PROLOGUE

St.Joseph's higher secondary school,the fruitful vineyard of Christ in the service of his mission in the world,is known for its spiritual empowerment, academic excellence, It has a glorious and vast history of 140 years to its credit.Those who courageously embarked on the mission in Pondicherry were the French Jesuits.Expelled from Thailand in 1687 due to political revolution,they took shelter at Pondicherry .The evangelization of the French territories in India was given to their care in 1695 by the French King Louis XIV.Thus was born the Carnatic or Coromandel Mission,later on called the Malabar Mission or Pondicherry Mission,spreading out from river Pennaiyar in the south and river Krishna in the north including the Kingdoms of Aroct and Mysore with Pondicherry as its headquarters.

The Jesuits of Carnatic Mission were forced to hand over their mission to others,when the society of Jesus was suppressed all over the world by a decree of the Pope Clement XV in 1773.It was entrusted to the society of Paris Foreign Mission(MEP),which was not alien to our soil,by decree of the Pope Pius VI in 1776.It sailed through new Ventures.As the missionaries were interested in the field of education,they established many school and religious congregations and opened the doors of knowledge to all walks of life

Mgr.Bonand who was appointed as Vicar Apostolic of Pondicherry Mission in 1836,held two synods with priest.As an out come of these two synods,it was decided that education of the boys and girls in towns and villages was prime importance.This became the VISION and MISSION of St.Joseph's

The site of our school which had been "Colonel Garden" was a gift of land measuring 25.13 acres. Lt.Colonel.J.Hazzlewood gave this land to Mgr.Bonand.D.D Vicar Apostolic of Pondicherry Mission. On the fine winter morning of 22nd January 1868 St.Joseph's High School was born in all humility and modesty. Rev.Fr.Renevier was the first principal.The student strength rose to One Hundred and Sixty at end of the year.In August,the Boarding House started functioning with Fifteen Catholic Boys.In 1884 ,St.Joseph's High school, in her sweet sixteenth year matured into St.Joseph's College. What a growth in what span of time! For thus will be the momentum of a missionary endeavor principled by a sense of purpose and shaped by selflessness of service.

• Main Entrance (front view) Inaugurated on 18th June 1987

• The Main Hall bearing the name of college (at present used as staff room and library Hall)

• The Main Hall bearing the name of college

• The vast bungalow owned by the Mission was made use of for the new school. The buildings were high and imposing. They were amidst one immense garden with all kind of fruit bearing trees. (at present used as office room)
  

• The way to Boarding

• The way to Boarding study Hall

• The first floor of Main building(at present used as computer labs)

• The ground floor of Main Building

• St.Joseph statue in the garden

• The Chapel:Construction started by Fr.Tarbes and completed by Fr.Bertho in 1892

• The Chapel and The Grotto

• The Grotto:Originally erected by Fr.Tarbes near the Fatima Block at the place where the Venmani Block now stand. It was reconstructed at its present location near the Chapel in February 1992

• The Grotto

• Providence Block-Ground Floor constructed by Fr.A.M.G

• The ground floor of Providence Block

• Providence Block-First Floor constructed by Fr.M.Peter

• The way to Providence Block

• The ground floor of Ecande Block with seven room

• The first floor of Ecande Block

• The Olympic Pillar-inaugurated in March 1993

• St.Joseph's Hostel: Inaugurated in June 1962

• St.Joseph's Hostel

• AMG Block-inaugurated in February 1988

• AMG Block

• Verdger Block-Inaugurated in July 1992

• Verdger Block

• Fr.Ratchagar's Sacerdotal Silver Jubilee Building-inaugurated in October 1991

• Fr.Ratchagar's Sacerdotal Silver Jubilee Building

• Archbishop S Michael Augustine Auditorium

• Bertho Block with four floors ,stands as highest building in the school campus

• In memory of MEP Fathers a block was constructed and named after them
  

• MEP Block

• My final days in the school is in this room only and a lot of enjoyment

LANDMARKS IN THE HISTORY OF ST.JOSEPH'S

1852 A.D :

The site "Colonel Garden" acquired by Mgr.Bonand, D.D. Vicar Apostolic of Pondy.

22-1-1868:

Inauguration of St.Joseph's High School through the effort of Rev. Fr. L. Renevier,the First Principal.

1884 :

St.Joseph's raised to the status of a Second Grade College with Humanities and Mathematics.

1909 :

Reduced to the status of High School.

1957 :

St.Joseph's Industrial School inaugurated.

27-6-1962 :

St.Joseph's Hostel inaugurated.

22-1-1968 :

Completion of a century.

25,26-6-1969 :

Centenary celebrations

1979 :

Upgraded into a Higher Secondary School.

16-6-1982 :

St.Joseph's Nursery School started.

1984 :

Sports Authority of India adopts the School for promotion of sports activities.

July 1988 :

Industrial School becomes Industrial Training Institute(I.T.I).

11-10-1991:

St.Joseph's College of Arts and Science inaugurated by His Excellency Bhisma Narain Singh, Governor of Tamil Nadu.

22-1-1993:

Completion of one Hundred and Twenty Five years.

21,22-1-1994:

Post-Centennial Silver Jubilee Celebrations.

Our School WebSite:http://www.stjosecud.com/

THE PRINCIPALS OF ST.JOSEPH’S

1. Rev.Fr. L. Reneuvier 1868 – 1872

2. Rev.Fr. Seegmuller 1872 – 1873

3. Rev.Fr. Bottero 1873 – 1875

4. Rev.Fr. Tarbes 1875 – 1888

5. Rev.Fr. J. M.Bertho 1888 – 1895

6. Rev.Fr. Durier 1895 – 1898

7. Rev.Fr. J. M.Bertho 1898 – 1906

8. Rev.Fr. P. Verdure 1906 – 1934

9. Rev.Fr. Mirande 1934 – 1936

10. Rev.Fr. P.A. Swamikannu Interim

11. Rev.Fr. H. Escande 1937 – 1941

12. Rev.Fr. H. Cailleauit 1942

13. Rev.Fr. A.M. Gnanapragasam 1942 – 1961

14. Rev.Fr. M. Peter 1961 – 1981

15. Rev.Fr. R. Ratchagar 1981 – 1997

16. Rev.Fr. G. Peter Rajendiran 1997 – 2002

17. Rev.Fr. V. Aruldass 2002 – 2007

18. Rev.Fr. V. Agnel 2007--