Historical Sketch | St. Anselm's Sr. Sec. School, Ajmer

Since 1904

A journey of growth and service

From a small school founded for the children of railway employees to a Senior Secondary institution, St. Anselm's has continually responded to the educational needs of its community.

Before 1904

A need for a high school

Catholic employees in the Ajmer railway workshops and surrounding areas repeatedly asked the Catholic Mission to open a high school for their boys and girls. At the time, local options for boys beyond Standard II were limited, and distant boarding schools were beyond the means of many families.

4 Feb 1904

St. Anselm's opens

Rt. Rev. Fr. Fortunatus, the Prefect Apostolic of Rajputana and later the first Bishop of Ajmer, opened St. Anselm's as a boarding and day school. Rev. Fr. Pius led the new boys' section of the Convent, which began with about fifty pupils, including a dozen boarders.

1907 – 1912

An independent identity

After three years as an official section of the Convent, the school took corporate existence in January 1907. Rev. Fr. Pius became its first Rector, while Rev. Fr. Augustine and Rev. Fr. Gervais continued on the staff. Students were prepared for Allahabad University examinations until the Cambridge syllabus was adopted around 1912.

1910

Sport takes root

The early school was modest: one building housed the Fathers' quarters, boarders' dormitory, study hall, dining room, and classrooms, with no significant playground. In 1910, land on Mayo College Road was purchased for games, and St. Anselm's began to establish itself strongly in sport.

A growing reputation

Students from across the region

St. Anselm's soon attracted students not only from Rajputana but from Bombay, Lahore, Hyderabad (Sind), Karachi, Delhi, Rewari, Bandikui, Jaipur, Phulera, Mhow, Ratlam, Neemuch, and later even the Persian Gulf. Its reputation brought applications from many more places.

1958 – Present

Milestones of a modern school

The school was affiliated to the Rajasthan Board of Education in 1958 and twice received the Madan Mohan Verma State Award for results and all-round performance. It was affiliated to the Central Board of Education in 1972; the hostel closed in 1985; and the school became co-educational in 2014–15. Today, it is a Senior Secondary school affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education, Delhi.