| About Us |
| The reception of a fine grain of Sand into the oyster in the mighty ocean and its gradual metamorphosis into a pearl of viable value is nature’s silent gift to humanity. Its origin is imperceptible, humble and silent. All nature’s gifts are offered without much glamour, gently and meekly. The Institute began in such modest obscurity that today as we set out to trace its roots the result is enchanting. It is akin to the miracle of a tiny seed becoming a gigantic tree a small cell of life pulsating into a new life and the stars made visible in the night. |
| The Parable of the Seed |
| The story of St. Mary’s Teacher Training Institute can be traced back to 1930. Like tiny mustard seed of the Bible the seed of inspiration sown in the mindscape of Rt. Rev. Arch Bishop. Eugene Mederlet, Sr. Melro Theresa and Sr. Taricone Consiglia began to germinate and sprout into a gigantic tree sheltering many Christian young girls hailing from poor families of the Diocese of Vellore. On 6th August 1930 the school inspectress entered into the portals of St. Mary’s Vellore to examine the site where the T. T. I would be. On 27th January 1931 Arch Bishop Eugene Mederlet met her at Vellore and discussed the matter of the T. T. I at Vellore. |
| On 1st July 1931 St. Marty’s T. T. I, the first catholic T. T. I in North Arcot District was inaugurated during the Provincial ship of Mother Tulia. The Arch Bishop blessed the building and spoke encouraging words to the first 26 trainees. Among them 9 are religious – 3 from Secundrabad and 6 from Madras. The first Superior and the Correspondent was Sr. Teresa Balestra, Mrs. Devasagyam the first Principal, Sr. Sandra Burgos the Drawing mistress, Sr. Cesira Galina the industrial Instructor and Fr. Joseph Sandhanam the Catechism teacher. |
The training centre was much at the heart of the pioneers for they knew the role of a teacher in the education of the catholic children. It was instituted with aim of preparing catholic teachers especially for North Arcot District. On22nd October 1931 the first batch of the trainees began their neighborhood ministry by visiting the women’s jail every month.
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| Ist Past Pupils Union |
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| In 1938 January 26th for the first time the Past pupils came together . There were 20 of them. The then trainees put up an exhibition of teaching aids prepared by them to give the Past pupils the new idea in the scholastic progress. Then there were games followed by the entertainment. Next day after mass there was a talk by the Head mistress and Fr. Sandanam. After lunch there was a lucky dip. All of them enjoyed to the full .They returned home determined to be a credit to the Institute. |
| On 26th March 1938 the Institute received the permanent recognition. The community rejoiced because this will pave way to prepare so many teachers according to the educational method of Don Bosco and so many parishes will be benefiting and the results will be far reaching. |
| In 1967 the higher grade teacher training was upgraded into secondary grade teacher training. On 14th February 1982 the Institute celebrated its Golden jubilee. |
| A Twin Storm |
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| In 1986 the National Council for Teacher Education laid many rules to raise these training Institutes to collegiate level. It demanded 5 acres of land with adequate laboratory facilities and the qualification of the staff should be PG with M.Ed. Since the management could not fulfill all these requirements immediately, they were about to withdraw the recognition, and rejected the admission of the trainees for 94-95. Frequent correspondence and personal encounters with officials were of no avail. The whole Province stormed heaven for the grace. A storm from within the fma to close down the Institute was also felt. Mary Help of Christians who is the mother of FMA congregation began to intervene spectacularly. |
| An Ocean of Calm |
| On 16th October 1995 Sr. Arockiasamy Maria Kalyani the animator of St. Mary’s at Vellore went to meet Rev. Fr. Nambikkai Raj the Vicar general of the Diocese of Vellore and shared with him the plight of the training school. He discussed the matter with the most Rev. Dr. A. M. Chinnappa Sdb, the Bishop of Vellore. Suddenly a spark of inspiration which struck the mind of Fr. Nambbikai raj helped them to unravel the Gordian knot. He reminded the Bishop about the St. Joseph farm and the newly constructed building at Anmarudai 12 Km away from Arni and 52 Km away from Vellore. On the same day Sr. Arockiasamy Maria Kalyani accompanied by Sr. Antony Celine along with Fr. Nambikkai revisited the spot at midnight with a lamp in the hand. The new building measured exactly the size demanded by the Government order. This multipurpose hall was constructed by Fr. Pancras Anthiah in 1991, blessed by Rev. Bishop Michael Augustine on 10th June 1992. |
| It seemed to the fmas that our lady predestined this building for the use of the girls. Hearing the repeated history of Mornese at Anmarudai, on 19th Sr. Arul Josephine the Provincial, Sr. Evelyn Louis the vice-provincial, Sr. Barnabas susanna visited the spot. The unfolding of god’s miraculous intervention delighted them. |
| On the same day Mother Provincial handed over the letter to the Bishop of Vellore, requesting 5 acres of the land from St.Joseph’s farm at Anmarudai. On 10th November 1995 Rev. Fr. A. M. Chinnappa the then President of Vellore Society gifted the land to be used exclusively for St. Mary’s TTI which was on the verge of losing its recognition Immediate steps were taken to register the land and equip the training Institute. |
| Transplantation |
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| God in his goodness foresaw that the tree that is pruned and transplanted could bear abundant fruit, permitted the tree to be uprooted and transplanted at Anmarudai. Rev. Fr. Pancras Anthiah the Parish Priest of Kollapalur worked night and day to prepare the soil for transplantation .The giant trees were uprooted and the poisonous snakes were killed. Fr. Pancras engaged himself in the construction of class rooms and to get ready the place for inspection by NCTE Sr. Arokiasamy Maria Kalyani proceeded to Chennai to meet the Deputy Director to fix the date for Inspection which is the prerequisite for recognition. |
| On November 20th 1995 the furniture, books, cupboards were shifted from Vellore. The Youth of the Cathedral parish were of great help. The Institute remembers with joy and gratitude the challenges faced by Sr. Arokiasamy Maria Kalyani. The determination to enable the transplanted tree to grow and flourish at Anmarudai was written across her face. |
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Growth
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| On 3rd June 1995, 40 students the first batch at Anmarudai began their classes. In June 1996 the first community was installed – Sr.Barnabas Susanna the animator, Sr. Glorina the Principal, Sr. Christina Anto the English Lecturer and Sr. Benita student. On 10th March 1997 the long awaited recognition was obtained. It is ten years after transplantation. The Institute has grown into a “Center for women’s capacity building” |
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1996: At Anmarudai, the Trainees took up responsibility of teaching the evening coaching class children. |
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2002: In nearby 3 villages evening coaching centers are set up and the educated persons from these villages are appointed to monitor and help the children in their studies. Today it has extended to 7 villages. |
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For the dropouts a tailoring centre was started. Six months certificate course is conducted every year and they are able to get a machine from the Government or sent to the export companies. Nearly 150 girls have passed during these 4 years |
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To build up women folk in the nearby villages Self Help Groups are started. In the beginning there were 8 groups, then
in 2003 grown into 12 groups and in2004 into 55 groups in 2005 into 72 groups and now it is 85 groups in 30 villages all around . The credit goes to Sisters Little flower, Jacintha I. Samy and Maria Joice. |
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Summer camp was conducted every year to help the school going children from 6th to 10th Std to learn English, Maths, and Computer with recreational activities with help of Past pupils. |
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2003: The Auxilium Nursery and Primary School was started with 25 Children and today it is recognized by the Government and its strength has grown up to 175. |
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2004: Parish animation was taken up – Mosavadi and Parasur were chosen. Sisters with the hostel teachers and the committed group members every week taught catechism and conducted competitions. |
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The RCM school at Mosavadi has been handed over to us by the diocese in view of a model school for the trainees but due to unavoidable circumstances we decided to withdraw from this mission |
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In view of Mosavadi RCM School a free boarding was started with help of trainees mess |
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2005: The women Center which was rented free by the diocese was inaugurated at Anmarudai |
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2006: The building for the Auxilium Nursery and Primary School has begun |
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| Involvements in the Neighborhood |
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The Institute has developed a contact with 33 nearby school like elementary, middle schools, High schools and Higher Secondary schools nearby through teaching practice. Through Self Help Groups nearly 31 villages are contacted.
We also work in collaboration with NCTE Bangalore, DTERT Chennai, TANCEAN Chennai, DIET Kilpennathur, SIHARAM T. V Malai, TNBLC Tindivanam, DEEPAGAM and DIBICA at Chennai for the betterment of the Institute and to prepare the teacher as social agents. |
| Every Jubilee is to recall, rejoice for the countless blessings God has showered on each of us. So too, our ’ Platinum Jubilee ’ is to recognize the experiences of 75 years the presence and guidance of God through all these years through thick and thin. One can say with sureity that ‘ He is Great ‘ in all that he does. |
| Thank you Lord for your 75 years fidelity towards this Institution. |
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