Rev.Fr.P.Crysac MEP., was the inspirational force behind the founding of this institution. This institution was to give the poorest section of the Nilgiris, most of them belonging to the scheduled castes and tribes, real means of livelihood and to get suitable employment as artisans and become respectable citizen of this country.
Mr. Hilton Brown then the secretary to the Government at Madras, on 19th December 1928, sanctioned the proposal of the Ootacamund Municipal Council by Government order to sell 4 acres of land in Kandal extension area for Rupees one thousand, to St.Mary\’s Church located in St.Mary\’s Hill for the establishment of the present Industrial School. Fr.Perrin immediately constructed of the building with the help of generous benefactors and his friends here and abroad. The school was formally opened on 3rd of May 1931. Fr.Perin became its first Manager and Correspondent.
The School was started with 30 boys. However 12 out of these 30 boys did not complete the course. This made good Fr.Perrin to start St.Theresa\’s orphanage attached to the School. When that was ready, on 23rd of July 1933 a group of 25 boys travelled from Coimbatore to Ootacamund under the leadership, of Rev.Bro.A.M. Raphael. Under his stewardship the boys found a home to live and a school for their education.
As the Ootacamund Diocese found it difficult to run the Institution, it decided to hand over the management to the Karnataka Jesuit Management.
In 1959 the Jesuit vice-province of Karnataka accepted the management of this institution from the diocese of Ootacamund. Rev.Fr.Joseph Zambon was its first Jesuit Manager and Correspondent. Under his able stewardship and that of his worthy successor Rev. Fr.Lawrence Paul Colaco the whole institution got a face lift. The Jesuit Charitable Institution of Nilgiris was born.
More and more boys flocked the Boys\’ Home. The five year training course in Carpentry and Cabinet Making was changed in to a 3 year program from 1964 onwards with the approval of the government. This move helped the boys to come out fast as full-pledged carpenters and thus help their families financially.
As the number of boys seeking admission in Boys\’ Home increased, the need of a new and bigger home was felt very necessary. With the generous help of our friends here and abroad, especially Le Missioni, and "Misereor", on 28th May 1961, a very spacious building of boys\’ home was built. St.Theresa\’s orphanage was rechristened as St. Joseph\’s Boys\’ Home.
In 1968 St. Joseph\’ s Woodworks Saw Mill of the school was shifted from the school campus to the newly constructed saw mill in a plot of land extending 4 acres and 80- cents in Kakatope, purchased from the government.
To add new skills training to the students, in July 1983, ITI – Fitter trade, a two year program was started with the approval of the National Council for Vocational Training, Ministry of Labour, New Delhi, This move was further enhanced in the year 1986 with another two year course on Mechanic Motor Vehicle (MMV) with the recognition of the same council.
Rev.Bro. Benedict Simonetto, S.J., stands out in the history of the institution because of his outstanding contribution as a manager-cum-skilled carpenter. The touch of his hand can be felt everywhere in the institution. It will be befitting to say that the hard work and foresight of Bro.Simonetto for 39 years raised this institution to newer heights.To date, close to 1873 Carpentry boys, 346 Fitter boys and 259 Mechanic Motor Vehicle boys have passed out of this institution. Out of them, we are proud to state that not less than 75 % belong to the scheduled castes and tribes.
From June 2007 Fr.S. Amalraj sj took charge as the principal and Correspondent of this Institution. The Mechanic Motor vehicle (MMV) Course was suspended due to non placement in the trade. To strengthen the Driving School a new Maruthi Omni was purchased. The driving school is very well patronized by prospective aspirants in Ooty. Parents find our School more safe for their for their young daughters to learn driving in this Institution under Jesuit fathers.
In 2008 Fr. George C. Joseph took charge as the Superior and Director of the institute since Fr. Igi was transferred from Ooty to Vettavalam Since the old boy\’s home was in a very dilapidated condition in 2008 a new Boys Home was built with 1,500 lit., solar water heating system so that the boys would have enough hot water for their use especially during the winter season. The long awaited new boys home building was possible because of the generous financial help of Jesuit Madurai Province, German Jesuit Mission Procurator and Mr. Mispegal, Action India , Germany.
In the same year the school main block which houses the school auditorium and class rooms was renovated by replacing the asbestos roof with zinc sheet roofing. In view of making our trainees self- employable and also to combine steel and wooden furniture production to make our products cost effective in August 2009, with the help of Fr. Don sj, USA, the Welder Trade (NCVT) was started as a self- finance course. It goes hand in hand with the existing Carpentry and Cabinet Making in which Welder Trade complements CCM and Vice Versa in training as well as in production. Due to nonfunctioning of the ISO norms we decided to withdraw from the ISO Certification in 2009.
As a new initiative to cater our service to the underprivileged women, in 2010, a Non – Formal Computer course was started for women and school children to give them an edge in a competitive world of career seeking where the computer skills have become very essential with the help of the people of the City of Hasselt, Belgium. Our driving school under the leadership of Fr. Amalraj was awarded with the BEST DRIVING SCHOOL AWARD IN THE NILGIRIS for the year 2010 for the very good performance of the candidates who had learnt driving in our institution.
As our efforts to upgrade our machineries in the Carpentry and Cabinet making section ( CCM ), in order to make our trainees to have hassle free hand on experience with the new modern machineries, also to improve the quality and quantity of the production in 2010 a set of Italian made Automatic Mortising and Tenoning Machine was purchased with the help of the FACSI fund. Again as continuation of our machinery upgrading project in 2011, a set of Panel Saw, Edge banding and multi boring machine was purchased again with the help of Jesuit Madurai Province and of the people of the city of Hasselt, Belgium.
In 2011 the 19 years old 407 Mini Lorry was sold and a new Bolero pick up was purchased for transportation of finished products in local areas. In August 2011 one unit of Fitter Section was suspended on account of the non-availability of trainees. Owing to reasons beyond our control we decided to close the seasoning plant . Also due to the lack of takers the 2nd unit of the Fitter Trade too was suspended temporarily.
As of now the institute is offering only two course namely the Carpentry and Cabinet Making ( CCM ) and Welding. With all these above mentioned events in the history of the institute we are proud to state that to date, close to 2125 Carpentry boys, 375 Fitter boys, 259 Mechanic Motor Vehicle boys and 25 Welding students have passed out of this institution. Out of them, we are proud to state that not less than 80 % belong to the scheduled castes and tribes.
