Closed retreat: days of orientated motivation – for senior boys

Father Mathew started the year at Jawalakhel, but later moved to Marquette University, Milwaukee, U.S.A., to pursue a master’s degree in education. Father Cornelius Curtin joined the Jawalakhel school to begin several years of valuable service. Students will remember his insistence on proper handwriting, and the care he put into corrections.

Life brightened up at Jawalakhel in late November, with the filming of Night Train to Kathmandu. It’s not much of a film, but those who remember the old building will enjoy seeing how the actors and actresses used it.

Jawalakhel continued with about 760 students, 8% of whom were on scholarships. The S.L.C. results continued to be good, with one student fourth on the board.

St. Xavier’s College began at Jawalakhel on 15 July, with an enrolment of 120 students. Dr. Sriram B. Mathe, Ph.D., was the first Campus Chief. Fr. Watrin was the Chairman of the Board of Directors, and Fr. Law lead the physics department. Fr. Brooks helped in the college.

Jawalakhel provided a base for other work.

Jesuit Volunteers International began sending personnel to Nepal. Keith Kuenning, Michelle Monnin, Joe Runge, and Katie Galenstein.

Mr. Eric Zimmer joined the school this year. Brother Michael Quinn retired to Canada at the end of the year. The early part of the year was disrupted because of the movement towards democracy, and more disrupted during the aftermath, including an attack on the school which damaged the front corridor. “The resulting negotiations to settle difference and resolve relations between the two schools involved parents, staff, and students from both schools and was hoped, by St. Xavier’s, to be a model of mature resolution for future disputes between Nepalis, in or outside the school setting.” Father Law wrote this. It is worth remembering today!

Fr. Donnelly spent most of this year in the U.S. Mr. Eric Zimmer completed his two years at Jawalakhel and returned to the U.S. for further studies. Fr. Schock moved to the Philippines, and Brother Quinn retired to Canada. Brother Chettri left the school after more than a decade of service, and set up a farm at Naya Patti. Fr. Paul Chemparathy took over his work. Fr. Mathew began his work as Principal at Godavari. Fr. Cachat became the Superior of the Nepal Jesuits.

Baaje, who had cooked at the Jawalakhel hostel for years, passed away.

This was an exciting year for Nepal, with the May general election. Was the collapse of the Bagmati Bridge in September a sign of challenges to come?

This year we lost Fr. Marshall Moran, who founded the school.

Several staff members moved on. Br. Del Jorn, who had devoted over a decade to the school’s library, moved to India where he continues to work. Fr. Law moved to Maiti Ghar with the college.

Fr. Robins replace Fr. Law as rector, and Canadian Jesuit Daryl Miranda arrived to begin a two-year teaching assignment. Fr. Lawrence returned from the U.S. and joined the school staff.

Nepal enjoyed local elections in May, but suffered from two air disasters involving international carriers.

Fr. Rufino Coutinho took up the position of superior at Godavar. Fr. Lawrence Maniyar began a long tenure of duty as principal at Jawalakhel. Father Coyne moved to the Research Centre to be the secretary to the Jesuit superior. James Britto joined the Jawalakhel staff.

Br. Jim Gates returned to the U.S., and Mr. Paras Lama took charge of the Social Work Institute which continued to operate at Jawlakhel.

This was the year of the July flood

Fr. Paul Chemparathy left the school this year. Fr. James Britto was ordained, and continued his work in the school.

Dr. Mike O’Connor, Ph.D., from Seattle University, trained the school staff in “Cooperative Education – Working with Groups in The Classroom.” Later, Fr. Brooks and Mr. Dominic Dewan trained the teachers concerning “Ignatian Pedagogy – A Practical Approach.”

Computer classes started. The SLC results were excellent, with one student Board Eighth.

Fr. Lawrence received the Outstanding Educationalist award on Education Day.

The school begins a system of three vice-principals: junior, senior and activities. The parking area in front of the school is pitched. The SLC results show 100% passed. The beams in the old building are found to be weak. The building is assessed and the conclusion is that repairs would be more costly than replacement.

Fr. Mark Robson moves to the college. Mr. Amrit Rai and Fr. Greg Hyde come to teach.

Dr. Kristin Guest, from Seattle University, give the staff a follow up workshop on cooperative learning.

Mr. Seth Kirby starts the Coyne Basketball League.

We have 100% pass in the S.L.C. exams.

Fr. Bob Slattery, and Fr. Dave Creamer, lead seminars for the school staff.

Mr. Nanda Thapa returns to the school after twelve years away. Mr. Anthony David joins the staff, along with volunteers Harold and Amy Hoefle, who came from Loyola High School, Montreal. Mr. Pushkal Thapa went to Loyola for the year.

The Jesuit residence at Jawalakhel opens. Fr. Jim Dressman worked hard overseeing the construction.

We welcomed the Auxilium Sisters (Daughters of Mary Help of Christians) to the school. Two sisters have been working in the school since then, one being the junior school vice principal.

Fr. Kevin Ballard joined us for a three year assignment as a teacher. VSO Martin Smith helped with cross country running training. All but one of the students passed the SLC, with Anurag Shakti Maskey ranking board second.

The Association of Private and Boarding Schools honoured Fr. Lawrence. Fr. Tom Gafney was murdered during the early hours of 14 December. The school held the first of its Melas December 20th.

Fr. Miller replaces Fr. Robins as Rector. Fr. Robins takes over the social service work.

Fr. Norbert D’Souza replaces Fr. James Britto as Minister. Volunteers Dan Durkin, Jenny Bird, and Jake Christensen join the Jawalakhel staff.

The building joining the school to the lab building is completed. The fields are leveled to prepare for cricket.

St. Xavier’s Jawalakhel is recognized as the Best School in Nepal at an education day function.

Fr. Donnelly worked hard to raise funds for Donnelly Hall. The school’s regular program continued smoothly.

Fr. Norbert D’Souza leaves the school to work in east Nepal. Fr. KevinBallard returns to the U.S.

Fr. Curtin retired to the U.S. after years of dedicated teaching and writing. All but one student clear the SLC exam.

Students from classes 7-9 are part of the opening ceremony of the SAF games.

Fr. Miller directs As You Like It.

Demolition of the old hostel kitchen area begins.

The school begins a “+2” program in science and commerce, and begins to admit girls at the class 1 level.

Fr. Lawrence receives the Prabala Gorkha Dakshin Bahu IVth Class award.

Their Majesties grace the opening celebration of the school’s golden jubilee year.

Much hard work by many friends made the jubilee year a great success. The Nepal Jesuit Society celebrated on the school grounds in March, and Her Majesty the Queen graced the opening of the Donnelly Hall at the GAA Spelling Contest finals.

Fr. Lawrence brought a statue of St. Francis Xavier. The statute clearly explains the school’s name.

The SLC results were the best ever: 75 first divisions, and 3 second, for 100% pass. SXJ was ranked second in Lalitpur District.

Fr. Miller received the Prabala Gorkha Dakshin Bahu IVth Class. At Social Service Day, Fr. Watrin received the Tulsi Meher Award. Fr. Miller staged My Fair Lady, with the help of St. Xavier’s and St. Mary’s students.

Two great teachers from St. Xavier’s passed away: Fr. Bill Schock, and Fr. Charlie Law.

Fr. Lawrence went on sabbatical leave this year, and Mr. Hira Krishna filled in as Acting Principal.

The scholarship program continued to expand, offering hostel facilities to needy students.

Volunteers Grant Bursek, Hope Villella and Lora Walsh joined the school, while Anne and Jayne completed their assignments.

The teachers staged a show for the students on Bal Diwas. The students came in regular clothing and also had various competitions. The day ended with a Staff-Student football match which ended in a 3-3 diplomatic tie.

The SLC results were 59 first divisions and 5 second, for 100% pass.

Class twelve results:

The school hosted an invitational cross country race, and a basketball tournament. The combined sports day was again a success. Mr. Warick Roberts and Mr. Mahesh Sajnani took the school basketball team to a tournament in Dehra Dun, where we reached the semi-finals.

Fr. Miller staged Fiddler on the Roof, with a cast of 92, and with a lot of help.

The winter holidays started early thanks to a strike.

The school welcomed volunteer Molly Davies, and bid farewell to retiring teachers Soongma Tuladhar and Sakuntala Gautam. Mr. Ram Kusle, who for many years kept the front grounds clean, also retired. Brother John Harris, C.S.C., who taught with us for many years, passed away.

Personality workshops continued for the high school students. About 90 students attended a three day Anna Panna meditation workshop at the Vipassana Centre.

A ten kilometer walkathon yielded more than Rs.6 lac for the scholarship fund.

Our sports program expanded when Mr. Ashok Pande brought field hockey back to the school.

Fr. Miller and Molly staged The King and I. Again, a huge cast and many helpers made the production a success.

Fr. Lawrence formed an active group of parents from several schools to form a “Movement of People for a Better Education Environment.”

Father Eugene L. Watrin passed away February 29. He had come to Nepal in May 1955 and since then worked for the education of Nepalese, specially of the poor.

Fr. Donnelly received the Gorkha Dakshin Bahu IIIrd Class award.

Fr. Lawrence, Mr. Om Thapa, and two students, joined a team which traveled to England to take part in a school exchange program concerning environmental education. DFID is funding the ongoing program.

Fr. Robins replaced Fr. Miller as Rector at Jawalakhel, and Fr. Miller took up the same post at Godavari.

We bid farewell to Jomon Jose, who went to Delhi for further studies, and to Molly Davies, the last of the Jesuit Volunteers for now.

Rev. Anne Tendol, a Buddhist nun, addressed the school on the occasion of Buddha Jayanthi. We marked Laxmi Puja with dances, and with a talk explaining the feast’s importance. Our students learned a little more about St. Francis Xavier through a film on his life. We then marked the day with a prayer service around his statue.

Bal Diwas was a day of activities. The students came in regular dress. The teachers entertained the junior school, and all took part in competitions, ending with a staff-student football match. All enjoyed a screening of Home Alone III.

Molly Davies staged A Christmas Carol, continuing Fr. Miller’s tradition of staging musicals.

We demolished the original building to make room for new construction.