How Good is the Good God! - St. Julie Billiart
History of the Educational Heritage of the Sisters of Notre
Dame -
As daughters of St. Julie, we live out our charisma
by proclaiming the goodness and providence of God to all those we serve.
In 1849, two young teachers, Hilligonde Wolbring and Lisette Kuchling, in their love for the poor, took orphaned and neglected children into their home in Coesfeld, Germany, and began to educate and care for them. These two women had been trained in philosophy and methods of Rev. Bernard Overberg, a renowned educational leader of the late 18th and early 19th century, Germany.
History In India -
In 1949 the first six sisters from Cleveland Ohio, arrived in Jamalpur, Bihar.
Shortly after the year 1950, dawned, they started two schools in Jamalpur
i.e. St. Joseph's school and Notre Dame Academy an English Medium school.
After that Notre Dame started its branches in Bihar and other states of India,
i.e. Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Darjeeling, Jammu
and Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Assam, Maharashtra and Delhi.
In African countries Tansanya, Kenya and Shiniyanga. Being aware of the fact
that India's salvation depends on the upliftment of the villages, the sisters
expanded their educational and medical services in the rural areas. In all
parts of the world, the gleam is there - St. Julie's spirit. HOW GOOD GOD
IS ! Let us make him known and loved.
Notre Dame Junior College of Education is the successor organization to the
Sacred Heart Training College, Bangalore, which was established on 12th May
1904 by the Good Shepherd Sisters on Museum Road, Bangalore.
The Sacred Heart Training College closed in 1971 after serving the Anglo-Indian Community from 1904. On the first of June, 1972, The Apostolic Carmelite Sisters took over the Management of the College, and the next two years the college functioned at Jayanagar.
Mr. A.E.T. Barrow, the then Honorary Secretary for Inter-State Board for Anglo-Indian Education requested Sr. Mary Vaune S.N.D. to take up the college on the grounds of Sophia High School. Sr. Mary Vaune S.N.D. wasted no time, took the initiative, put in a lot of effort and finally the college was set up on the 23rd of January, 1974, with Sister Mary Jesslin as the first Principal. With this began the dawn of Notre Dame Junior College of Education.
The Sisters of Notre Dame opened Notre Dame Junior College of Education on 23rd January, 1974 as it says from the log book.
It is a memorable day for everyone at Sophia and no doubt for all the sisters of Notre Dame in India. Today the dream of beginning a teacher training college, a cherished work of St. Julie's - (Foundress of Notre Dame) daughters, because a reality with the inauguration of the new Notre Dame Junior College of Education. Since the very beginning of the congregation in France in 1803, in Germany in 1850, in United States in 1876, these sisters held a primary position in training young women for the teaching profession.
Aims and Objectives -
Notre Dame Junior College of Education is run by the sisters of Notre Dame,
whose main apostolate has been the education of children and teacher education
since the beginning of the congregation.
The college aims to train, for the
teaching profession, young women who are imbued with a sense of dedication.
To this end the college endeavours to develop the whole person and to perfect
the human personality, which includes Iintellectual, Psychological, Moral,
Spiritual,
Cultural, Physical and Professional formation of the students.
Although academics are considered an important phase of the work, great emphasis
is placed on education in moral and spiritual values in the training of the
students who will have to exert considerable influence on and assume responsibility
for young children. Consideration is given to the development of a positive
attitude towards community living and social service. It is hoped that the
training will make each young teacher aware of her own responsibility to bring
to her profession a high degree of excellence and dedication and thus bring
credit to Mother India.
THE CREST AND
MOTTO OF NOTRE DAME JUNIOR COLLEGE OF EDUCATION.
The hand with a burning Diya symbolizes the dedication and commitment of the
young teacher to a work that is so sublime - sharing in God's creativeness
by developing the powers planted in the minds and hearts of the children.
The light that is received from the above is always glowing and radiating outward to all in loving service.
The reaching hand symbolizes the children who are searching for this eternal light and love from the one who is always ready to share.
The Notre Dame reminds us that Mary, our Model will guide and direct us, in our work, our efforts and our hopes.
The motto "Love is Service".
Love can be shown only in action - in service to others. What better way is
there than to dedicate ones life and love in the service of God's own children?
Let us make our motto a shinning lamp to light up the world.
Notre Dame's educational heritage is
the legacy of a number of brilliant educators. Their Visions, Ventures and
Victories still complement and strengthen the type of education to Notre Dame
Educational Institutions today. We regard education as a privileged means
of fulfilling our mission. In our Notre Dame programmes we place special emphasis
on the four cornerstones of our educational heritage.
These cornerstones are:
- The Dignity of the Teacher
- The Worth of individual Student
- Thoroughness of Instruction
- The Centrality of Religion
