Dear Netters, I am reproducing an extract of an article written by Mr.James Fernandes,retired lecturer in English at St.Xavier's College,Mapusa, and a freedom fighter from Assnora who was associated with Mr.Joaquim Godinho[called 'Paklo' by friends] from Aldona. The article has been published in " The Halcyon ",annual magazine of St.Xavier's College 2002-03,released on the eve of the Ruby Jubilee year of the college which has produced scientists,doctors,engineers,administrators,entrepreneurs and others working in Goa,rest of India or abroad as well as the current Chief Minister/Education Minister and the Minister for IT in Goa.
" I first saw Fr.Nicolau[Gracias Pereira] when I appeared for the interview before him in 1967. He immediately impressed me as a man of learning and of great dignity." "At that time[1967],I was wondering what had motivated Fr.Nicolau to come to Goa and to be the Principal of a small,struggling college with only a few hundred students when ,with his higher American qualifications, he could have continued to stay in America[where he was a post-doctorate scholar at the Institute of Molecular Physics,Maryland] and,even as a priest,could have had a bright teaching career. As years passed, and I came to know Fr.Nicolau better, I understood that it was his deep commitment to the cause of higher education in Goa that had made him sacrifice a propective life of comforts and a prospective bright career in America and to devote himself to the challenging task of bringing up a new college in Goa." " With that deep commitment, he assumed the Principalship of St,Xavier's College two years after it was established and ,with that steadfast commitment, he guided the destiny of the college for 26 long years. Such commitment as Fr. Nicolau's, in which the head of an institution identifies himself totally with the institution and subordinates all his personal interests to those of the institution and the wider cause of education, has been rarely seen in Goa. " Fr. Antonio Nicolau Gracias Pereira,Ph.D. in Chemistry[USA],Principal of St.Xaviers College and founder of St.Xavier's Higher Secondary School,Mapusa, as well as the Founder Principal of Fr.Agnelo's College,Pilar, was a learner and a teacher until his dying day. Born on 25 September,1926 at Calata-Majorda, he passed into the next life on 25 January,2003. He was ,perhaps irreverently at the start, called "Pop" [after the friendly character of that name in 'Archie' comics] by the students when the college was in the sleepy village of Bastora. The college shifted to a new campus at Mapusa built under Pop's eagle eye. By the time I entered the Higher Secondary,most students thought he was called 'Pop' because he was like a father to us. In those days "Xavier's" was like one big ,undivided family and Pop was the "Karta"--the bachelor uncle[super father] that looked after all its needs. The shoes he left behind are too big for our feet but,if we want to honour his memory, try we must.His birth anniversary[25 September] is a good time to dedicate ourselves to his cause...good education,on par with the best in the world, to all in Goa. VIVA GOA! Miguel Braganza --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.514 / Virus Database: 312 - Release Date: 8/28/2003 ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################