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Fr. Nicolau expired on 26th January,2003 at 1.30 a.m. His funeral will be at Majorda Church on 28th January,2003 at 4.00 p.m. ------------------------------------------------------- OBITUARY Father Antonio Nicolau Gracias Pereira, adorned the post of Principal gloriously for just over a quarter century. When St. Xavier's College was started in 1963, Fr. Nicolau was doing post-doctoral research as Research Associate at the Maryland Institute for Molecular Physics of the University of Maryland, U.S.A. The Apostolic administrator, Bishop D. Francisco da Piedade Rebello, the founder patron of this College, invited Fr. Nicolau, whose greatest desire was to be of service to Goa and Goans, gladly took up this onerous responsibility, first as the Vice-Principal (Science Section) in 1964, and then as Principal after Fr. Edward D?Cruz S.J. laid down his office in 1965. Fr. Nicolau Pereira hailing from a well-known family of Majorda, Salcete, was ordained priest at Pilar by the then Patriarch Dom Jose da Costa Nunes, later Cardinal Camarlengo to His Holiness the Pope. This was in 1950, after having completed his Seminary training in Rachol. In 1950-51, Fr. Nicolau attended Loyola High School, Margao, passing his S.S.C. in 1951. For the next four years, he did his Science studies in Bombay at St. Xavier's College, whence he graduated in Chemistry-Physics in 1955. From 1956-59, Fr. Nicolau taught to the Seminarians at his alma mater Rachol before he decided to proceed to the U.S.A. He did his post-graduate and doctoral studies at the University of St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A., in the record time of four years. His doctoral thesis under South African Professor, Dr. Cecil Raw related to Transport Phenomena ? Conductivity, Diffusion and Viscosity, and was published in the Journal of the Physics of Fluids. Fr. Nicolau has been a recognized Post-graduate Teacher of the University of Bombay since 1967. His sole stint at parish work was in the initial year of his College career at the Church of St. Ignatius, Jacob Circle, Bombay. On being questioned about his experience as Principal, Fr. Nicolau stressed the factor of cooperation as being supremely important, namely, from higher authorities, religious and secular, as well as from the teaching faculty, the non-teaching staff and the student body. He opined that he had a very satisfying and enjoyable innings overall. However, he remarked that of late the quality of students had changes as mass education had become the norm. Consequently, one could witness an increasing lack of motivation and the engendering of mechanical attitudes. He felt there was an urgent need for administering aptitude tests to incoming students to help them choose the right subjects. There existed also a great need for personal counseling besides vocational guidance with regard to employment possibilities. One ought not to disregard the job factor. As for the prospects of St. Xavier's College, Fr. Nicolau declared that Tertiary Education has been neatly compartmentalized into College and University tiers ever since Goa University appeared on the scene. No longer will College lecturers take P.G. classes as was the case till not so long ago. Under the University of Bombay, St. Xavier's was considered as P.G. College. Now it is no longer so. Research possibilities for College teachers are becoming increasingly restricted in practice even thought in theory everyone swears by research which will broaden one?s horizons. Indeed it will be a difficult task to square this circle so as to give the college teachers a square deal. Fr. Nicolau stated that new subjects need to be introduced in order to broaden the curriculum in keeping with changing conditions. Already, he had taken the initiative to start Microbiology, Biochemistry and Electronics (6 units), but was unsuccessful in getting permission for B.Sc. (Electronics) which the U.G.C permitted only in B.Tech Colleges. He was very pleased with the consistently high performance of our B.A. students in three consecutive years of Goa University. So too on the science side, our students have earned laurels for our College by their creditable performance in U.S. Universities, as also in the B.A.R.C. and other institutions of all-India repute. In Fr. Nicolau's opinion, there was need for introducing job-oriented courses be it in Journalism, Computer Science, Agriculture and various facets of Psychology. Fr. Nicolau stressed he had taken special care to build up a good library for our College, but he regretted that the scientific journals were not being made use of as much as they should have been. He considered Correspondence Courses as a distinct option to help mature adult students broaden their minds and improve their prospects. When enquired as to his plans after retirement, Fr. Nicolau said, immediately, he was going to assist the Higher Secondary School in his home Village of Majorda, and simultaneously help out the newly established College of Arts and Commerce at Pilar with his advice. Thereafter, it is all up to the Archbishop Patriarch as to how to utilize his services. Fr. Nicolau's long tenure was noted for the wonderful esprit de corps that he built up with the teaching faculty as well as for the noblesse oblige which was a marked feature of his personal and professional career. He led more by example and not by mere precept alone. As we venture into the uncharted future, his example will surely serve as a beacon to circumvent the obstacles that cross our onward path.
