarapady gram panchayat, and Baby Suvarna, president of Navooor gram panchayat will be the guests of honour.
Sr Dulcine Fernandes, headmistress of the school and Fr Gregory Pereira, parish priest of Allipade church who is also the correspondent of the school will be present.
Fr Gregory Pereira
Brief History
About 90 years ago, children in Allipade used to get up early in the morning and walk nearly 10 to12 miles through the forest to reach school. The then parish priest of Agrar church Fr Reginald Pinto, who saw the hardships faced by small children, started the school in a grass hut in 1927. The school started to impart education to children regardless of religion, caste or creed. Louis was the first teacher in the school.
The Allipade parish dedicated to St Antony came into existence on August 5, 1938. Fr Louis Furtado became the first parish priest and school convener. The institute grew by giving disciplined education and recording good results and hence became a symbol of pride. The students who have come out after getting quality education are spending their life filled with values and remember that they are the old students of the school.
Though the school started in a hut, later a building with tiles was built to accommodate the school. Vast playground, drinking water facility, computer training, Balavadi centre, library, band set and training, training in extracurricular activities, Bisiyoota facility, new auditorium, and loudspeaker facility were introduced one by one. Talent awards came, collection of funds for education happened and above all excellent faculty contributed to the growth of small sapling into a large tree.
Contributions from people
If the citizens make it a point, a hut can be converted into a temple. A barren land can be converted into cultivated land. If hundred hands join a resourceful brain, hundred percent results are possible.
There are many people who have struggled hard for the great things to happen in this small village.
The correspondents who have worked for the school since the inception are Fr Louis Furtado, Fr Gilbert Pinto, Fr Michael M Pereira, Fr William Fernandes, Fr Mark Veigas, Fr Ignatius D'Souza, Fr Alban D'Souza, Fr Henry Sequeira, Fr Alexander Lobo, Fr Lawrence Mascarenhas, Fr Walter D'Souza and present correspondent Fr Gregory Pereira.
The correspondents who worked here were examples for adventures. They had untiring enthusiasm. They had sacrificed their needs and desires to make the institute grow and blossom. It now glows as eternal light.
The institute in this rural area faced several hardships. However the correspondents have shown that struggle leads to success.
Fr Gregory Pereira, present correspondent is conducting all the work in the institute since 2011 competently. He has proved that strong determination is required for achievement. He started the project of huge building soon after his arrival. He worked day and night disregarding rain, storm and sunshine towards his goal. He is polite and down to earth. He has no pride for his achievement. He opened the doors of the hearts of the people by his attractive talk. The contributions of the church pastoral council vice president, secretary, all parishioners and donors should be also remembered when the school is being inaugurated. Headmasters, teachers and above all the people of the area have made the institution successful.