It was named after Edmund Ignatius Rice, the wealthy Roman Catholic merchant who founded an order of brothers to educate destitute boys in Waterford, Ireland, in 1802.
The school closed in July 1895, but its buildings went on, first, as a Dr. Barnardo's Home for about 300 orphans and then as Watts Naval School, training destitute boys for life in the Royal Navy or Mercantile Marine.
But instead of knuckling under for a lifetime of teaching, in 1965 he returned to India with just £200 in his pocket to set up a village for destitute boys.
The home for 90 orphaned and destitute boys opened in 1877 and had its own school and infirmary.
For additional staff, they employed boys from the Industrial Home for Destitute Boys in Euston, central London, many of whom were trained as apprentices.
But on Monday, he followed through on his pledge, saying his dramatic journey from a destitute rural boy to the top of the corporate world and then to the presidency would not have been possible without the help he had received while struggling at menial jobs to pay for his tuition.
"I started writing the script in December last year and it was a scary time…" One narrative that stands out from the film is the idea of a transformation of fortune, a rags-to-riches redemption (or riches-to-rags, depending on which order you watch the film in), that sees a destitute young boy wind up as shill for a perfume brand called "Untruth".
In Eritrea, one of the continent's most destitute countries, little boys sell instant lottery tickets to keep from going hungry.
"The Children," with its portraits of destitute girls and boys peering mysteriously into the lens, is in a sense a footnote on the state of the world.
In family court, "Baby Boy Doe" is declared destitute and given over to child service since his parents have yet to claim him.
