UMRAN (1977) C-1997
St. Joseph Patron
Shillong-Diocese
St. Joseph’s Rural Resurce Tarining Centre
Umran, Naya Bungalow-793105
Meghalaya
(03638)262314 / 22303 (fax) Reception
98630 96281 Fr. Cyril Tirkey
Members
Fr.Cyril Tirkey Rector
Br. Raphael Kerketta Vr & Prog.Co-ordnator
Fr. John D. Jayakumar
Convent:
Benedictines
(03638) 202072
History
About 600 acres of land at Umran, 30 kms from Shillong on the road to Guwahati, belonged to a company that tried to grow tea. As tea did not prove successful, Fr. Joseph Arockiasamy acquired the land for a pittance. It was looked after for sometime by Fr. Felix Bollini who had a few boys with him in a shall house, doing their middle school and also helping in the farm that was slowly coming up. Due to the availability of land it was decided by the province to make it an agricultural school. Fr. Francis Cheeramban was appointed to see to the work. From 1976, the house near the villa became a semi – aspirantate.
The process of building the new house was on with a grant from Misereor for an Agricultural Training centre, which was completed by 1981. Soon classes VII and VIII were held at Umran and this practice continued till 1986. As no boys came forward to study agriculture and as the donor agency was not agreeable to the house being used as apostolic school, ways and means were thought out to make it a high school with agriculture as one subject. The Board of Education did not approve it as one of the subjects for H.S.L.C.
As it was progressively attracting less students and as Class VII was removed from Umran, there was a plan to phase out the high school and make it a centre for camps and courses, particularly related to rural development. In their meeting of 1994, the Rectors and Parish Priests suggested that the present High School set up be continued together with chances for camps during the holidays.