St. Paul’s High School has had a glorious past, with a legacy spanning 160 years of service and dedication to society, by not only the Founding Fathers – Jesuits, but also the dedicated Teachers who put their heart and soul into their noble profession.
160 years is a long time in the life span of any human being. However it is not a very long time in the span of an institution. St. Paul’s is one such institution that has stood the test of time, and lived to turn Boys into Men; men who work for the society, and contribute to the development of society at large.
Initial Foundations
Before the conquest of Belgaum by the British on 12th April 1818, the Christians of Goan origin who resided there were being visited occasionally by Portuguese Carmelites from Khanapur. One of them, Frei Clemente Mãe Dolorosa, stationed himself in Belgaum when a Regiment of the Brish Army was placed there in 1823. His immediate successor, however, suddenly left the place and went away. The British soldiers appealed to the Vicar Apostolic of Bombay in 1830 and from then till the official arrival of Jesuits in 1856, the station was ministered to by Carmelites owing allegiance to the Ordinary of Bombay. Fr. Patrick Sheehan, SJ looked after the place for a year (July 8, 1849 – June 1, 1850) and began extending the chapel of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel constructed by Frei Clemente at the site of the present High School building. The work was completed by Frei Maurice who, according to Bishop Hartmann who visited Belgaum on 10th March 1851, also began the construction of a school with separate classrooms for boys and girls. It is, however, not known when the building was completed and when the school was actually started.
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