For over sixty hours, Mumbai was a city under siege, held hostage by a handful of young terrorists and the horror of the images on our television screens. Our helplessness exploded into collective anger-seething but largely futile...anger that was directed with one accord against our government

A group of fifteen year olds from Cathedral and John Connon School, who are too young to vote but old enough to question, decided to channelise their anger into a new awareness. SPECTRUM is a document of that journey. It asks uncomfortable questions. The answer may be elusive, but a quick read may well be worth your while.

Mrs. M. Isaacs,
Principal,
Cathedral and John Connon School

School Profile

The Cathedral and John Connon School is undoubtedly one of the most prestigious educational institutions in this country. For more than 145 years it has imparted the finest education through the medium of English, and has the tradition of upholding the most worthy values of the civilized world. Like all good schools, no matter how old, Cathedral never stands still. It melds the best of the past with the challenges of the present. Once the bastion of English public school values, today it reflects the multiculturalism that is India. Although run by the Anglo Scottish Education Society, its spirit of tolerance and brotherhood of all mankind is the very essence of secular India.

The student body of 2,000 girls and boys is divided into four Houses designated with the names of our Founders and there is a fierce sense of "School first, house next, self last" as expressed through our school song.

Marks are awarded, and deducted, for appearance, punctuality, musicality (ours was originally a Choir school attached to St. Thomas' Cathedral), academic excellence and sporting prowess.

An emphasis on developing an all-round personality ensures that the students participate in manifold extra-curricular activities without letting their grades drop. They emerge informed, articulate and confident, and able to hold their own in any forum.

Games and sports are an essential part of the curriculum. Inter-House rivalry extends from academics through art, debates, dramatics and music.

Team games like soccer, rugby, cricket and basketball, and individual games like squash, tennis and badminton take their place alongside gymnastics, athletics and swimming. House points are awarded to members for both participation and placing.

The annual Inter-House Music Competition includes choirs as well as instrumental and solo singing in Western and Indian music.

The School participates in The International Award for Young People (formerly the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme) and the students are encouraged to be self-reliant, develop leadership skills and a love of the outdoors with the numerous camps and hikes conducted during the year.

We also expect our students to work actively and regularly, to improve the lot of those less fortunate than themselves. Helping to educate street children through various NGOs, feeding the needy and raising funds for various organisations are part of our contribution to the Community.

The academic standards are set high and marks/grades have to be earned through sustained hard work. Students achieving distinctions throughout the year become eligible for the Honours Prize for that year.

Those who achieve fifteen points on a complicated scoring system, at any time after Grade 8, are awarded the Scholar's Badge. This is a much-coveted honour and there are rarely more than ten recipients in any given year. A similar Games Badge is awarded for excellence in sports.

The ICSE is a Board examination conducted at the end of Grade 10. Many students leave after this to join junior colleges in the city. The ISC, the Grade examination, is a more demanding course.

Cathedral demands a high level of commitment from its student body as it follows a challenging academic programme. The school offers three streams for the students to make their choice - Humanities, Science and Commerce.

The school has large libraries and state-of-the-art Computer Laboratories and boasts of separate laboratories for physics, chemistry and biology. Cathedral is a member of the Head masters' and Head mistresses' Conference in the United Kingdom.