Table of Contents
| The purpose of our co and extra curricular activities is to provide opportunities for the development of the “whole person”. The school gives equal emphasis to activities such as Athletics, Sports, all Games in door and outdoor, Scouts, Social Service League, celebration of National / Important days, Drawing and Art competitions, Quizzing, Essay competitions, Debating, Elocution, Cultural and talent competitions, etc encourage originality and initiative. This provides an outlet for the child’s energy and enthuasim and offers opportunities for the development of individual talents. Specialists are invited to talk to students on different subjects. |
Library |
| The school has a well-equipped Library, which is adequately equipped and subscribes to several newspapers, magazines and journals. Computers are also provided here for reference purposes. An adequate bank of educational CDROMS are also available. |
Computer Laboratory |
| The school has a spacious computer lab with over 40 up to date computers, which provided with adequate software to give the students the competitive edge in toady’s computer age. Internet facilities , when required are also provided. |
Science Laboratories |
| Three seperate and well equipped state of the art laboratories have been established for Physics, Chemistry & Biology. Science clubs are encouraged and reqular exhibitions are held to showcase the scientific talent of our students. |
Clubs |
| The school has several active clubs made up of students under the supervision of teachers in varied subjects – English and Literary, Environment, Debating, Computers, Science, etc,. |
The Nature Club |
| Our students actively participate in movements for the conservation and protection of the environment and climate change. The children of the Nature/Eco Club are taught :-To spread ecological sensitivity,To equip its members with skills in handling local environmental problems, To organise campaigns for the preservation of bio-diversity , To promote a spirituality and a world view that is earth friendly tourism. |
The Computer Club |
| The Computer club since its inception has been instrumental in spreading computer and technology awareness in and around Patna. The club is one of the active clubs in Don Bosco Academy. Its main objective is to spread computer awareness amongst the underprivileged and needy. |
The Readers’ Club |
| The reader’s club inculcates appreciation in it’s members for reading, writing and literature. The club has three wings – reading, impressions and science. The reading wing encourages the power of reading. All students are given books to read weekly and have book discussions. This wing is also helps to publish the School Magazine -“GLIMPSESL”. The impressions wing or the dramatics wing organises workshops on theatre and helps developing acting and speaking skills. The science wing helps to make the usually boring physics, chemistry and Biology interesting by means of experiments. The students conduct various exhibitions wherin they showcase experiments to help expand their scientific knowledge. |
The Music Club |
| The Music Club is a group founded for the promotion of music amongst the younger generation. Music, derived from the French word ‘musique’, encompasses the eras that were forgotten till the time we shall never reach. Sounds of the Sitar to the Electric Guitar, stretching from classical to Rap, all, attribute to the essence of music. |
Tourism & Excursions |
| Each year major excursions are made during the school holidays , these are educational tours made under the supervision of our teachers. |
The S.U.P.W program (Socially Useful and Productive Work) |
| The S.U.P.W is now an integral part of the school curriculum . The aim of this program is to create an attitude of being helpful to others and to develop practical skills which will be of us e to the student and to society later on in life. Students are trained to be interested in one another and to enjoy cooperation. Students learn to do things under the supervision of a moderator to do things for themselves. |
The Student Council |
| The organization is made up of Captains of teams and representatives of extra-curricular activities along with elected and nominated students of the higher classes. |
National Cadet Corp (NCC) |
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The school has an active NCC unit and students are encouraged to join it purely on a voluntary basis. Cadets are given training in small arms and parades. The main aims are : – To develop qualities of character, courage, comradeship, discipline, secular outlook, spirit of adventure, sportsmanship and the ideals of selfless service among the youth to make them useful citizens. – To create a human resource of organised, trained and motivated youth, to provide leadership in all walks of life including the Armed Forces and always make them available for the service of the nation. – To create a suitable environment to motivate the youth to take up a career in the Armed Forces. |
Scouts |
| This school has a unit for Scouts under the ageis of the Bharat Scouts & Guides. The main aim of our scouts is supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, so that they may play constructive roles in society. Scouting is taught using the Scout method, which incorporates an informal educational system that emphasizes practical activities in the outdoors. Programs exist for Scouts ranging in age from 11 to 18 and program specifics target Scouts in a manner appropriate to their age. |
McCluskiegunj was founded on 16th May 1933 by Mr E.T.McCluskie one of the founder members of the Colonization Society of India. This Society had acquired 10,000 acres of virgin land from the Ratu Maharaja on a perpetual lease to essentially establish a “Mooluck” or Homeland for the Anglo Indian community. It comprised of several villages – prominent among them are :-Lapra, Konka, Hesalong&Mayapur. McCluskiegunj is located on the Chotanagpur plateau at an elevation of 1500 – 2000 ft. above sea level, and is about 60 kms. from Ranchi town, and therefore enjoys a comfortable and moderate climate. This tribal hamlet is well connected by rail and road as well. McCluskiegunj is located on the Barkakhana loop line of the Indian Railways. This school is located in the beautiful and scenic Chotanagpur hills. The excellent temperate climate in summer and chilled winter, fresh surroundings, plenty of vegetation, fresh air and the notable absence of any pollution makes it an ideal location for an educational institution. McCluskiegunj has been declared as an official Tourist Centre of the Jharkhand State Government. Being a mere 60 km away from the State Capital Ranchi, and is therefore well connected by road, rail and air and also has a good network of mobile and landline telephones, broadband and internet connectivity. Today McCluskiegunj can be considered more of an urban township, in a rural setting, progressive and emerging.
Background:
BadaSahab, Memsahab, the Khansamah, bungalows, pastries, village churches and memories of everything that brings back the days of the British Raj can still be traced in McCluskiegunj – lovingly called “Chota England” or “Little England” in the past. The little snaking Dugadugi rivulet, churches hidden amongst trees, a picturesque railway station, hills on the horizon, rundown grand British bungalows with their red roofs and rose gardens make McCluskiegunj an ideal weekend spot for time – travelers. The pleasant weather, the untainted nature and the flavor of the colonial past – it is a different experience at McCluskiegunj. After the departure of Anglo Indian and British from McCluskiegunj during the 1950′s, the township started losing its charm and in the next five decades, with no further developments, McCluskiegunj turned into a nondescript village with a grand colonial past.
However, with the recent shifting of Don Bosco Academy to McCluskiegunj, in 1997, this little town has started regaining its past. Some of the dilapidated British era bungalows have been taken up by the school, others renovated and turned into student hostels by local inhabitants. Local employment has increased and safety of travelers is no more an issue now. The school has generated local tourism too.
Places to see in McCluskiegunj:
McCluskiegunj is a typically hilly region within the Chota Nagpur Plateau with a beautiful natural landscape dotted with hills, rivers, jungles and villages. Another popular local spot is the Jagriti Vihar built by the Swedish Government for people interested in nature study. The Don Bosco School and its sprawling gardens and bungalows turned into student hostels are few other attractions. The small Railway Station, which services only two trains every day, still holds some interesting features of its colonial past.
Travelers visit McCluskiegunj to spend a peaceful weekend in a quiet colonial village. You would find some elegant British bungalows, few churches and a very interesting monument in the nearby Duli village where a Temple, a Gurudwara and a Mosque is built side by side.
Lodging and Dining facilities in McCluskiegunj:
This colonial village has a well-equipped guesthouse with standard facilities for guests. Located close to the facilities, this guesthouse offers good food, clean and well-maintained non AC rooms with attached Western bathrooms and a patch of open space and garden. There is a dining area and a small lobby for the guests too. This nice cozy guesthouse and its friendly staff also arrange cars for local sightseeing and pick-up and drop from the station. Food served is essentially Indian cuisine and simple.
Around McCluskiegunj:
Nearby attractions of McCluskiegunj: This little colonial township is surrounded by forests and hills on all sides. The Dugadugi River just 4 kms. away is a popular local attraction here. Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand is only a 1.5hours’ drive from McCluskiegunj. You can keep sightseeing in and around Ranchi like Tagore Hills, Rock garden, Kanke Dam and markets of Ranchi in your itinerary too. If you have a day in hand, you can also stay back at Ranchi and take a day tour to Dassam Falls, Hundru Falls and Jonha Falls. Another interesting place on the outskirts of McCluskiegunj is Kothari – a dense patch of jungle with a beautiful landscape littered with hills and streams. You would also find some open-pit coal mines around McCluskiegunj.
Things to do in McCluskiegunj:
Take a walk around the local villages and visit the grand British bungalows and their gardens. You can hire a local Car or Auto Rickshaw and do some local sightseeing in local churches, jungles, Duli Village and nearby coal fields. You can also enjoy a riverside picnic on the banks of Dugadugi River just 20 mins drive from the township.
How to reach McCluskiegunj:
The Palamu Express from Patna to McCluskiegunj; Shaktipunj Express is the only direct train from Howrah to McCluskiegunj, but it reaches McCluskiegunj at around 11:30 pm. However, the most convenient way to reach McCluskiegunj is via Ranchi. There are numerous trains connecting Ranchi and you can hire a car or take a bus from Ranchi to McCluskiegunj. It hardly takes 1.5 hours (60kms) from Ranchi to McCluskiegunj and the road is very scenic.
Best time to visit McCluskiegunj:
This little township has a sparkling weather with warm days and cool evenings. This is one of the main reasons why the British loved this “Little England” of theirs. The daytime during summers is quite hot and dry but the evenings are cool. Winter and rainy season are the best times to visit McCluskiegunj.