Goethals Memorial School is an English-medium boarding school run by the Congregation of Christian Brothers in the town of Kurseong, Darjeeling, India. It is set in a forest 5 km from Kurseong between Siliguri and Darjeeling It is a Senior Secondary School (11-12), affiliated to Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE)
Vision The vision of Goethals Memorial School is to bring in a sense of social justice among its pupils and enable them to become better citizens in the near future. The Christian Brothers have brought in compassion, inclusion and empathy towards the pupils through education. The school stands for secular ideals and the pursuit of enlightenment as its path to a renaissance in the field of modern education. The school stands for unity in diversity.
History Goethals Memorial School is a boarding school run by the Congregation of Christian Brothers in India. It is set in a forest 5 km (3 miles) from Kurseong between Siliguri and Darjeeling at an altitude of 1674 meters (5500 feet) above sea level. The school was founded in 1907, and is named after Jesuit Archbishop of Calcutta (now Kolkata), Paul Goethals. The land for the school was donated by the Maharaja of Bardhaman. Goethals attracts students from West Bengal, Bihar, North-eastern Indian states, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. It follows the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education curriculum, and has classes from standard 3 to 10.
On the death of Paul Goethals, Archbishop of Calcutta, in July 1901 the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Calcutta commemorated his memory by the establishment of an educational institution for boys in Kurseong. In February 1907 classes started in the building erected by the first Principal, Br. M.S.O. Brien (1907-1914). The number of boys in residence was 110. The official opening took place on 30 April 1907.
The first prospectus had in view the affiliation of the School to the Shibpur Engineering College, Calcutta. However, the Sub Overseer Course did not fit with the needs of the pupils and was dropped in favour of the Cambridge Locals. The Cambridge Exams continued until the 1970s when the school switched to the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education curriculum.
