St. Francis' Institution

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St. Francis' Institution Institusi St. Francis
Address
Parameswara Road Malacca City , Melaka Tengah , Malacca , 75000 Malaysia
Information
Type	All-boys primary and secondary school
Motto	Latin: Age quod agis (Whatever you do, do it well)
Religious affiliation(s)	Christian
Denomination	Roman Catholic Church
Established	1880{{[1]}}
Principal	Cheong Lee Chin (2019 - Present)
Grades	Standard 1 - 6 Form 1 - 5, Form 6 was discontinued in 2020
Gender	Male Co-educational (Form 6, until 2020)
Enrolment	approx. 1200
Campus	Urban
Colour(s)	Green and White
Yearbook	The Franciscan
Feeder schools	SK St. Francis, Malacca SMK St. Francis, Malacca
Website	thefranciscan.org

Saint Francis' Institution (Malay: Institusi Saint Francis; abbreviated SFI) is a public all-boys school in Malacca, Malaysia with La Sallian tradition. It is called 'SFI' by the local population. Alumni, or Old Boys, are known as 'Franciscans' or 'Lasallians'.

History[]

St. Francis Institution had its early beginnings in 1872 when it was known as St. Mary's School, whose founder was Rev. Fr. Maximillian de Souza, better remembered as 'Father Bachino'. It was solely meant for the Catholic education of the children in the Parish. In 1880, the school shifted to a two-storey building across the road in front of St. Francis' Church. The school was then renamed St. Francis Institution by its new principal, Rev. Fr. Deloutte. Due to the lack of progress however, the colonial government of the Straits Settlements withdrew its aid and thus the school temporarily closed down in 1902. The school was re-opened in 1903 by four Christian Lasalle Brothers, led by Rev. Bro. Joseph. On the same year, after Rev. Bro. Joseph's transfer to Burma, Rev. Bro. Dositheus shouldered the responsibility of running the school and remained as its Director until 1913. Its enrolments began to rise rapidly and it soon became apparent that more spacious and suitable accommodation was becoming a necessity. Therefore, in 1906 rose the old 'U' Building as the nucleus of St. Francis Institution. The quality of education provided improved to such high standards that the colonial government was loud in its praises towards the great step-forward done by the school.

In 1922, Rev. Bro. V. Augustus bought the Malacca Rubber Plantation building adjoining the school premises. The building was renovated and turned into quarters for the Brothers. The grounds behind added much to the size of the school's playing field.

From 1923 to 1930, when Rev. Bro. Barnitus was in charge of affairs, the school excelled in scholastic and extra-curriculars. The Cadet Corps and the Boys' Scout Troop were also established. The Cadet Corps were established on April the 29th 1918 with 58 members but were forced to disband late in 1919 when the ruling colonial government refused to give permission to sustain its equipments. Thankfully, in 1925 the Corps were re-established. The Boys' Scout Troop were founded in January the 25th in 1926 with 32 members. Both uniformed units have been going strong till today. Rev. Bro. Louis 'Bun Sen' who replaced Rev. Bro. Barnitus had too organized an excellent Cadet Band which he personally trained and conducted. Originally starting as a Cadet Band, it was the first of its kind in Malacca. Over the years, it has established itself into the Military Band as it is known today.

In 1923 Rev. Bro. Dominic became the Director and stayed in the office until 1935. During this time the school obtained one of its best academic results in recent years - 31 out of 32 Juniors and 23 out of 29 Seniors passed in the Cambridge Examination. Rev. Bro. Augustus returned to Malacca for a second term of office in 1935. He was responsible for building the new school chapel, which is acclaimed the best in all missionary schools in the East. With Mrs. Tan Chay Yan's donation of a piece of land, Rev. Bro. Augustus was also able to erect a bungalow as a holiday house for the Brothers at Kundor.

During the Japanese Occupation, the Japanese Government requisitioned part of the school premises but the school continued functioning with Rev. Bro. Augustus remaining as its head. On the return of the British in 1945, he carried on until December 1947 when he was succeeded by Rev. Bro. Edmund of Salisbury.

Under Rev. Bro. Edmund's Directorship, the school enrolment jumped up to more than 800 boys and once again shortage of classrooms was becoming a major problem. To be up-to-date and keeping with the higher standard of education expected, the Science laboratory was fitted at about the same time as the new building on the other side of Koon Cheng Road.

In 1954, Rev. Bro. T. Michael assumed the office of Director but before he could carry out his great ideas for improvement of the school, he was called to Penang. He has, however left behind an indelible impression of his short association with the school - the introduction of the school uniform and his school code of good behavior.

In 1986, M. Peter King Tuen Chan, together with his friend, Fr. Lancelot Rodrigues, another old student, were kind and generous enough to donate a new three-storey block to the Brothers. This new block had been used to replace the old building and the two-storey block adjoining it. The new block had added to the school more facilities and space to educate more young Franciscans. Ever since then, St. Francis Institution has been progressing rapidly through the years.^[2]

School Crest[]

The School Badge is an emblem that incorporates a star, an armorial bearing, the Famosa Gate, and an open book, to show respectively the School's association with the De La Salle Order; its connection with its Patron, St. Francis Xavier; its location in the most historic town in Malaysia; and its purpose which is education.

The badge is a shield with four quarters.

In the top left-hand quarter is a gold star on a black background. The top right-hand quarter has three parallel divisions arranged horizontally. The top division is coloured red, the middle one is a chess-board pattern with alternating squares of black and white, and the lowest division is plain white or silver. On the red background of the top division there are three crescents, so arranged that the points of the horns coincide, and while the top and lowest crescents have alternating squares of black and white, the middle crescent has a white, or silver colour. This heraldic device of horizontal divisions and crescent was the coat-of-arms of the Castle of Xavier, the ancestral home of St. Francis. In the quarter beneath the star is the design of the Famosa Gate, an historical Malacca ruin, and the Gate is coloured red, the original colour of the laterite from which the gate was constructed. In the last quarter is an open book, yellowish green in colour on a black background, and showing the words ‘Initium Sapientiae’ meaning ‘The beginning of wisdom’.

Above the shield is a helmet surmounted by a cross on three steps, and a mantle, of gold and brown leaves, hangs front the helmet to provide a decoration for the shield. Beneath the shield is the motto ‘Age Quod Agis’ which is the best translated as ‘Whatever You Do, Do It Well’.

Logo
Description	Reflect the symbol of hope, hardworking and courage.	This heraldic device of horizontal divisions and crescent was the coat-of-arms of the Castle of Xavier, the ancestral home of St. Francis.	Historical ruin of Malacca when the school began in 1880.	(Latin) : The word "Initium Sapientiae" written on the book means "Beginning of Wisdom".

List of Brother Directors[]

• 1902 - 1903 : Bro. Maurice Joseph
• 1903 - 1911 : Bro. Alman Dositheus
• 1911 - 1915 : Bro. Lewis Edward
• 1915 - 1916 : Bro. Claude-Marie
• 1916 - 1918 : Bro. Lewis Edward
• 1918 - 1920 : Bro. V. Augustus
• 1920 - 1921 : Bro. Lewis Edward
• 1921 - 1923 : Bro. Claude-Marie
• 1923 - 1929 : Bro. Barnitus Kennedy
• 1930 - 1931 : Bro. Defendant Louis
• 1931 - 1936 : Bro. Dominic John
• 1936 - 1947 : Bro. V. Augustus
• 1948 - 1953 : Bro. Edmund McCullagh
• 1953 - 1956 : Bro. T. Michael
• 1956 - 1956 : Bro. Patrick Donovan
• 1956 - 1958 : Bro. Leonard Aloysius
• 1959 - 1962 : Bro. Alban De Rozario
• 1962 - 1966 : Bro. Anthony McNamara
• 1967 - 1968 : Bro. Edwin Cheng
• 1969 - 1971 : Bro. Phillip Daly
• 1972 - 1976 : Bro. Cassian Pappu
• 1977 - 1988 : Bro. Harold Reynolds
• 1988 – Present : Bro. Ambrose Loke

List of Principals[]

• 2000 - 2009  : Mr. Ong Chong Wee
• 2009 - 2011  : Mdm. Chong Chew Yoong (Acting Principal)
• 2011 - 2014  : Mr. Lee Bun Chuan
• 2014 - 2018  : Mr. Lee Chee Choon
• 2019–present  : Mdm. Cheong Lee Chin

See also[]

• Education in Malaysia

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to St. Francis Institution.

• The Franciscan - The Official St. Francis' Institution Website
• St. Francis' Institution - Official School Website

Coordinates: 2°11′29″N 102°15′10″E / 2.19125°N 102.25278°E / 2.19125; 102.25278