DBTS (1928) C-1932
St John Bosco Patron
Shillong Archdiocese
Don Bosco Tech. School
Shillong – 793 003
Meghalaya
(0364) 2223095 House
2223353 Rector
2223408 Manager
2503576 St. Antony’s Jr. School
2504042 Book Binding
2210517 Motor Mechanics
2504041 Mechanics
2225385 Press
2225238 DTP
2504039 Electronics
2504038 Carpentry
98630 22891 Br. Valeri
9774082277 Br. Muscat
98630 65953 Br. Dominic Induar
94363 02520 Fr. Benny Alex
8014826302 Br. Dianetious
94361 19889 Fr. L.B. Anthony
(0364) 2221818 Fax
dbshill@dataone.in House
Members
Fr. Mathew Payyappilly Administrator
Br. Fernandez Dianetious HoD Press
Br. Induar Dominic HoD Machinist
Fr. Lendakadavil Anthony Rector
Br. Lyngdoh Jerome HoD Carpentry
Br. Mojo Paul
Br. Muscat Carmel HoD Book Biding & Councillor
Fr. Josh HM SA Jr. School
Fr. Plathottathil Benny Alex VR, HoD Electro.& Prin.
Cl. Francis L. Asst. & St.ITI Elect.
Cl. Sangma Dibacor Asst. & Asst. HM
Br. Valeri Nello Press
Br. Barnabas Khyriam VP, DTP, Cs
Br. Quirinus W Asst. & Teacher
Fr. Kharkongor Leonard Confessor
History
Situated in Laitumkhrah, in the capital city of Shillong, Don Bosco Technical school has provided formal and non-formal education to hundreds of students. It has an amazing history behind.
The Salvatorian missionaries who had ministered in the region from 1890, had to leave in 1915 due to World War I. The press started by the Salvatorians in Laitkynsew was transferred to Shillong in the year 1907. New printing machines were acquired, and Fr. Abele SDS enlarged the press for the benefit of the mission. Soon, shoe making, smithery and carpentry sections were opened. But, all these were shut down at the departure of the Salvatorians. The Salesians took over from the Salvatorians and arrived in Shillong on 13th January 1922 under the leadership of Fr. Louis Mathias.
They inherited from the Salvatorians an orphanage and a Middle English School, both dedicated to St. Anthony. On February 5th 1922, Mgr. Mathias appointed Fr. Bonardi in-charge of St. Anthony’s School and Orphanage. At about the same time, Fr. Emmanuel Bars and Bro. Gumersind Cid were given the charge of restarting the trade school and the printing press that had been left behind by the Salvatorians. On 10th August 1922, Fr. Paul Bonardi was appointed the first Rector of the institution having taken it over from Bro. Sean Brisson. Soon, more Brothers arrived, and various departments like cabinet making, printing, tailoring, shoe making, mechanic workshop, etc., were opened. By 1924, the industrial school had a strength of 40 trainees; there were 567 inmates in the orphanage.
Public recognition came readily and quickly. On 4th February 1925, the Governor of Assam, Sir Henry Kerr, paid the school a visit and was overwhelmed by the reception he received and by the functioning of the industrial school. In 1926, the Salesian complex was divided into three distinct entities: the novitiate and studentate, the parish, and the Don Bosco Industrial and the St. Anthony’s School. On March 19, 1928, the Salesians laid the foundation stone of the mechanic workshop and the present Don Bosco compound was acquired from the RNDM Sisters in exchange for Merryville (the present St. Mary’s complex).
In the last month of 1930, an attack of typhoid forced the inmates to shift to Laitkynsew temporarily. In 1931, St. Anthony’s school began to function separately. The Salesians and the boarders came to the present DB campus and the institution became known as the Don Bosco industrial school and orphanage. In course of time, the term “orphanage” was dropped. In 1931, the middle school was raised to a high school. In 1934, St. Anthony’s college was started, and it received recognition in 1936. In 1965, the college was separated from the Don Bosco complex to facilitate administration. Fr. Joseph Arokiaswamy was appointed principal of the College.
On November 9th 1934, on the eve of the Episcopal consecration of Mgrs. Louis Mathias and Stephen Ferrando, Sr. Michael Keane unveiled the monument to Don Bosco at the present Don Bosco Square. In 1949, the extraordinary visitor, Fr. A. Fedrigotti, arrived in Shillong and pointed out the need for immediate modernization of the workshops. By 1957, the Don Bosco complex was expanded considerably. In 1966, with the help of Misereor, the technical school was totally rebuilt. On 23rd September 1971, the Government of the Autonomous State of Meghalaya gave official recognition to the Diploma issued by the Don Bosco Technical School.
In 1975, the government of India gave provisional permission to send candidates for the All India Trade Test. Fr. Thomas Menamparampil started the system of preparing boys simultaneously for the HSLC and ITI examinations. On 2nd June 1977, the school was affiliated by the Government of India to the National Council for Training in Vocational Trades. A non-formal training section was begun in 1988 for school drop-outs and poor boys on a wider scale. In 1988, after a request from the Government of Meghalaya, the school took up the training of physically handicapped young people. The experiment has not been satisfactorily successful.
In order to give more attention to technical education, the academic section of the school has been phased out class by class since 1993. In 1995, for the first time, computer courses were opened to composite groups. In 1998, a six-month course in Modern Office Management was started. In 1999, at the request of the province, DBTS hosted the Bosco Civil Services Coaching Centre. In March 2000, as directed by the province, the junior section of St. Anthony’s Higher Secondary School was detached and shifted back in to the DBTS premises where it was earlier.