more-in The management and parents-teachers association (PTA) of St. Joseph’s Anglo-Indian Girls Higher Secondary school have claimed that the colonial-era building on their premises, proposed to be declared as a monument by the Culture Department, “has no special place in the history of the city, district, or the State”. Responding to media reports on the issue, the management refuted the claim that the school was the first school for girls in Malabar, and pointed out that the title should go to BEM Girls Higher Secondary School in the city. “Mother Veronica came to Calicut in 1862 and she was the first headmistress and the superior of the institution. She left India in 1864. The present building was constructed by Indian nuns of the congregation, under the leadership of Sr. Louise,” they said. They claimed that the institution is “facing the heat of opposition for a couple of months, as the plans to reconstruct the oldest building on the campus are progressing.” The move for reconstruction was the result of years of consultation with parents and the registered alumni group, which met a couple of weeks ago to support the efforts to develop the school. However, they alleged that a small group of ex-students, who were in no way connected to the institution today, other than framing an online petition against its development, were posing hurdles before them. Principal Sr. Nidisha pointed out that this group had never stepped into the threshold of the institution after graduating from there and were unaware of the archaeological hassles faced by the school. Sr. Nema, headmistress of the high school section, asked if quality education could be imparted in congested, poorly ventilated and old-fashioned classrooms when neighbouring schools have hi-tech facilities.

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