Further Developments
A healthy organism must grow and the College did grow, particularly under the dynamic Principal, Fr. Frederick Dreckmann, who had the distinction of guiding the destinies of St. Xavier's for almost a quarter of a century - from 1884 to 1898 and again from 1900 to 1910. It was a period of expansion and no sooner was the building on Cruickshank Road ready than plans for further development were drawn up.
With the grant of more land the hostel and the quarters for the servants were completed in 1909 but it was left to the successor of Fr. Dreckmann to finish in 1912 the East-West science wing, which was nearly twice the size of the front building and cost Rs. 200,000 . For the two additional buildings of the College the Government made grants of Rs. 70,000 and Rs. 37,000 respectively.
From the start St. Xavier's has shown a bias towards science and the Director of Public Instruction wrote the following in his report for 1902-1907: "This college which has no equal in the sphere of science devotes special attention to the study of natural history".
The influence of admitting girls in 1912 made itself felt not only in the social sphere, where the effect of co-education is known to be very salutary, but even perhaps in the intellectual and sporting spheres. Some may think it is no mere coincidence that after the admission of the lady-students, St. Xavier's won three times in succession the Ellis Scholarship and also three times in succession the Northcote Challenge Shield"! (The latter was the much - coveted symbol of supremacy in the inter-collegiate cricket tournament).