Stockman came to Chaibasa from Calcutta, ten years after two Belgian and one English Jesuit began the Bengal Mission.

The Munda tribals (adivasis) of the area were being exploited by tax collectors, landlords, and the British colonizers, and it was not until 1885, with the arrival of Fr.

Constant Lievens, that productive contacts were made between the adivasis of the Chotanagpur plateau and the Jesuit missionaries.

[1] St. John's is one of the oldest schools in the entire region,[clarification needed] and had a year-long celebration of its centenary in 1989-90 which was attended by the Chief Minister of the state and hundreds of alumni.

Pupils of classes 1 to 6 are taught at St. John's Middle School, which is located on the same campus under the same administration.