PROSPECTUS

St. Berchmans’ Boarding House was founded by the late Bishop Charles Lavigne, the first Bishop of Changanassery in 1890, attached to St. Berchmans’ English School, which also he founded in collaboration with Msgr. Cyriac Kandankary and other eminent men. He had started the boarding house in 1890 in his own residence in the three storied building near the Metropolitan Church which is today the Carmelite convent, even before the formal functioning of S. B. English School (in February 1891) which presented the first batch for matriculation in December of the same year. It was shifted to the Metropolitan church rectory, later to the present Archbishp’s House and then to the present S.B. High School campus. Closed down in 1961 it was revived in 1987, the year of two happy events that synchronize: the Centenary of the Archdiocese and Priestly Silver Jubilee of Archbishop Mar Joseph Powathil, a resident alumnus and Patron. It was inaugurated by Archbishop Mar Joseph Powathil in June 1987 in the presence of Bishop Mar Mathew Vattakuzhy, Bishop of Kanjirappally. Fr. Jos P. Kottaram, Corporate Manager was appointed first Rector and Brother Kurian Chackupurackal the Regent Prefect. Archbishop Mar Joseph Perumthottam is the present Patron.
A new study hall was constructed in 1991 as the Centenary Memorial at the instance of Archbishop Mar Joseph Powathil. Now a new kitchen and dormitory was constructed in 2008 as the Vicennial Memorial of its revival.
The aim of this boarding house has been and still is to help pupils achieve the goals of education, ie, the intellectual, physical, moral and religious formation. It is more than providing food and shelter, and hence the number of admissions is limited. The following directives are to be faithfully observed by the inmates and their guardians for their benefit and the efficacious functioning of the institution.
Started in 1891, ST. BERCHMANS HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL is the first high school of Christians of Kerala, barring some missionary schools. Founded by Bishop Charles Lavigne it is a prestigious institution of the
Archdiocese of Chanaganassery. Her alumni include many eminent men in different walks of life. Situated in a nine-acre campus, this giant institution has all the facilities for pupils to grow. A good number of scholarships are available in the school. Upgraded as HSS in 1998, it has a student strength of more than 3000 with 110 members on the staff.


ADMISSION
The candidate seeking admission to the house has to present himself to the Rector in person, accompanied   by his guardian.
The prescribed application form must be filled in and signed by the candidate and the guardian.
Admission is given to a candidate for one year only.
Only students of S. B. High School are admitted to the House.
Candidates coming from other boarding houses shall produce a recommendation letter from their Rector.
Christian applicants must produce a conduct certificate from their parish priests.
Each one shall have his own beddings and other strictly personal things.They shall not exchange such  personal things as clothes etc. 
The boarding uniform will be that of the school itself.


FEES
The candidate must remit the prescribed fees, such as admission, caution deposit, establishment, pocket   money etc.in advance.
As a rule dividing system will be followed for food. An approximate mess fees shall be paid in advance which will be adjusted in the year end.
Expenses of text books, note books, tuition, medicine, laundry, stationery etc. may be met from the pocket money deposited.
Pupils joining the house or leaving the house in the middle of a month will have to pay the full month’s 
fee.
Students discontinuing from the house shall not be eligible for refund of admission and establishment fees.
No reduction of fees shall be made for short absence.
No one shall keep loose cash with them. Money if any shall be deposited with the prefect. Purchase of 
    things shall be made through the prefect.


STUDY
Since concentration and attention are necessary for study, strict silence should be observed in the study hall, all the time.
No one is allowed to go out of the study hall during study hours without permission.
Nothing except study matters should be done during study hours.
Results of examinations and tests and progress reports must be shown to the Rector/ Prefect, immediately on receipt of the same.
Facilities for private tuition may be provided on request within a reasonable distance.
All must  take utmost care to keep the study hall clean and their note books and text books neat. The students must keep the boxes allotted to them under lock and key.


SCHOOL
Boarders are expected to be exemplary in their behaviour in punctuality, courtesy, cleanliness, obedience etc.
They must freely mingle with their classmates and cultivate social habits.


RELIGIOUS LIFE
There will be daily Holy Qurbana in the chapel in the morning and Holy Rosary/ Ramsa in the evening. 
Non-Christians are encouraged to say their own prayers during these hours or join others in prayer.
Devotional silence in the chapel is insisted.
All the catholic pupils are required to serve the Holy Qurbana by turn.
Catholic pupils have to attend Sunday school classes of St. Mary’s Church, Parel. Candidates must produce a letter from their parish priests to this effect at the time of admission.
Everyone is encouraged to pay visits to the Chapel and pray.



SPORTS AND GAMES
All must engage in any of the outdoor games. Those interested are encouraged to join school teams.
Facilities for in-door games during rainy seasons and other free times are also available.
In order to appreciate the dignity of manual labour and cultivation some time is set apart for gardening, agriculture and general cleaning in which everyone is required to participate.
Every year there will be a picnic affordable to all.
Recreation during night is confined to the house court yard. T.V. when permitted will be operated by the monitor-in-charge only.


MESS HALL
Table etiquette and other good manners as elaborated in the Pupils’ Hand Book of the Corporate Management shall be observed.
No special food shall be provided nor is it encouraged to bring such things from home.
The inmates are forbidden to contact the servants without the permission of the Rector/Prefect.


DORMITORY
Strict silence shall be observed in the dormitories. Pupils are allowed to enter the dormitories only at appointed times. During night no one shall go out of the dormitory without the permission of the dormitory monitor.
At the bell for rising all have to get up and say the Morning Prayer.
Dormitories shall be kept clean and in order.
Instructions of the Dormitory Monitor are to be followed.


READING ROOM, COMPUTER LAB
All are requested to keep abreast with the daily news. English and Malayalam dailies and other periodicals are kept in the reading room where also strict silence is to be observed.
Internet facility is available in the house. The monitor in charge will control its functioning. 
Students shall a produce a written permission from the guardians for its personal use (at their expense).
Everyone is expected to cultivate reading habit benefiting from the school library.
Inmates are encouraged to make healthy correspondence with their parents and friends. For this, study time shall not be used. The Rector will be free to open the letters sent from the house and coming to thehouse.
Pupils must obtain permission to meet visitors.
Guardians are requested to take note of the timetable of the House and take care to telephone or chat with their wards only during free times.


LITERARY ASSOCIATION
All must take active part in the weekly literary association meetings and in the daily speech programme in the Mess  hall.
Training in leadership, elocution and other literary activities are given through this forum.


LAVATORIES AND LAUNDRY
Lavatories must be kept  clean. Care must be taken in handling the flushouts, showers, basins and other fittings, and in using water sparingly. Conversation in these places must be moderate and decent.
All the wet clothes and play dress shall be dried at the prescribed place only.
Washing of clothes inside the bathroom is prohibited. It must be done in the laundry.
Provision shall be made for personal washing and ironing and also for giving clothes to the dhobi outside.


BOX ROOM
The Box room will be open only during fixed times. Each one is allotted a shelf there which shall be kept by individual students under lock and key.
The Rector will be at liberty to open the rooms and boxes of the inmates.
The inmates shall not open the boxes or belongings of others, nor shall they lent their things to others.
Only dry clothes are to be kept on the rods in the Box room. Play dress and wet clothes are to be kept in the proper places only.
Instructions of the Box Room Monitor shall be followed.


CLEANLINESS
Boarding House and its surroundings – recreation hall, study hall, dormitory, refectory, lavatories and courtyard – shall be kept neat and clean.


SHOPPING
Essential stationery articles are available in the house store. Other articles like clothes etc. are to be brought from home. Students will not be allowed to go for shopping outside the campus.


HOLIDAYS
As a rule pupils are allowed to go home only once a month (Second Saturday) and during termly holidays. Guardians may in writing to the Rector give permission to their students to travel alone.
Each one has to sign the movement register before leaving the House. He must report to the Rector and the Prefect before leaving the House and on return.

GENERAL MATTERS
The time table and the bell are a call to punctuality. Every one must endeavour to be scrupulously 
faithful to them.
There will be a General Leader for the community whose directions are to be followed by the inmates.
Use of ornaments and other costly articles like radio, camera, mobile phones etc. are not allowed in the house. In case anyone possesses any of these he shall entrust them to the custody of the Prefect. In cases of disputes and loss in the personal use of these equipments in contravention to this rule the boarding house shall not interfere or be held responsible.
Those who are responsible for any damage or loss to the house shall be required to make good the loss (Individually or in common).
Picnics are arranged once a year for a duration affordable to all in general.
Permission is necessary to go out of the campus. The boarding house will not be responsible for the safety of those who go out without permission.
Parents/Guardians are requested to make occasional visits to the house and enquire about the progress of study and well being of their wards.
Anyone seen habitually violating the rules of the house or not showing interest in studies or whose continuance in the house is felt detrimental to the community is liable to be dismissed at the discretion of the Rector.


ANNUAL CELEBRATIONS
*    Onam
*    St. Berchmans Day & Independence Day
*    Christmas & Parel Feast
*    Patrons’ Day (Boarding Day)


ALUMNI FORUM
Every student shall join the ‘Alumni Forum’ on bidding good bye to the House. They are earnestly 
requested to take active part in the annual meetings of the Forum.

Occasional visits of the alumni to the house is appreciated.