P. UDAYAPATTI

The Badge Of Marist High School

P. Udayapatti, is a town about 33 miles west of Trichy, equidistant frpm Trichy and Dindigul, and the name is usually shortened to P.U.

The Marist Brothers look after two schools here, a Primary School and a Secondary scholl. Both are over 30 years old and are beginning to need some tender lovinbg care to rejuvenate them. There are 410 boys and 323 girls in Marist High School taught by 13 teachers. The school offers Chemistry, Biology and Physics and has a number of Computer Labs, as well as a broad base of other subjects. Of the 4 secondary schools that serve the area, Marist High is rated the highest by the Government league tables.

St. John's High School, in Dundee, has volunteered to link up with the Secondary School and is in the process of raising funds to help repair and redecorate the walls of the buildings. They are also looking at the possibility of helping to resurface one or more of the school's basketball/netball courts, since the original concrete surfaces have weathered considerably and have begun to disintegrate. Staff and Pupils from St John's have visited P.U. on both occasions that their school has arranged visits to Trichy.

St John's is keen to help to maintain and upgrage the sports facilities in the Schools, recently providing the school team with replica strips donated by Dundee United Football Club. You will notice that the boys are bootless. That is a luxury too far for them! Yet it doesn't stop them thumping the ball with a power that would be awesome in Scotland.

St Ninian's Primary School, in Hamilton, has linked up with the Primary School in P.U. and has provided some much appreciated curricular materials. St Ninian's has integrated awareness of Indian culture and heritage into its curriculum and the pupils are busy making personal connections with their couterparts in P.U. The Head Teacher of St Ninian's has also visited the Primary School in P.U. and has brought back video footage of her visit and also a large number of photographs.