Don Bosco
His name was John Bosco, and he is a saint who brought the Gospel to the young while bringing the Church to the realization that it must reach out to youth. Born in a northern Italian farm village, John Bosco began teaching the Faith to local farm children while he himself was still a boy. He became more aware of God's call to care for youth when, as a young priest in 1841, he began a ministry among poor working boys of Italy's industrial center, Turin. Starting with a handful of teenagers, Don (an Italian word for Father) Bosco soon had several hundred coming to him every week for Mass, religious instruction and recreation. He referred to this informal Sunday gathering as the Oratory of St. Francis De Sales, which he named in honor of the great bishop of Geneva who was known for his gentleness and kindness. From that first youth group, Don Bosco was to initiate youth centers, academic and trade schools, churches, seminaries, and world wide missionary activity, all centered on the young and on their needs. Don Bosco's own boys became his helpers. In 1859, a group of 19 young men joined Saint John Bosco and formed the Society of St. Francis de Sales. Within a few years, a group of young women, under the leadership of Saint Mary Mazzarello, joined him to form the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. Together with a large group of Lay Salesians, these, 34,000 Priests, Brothers and Sisters from the Salesian Family to serve youth in over 100 nations around the world.
History of DB-Egmore
Don Bosco Matriculation School was born on July 1 1958 in the premises of Dominic Savio Preparatory school, SanThome, Madras. The Local Jesuit superiors embarked on the Loyola School Project. This school was planned to be housed in the Loyola colony. The tenants of the Colony were given notice to quit. The inmates made representations to the Jesuit General. The Jesuit General refused permission to open the school at any time. The Rector of Loyola, Fr. Kalathil S.J., and Fr. Murphy S.J., approached His Grace the Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore to solve the problem. As a solution to the problem Most Rev.Louis Mathias, Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore requested,Rev.Fr. Pianazzi – the Provincial of the Southern Province of the Salesian Society of India – to bear the yoke of the Project. He in turn placed Father John Patrick Mallon, the Principal of St. Bede’s, in-charge of the new venture which was renamed Don Bosco High School. The school started with 140 students and eight staff members, with Rev. Fr. Mallon as the Principal. Today the total strength of the School is 3,200 with 106 staff members (Teaching, and Non-teaching 32).
We are in our present premises owing to the valuable advice and efforts of Mr. Pais, the advocate who obtained a written consent from Mr. Skell, the tenant of Egmore Lodge, to commence work on the new school. Father Mallon was the one who molded Don Bosco Matriculation School from little beginnings into the fine institution it is today. On October 23rd 1958, His Grace, The Archbishop Louis Mathias, Rev. Fr. Murphy, S.J., and Fr. Mallon met the Vice-Chancellor A.L. Mudaliar of the Madras University regarding the recognition of the school. The Vice-chancellor regarded it as an ambitious scheme. He said that it was a real necessity to have a Matriculation school for boys in the city. The formal application for recognition was made to the Registrar who also expressed his satisfaction at the new venture. On August 22nd 1959 the Right Rev. Dr. F. Carvalho, Auxiliary Bishop of Madras-Mylapore, blessed the newly opened Don Bosco High School, Egmore.