Museum of Memories

St. Joseph’s Boys' High School throws the newly curated school museum open, displaying the voyage of the institution through its 165 years of its existence.

Rithu Dravid | NT

A school museum should offer an opportunity for a school and its broader community to celebrate the institution's unique history and heritage, and should be an "open book to the world" of its history, contribution to society and its character. The St. Joseph’s Boys’ High School in the city which threw open its ‘Museum of Memories’ recently has put on display the proud history going back to 165 years and heritage of the school through a wide array of material objects.

The curator of the museum is Gowri Mirlay Achanta, the history teacher who has had a four decade long association with the school. In her own words, she felt the need to throw open this unique idea to embed cultural museum experience which charts the history of the 165- year old institution through a range of memorabilia.

Gowri says, “This museum, though dedicated to the history of our school, is also a window to the culture of Bengaluru in the years gone by. There was a lot of planning required, but it was executed within a short span of time with the help of my colleagues Fabian White, Maria Judy and Fr. Vishal D’Souza. The museum offers great many details of the origin, development of the institution, all intertwined with the growth of the metropolis that Bengaluru is today.” Housed at the Sports Complex of the school, the museum holds something beyond just worksheets.

The memorabilia include statues, group photographs, the first school magazines, a merit certificate, progress report, diaries, sports trophies, some of which date back to the early 1900s. The school magazine (1912) carries the school song and respective ‘Songs of the Houses’ for St. Partrick, St. George, St. David and St. Andrew houses which were discovered by the school. As one enters the ‘Museum of Memories’, proudly sits a teacher’s scribbled desk and a chair from the 1910s.

Also on display is an appointment letter of a teacher (1937) which mentions her salary, i.e., a princely sum of Rs. 85 with promise of an increment of Rs. 2 and a half annually. A section in the museum is lined up with statues of religious icons that were brought in the early 1900s from France by the Paris Foreign Mission who started the school.

Among the collections from the chapel on display is an angel, Archangel Raphael, Wooden Madonna and Sacred Heart of Jesus. As one walks through the gallery, he would explore huge antique grill frames dating back to the early 1900s that houses portraits of royals. Each part of the gallery speaks volumes about the school's past causing a rush of nostalgia.

The museum is also a voyage through the history of education providing rare glimpse into the changing mode and Content. The copy of the first college magazine dating back to 1910 is on display when it was merely known as St. Joseph’s College. On display is a school diary and a merit card that says ‘First place with distinction in space work’ leading the visitor to wonder as to what this could be? Well, Geometry was then known as ‘Space Work’.

The card was proudly donated by a 70-yearold alumni of the institution. According to Dr. Praveen Rodrigues, President, SJBHSOld Boys Association most of the memorabilia were donated by the alumni of the institution. One among these is a cricket bat donated by cricketer Devdutt Padikkal who plays for India now.

More such items will soon be collected by the museum. Cricketer Rahul Dravid, hockey Olympian Vece Paes and Olympc gold medalist Anup Sridhar have pledged some of the more to come. A 160-year old grandfathers’ clock standing 10 feet tall on the wooden floor is among the most charming curios. The clock, recently restored, still chimes every hour. A working projector with slides from the physics lab (1890s) occupies a place on the side of the clock.

It is incredible to see a museum set up at the school. It is also fascinating to know that the school has collectables that are 165-year-old. This immersive experience should be an inspiration to the younger generation allowing them to get closer to the rich history and traditions of our school”. Rahul Dravid, Indian Cricketer & Coach

 The trophies dating back to 1898, were restored by the old boy of the school, Sanjeev Rakra, an alumnus of the school. The polished trophies were collections from football matches (1903), cricket matches (1902), Bangalore Rifle Volunteers (BRV) Drill and Rifles (1898 and 1905), Boxing championship (1930), Wall Mile Race (1952) to name a few.

The section devoted to musical instrument has a set