HISTORY OF ST.KEVIN’S:

St.Kevin’s A.I. High School formerly known as St.Peters School; has its humble beginnings in the premises of Mater Dolorosa Church under the auspices of Mrs. Clement Nicholas the then H.M. The strength was a mere 55 A.I. boys and girls.

The Presentation Sisters had made their presence felt in Madras since 1842. In 1904 the Presentation Sisters in George Town were requested by Archbishop Colgan to open a house in Royapuram and take over the running of the school.

Needless to mention that the hurdles and obstacles were numerous, as it usually the case in all new ventures but these Irish sisters with their grit and determination turned “Every obstacle into a Challenge” and stood tall above all. The Archbishop Dr. Colgan and his great friend Rev. Fr. Sewell, the Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Hood and the Director of Public Instruction Mr. Stone need special commendation as it was they, who gave the Sisters the necessary encouragement and helped their “Dream become a Reality”.

St. Peters School was re-named Presentation Convent School in 1905. the children received an all round training with special emphasis on Religious and Moral Instruction. Regular religious instructions are given top priority in today’s curriculum too. This helps our students to draw their ‘Circle of Life’ with God as their centre.

Our school was re-located in a 2 storeyed building on Arathoon Road. As a number of students increased, the space was inadequate to accommodate them. Then came the Divine intervention two adjoining buildings were for sale the homes of Rev. M. Markby and Mr. Feroze. These grounds were purchased and from then on the Pioneering figures did not look back. The numerical strength continued to grow and the school reached Standard VII; when the children appeared for the Middle School Public Exam. The Infant school was erected on the Southern Side.

‘A healthy body in a sound mind’ was the motto even at this early stage. Healthy competitions were conducted in Basket Ball, Throw Ball and Badminton. In 1930, the Silver Jubilee year of the school brought about another change in its name; and we came to be known as St.Kevin European school; after a very popular Irish saint St.Kevin. three years later we were known as St.Kevin’s Girls School. In 1962 the school was updated to the standard of a High School and came to be known by its present name – St.Kevin’s Anglo-Indian High School. In 1970 we were conferred the title “Best school in Roaypuram” and awarded a trophy.

As our school grew from strength to strength verandahs had to be extended, outhouses demolished and building reconstructed. In 1963 a building was constructed along the west side of the school campus where a long corridor once ran. In 1986 the infant school was demolished and in its place now stands a construction with 6 classrooms on the ground floor, 4 classroms and a laboratory on the first floor and six classrooms on the second floor.

If this buildings could speak it would speak volumes of the effort made by Management, Parents and Teachers who conducted Raffles, Sponsor walks, FunFair and Cultural Programme to collect the enormous amount needed. The original two stroyed building on the Northern side had long been condemned: and so in 1987 it was demolished; and the present stage was constructed. The latest addition to our school construction came in 1989 when the building on the west side was extended.