De La Salle Schools

by Hla Min

Updated : July 2025

De LaSalle Brothers

St. John Baptist De La Salle founded the Order in the Catholic Church.

A Brother takes three vows:

• Chasity
• Loyalty
• Poverty

The mission of the Brothers is to promote Education.

They build De La Salle Schools in several Countries.

De La Salle Schools in Burma

First Two Schools

In 1860, De La Salle Brothers set up St. Patrick’s High School in Moulmein (Mawlamyaing).

A few months later, the Brothers set up St. Paul’s High School in Rangoon (Yangon).

Celebrations

Centennial Celebrations were held in 1960.

Sesquicentennial Celebrations were held in 2010.

Schools & Badges

• St. Patrick’s High School, Moulmein
• St. Paul’s High School, Rangoon

• St. Peter’s High School, Mandalay
• St. Albert’s High School, Maymyo
• St. Joseph’s High School, Loikaw
• St. Columban’s High School, Bhamo
• De La Salle School, Twante

B.O.B

• Brothers’ Old Boys
• Former Students of De La Salle Schools
• A senior did not like being called B.O.B

Paulians

Students from St. Paul’s HS are known as Paulians.

Former students are known as Old Paulians. They include

• U Ba Khin — Auditor General, Vipassana Teacher
• U Tin Tut — First ICS by Invitation

• U Chan Htoon — Justice
• Dr. Ba Han — Law Professor, Lexicographer

• Dr. Ba Maw — RU English Lecturer, Politician, Adipati
• U Than Aung — SPHS Burmese Teacher, AFPFL Minister of Education

SPHS Honor Roll

During our school days, St. Paul’s HS displayed an Honor Roll with Outstanding Matriculates starting from the 1950s.

U Ba Khin stood First in Matric in the Pre-war days.

Post-war saw SPHS heading the top list for most academic years. The following Paulians stood First in Burma in the Matric exam.

• George Chapman (1951)
• Dr. Nyunt Tin (1952) — heading Top Two
• Koon Yin Chu (1954)
• Dr. Soe Win (1958) — heading Top Two
• Dr. Frankie Ohn (1959) — heading Top Four
• Dr. Khin Maung U (1963) — heading Top Five

After nationalization, the Honor Roll disappeared.

It was recovered by Ko Soe Nyunt (Taw Win Hnin Si, SPHS66).

It is now displayed in St. Paul’s Museum.

Old Paulian’s Association

During our school days, Old Paulian’s Association (OPA) was inside the school compound.

Dinner in 1963

On 30th June 1963, ten of us were invited to the Annual OPA Dinner.

• Khin Maung U (1st)
• Min Oo (2nd)
• Myo San (Freddie Ba San, 3rd, GBNF)
• Nyunt Wai (Victor Nyunt, 4th)
• Thein Wai (5th)
• Hla Min (7th)
• Aung Kyaw Zaw (Johnny Maung Maung, 9th)
• Maung Maung Kyi (11th, GBNF)
• Aung Thuyein (Brownie Way, 13th, GBNF)
• Khin Maung Zaw (Frank Gale, 17th)

After Nationalization

On 1st April 1965, private schools were nationalized. Non-native Brothers moved left Burma. e.g Bro Charles to UK, Bro Felix to Germany, Bro Austin to Malaysia.

SPHS became No. 6 Botathaung State High School.

OPA moved out of the school compound. Sadly, OPA allowed non-Paulians to join for billiards and drinks.

Revival

It took some time before Old Paulians — mostly from late 50s and early 60s — took over OPA and organized Reunions & Acariya Pu Zaw Pwes.

OPA also awarded prizes to the children of Old Paulians who had done well academically (mostly in high school).

OPA held Acariya Pu Zaw Pwes yearly.

SPHS Sayas & Sayamas

Some joined SPHS from KG. They would know more sayas & sayamas than me.

After standing second in 3rd standard at PPBRS (Private Primary Boundary Road School), I transferred to Std. IV (D) at SPHS. As Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint noted, most of the transfer students were placed in Section (D).

Sections (A) & (B) were reserved for bright students and some Catholics.

I had to be in the Top Two for four consecutive years, before I was assigned to Section (A) in Std. VIII.

My Class Teachers include :

• Ms. A Benjamin (IVD)
• Mrs. V Boudville (VD)
• U Pe Tin (VID)
• U Nge (VIID)
• Brother Anthony (VIIIA)
• Brother Xavier (IXA)
• Brother Austin (XA)

Ms. Amelia Kyi

(Miss Hong Kong)

She taught us English in VI and VII Standards. She would fine 25 pyas for failing the weekly test. However, she would reward 50 pyas for topping the test. My daily pocket money was 25 pyas.

Brother Xavier

He taught us English in VIII and IX. He would mark a dictation test starting out with 100 and then subtracting 10 for every spelling error. One of my classmates ended with -130.

He would also punish (often with a cane) for making grammatical mistakes.

For some reason, Brother Xavier stopped being strict after he transferred from St. Paul’s to St. Albert’s.

After Nationalization, he moved back to UK. He supposedly left the Order.

Brother Austin

He taught us English in X. He also taught “Morals and Manners” for the period when the Catholic students studied Catechism. He was School Librarian and also in charge of the 8mm projector. Every week, he would take us to the School Library (which had books donated by Ford Foundation & Asia Foundation), ask us to check out a book and write a review over the weekend.

For “Morals and Manners” class, he would ask us to recite poems from the book. The first three who recited perfectly could take “time off for the rest of the period”. I was lucky to win a few special prizes : a ticket to see “1960 Rome Olympics” documentary at Thamada (President) cinema, and a book covering North America (complete with history and atlas).

He abhorred plagiarism. He said, “It’s okay if you do not have time to finish your homework. But don’t copy other’s works. It’s a waste of time for you and me.”

Contrary to his expectations, I did not end up in the Top Three. I stood 7th.

After Nationalization, Brother Austin moved to a De La Salle School in Malaysia, and continued teaching until his demise.

Saya Sein

He was our Burmese teacher in High School. He taught us “Mingala Pa Pun Lu Na Ta Tu Ti Sein Ta Ti Ti Mingala” as an example of giving the meaning of Pali words. He is the father of Dr. Soe Win (1st in Burma in 1958, Chemistry Saya, Administrator at ICST, Retired Rector of YUFL)

Saya Kyaw Sein (brother in law of Saya Sein) taught VII(A) and was our relieving teacher.

Subject Teachers

• Brother Clementian — Maths
• Brother Joseph — Lab
• Saya Beatson — Physics
• Saya D’Cruz — Chemistry
• Saya Nyunt Maung — Burmese & Art Subjects
• Saya Htay Myint — History & Geography
• Saya Htwe — Art Subjects

Relieving Teachers

• Saya Lewis — English
• Saya Timms — English
• Saya Kyaw Khin — Maths
• Saya Johnny Myo — Maths
• Saya M. Hla Min — Physics
• Saya Hla Myint — Physics
• Saya Kyaw Oo — Class Teacher from different section
• Saya Aye — Class Teacher from different section
• Saya San Thein — Class Teacher from different section

Updates

• Some schools have an associated Juniorate or Seminary.
• Three classmates — Bernard Taylor, Edwin David & Anthony Lourdes — became Priests.
• Most of our sayas are GBNF. The exception is Uzin Beatson (former Physics teacher & Scout master).

• U Aye (M62) matriculated from St. Patrick’s HS. He posted some photos and mentioned some Outstanding students.
• Some students joined St. Paul’s HS but matriculated from No. 6 Botathaung SHS.
• St. Paul’s Museum was opened on the recent St. Paul’s Day (29th June). U Nay Oke (St. Paul’s) is a Patron of OPA.

• St. Peter’s HS students were 1st, 2nd and Joint 3rd in the Matric of 1956.
• Albertians — Zaw Min & Tommy Shwe — were admitted as Top Students to RIT in November 1964.
• David Myint Thein (M69) and Khin Maung Myint (M70) matriculated from St. Columban’s HS.

Posts

• Badges & Mottos
• Matriculation
• Paulians
• Schools
• St. Patrick’s High School
• St. Paul’s High School