God prepared the soil on which the seed was to be sown – through His wondrous ways …
Mangaluru: All Great Things have Small beginnings. Thus it was here…in 1890!
God sowed the SEED in the heart of Mother Veronica of the Passion, known in the world as Miss Sophie Leaves, to start a branch of the Carmelite Order which was to be engaged in the education of young girls along the West Coast of India. She founded the Congregation of the Apostolic Carmel in Bayonne, France in 1868 and it was transplanted in Mangaluru in 1870 where it took root and has grown into a mighty tree. St. Ann’s School was its first shoot. It was started to cater to the all-round education of young girls. The policy of the British Raj to provide education for all, and not only to the privileged few, prepared the way for the sisters of the Apostolic Carmel to take up the education of girls and the training of teachers.
Sr. Maria Shubha AC – Principal
God provides a person
When the Apostolic Carmel Congregation was started in Mangaluru, a young girl named Mary Piedade Rosario was admitted to become a member of the new congregation. Mary Piedade Rosario (Sister Mary Aloysia) was to play an important role in laying a deep foundation for the education of girls in Mangaluru and they would in turn become bearers of the torch of education to others all over India and the world at large.
Sister Mary Aloysia was a model of intrepid faith and solid piety, of ceaseless toil and devotion to duty, in short of every virtue. For her nothing was neither too small nor too big. Nothing was too difficult that it could not be undertaken. She worked relentlessly to overcome every obstacle to reach the goal she had set before herself, and because every plan of hers had the blessing of God, it was a success.
Napoleon Bonaparte had a great dream of ‘lording over the world’. Sister Mary Aloysia had a Great Ideal – greater than that of Emperor Napoleon. The Great Ideal that dominated her life was the Glory of God, through the Education of Children. To this cause she sacrificed herself – her youth, her maidenhood, in fact her entire life.
Soon after Sister Mary Aloysia joined the Apostolic Carmel Congregation, she was put in charge of the re-organization and management of St. Ann’s School. The work was not easy and she prayed for strength to do her best. As time rolled on, she continued her work with untrained hands and teachers with little or no ability at all.
An Innovative teacher, Sister Aloysia was shrewd in the training of children and especially of teachers. She possessed a wonderful intuitive genius for educating herself and others. She undertook to train recruits to teach in her school. She held a class expressly for them every morning, before the school session and imparted to the ‘teacher students’ her own self-taught methods of teaching, suggesting ways and means to sustain the children’s attention and lead them to solve the difficulties themselves. The intuitive outlook and enthusiasm of the headmistress spurred on, not only the teachers but also the pupils to apply themselves more intensely to their studies.
Under Sister Aloysia’s skillful management, St. Ann’s School progressed rapidly. Since the school was producing good teachers, Mr. Bradshaw, the Acting Inspector, 1880-1882, suggested to the Director of Public Instruction the expediency of making St. Ann’s School, a Training School. Accordingly the D.P.I. requested the Management to open a Normal Department (Training School) at St. Ann’s School, in order that the training received by its teachers could be extended to other schools. But the Management was not in a position to take up the scheme at once.
St. Ann’s Teacher Training Institute – its Beginnings
In 1888, the Director of Public Instruction reiterated his request for a Training School at St. Ann’s, with the promise of a liberal grant. Finding that the request could no longer be put off, Sister Aloysia and two other sisters were sent to the Training School at Madras. They returned to Mangaluru with flying colours, Sr. Aloysia having secured the First Place in Madras Presidency.
In 1890, the Training Class was formally opened by Miss Carr, the First Inspectress of the Girl’s Schools. Sister Aloysia played the double role as Headmistress of the practicing school and the Training Mistress of the Normal School (Training School). At the end of the first Year, Miss Carr was able to give a laudable report, which was a tangible proof of the quality of work turned out by the Training School.
At the close of the second year of training, Sister Aloysia received several applications for teachers from among her trainees. Admissions were thrown open to all students, irrespective of caste or creed. Girls from all parts of India applied for admission into St. Ann’s Training School.
Up to 1907, the Secondary and Elementary Teacher Training students were taught in the same class. Later the Elementary Teacher Training students had separate classes for methods of teaching the subjects of the lower classes. In 1908, Miss Lynch, the Inspectress, requested that, in accordance with the regulation for Training Schools, the Practicing School should function separately, with its own Headmistress.
They Walked in her Footsteps :
Sister Aloysia was elected as Superior General of the Apostolic Carmel Congregation in 1909. Sister Beatrice took her place in the Training School and then there followed a succession of Headmistresses who put their hand to the wheel to steer the barque of St. Ann’s Training School.
THEIR ROLL OF HONOUR IN THE ORDER OF THE TIME
1890-1909 :Sister M. Aloysia A.C.
1909-1913 : Sister M. Beatrice A.C
1913-1914 : Sister Marie Ange A.C
1914-1917: Sister M. Agnes A.C
1917-1929: Sister M. Magdalene A.C
1929-1932: Sister M Eugenie A.C
1932-1934 :Sister M. Gabrielle A.C
1934-1937: Sister M. Mechtilde A.C
1937-1939: Sister M. Gertrude A.C
1939-1941: Sister M Gabrielle A.C
1941-1943: Sister M. Philomena A.C
1943-1949: Sister M. Benita A.C
1949-1953: Sister M. Aquilina A.C
1953-1955: Sister M. Edilburga A.C
1955-1960: Sister M. Benita A.C
1960-1981: Sister M. Patrick A.C
1981-1982: Sister M. Floreta A.C
1982-1984: Sister M. Louella A.C
1984-1986: Sister M. Gilda A.C
1986-1996:Sister Marie Louelle A.C
1996-2002: Sister Nirmala Francis A.C
2002-2012: Sister Maria Greta A.C
2012- : Sister Maria Shubha A.C
The longest term of service as Headmistress of St. Ann’s Training Department was that of Sister Patrick, during a period of many changes introduced by the Education Department. May the Lord Himself be her reward exceeding great!
Working hand in hand
Great works are rarely undertaken ‘alone’. Much more so, was it with regard to St. Ann’s Training School. Besides the Veterans mentioned above in the ‘ Roll of Honour ”, there were also many ‘Stalwarts’ on the Staff of St. Ann’s Training School, for Education is teamwork and the training of teachers specially requires the joint assistance of Heads, Hearts and Hands !
The Teacher’s Training Department afforded opportunities for the Training of both Grades of Teachers: Higher Elementary as well as Secondary Trained Teachers. Thus, not only were there devoted Assistants on the staff of the Training Department, but the Staff of St. Ann’s School was also involved in guiding and helping the Teacher Trainees. It was Team work ‘par excellence’ all along. The Trainees hailed from all over India and included several Anglo-Indians as well.
Changes Imply Growth:
The Training School experienced many ups and downs, as a result of which the Elementary Training Classes had to be closed down specially due to departmental regulations which laid down that Kannada should become the medium of instructions. Not all the staff and students were able to cope with this hurdle, as several of them were Anglo-Indians. The Secondary Training Department, however, continued to flourish during the succeeding years. The Report of the Inspectress of Schools in 1941 goes to prove this. “this Institution with a great tradition, continues to maintain a high standard of efficiency sending forth teachers who render invaluable services in the Department: of Education . A special feature of the School is the all-round Cultural Training which the pupil-teachers receive and the spirit of harmony and enthusiasm which does animate the Staff “.
In 1959 the Deputy Director of Public Instruction inspected the Training School and instructed the Management not to commence the T.S.L.C. 1st year class for the coming year until further orders from the Education Department. He had not made known to them that the Education Department was planning a big change. The management, however, worked for and obtained the permission to admit fresh applicants. But all this took time and the Junior class re-opened late that year.
In the meantime, the Education Department had been planning a New Syllabus for the Trainees, namely the Basic Training system. The Management was thus obliged to convert the existing Training School for Teachers into a Basic Training School for Teachers in 1960. Sister Patrick was deputed to undergo a Training course of 9 months in Basic Education at Dhaward after which the T.C.H. (Teacher’s certificate Higher Grade – a one year’s course) was introduced according to the Departmental Syllabus of Mysore State. In the year 1966, the Basic Training Course of one year duration was extended and became a two year Course with a new syllabus.
The Training School had been receiving 50% Government grants when under the Madras Presidency. With the re-organization of States, the same was continued by the Mysore Government up to 1971, after which the direct payment of salaries was made applicable also to Teacher Training Schools. In accordance with instructions issued by the Education Department to all Primary Training Schools, the Basic Training School had to change its name to Teacher’s Training Institution (T.T.I.) in 1976. From 1960 to 1975 the Training School had been compulsorily residential but after the above mentioned change in nomenclature, residential living became optional.
The Superior General Mother Theodosia obtained aid from MISEREOR for New Buildings so that the Basic Training School and Hostel could be housed in a one-storeyed building. In 1981 another one-storeyed block was erected with the aid of CEBEMO and further funds from MISEREOR, God bless all our benefactors ! More recently, a second floor has been added to each of the two blocks.
The results of the St. Ann’s Training School at Public Examinations have been on the whole very good, and for 10 consecutive years, that is from 1960-1971, the St. Ann’s Trainees secured 100% success. The teachers trained at St. Ann’s Training School, ever since this Training Department was started, have gone far and wide in India and even aboard. The Institution caters to the Educational needs of all denominations and had been the first of its kind in South India.
The Post-Centenary era saw further growth and development in the institution. Recognition order from the NCTE was received in 2007 to start the English Medium section. On the basis of Government policy, the teacher training institutes are now known as D.Ed Colleges. awarding a Diploma in Teacher Education. In August 2012, St. Ann’s D.Ed College was privilege to welcome a group of six from MAREKER University of Business School Uganda. Their interaction with the staff and students was an enriching experience. The trainees have been involved in curricular and extra-curricular activities both in their institution as well as inter-college activities, and at zonal, state and national level. At present the strength in the D.Ed Colleges all over Karnataka has fallen due to certain changes in Government policies and the same is the case with St. Ann’s TTI.
The spread of A.C. Teacher Training Institutes:
Education being the main Apostolate of the Apostolic Carmel, the Training of Teachers has always been a special feature of their Apostolic Carmel endeavours. Hence they did not stop with just one such Institution. On the St. Ann’s School Campus itself, a new Department for the Training of Graduate Teachers was started in 1943 by Mother Josephine, the then Superior General.
The Apostolic Carmel’s endeavours in the field of Teacher’s Training spread also to other places to send out well-qualified Teachers with an all-round training. In 1941, St. Teresa’s Anglo-Indian Training School was started at Cannanore, with English as the medium of instruction. In 1942 the Lady Sankaran Nair Teacher’s Training Institution at Ottapalam, was started, with Malayalam as medium of instruction. In 1972 the Management of the Sacred Heart Teacher’s Training Institute was handed over to the Apostolic Carmel by the Good Shepherd Nuns.
The Centenary of St Ann’s Teacher Training Centre, begun in 1890, has been the starting point for other Training Institutions to carry on the light of education to the different corners of India and the World at large. St. Agnes Teacher Training Institute for Special Education was started to train teachers to educate the differently-abled children. Carmel D.Ed College was started in Bidar, to cater to the needs of an educationally backward area. Outside Karnataka, a Teacher Training Institute was started in Pakyong, Sikkim for the training of teachers from the North-East. Two Colleges of Education were started, one in Patna, Bihar and the other in Kozhikode, Kerala to provide quality education to the teachers into whose hands the future of our country lies. GOD BLESS ALL OUR ENDEAVOURS
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