Loreto House

Loreto House
File:Loreto House.jpg
Location
7, Middleton Row, Kolkata, India
Information
Type	Primary, Secondary
Established	1842
Principal	Sr. Phyllis Morris
Gender	Female
Color(s)	Red, White and Blue
Athletics	Basketball, Throwball, Badminton, Cricket, Baseball, etc
Website	www.loretohousekolkata.com

Loreto House was established in 1842 by the Sisters of Loreto belonging to the institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is the oldest and the first Loreto institution to be established in India and was one of the few all-girls Catholic schools of that time. The School started with 60 students who were taught at a house where nuns resided under Mother Delphine Hart, assisted by Sr. Teresa Mons and Sr. Martina McCann.

There are two School buildings, one housing the Junior and Middle School (KG-VIII) and the other the Senior school (IX-XII) and its laboratories (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer and Home Science laboratories).

Foundresses

• Mother Mary Ward (1585-1645)
• Mother Teresa Ball (1794-1861)
• Mother Delphine Hart (1818-1866)

Religious Affiliation

The School was initially established for the education of Catholic girls. However, it has long admitted students of many religious beliefs.

Academic Affiliation

The School is affiliated to the "Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations" (which conducts the ICSE and the ISC exams in grades, i.e. classes X and XII respectively).

School Session

The School Session is from March to February.Previously, Thursday was a normal weekly holiday along with Sunday ; Saturday was a working day. However now, Saturday is the normal weekly holiday (in addition to Sunday).

Uniform

Uniforms of classes KG-II consist of a White Dress with a Blue piping and two pockets. Uniforms of classes III-X consist of a White Blouse (with the LH symbol in Red thread on the pocket) and Skirt. Uniforms of classes of +2 consist of an Off-White Blouse (with the LH symbol in Blue thread on the pocket) and Royal Blue skirt. During Winter months, classes KG-II are permitted a Light Blue Sweater, classes III-X are permitted a full-sleeved Red Sweater (with White lining on the sleeves and on the bottom strip of the sweater) and classes XI and XII are permitted a Black Sweater. Girls of classes II-X, wear a pleated Red Skirt along with the same White Blouse on Days of Physical Education.

Footwear is Black Leather Ballerina shoes. However, on Days of Physical Education, they wear White Canvas Sport shoes instead.

A Metal Badge showing the School Crest along with the House Colour is worn by all students of classes VI-XII on the Left collar of their Blouse. The School and House Captains have badges that represent their designation. Students also wear badges of the different Clubs which they are a part of.

Curriculum

Students may choose to study Science (Physics, chemistry, Mathematics/Biology/Economics.), Commerce (Accounts, Commerce, Mathematics/Business studies, Economics.) or Humanities (History/Geography, Economics/Psychology, Mathematics/Home Sc., Political Sc.). Either Hindi/Bengali should be taken a compulsory subject

School Houses

Mary Ward

Students are allocated their Houses in class VI. There are 6 different Houses, namely:-

• Gandhi (Brown), named after Mahatma Gandhi
• Keller (Red), named after Helen Keller
• Kennedy (Yellow), named after American President John F. Kennedy
• Mary Ward (Mauve), named after the School's founder, Mary Ward
• Naidu (Blue), named after Sarojini Naidu, and
• Tagore (Green), named after Rabindranath Tagore

Each house has a Captain, a Vice-Captain and a Prefect - generally of students of class XII. Each house is assisted by teachers or House Mistresses.

Each of them compete against one another in Sports, Duties and Academics. On the day of the Leaver's Ceremony, the House with the maximum points is declared "House of the Year" on bases of points earned by students during the academic year.

School Captains and Prefects

Every year, teachers choose 6 neutral Captains from class XII:-

• Head-Girl and Vice-Head-Girl
• Games Captain and Vice-Captain
• Social Service Captain and Vice-Captain

Teachers also nominate 18 girls from class XII to be elected as Captains, Vice-Captains and Prefects of the School, by the students of the 6 different Houses.

Clubs

• Guides LTS
• LTS (Leadership Training Service)
• JPIC
• CLC (Christian Life Community)
• Nature Club (KLIMA)
• Debate Club (Polemics)

And many others including (Games, Drama, Cookery, etc.).

School Crest

School Crest

The Crest is familiar to Loreto pupils worldwide. It is surmounted by words "Maria Regina Angelorum" which indicate the patronage of Our Lady, Queen of Angels. The emblem is rich in symbolism :-

• The Cross - Sign of our Salvation
• The Sacred Heart - Source of the Infinite Love of Jesus for each one of us
• The Heart of Mary - Our Human model and inspiration
• The Anchor - Symbol of Hope

This symbolism is summed up in the final scroll: "Cruci Dum Spiro Fido" - "Throughout my life, I shall place my hope in the cross".

Loreto Chorus

Verse 1.

 To East and West of that fair Isle
 Where the first Loreto stands,
 Loreto's banner now doth fly in many distant lands,
 In sunny Spain, on Afric's strand and
 Under the Southern Cross
 And westward ho, where rainbow hued
 Niagara's waters toss.

Chorus:

 Loreto's banner gaily floats
 In lands both East and West
 Loreto's name each girl reveres
 And holds it ever blest.

Verse 2.

 But first Loreto found a home beneath our Indian skies
 Where now o'er plain and mountain peak
 The well loved banner flies.
 Loreto's standard bearers we
 In girlhood springtime gay
 O may we e'er be loyal and true
 To the school friends of today.

Chorus

Verse 3.

 And when our school days ended are
 And our varied paths divide
 O may the ideals of our youth
 Still ever be our guide;
 High ideals of purity, of duty and of truth
 Learnt while we bore Loreto's flag
 In the sunny days of youth.

Chorus

See also

• Loreto College (disambiguation)