Live for God, Lead for Nepal! We stand today with captive honour, heads held high, proud to be a Xavierian. We stand not just with the unique identity of a Xavierian but with all the traits and qualities that make a true Xavierian, and above all with the capacity and the potentialities to hold this prestigious title. All what we are today is the outcome of the glorious six decades, the journey that St ’s has come through. Today, at this point, we feel live and lead for our nation and serve as Men for Others.
The journey commenced on July 1st 1951, when officially the history of Xavier’s began with the establishment of St Xavier’s School at Godavari. Not all people are aware of the fact that the base for the establishment of the grand educational institution started two years before in 1949 AD. By then, Jesuits had extended their education to Patna. Fr Moran appointed as the invigilator of Trichandra College, Kathmandu. Trichandra College was a PU affiliated college and Fr Moran used to come to Nepal to conduct examinations. Then, there were roughly 10 high schools in Nepal and to extend the level of education, the Jesuits had been invited to open a school In Nepal. On the first week of October, as he had come to conduct examinations, Fr Moran met several people namely Gen. Mrigendra SS Rana (Director of Public Education), Bhim Phedi, Pradyumna Rana (Students at St Xavier’s Patna), in course of establishing a new school in Nepal. Godavari, as the site of the school was suggested to him during these days and he also visited it. After all these meetings, on October 12th 1949, he met the then PM of Nepal, Mohan Shumsher where he was inquired about Jesuit education. The efforts had become successful as after he returned back, Gen. Mrigendra SS Rana came to Patna to officially invite the Jesuits to Nepal, on 1st November 1950. Though the permission had been granted the opening of the school was delayed due to the civil war between the Shah Dynasty and the Rana Rule.
After the delay by a year, the procedure started again on March 17th 1951, when the Nepalese Government reapproved the establishment of the school. After a few months of arrangements, finally, St Xavier’s School opened at Godavari on a land leased by the government for the school from the forest department. On the 3rd June Fr Moran, Fr Edward Saxton and Fr Frank Murphy landed in Nepal marking a new start of education in Nepal. The popularity of our institution started from its very beginning when 300 applicants were screened at Singha Durbar for its first batch. Sixty five boys were selected and officially, St Xavier’s opened at Godavari on July 1st 1951.
Since its, establishment, St Xavier’s has been educating Nepalese students transforming them into “Men for Others”. Godavari, being a little far from the centre, a need for establishment of another branch was seen. To meet the need and expand its education, the Jesuit fathers bought a land at Jawalakhel from Tara Shumsher Rana for Rs 4 Lakhs 40 thousand, on the 5th September 1954. Immediately after this, Fathers shifted to Jawalakhel on the 6th September. On the 7th, Fr Downing and ten boys moved to the new school and finally on the 8th October 1954, St Xavier’s, Jawalakhel opened officially. Till 1969, Godavari continued conducting classes up to 10 but after that, the High School was shifted to Jawalakhel leaving Godavari as the Primary School with Fr John Locke as the Principal of the High School, Fr Miller as the principal of Junior School and Fr Moran as the Rector. Year after year, this institution started transforming students into Xavierians.
Another important event in the history of Xavier’s was the introduction of girls. With the motive of advancing girl education, the process started in 1993 AD. Fr Lawrence Maniyar (Principal, St Xavier’s Jawalakhel, 1993–2005) initiating this step was granted permission for co-education by the Jesuit Headquarters. But due to the lack of infrastructure and facilities for girls, this process had been delayed. But with the completion of 50 glorious years of service, girls were first introduced in Jawalakhel, on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee.
