HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL

To give a brief history of ‘Convent of Jesus and Mary, Waverley’, one must go back to the year 1845, when the school was established. It had its formal opening on 18th September, not in March as is the current norm. CJM, Waverley was the second school to be established in India by the Religious of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary, three years after they arrived in Agra. It was the first of the Convent Boarding School in the hills of the Northern Province.
The original estate on which the school was established, had three distinct areas- Waverley, Belmont and Thistle Bank. Waverley became a first class boarding school, chiefly for the daughters of officers, Belmont was run as a second class boarding school for a short while and then became simply a junior school while Thistle Bank was, and still is the Chaplain’s residence.
The first religious community at CJM Waverley, consisted of five Nuns of whom Mother Gonzaga was the Superior. They arrived from Dehradun in a bullock cart, a very rustic mode of transport so different from the modern comfortable vehicles. The depiction of this iconic journey still finds pride of place in all major functions at the school. Through the years it was necessary to make changes and additions to the original buildings especially after the devastation caused by the great earthquake of 1905. Further additions and improvements were made by the different Superiors as the years went by. With the consistent additions of new classrooms, laboratories, dormitories, playgrounds, infirmary and staff quarters, the school has evolved into a world class institution with all amenities necessary for its students.
CJM, Waverley has kept pace with the educational needs of the times. Where in the old curriculum students were prepared for the Cambridge School Leaving Certificate, for decades now the school has been following the curriculum of the Central Board of Secondary Education.
Following old traditions, concerts and operettas are still staged by the students, albeit with a modern touch.
It is clear that the pioneers of this great institution wished to impart a sound education to their students, empowering them with a well-rounded character as well as the skills and confidence required to make a name for themselves in every era. What has remained constant over the years, is the discipline, patience and commitment shown by all the Sisters and Staff, following closely in the footsteps of St. Claudine Thevenet. This is the kind of education that has and always will be provided at Convent of Jesus and Mary, Waverley.
The school celebrated its Centenary in 1945 and Bicentenary in 2019, a feat few other educational institutions can boast of.

HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL

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