Mangalore: Renovated Century old Aloyseum to be inaugurated on March 23

Mangalore: Renovated Century old Aloyseum to be inaugurated on March 23

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, March 22, 2013: The renovated museum of St Aloysius College, Mangalore will be inaugurated on March 23, Saturday. The century old museum is a Connoisseur’s delight.

Throughout its history of 100 years, its curators and other authorities concerned have been conscious of its  inadequacies in presentation due to lack of display place. The authorities are very conscious that even with great improvements through the latest innovation efforts, for the proper display of its treasures, Aloyseum calls for more space and better spread-out and lighting of the exhibits. This is not to detract from the excellent work done under the leadership of Fr. Swebert and the close involvement of Fr. (Dr.) Leo D’Souza, S.J., Director, Lab of Applied Biology. Now some highlights of the origin and progress of Aloyseum.

 

The college museum, felicitously named Aloyseum, is tucked away in a building at the west end of the original campus (Its name plate reads “Science Block; but is popularly called Red Building), is a treasure trove of antique artefacts , some of which date back to the Stone Age.
 
On a campus with expanding student population, it has been a challenge to find apace for classes and student activities. With the result, the college museum has been tossed around the campus like a yo–yo. The museum had a humble beginning in the Red Building in 1913. But the centurion tag comes from what the museum hosts. Its nucleus was of items brought from Italy by Fr. Chiappi. He brought minerals and herbarium and a collection of Roman coins and commemorative medals. Some of them were gifts from Collegio Vieta, Italy. It is interesting to note that the Jesuits, specially the earlier expatriates, had been travelling widely and collecting antiques and artefacts which added to the museum collection.

In 1927, Fr. Prosperio, Rector, provided a hall for the museum. In 1944, the museum was shifted to Chettur’s Bungalow at the eastern end to the campus. Incidentally, the starting of natural science courses in the college in 1943 gave a boost to the museum. In 1947, it shifted again – this time to English Hall. In 1955, when Fr. Albert Saldanha was the Rector, he got the museum rearranged in New Extension.

The next move came in 1995 when the then Principal of the college, Fr. Prashant Madtha, initiated action to rehabilitate the collection in a new setting. So, the museum completed a full circle going back to the Red Building where it had taken birth 82 years earlier. Prof. Gilbert Sequeira, Head of Department of History and curator of the museum, with assistance from a college staff member, Mr. Alphonse Pereira, reorganised the display at the new location. The name, Aloyseum, was coined by Prof. R. Victor, Head of the Department of English.

 

Listing out the various exhibits here can be a space guzzling exercise. One of the more visible exhibits is a De Deon automobile, the first to land in Mangalore. It was imported by P.F.X .Saldanha of Highland Coffee Works fame. When it landed in Mangalore in 1906, it attracted large inquisitive spectators wherever it went. But, it didn’t venture out much because of scarcity of petrol. As there were no petrol stations in Mangalore then, the liquid had to be brought from Madras in 10- gallon drums and under special license. In 1907, when Governor of Madras, Sir Arthur Lawley, visited Mangalore, the De Deon was lent to the Governor’s party to take his two daughters to Karkala to see Gomateshwara. The Governor wrote to Saldanha thanking for the favour. This single-cylinder, 8 / 10 hp car had a maximum speed of 19 miles. It had an open top; but in 1920 it was fitted with a hood over the front seats. It was gifted to the college in 1956, without its engine which was given to a planter, ten years earlier, who pressed for it very hard.

The exhibits in Aloyseum include animal and fish bones, skulls, horns and skins, copies of paintings by old European masters, mineral specimen, old radios, telegraphic equipment, antique telephone sets, manuscripts on palm leaves, Portuguese statues, an old pulpit from Cordel Church, swords, daggers and other weapons, postal stamps, coins and medals and Mangalore’s first electric generator dating back to 1930.

Incidentally many showcases themselves fall in the class of antiques. While one showcase displays priestly vestments dating back to 1878, the Old Missal, displayed alongside, which has the size of a broad sheet newspaper and could weigh several kilos. Being close to the centre of the city, Aloyseum is an attractive destination for the discerning tourists and art connoisseurs. At Rs. 5 entrance fee, it is a steal. But, one should set aside at least one hour to do justice to Aloyseum.