St. John High School

St. John High School has been tucked away at 158 Charu Chandra Place in the East part of Tollygunge for a long time. If you walk down the lane, you’ll see the old gate and the building that’s seen a lot of students come and go over the years. It’s not a quiet area, being in Tollygunge, but once you get inside the school walls, things calm down a bit. We have students from all over this part of Kolkata. Some of them have parents who went here too, so there’s a lot of history in these hallways. The classrooms are basic with wooden desks that have some scratches on them from decades of use. We don’t try to be something we aren't. It’s a place where teachers show up every morning, mark the register, and get on with the lessons. During the monsoon, the rain hits the roof pretty hard and it can be a bit loud, but the kids are used to it. We have a small staff room where we sit and have tea during the breaks. The walk from the main road isn't too long, so most people just use the local rickshaws or walk. Life here follows a very steady rhythm. We open the gates early, the bell rings at the same time every day, and we send everyone home in the afternoon. It’s just a regular school doing its job for the neighborhood families who have trusted us for years.