As you walk into St Mary’s campus every morning, one of the first things that catches many of your eyes, is the statue of Jean-Marie de la Mennais. This statue is more than just a piece of art, as it is a symbol of education and the legacy that was left behind by Jean-Marie de la Mennais. If you walk further down the hallway, a photo-mosiac poster (picture formed by many smaller pictures)can be seen as well. This poster is also of the same man. “But who is he?” you might ask.
Jean-Marie de la Mennais was a French priest and educator who lived from 1780-1860. His goal was to provide education to all children, and in particular, the children who were underprivileged. He founded The Brother of Christian Instruction in 1819. St. Mary’s International School is one of many schools around the world that was established by this order. In the statue, you can see that by his side, there is a young boy. This young boy represents all students around the world. This imagery shows how de la Mennais believed strongly in the need of education, and how every single child around the world deserves the opportunity to learn.
Before he died, de la Mennais gave a mission to a fellow Brother, called Cyprian. “Complete my work” He said. These words were the beginning of thousands of children’s education, as it was a message that meant to continue the spread of education. Todays there are schools founded by the order in Japan, Africa, Europe and the Americas.
This statue stands as a symbol of the beginning of St Mary’s Education. This reminds us that people have worked hard for our education, and we should not take it for granted. We should remember the effort that has built up for us to learn, and we should use it to its full potential.
