As the mighty oak has its beginnings in the humble acorn, the
history of Apostolic Carmel can be traced back to the passing
word: a simple conversation between Sr.Theodosia with the then
Archbishop of Bombay, Valerian Cardinal Gracias that resulted in
the transfer of the Girls Section of St.Andrew’s High School
into the hands of the Carmel Sisters. Soon after Mother Sylvia
and Mother Carol acquired the present property with the school
building and furniture from Reverend Fr. Henry Remedios, Parish
priest of St.Andrew’s church. A new building, was erected,
Mother Celine took over as Superior with Sister Aimee as
Headmistress aided by Sisters Helena, Marita and Mafalda. The
little band of sisters heard mass in the chapel which was then,
as always, the heart of the Carmel community and proceeded to
begin their apostolic work of education and social upliftment.
By School in the 1960sJune 1953 the first admissions to the
school began though recognition for this came only the following
year for the Primary Department and the year after for the
school itself. Thereafter it was allowed to function as an
independent girls school with English as the medium of
instruction. In 1957 the school building was extended and the
new chapel was blessed. Gradually the student strength increased
and cultural activities were encouraged. By 1962 the High School
classes were shifted to the new building block and in 1971 an
additional floor was constructed over the hall to provide a
spacious library by Sr. Maria Rosa. A much required basketball
court was laid to enable the students to have adequate exposure
to games and physical exercise. The next year saw the
construction of the Biology and Physics Laboratories over the
Library to provide better facilities to students. The Sisters of
the community were busy with STC work and Religious instruction
as well as doing courses in Hindi and Marathi, typing and social
work. The school continued to expand with more buildings on the
westward side to include a Chemistry Laboratory and Mini
Auditorium and later, on the other side, a Home-Science Section
and another staircase. Thus the school building came to resemble
the present day edifice. In 1974 Sr. Maria Rosa took over as
Superior and in the following year the Higher Secondary Section
was opened with the commencement of Std. IX at the insistence of
the Education Department. The Gyan Seva Samiti was also
established as a society and trust to govern the school.
Sr.Maria Rosa headed the school as Principal for 9 years and
having done an excellent job, now handed over to Sr.Astrid
Alvares while Sr.Marcilia took charge as Superior. In 1977, the
Bandra House became the Headquarters of the Western Province.
The devoted work of the sisters and staff saw an improvement in
academic results and the generous space allotted to sport paid
rich dividends in the fields of Hockey, Volleyball, Basketball
and Athletics and went on to represent the school at State
Level. The Carmel sapling had indeed continued to grow, to
flower and bear fruit. Sr.Claribelle, who took office after,
remained Principal for 11 years during which time the students
developed their talents in diverse fields of Dramatics and
Sports and initiated the General Assembly, which gave students
an opportunity to organize and participate in prayer services
and stage events. As Education is at the helm of all progress,
it was decided to equip the school with a Computer Room. It was
Sr.Theodomira who was instrumental in accomplishing this with a
splendid streamlined Computer Laboratory on the first floor to
provide enough facilities for regular classes for all students.
It was in this year that Sr. Muriel Rita came from the Convent
at Delhi and took up the reins. With a firm belief in all round
development of the students, she began activities like Debates,
Quizzes, a Music Club and motivational Bulletin boards and re
opened the library that has remained shut for two years. However
the most urgent need of the hour at the time was to demolish and
re-build the cramped premises of the Pre-Primary building as it
was in decrepit condition, extremely cramped and even posed a
threat to the safety of the children. A fantastic dream was
realized when after much hard work and dedicated effort to raise
funds, a magnificent structure of 2 floors to accommodate
comfortably all the Pre Primary students plus a much needed
canteen and an open hall cum lunchroom. Our youngest students
now had bright classrooms, wide corridors colourful charts a
music room and a stage. The Primary School was also given a new
lease of life with new flooring and tiles and stairways.
Bulletin boards were provided to enhance their corridors and
garden patches were built along the walls. The basketball court
was concretized, forming a quadrangle with the school building
around. The chemistry lab was renovated and the printing room
was upgraded with computers. On a more spiritual note, Carmel
Treasures, a Carmel value based retreat conducted by the staff
spearheaded by sisters of the congregation for class IX
commenced annually and has continued since. Carmel Blossoms, an
introduction to the congregation also got off to a quiet but
steady start, enabling students to mingle with other Carmel
students of the province. On Sr. Muriel’s departure retirement,
the school was taken over by Sr. Peari Anne, who wasted no time
in adding an independent Art Room on the ground floor,
renovating the Secondary Teacher’s staff room and investing in a
state-of-the-art school address system. The General Assemblies
now boast high end technological features with colourful Power
Point Presentations exhibited on a large screen, many of them
created by students themselves. But perhaps the most vibrant
addition to the School has been the introduction of a thirty
three piece brass band, the only one of its kind in Mumbai to
boast of such a large number of instruments. Kudos to Sister
Pearl-Anne for leading us on to another first. The existing
Audio Visual room was given a new lease of life with the
implementation of syllabus based teaching aids that used visuals
to enhance the lesson. An overhead LCD projector was installed
for this purpose.
A Teachers Benefit Fund was started to provide better facilities
for the staff during their teaching years and on completion of
Jubilee years. Reaching out has always been an Apostolic trait
and in keeping with this, the school has a Social Service
Program to create awareness among the students about the social
realities that surround them. In collaboration with an NGO the
school plans to adopt a slum or village school. The revival of
the Road Safety Police in the school, to promote a sense of
civic duty and responsibility coupled with the overall effort to
make our students aware of ecological and environmental issues
through workshops and seminars are both bearing rich rewards.
The installation of CCTV cameras for better security around the
school campus and the renovation of the School clerical office
and prayer room are only some of the tasks that have been
recently completed. With the upliftment of women being the prime
focus, the open hall is now used to conduct a women’s Yoga class
in the evenings. Thus the history of this institution is a
shining example of the Apostolic Carmel dedication and
perseverance and like the face of the Indian woman, Apostolic
Carmel remains a beacon of hope to many generations of girls to
come. In Rain Treemany ways the Apostolic Carmel School reflects
the ancient rain tree it is home to. The tree has spread its
branches, lending its kindly shade to the children and
delighting all with its beauty. The Apostolic Carmel School in
Bandra has nurtured, guided and shaped the future of many
generations of students and has grown to become one of the
premiere institutions in the Archdiocese of Bombay. Running like
a thread through sixty years, is the all pervading presence of
God; without Whose help these achievements would not be
possible. The Apostolic Carmel Convent continues to grow,
adapting to changing times to meet with the needs of the modern
woman and shines like a beacon to the many first generation
learners to whom it offers an opportunity for a better life.