St. Placid’s School and College, Chattogram

Short History

This Institution was founded by the Anglo-Belgian Benedictines and named after Placid, a Benedictine Saint of the 6th century. The Institution started its journey in 1853 by the Christian Missionaries during the time of the British rule. All missionary Schools used to educate the Christian community of the regions, to give them the advantage of education in the British ruled Indian subcontinent. St. Placid’s is one of the many English version schools that changed into a Bangla version school after our War of Liberation. Throughout their history these schools directed by the Christian Missionaries also took in students who were the children of the wealthy who could afford the fees that were charged to non-Christians. These students may have formed the majority and also provided income to the schools. They catered more and more to the children of the middle class and also had a secular public front that was aligned with the religious sensitivities of the local people. During the 1960’s at St. Placid’s the day started with the National Anthem at the assembly and when the students reached their ‘home-room’ they recited the Lord’s Prayer, which was deemed consistent with students of all religious. St. Placid’s as well as similar schools filed the gap between what was seen by the educated and affluent members of society as the best education for obtaining the most desirable jobs in the Government and Business sectors and what the public education offered. The full responsibilities of St. Placid’s was handed over to the Brothers of Holy Cross from the Priests who had controlled it from its start, so, on the 10 Jan, 1922, Rev. Fr. Boulay handed over the school to Brother Ambrose csc and to this very day (a century next year) the full responsibilities of St. Placid’s is under the helm of the Brothers of Holy Cross. The Brothers of Holy Cross are members of an International Congregation of Catholic Religious that lead extra-ordinary lives giving Hope and Love to others. They are devoted to God through their prayers and ministries, they strive to make a difference in the world by being present and available to the people and communities they serve, living in the Community to help and support one another in both good and challenging times. It may be mentioned, that in the good old days under the British ruled Indian sub-continent, St. Placid’s had a Cambridge system affiliated with the University in England. In 1928 during Brother Godfrey’s term of office the school was affiliated to the Calcutta (Kolkata) University.

Images