Proud of my School Mate

Back in de Co-loan-yell days every parent’s dream was to have ah son or daughter getting into Boys Grammar School (BGS) or Girls’ High School (GHS), de two elite schools. And elite meant Elite! Dat’s way one Island Schol was granted every two years. ‘BGS’ and ‘GHS’ was way de next doctor or lawyer coming from. De next Public or Civil Servant coming from and so on. Age twelve was like de cut off point of entry, and some kids “rich people” kids of course, were passing foh these two schools at age nine. Dem kids had Island Schols stamped on de forehead. Grampa Nathan said Jesus had to be chairman of de selection panel when ah got into BGS at age 13/14 in 1955. Dah was when no more dan 60 boys and 60 girls getting into dem two schools . Now-ah-days when ah hear de several hundred boys and girls passing “Common Entrance” (CPEA) ah does mek de sign ah de cross and say, Thank Yuh Jesus foh caring/loving head-teachers like Tommy Saunders and Charles Hercules. Yes ah know we all had great head-teachers.

Try to overs when yuh “fail to pass foh de main-stream schools, BGS and GHS, crappo smoke yuh pipe! De choice left was from Intermediate High (Timmy); Emmanuel High (Doc Eustace) and dey was St Joseph’s Convent, Kingstown.

Was only at BGS and GHS yuh coud-ah get to learn Latin, French and proper English (ah missed all de English classes), Algebra, Draw-me-tree and Chem-is-tree eh? facilities foh Sports-Athletics, Cricket, Soccer, Cadets, Scouts Guides etc. Every youth man back den felt “Big” when he put on dat uniform, yes makes de real eye-water-run; de magic colours de green and de yellow (gold) cap! or yuh green blazer wid green’n’ gold tie, was up-full-in. But alas!hope came alive in 1964. De Right Reverend Harold Grant Pigott, Anglican Bishop of the Windward Islands took up de challenge to fill dat void, and so Bishop’s College Kingstown got started wid 180 boys and girls!

Grampa Nathan walked me back sixty-two years ago when our humble Anglican Bishop, Rev Grant Pigott got Bishop’s College started. How dey must have prayed and struggled searching foh dah much needed, well rounded eddy-care-shun module. And den after six Principals, one Lennox Lancelot John, ah Graduate (French) teacher wid ah rich BGS background took up de challenge. Principal John was an outstanding athlete, 1959 Victor Ludorum. Crick House captain; BGS cricket captain, Nah-shun-all cricketer and footballer; founday-shun and life member of de Kingstown Chorale; Officer in charge of de Cadets, Senior Member of CDC; Anglican Lay-preacher (Archdeacon eventually).Why don’t I just say Rev John was ah Christian (No PyarPyar). Real, as in born again. He was Cricket administrator in SVG, Windward Islands and West Indies. But most importantly Grampa said, he had full support of a staff of progressive, young and experienced teachers, willing to try something new or different. Today, needless to say Principal Lennox John literally made ah ninety degree turn in Eddy-care-shun; he actually turned things around at and for Bishop’s College. Bishop College School compound was transformed into ah “ back to de land” mini-agricultural station with students using basic garden tools: hoe, fork, cutlass and rakes. Dey was ah Bishop College Steel Band dat won Junior Panorama foh years. Nuff respect to trainers Ossie Constance and Kingsly “Hero” Roberts. De rest is his-story. Sorry if ah sound buy-us when ah BIG-UP Rev John’s stint at Bishop’s College and no men-shun bout his stint at BGS, except to say whatever Lennox Lance-ah-lot John Identified wid turned gold. He had ah my-dust touch. Blessings to his dear wife Gill and family, and his sister Pam my Grade 5 Teacher. And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy.

• Bassy Alexander is a land surveyor, folklorist and social commentator.