HISTORICAL BACKGROUND >> The Year from 1975-1981

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The school again needed a man at the helm to steer and lead ahead. Mr. A. E. Fitzgerald, an ex-Westcottan and also a former Headmaster was considered the ideal man. He was duly contacted and offered the post of principal. His attachment to the school superceded all other considerations and he accepted the offer.

He knew Westcott and Westcott knew him. He took up the reins of government as though he had never ever left. It was vitally important to re-build the reputation of the school and he channelized all his energy into this task. The I. C. S. E syllabus had been introduced the previous year (1974). Both the teachers and students were adjusting to his change. Mr. Fitzgerald took it upon himself to see that teaching was regular and up to the standard of the new syllabus. He resumed his former practice of walking into a class while it was in progress. New admission again started taking place and new member were added to the faculty. More classrooms were needed and were built. A recreation room was set up, the catering was improved and various provisions were made to provide better facilities for the boarders. Indiscipline was not tolerated and corporal punishment was still the accepted norm.

Extra- curricular activities, which had been neglected during the turbulent phase, were once again given a place of important in the curricula. Participation of students in debates, elocutions, one-act plays and a variety of games were encouraged. Interest had increased because inter-school competitions were frequently held and the exposure through such competitions immensely benefited the school as well as the students. Principal’s Day and Teacher’s Day were occasions when hidden talents came into focus.

Annual Sports day and Speech (Prize) day, which formerly used to be held together, were now on separated days. The Sports Day was much looked forward to, by the boys and the inter-house competitions generated great enthusiasm.

With the steady increase in the number of students it because necessary to make investments towards growth and expansion. March 1976 the construction of a building for the junior hostel commenced, the same year three classroom were built for the above the Junior Dining Room (now Retreat). New Garages were built for the buses that had been purchased. In 1975 an Ambassador (mark 3) was purchased for the use of the Principal. Though was given to the possibility of opening a (+2) Plus Two section. For additional classrooms it was decided to construct a separate building for the school and principal’s Office. This construction included seven rooms for classes and it was completed and inaugurated in 1977. 1977 being the fiftieth year of the school the office block came to be popularly known as the Jubilee Block. A special Thanksgiving Service in the All Saints Chapel was held for the Golden Jubilee. A grand camp fire was also organized to highlight the Jubilee.

Winds of adversity again started blowing over the Boys’ School; a section of senior boys started an agitation; again the school had to be closed. This time, however, the matter was resolved quickly. The Governing Body expressed its faith on the Principal and the bursar (Mr.G.Chandra) and assured them its full support for whatever measures they adopted. All boys who had actively participated in the agitation were expelled and for class seven upwards the boarding was closed. Just prior to the agitation there had been 416 boarders and 608 dayscholars. It was more than clear that hostel facilities had to be improved and extended.

By 1978 the junior dormitory was completed and blessed by the Bishop. Plans for the repair of the roof and building of a proper boundary wall with a new gate were taken up. Construction of an auditorium was also sanctioned and its foundation was laid in November’1978.

By 1979-80 Westcott Boys’ School had acquired an entirely secular status. Preference was given to Christians and Anglo- Indians but the school created to all classes and all communities. Through the natural inclination of the students was still for the science, the I.C.S.E syllabus compelled the boys to take more interest in Arts subjects. English, though compulsory was often taken for granted with the result that most boys wrote only colloquial English. The second language: Hindi and Bengali suffered great neglect at the hands of the boys.

By 1980 the construction of the auditorium was completed. It was inaugurated by Dr. A. R. Kidwai (Governor of Bihar). It soon became the venue for almost all school functions. The guest list for the school functions had lengthened and begun to cover a wider section of the society. The auditorium facilitated the participation of a larger section of the school also.

Academically and in everyway the school had made good progress. But this forward momentum was again hampered; On 22nd October’1981 some boarders along with a few day scholars went on strike. As in earlier instances and it was left on the Governing Body to make the right decisions and take necessary measures. This rebellion was a severe blow to the Principal and a disaster for the school. In an emergency meeting of the Governing Body after much deliberation Mr. R.I. Thornton was chosen to officiate as acting Vice-Principal from December 1981. Mr. V. Shaw was appointed as Acting Bursur and Mr. E. S. Coe the school Secretary was appointed as the Administrator of the school.
 

 

 

 

 

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