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Below is a citation to Ben Hanson. This was written and read by Maudlyn Mason at the 110th Anniversary Awards Banquet, May 2, 2008 at The Errol Flynn Marina, Port Antonio.
It is indeed a very distinct pleasure for me to speak tonight of a man who describes his alma mater as ”the Sacred Grove who took me in at age 20, where all my teachers treated me with love, respect and understanding.” I speak of a former Acting Principal, one who acted for a term after the departure of my Principal, Donald Burgess; I speak of the second alumnus to become Principal of Happy Grove High School, second to the ever-dedicated Montclair Hoffman. I speak of Benjamin J. Hanson, B.A., M.A., Post Graduate Diploma in Education.
Ben Hanson is a living testimony of someone driven by a fierce ambition to succeed, one who did not see age as a handicap to making the start to pursue his dreams. He is the humanization of the concept introduced to Happy Grove by the late, great Principal Dr. Kenneth Crooks, the concept that older, mature students over 19 years of age and who were successful in the Jamaica Local Examinations at the Third Year and sometimes Second Year levels should be allowed to attend Happy Grove.
Ben Hanson is an example of whom Denzil Southwood-Smith writes in his article, “Fair the Palm Groves” in the Happy Grove Centennial Magazine (1998). Denzil writes:
“Many young men and women, who would not have otherwise had the opportunity for secondary education, grasped the opportunity and went on to great success in the professions, government and commerce.”
Ben Hanson was admitted to Happy Grove on April 20, 1954 and was placed in the 4th Form. He sat the Senior Cambridge Examinations in 1955, was Head Boy in 1956, sat the Higher Schools Examinations in 1957, was successful in four subjects and was invited to join the teaching staff in 1958. A remarkable success in just four years! During his first stint at Happy Grove, he taught Biology, Botany, Spanish and Zoology.
He received a Teachers’ scholarship to study at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus and returned to teach Spanish at Happy Grove. It was at this time that he became my Spanish teacher in Form 6B and was the first teacher to encourage me to become a Spanish teacher.
In 1968, he left Happy Grove for London to pursue the M.A. degree in African History and Anthropology at The School of Oriental and African Studies. Happy Grove beckoned him yet again and he returned in 1970, became Vice Principal in 1972 and then left in 1973 to take up the position as Principal at William Knibb School in Martha Brae, Trelawny.
But Ben Hanson always wanted to give back to his alma mater and returned once again, this time as Principal in January, 1975. He is very grateful to the late Dr. Aubrey Jacobs and the Hon. Daisy Coke, the then Chairman and Secretary respectively of The Happy Grove Board of Governors. From Zimbabwe he writes:
“With their able assistance and support, I was able to re-organize the school. We enjoyed a very cordial relationship with the community.”
It was in the 1978 – 1979 academic year that he traveled to Edinburg, Scotland, to study. Having successfully completed the Post Graduate Diploma in Educational Management and Administration, he once again answered the call to rejoin the staff at Happy Grove one last time. He served for two years and in 1981 he and his family migrated to Zimbabwe, Africa where he has continued to touch many lives through education.
His contributions in Zimbabwe include his founding of “The New Generation”, a newspaper for young people; his first anthology of poems- “Just Feeling” and “Don’t Swim in The River Gwai”. One of his short stories, “A Bag of Flour”, was chosen by The World Service of The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) as their Christmas story for 1987. “Checkmate” was awarded 4th prize in The BBC Africa Short Stories competition in 1991. Ben Hanson published his first novel, “Takadini” in 1997. Its third edition was published in 2002.
Fellow Alumni, Ben has asked me to “pass on my fond regards and hearty greetings to those gathered.” He wants us to know that, “mi nabel string bury a Happy Grove.” I now present this award for Benjamin J. Hanson in recognition of his contribution to his alma mater as Principal and to the world in which he lives.
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Editor’s note: Ben Hanson died on November 23, 2011 in Guyana, where he had lived since May 2008. Posted 11/27/11.
number of view: 242
By: Hon. Daisy McFarlane-Coke, O.J., C.D.
Salutations: Priest et al, Stanlie, Charles & Francine, Prof. Helen, Robert & Darcy, grandchildren, Calvin et al, Grovians and other Past Students, Ladies & Gentlemen.
It is a very special privilege for me to give this tribute to the life of our teacher on behalf of the Happy Grove family: that is alumni (observe we do not have old students!!), academic staff, office and ancillary staff, Seaside Friends Church and other members of the community of Hector’s River. That is a simple description of our school family. It always included the community and you will hear that for an important segment of their lives, Fay and Stanlie and their children were valuable and beloved additions to that community.
To our freshman class of 1949, the most striking thing about Fay was her height. This, of course was passed on to her second son Robert (the jury is out as to where he got his handsome looks, but I think Stanlie shares the credit for that). Then there was her voice, which could be heard clearly at the back of the class, even in the Church basement where there were three adjoining class rooms, two with no dividing wall. She walks in, looking stern and business like, puts her books down, class stands and looks expectantly, she faces the class which dutifully greets her with “Salve domina”. She responds “Salvete omnes”.
Then she takes out the Latin Primer and reads the 1st line “of the day’s lesson which used to begin with “Discipuli pictoram spectate”. There were many sessions of “mensa, mensa, mensam………….mensis, mensis”, “voco, vocas vocat……. Amo amas amat….” And so on for many a day.
Most of us survived the Latin, often she reminded us that we were not doing “dog Latin”, to later forms where she taught us English Literature, and History.
Perhaps it was her height, but very few tricks passed her. She knew who was chatting when her back was turned. Prep time—an important part of boarding school timetable (nowadays, I think it is called homework time) she could spot you when you are studiously studying the Atlas. You see, the Atlas was the same size as “True Confessions” and “True Romance” magazines. Tabooed literature. Penny dreadfuls by Grace Livingston Hill or Nancy Drew were appropriate reading material for young ladies, but not the love magazines. So she would slowly walk over to your seat and gently ask you to lend her “the Atlas that you are poring over so studiously!!”
We eventually learned that her bark was worse than her bite and that she really was a very kind, tender person. Great disciplinarian. Very fair. Caring. Super teacher. An Educator, straight from the Latin root of that word. She brought out what was within you, not just crammed you with information.
English Literature class was another experience. In 4th form the text book was Silas Marner, by George Elliot. Remember that one? The miser weaver of Raveloe, whose gold was stolen by the squire’s son. Effie, the gold headed child wandered in his life on a cold night? We had a single text book. She would have different kids share the reading. She did her share. Anne Fowles and Cherrie Stewart would make sure to give jokes while you read so that you would not always volunteer to read. We finished the book. We learned something about rural life in the Midlands and the effects of the Industrial Revolution on the lives of country folk.
Fay and Stanlie brought romance to our teenage years. First we began to suspect something was brewing when he used to come to the girls’ campus to whisk her off for moonlight walks. Should I tell you about walking in the lovely Portland moonlight, pass the palm trees, down to the shiny sea?. And the waves? A sight that quelled much homesickness? Perhaps not now, but another time. The bigger girls would whisper and giggle with excitement. Romance blossomed into that famous Saturday afternoon, when prep having been duly finished, school ribbons, handkerchiefs and other unmentionables duly laundered, Sunday church dresses ironed, dorm tidied, bathed and dressed like good girls while we lazed outside, looking very smart. We watched Stanlie and Fay walking hand in hand from Carib Blue, the manse which adjoined the girls’ campus. Stanlie was really stepping light that afternoon. Poor Fay tried to take away her hand when she realized that the entire boarding posse was staring at them. They had gone to the parson for pre-marriage counseling. The next week they were married. That event made them very special since, being a coed school our collective fun activities had to be chaperoned. The young couple was willing and wonderful for that task. This could be, for example, a house or class picnic on the beach. We would contrive to hide away to give them time to themselves. Lots of furtive looks, commentary and jollification.
Of her love of education? This included her own. She studied for and passed BA –University of London, externally. You can believe the Latin and English. But how do you study University French on your own, with no one to practice speaking it, and pass an exam which included an oral test, conducted by an examiner sent out from the United Kingdom?. This was before the age of tapes, before electricity. Long country nights, our industrious teacher spent many hours bonding with a few Home Sweet Home kerosene lamps until she could afford the capital expenditure on a fluorescent Tilley lamp. Study accompanied by toads and croaking lizards, not radio. She had to send in her work by post to London, (fastest mail was air letter which took five days). She had to import the text books from Foyle’s at Tottenham Court Road. Pay by postal order, and any ordinary person could order and receive books. Some commerce was in fact conducted by ordinary people before credit card and e-mail became common.
Through the years some of us became her friends. I don’t know how it happened. It probably started when we used to spoil Charles, who was our dear campus baby. What I know is she became my very good friend. A marvelous maturing of a wonderful teacher-pupil relationship.
Before I close I would like to ask the “Grovians” in the Church to stand and repeat together the words; “Vale, domina”. Vale domina.
May her soul rest in peace and light perpetual shine on her. Thank you.
Editors note: Marjorie Fay Parkins died on October 31, 2011. Her funeral service was held at St. Luke’s Anglican Church, Kingston, Jamaica, on November 11, 2011.
Posted by Pat Hunter
number of view: 214
Colleagues – Let me greet you once again on behalf of the Happy Grove Alumni Association (Jamaica Chapter). Despite the challenges we face individually and collectively, it is the way that we deal with these challenges that will determine our future. Let us continue to build on the positives; recognizing that we are ultimately responsible for our destiny, and it’s only the successful who accepts that he made himself what he has become. The failures always blame someone else for his situation.
We must continue the good work started by the Quakers in 1898, and accept that we have benefitted from their generosity, so it is therefore incumbent on us to extend this generosity towards others. Let us build on this goodwill so that others, today or in the future will benefit from our good will. All are important (none more so than the other) and we all have something to contribute. The task is then left to us whether we are willing to adopt the right attitude; not just say; “I will do my part”, but move forward to action. We must never forget that our Alumni Association exists to provide financial, moral and material support to Happy Grove School; with respect to all its programmes, activities and undertakings, and we must never be afraid to stand up for right things all the time, because Happy Grove School is bigger than all of us.
We must remain committed to the ideals, and I ask that we all work in conjunction with the school administration, the school board, the ministry of education and the community to provide the means which will allow every student who enters through the doors of this Noble Institution to use their creative genius to achieve their fullest potential in sports, academics, leadership, social graces or any other field of endeavour in order to live out the creed of our wonderful school song “Noble and true shall thy sons ever be, strong men of courage, sons of the free.” “Gentle and full of sweet womanly grace; thus shall thy daughters thy best precepts trace.”
Xmas Dinner 2010
On Friday December 10, 2010, our annual reunion dinner was held at the Alhambra Inn. As usual the ambiance and service was excellent. We feted 21 footballers, who had just won the Under 15 St. Thomas Credit Union Competition. As is customary, we also honoured two past students – Rixon Campbell and Marigold Harding (Custos of St. Andrew), the latter being our guest speaker. Ri xon was honoured for his relentless efforts in getting scholarships for 12 recently graduated Happy Grovians to attend Johnson C. Smith University in North Carolina, U.S.A. The word is that all of these students are either on the President’s or Deans list and are in their sophomore year. Rixon has advised me that for the Academic Year 2011 – 2012 they are recruiting students from Africa and Haiti. Recruiting from Jamaica will continue for the Academic Year 2012 – 2013.
We also recognized the following:
• James Passley, Jr. a student in the upper school for academic excellence. He has since been successful in nine CSEC subjects in the 2011 examination.
• Dominique Nicholson, a student in lower school for excellence in academics.
• Denecia Walker, excellence in deportment and citizenship for the entire school.
We hope to do the same this year.
Many thanks to those past students who support the event on a yearly basis. Let me use this opportunity to also encourage new persons to attend this year’s dinner, to be held on Saturday, December 10, 2011). Thanks must also be extended to Clement Burnett for chairing the events committee and for being our in house ‘music man’.
Eastern Championships 2011
In March, 2011, we provided much needed financial support for our athletics team to attend Eastern Championships 2011, which was hosted by Happy Grove. The school placed 11th out of a possible 20 schools. The school’s administration was very appreciative of our support and has asked me to convey their sincere thanks to Alumni for our continued support, especially that given via our generous contribution to the Athletics team.
The Alumni Association wants to use this medium to convey our sincere thanks to those teachers who worked so hard to make the Championships a success. The school was congratulated for the excellent job that was done. I want to say though that we would have felt better if our school was placed higher. However, I know that Mr. Reid, especially, is working very hard to make 2012 a better championship for Happy Grove and all our athletes.
How can we forget Pat Hunter; who came to Jamaica for the championships and even made special purple and gold draw string bags to give to past students and athletes who made a special effort. Pat, you are a real gem!
Happy Grove Sunday 2011
Happy Grove Sunday was celebrated at Seaside Church on Sunday, May 1, 2011. Our dear friend, Frances Wolfley brought the message. Lonnie Shannon and Kim Wolfley also attended. We were grateful to have had members of Worthington Church worshiping with us on this special day. Trevor Falloon, alumnus, reminisced about the times he spent at Happy Grove with the late Pastor Wolfley and his family; and it was from this meeting that the idea to send the ‘Musical Score’ of the Happy Grove school song to you. Hope you all have the copy I sent to all of you.
Fun time – July 2011
On Friday July 1st we invited you to a lyme at Alhambra Inn. The turnout was not so good but we still want to say thanks to those Grovians who made it. That was the start of something we would like continue for this year.
In closing, let me say thanks to those Grovians who continue to give support. I am still saying that more of us need to give a little more. We will have a new principal in September and I am positive that we will see a change for the better at Happy Grove. Join the alumni and give more. We have all benefitted from the opportunity to walk the hallowed halls of Happy Grove and we all have an obligation to help make the lives of those who are coming after us better, more rewarding and successful. The Alumni Association needs new blood, young, vibrant with new ideas and a willingness to work hard.
All the best for an excellent year in whatever you do.
Tedroy Mcnabb (President)
number of view: 157
Miss Sylvia Bryan, an extraordinary lecturer of the Language Arts Department, you have been one of Shortwood Teachers’ College’s literary luminaries for the past 13 years. The works of Jane Austen, Edward Baugh, Chinua Achebe, Lorna Goodison, Derek Walcott, Mervin Morris, Emily Bronte, Charles Dickens, William Wordsworth, William Shakespeare and Wole Soyinka among others are an integral part of your literary repertoire. In the words of Charles Dickens, “you dote on poetry, … you adore it;… your whole soul and mind are wound up, and entwined with it…”
You are defined by your craft – your dexterity with words, your excellent command of the English Language, your quips, your uncanny ability to express your ideas; aptly applying a line, a verse, a proverb or a quote from your vast repertoire from any literary genre for creative reflection in all the subtle nuances of life.
It is no surprise that your mastery of literature had its genesis in your early studies at Happy Grove High School as you attained excellent Ordinary and Advanced level results. You further honed your skills in literature as you received your Teachers’ Certificate from Church Teachers’ College. Your outstanding accomplishments in the field of literature earned you the Jamaica Teachers’ Scholarship to the University of the West Indies (Mona) where you obtained your Bachelor of Arts degree (with honours) in English and History. You must be lauded for being the recipient of a second coveted UWI scholarship to pursue postgraduate studies. Your insatiable quest to achieve mastery in literary studies led you to conduct extensive field research in African literature at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria and the Fourah Bay College, Sierra Leone, in completion of your Master of Philosophy (MPhil.) in English in April 1982.
Your sterling contribution to the education system through your literary prowess has been evident at various levels of education in Jamaica enriching and illuminating the minds of your students through in the different literary genres at the secondary level at Morant Bay High, Yallahs Secondary, Aeolus Valley All Age and Meadowbrook High Schools as well as in the Bahamas at North Andros High and Central Andros High Schools. At the tertiary level, your formidable literary skills were used to shape the minds and characters of a new generation of teachers of English, first at Church Teachers’ College and during the last 13 years here at Shortwood. The words of Henry Adams convey this idea: “a teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”
Your passion and fervor to develop professionally have been seen through your attendance at Writers workshops and seminars both locally and internationally, of note is your participation in the Mona Academic Conference on the Reflections of West Indian Writers, (August 2006). Additionally, you were awarded the British Council Bursary in 2002 to attend a British Council International Seminar (January – February 2002) at Stratford on Avon, on “New approaches to teaching Shakespeare in Universities.”
Your love for literature, your commitment to teaching, your adroitness in writing can be embodied in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s words “Words – so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good (and evil) they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them.”
As a lecturer your passion for literature, innovation and pedagogy, have shown your dedication and commitment to upholding the standard of excellence in the Language Arts Department. Hence, you became a prolific writer who saw the need for the development of the curriculum and therefore, wrote, developed and reviewed Literature and Language syllabuses and courses for the Joint Board of Teacher Education (JBTE) as well as those for the Consortium of Institutions for Teacher Education (CITE). You were one of the Literature course module writers for the Secondary Academic Programme in the Guyana Basic Education Teacher Training Project; you have written the English component for the e-Learning Programme; you are an item writer for the Ministry of Education Testing and Evaluation Unit for the GNAT as well as other programmes.
Miss Bryan, through your research and the presentations of your findings, at our Professional Development Workshops notably in July 2008, “The Road to the JBTE Accreditation” you have caused us to think more deeply about life. In June 2008 at the Knutsford Court Hotel, you presented a paper entitled “The Role of the Host Teacher in the Year 3 Practicum” to Principals, host teachers and other stakeholders in the Practicum exercise. Every writer should have a piece of published work. Yours is “Images of Woman in Wole Soyinka’s Work,” in African Literature Today Number 15, Women in African Literature (1987).
Leadership and vision are hallmarks of your character. As a student at Happy Grove High School, you were elected Head Girl, then while at Morant Bay High you were the Head of the English Department, while in the Bahamas you were the Head of the Social Studies Department at North Andros High school. At Shortwood, you became Head of the Language Arts Department, where you have served with distinction as you have transformed the Department and were instrumental in writing the self-study and spearheading the thrust for the Language Arts Department to become the first department at Shortwood to achieve accreditation in 2008. Other significant contributions to education include your role as External Examiner for Teaching Practicum since 2005, Chairman of the Language Arts Board (JBTE) 2004 -2006 and Chief Examiner of The Secondary School Certificate (SSC) from 2002 -2008.
Your relationship with your students has endeared you to them, class after class, and year after year. You have been a caring and an exemplary “mother” to all of your students and “grandmother” to their children when they came along. This has been a reality is because you “open your mouth with wisdom and on your tongue is the law of kindness” (Proverbs 31:26). Surely, “your children will rise up and call you blessed” and in a quiet and confidential way, “you extend your hand to the poor and reach your hands to the needy.” (Proverbs 31: 20) Although the College family was important to you, we recognize that your father and siblings are also very dear to you. Over the years we learned their names, met your sisters and shared in many of your fond reminiscences.
Your colleagues also concur that your kind and caring personality fostered harmonious relationships among the members of the Shortwood family. Certainly, we enjoyed a spirit of collegiality through your willingness to share ideas in meetings and other sessions. You have encouraged everyone to get involved in all aspects of College life and must be commended on your willingness to participate or serve in any sphere within the College.
Your desire to teach and impact lives is embodied in Harold W. Smith’s words:
The privilege to teach is God-given.
Like a jewel that rests in the hands-
A talent. With use it expands,
Till finally we see the dim traces
Of God in uplifted hands.
As a religious educator, you have been an integral part of the Children’s Ministry at your Church, Fellowship Tabernacle since August 2004, where you continue to use your teaching skills and inspire young minds. You are a woman of strong Christian fortitude, who believes in the power of prayer. Hence, your Christian walk can be represented by Proverbs 31: 30 which states that:
Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
The Board of Management, Principal, Vice Principals, your academic peers, the administrative and ancillary staff and members of the student body thank you for the invaluable contribution you have made to Shortwood Teachers’ College for the past 13 years. As you go into retirement, we are aware that William Shakespeare’s words can be aptly applied to you:
Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety.
We know that you will continue to play many roles “on the stage of life” thereby improving the quality and standard of education in Jamaica so that our quest for “Growth and Enlightenment” may be achieved.
May you taste the joy of knowing
Your life has left a print
On the many hungry students
Whom to you the Lord has sent
May you smile as your investment
Accumulates each hour
And leaves a rich deposit
In the souls that you’ve empowered.
Thank you teacher!
From: Shortwood Teacher’s College
Alumni note: Sylvia was a student at Happy Grove School during the years 1960 – 1966.
number of view: 165
Dr. Lilieth Johnson-Whittaker was honored by the Association of Consultant Physicians of Jamaica, for her outstanding work in internal medicine.
The function was held at the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston, on September 10, 2011.
Dr. Johnson-Whittaker is the owner/manager of Sunshine Dialysis Centre in Jamaica, with branches located in Kingston, Mandeville and Montego Bay. Dr. Johnson-Whittaker is one of the leading nephrologists in the Caribbean. She is also a proud alumna of Happy Grove School.
Congratulations Lilieth – from your fellow alumni and friends.
Posted by Pat Hunter
number of view: 289
Hi Grovians,
Many thanks to those of you who took time out to attend this very important meeting. The Board Chairperson, Mrs. Joan Brown, was present and we are grateful that she came.
There are some of you who did not come, but we understand that you were there in spirit. No thanks is sufficient for Patricia Hunter. Pat travelled from New York to give support to us. What fantastic levels of commitment she has to see Our Alma Mater rise from the ‘dumps‘ to become what we know Happy Grove can become?
The meeting started at about 3:00 p.m. and it went on for approximately four (4) hours. As soon as I get the minutes I will forward them to you. It was a very successful meeting and I am very optimistic that the School Board will make the right decision which will benefit Our Alma Mater.
We have asked the Chair to take the following points to the Board Meeting as suggestions to improve the administration of Happy Grove High School:
1. Urgent meeting with all levels of staff (including the Principal) should be called by the Board.
2. The Principal should be asked for a opy of the ast Audit. If none has been done one should be requested from the Ministry of Education.
3. Strong management leadership background is essential in appointing the next Principal.
4. There should be a training session for Board Members on the Education Code and Regulations including the functions of the Board.
5. It is essential that a ‘Paper Trail’ be kept of all directives, disciplinary communications, assessments etc. between management and staff. This means documenting such communications for files at all times.
6. The Board should request and ensure it receives reports on performance reviews of all teachers and staff.
7. Since then, a Board meeting was convened on Tuesday, November, 2010, but we did not complete our deliberations and so we have set Monday, November 22, 2010, as the date for reconvening.
Alumni, I am convinced that even though mistakes were made, we are now in a position to correct those mistakes and we have learnt many lessons from the happenings of the last decade at Happy Grove. Now is the time to correct those mistakes and to set our School on a path of success. Happy Grove School is in the state that it is in because of complacency of Alumni, Teachers, School Board, P.T.A, and Quakers. We must look at the past in order to move forward, but we surely will not let those mistakes hold us back, they are the propellers that will push us forward.
The students who attend Happy Grove today are no less talented than we were, they do not necessarily come from worse homes than we came from, they are not necessarily poorer than we were, they are not necessarily more indisciplined than we were, and they are surely not worse than any other set of students anywhere else in the world. We must teach them as we were taught; to believe in themselves and THAT POWER THAT IS GREATER THAN THEMSELVES, to believe that they are as good as any other student anywhere else; to believe that they are not inadequate, but powerful beyond measure; to believe that they are brilliant, gorgeou s, talented, fabulous and to believe that they are meant to shine and manifest the glory of GOD that is within them just as how our teachers and parents allowed us to shine.
I am making another appeal to all of us to come on board, not halfway but full. Happy Grove School is bigger than Tedroy Mcnabb and the rest of us. It has never been about me, but I take responsibilities very serious, and I lead from the front, always recognizing that I can never do it alone. Do not let detractors encourage you to look at the small picture and lose focus: keep your eyes on the prize.
The Quakers have allowed us the opportunity to be able to stand with the best in whatever field we have chosen. Do not be selfish; make it possible for the chain started by them to continue in perpetuity.
As I have always said in referring to Happy Grove – ‘As sons, be noble and true and as daughters, be gentle and full of sweet womanly grace‘. It is the nobleness and the grace that will give us the strength and courage to stand up and fight for Happy Grove School.
We are the beneficiaries of the past, trustees of the present and architects of the future.
‘COME LET US WORK TOGETHER.’
number of view: 1145
Reverend Preston Eugene Wolfley, 74, passed away at his home on Monday, August 9, 2010. He was born to Robert and Sally (Doughtie) Wolfley on April 14, 1936 in Gatesville, NC and graduated from Newport News High School in 1954 and Malone College in 1958.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Frances; daughters, Kimberly (Charles) Davis, Christine (Robert) Breckenridge, and Sheila (Sandra Warne) Wolfley; grandchildren, Christine Layne Davis, Ryanne Elaine Breckenridge, Robert Eugene Breckenridge III, Jasmine Jean Walk; great-grandchildren, Caleb and Alexander Hamby and Preston Lee Breckenridge.
Eugene Wolfley had a special attachment to Jamaica and Happy Grove. He first came there in 1962 as Pastor at Seaside Friends Church and chaplain to the school. He and his young family had an immediate impact on the lives of many in the school and the community.
He and Frances effectively became surrogate parents to many of the children boarding at the school, away from home. Frances spearheaded the “Young Friends” program. She created for us the IAH (I Am His) club which gave us such a feel of belonging that many of us still have our club rings more than 40 years later. The Pastor’s residence, the Mission House, was the scene of many happy hours and many meals for myself and other students from the school.
Eugene also appointed himself manager of the “Ivy Chapel Sextet” a group of boys from the school who sang together. His involvement expanded our reach as he arranged appearances at other Quaker churches and provided transportation to get us to those appearances and to Regional and National competitions in which we participated. I will never forget the time when we were to go to a Parish finals of the National Festival competition, in Port Antonio and his car was not working. He told us that he was going to Mr. Fred Jones, a local estate owner, and borrow his Rolls Royce for the occasion. The very thought terrified me. What if we should arrive in such style and lose the contest? I begged him not to do that. He made other arrangements to get us there. We won that night and the other boys never forgave me when they heard about the possible transportation we could have had.
He left Jamaica in 1966 but Jamaica never left his heart. With his young daughters grown and on their own, he and Frances were back in 1998 to serve in Highgate, where they stayed till 2001 and went to the Worthington Church in Kingston.
He kept himself involved in the affairs of Happy Grove and while at Worthington, served for a time as Chairman of the Board of Governors for the school. He dreamed of hearing the Ivy Chapel Sextet sing once more. This seemed an elusive dream as the now grown members of the group lived all over the Island and abroad. He did manage to have five of us sing together at a Worthington worship service in 2006. I clearly remember seeing them then was like rediscovering a fond memory from my childhood.
I also recall during the few days I was home then, hearing him tell a story of being challenged by a young man on the street for his interference as an obvious foreigner. He told the young man in no uncertain terms that he had more time in Jamaica as he had been there before that young man was born. Eugene was always proud of his association with Jamaica.
When I think of missions and supporting missions, I think of Eugene and Frances. I think of years of dedication to the Acts 1:8 directive (“and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”) I think of the lifestyle and cultural adaptations they were willing to make to be obedient to the voice of God to them. I think of the numbers, positively affected by their lives who undoubtedly join with me in thanking God for the life and influence of Preston Eugene Wolfley and his wife Frances.
Errol Johnson. (Now living in Atlanta Georgia)
number of view: 948
Happy Grove School
Hector’s River, Portland, Jamaica
110th Anniversary Celebrations
May 2, 2008
Citation to Stanlie Parkins, O.D. – Patricia Hunter
Ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor to pay tribute to Stanlie Parkins, a former student, teacher and Acting Principal at Happy Grove School.
Mr. Parkins was a student at Happy Grove during the years 1939 to 1943. In January, 1946, he was appointed a History teacher at Happy Grove. Joining the school staff at the same time, was a Miss Fay Powell, an instructor in the Languages, especially Latin. Miss Powell would later become Mrs. Faye Parkins.
In 1951, he left to study at Wilmington College, Ohio, (a Quaker institution). His decision to study at Wilmington may have been influenced by Dr. Wendell G. Farr, former Registrar of Wilmington College, who also joined the staff at Happy Grove in 1946. Dr. Farr was also the minister at Seaside Church, and Superintendent of the Jamaica Yearly Meeting of Friends.
While at Wilmington College, Mr. Parkins majored in English and earned a Bachelor of Art degree. He returned to Happy Grove in 1953 as an English teacher. He would continue to work at his alma mater until 1961. His teaching career continued at York Castle High School, while his wife, Faye molded young female leaders at St. Hilda’s High School.
Mr. Parkins, I was too young to have had your influence as a teacher at Happy Grove, for as fate would have it, you departed prior to my enrollment there, yet I am one of the recipients of your stellar legacy. Nonetheless, I have enjoyed a certain silent pride, just knowing that a noble and true son of my alma mater is among the illustrious pioneers that steered a school in its infancy to a place of pride among Jamaica ’s educational institutions. Ladies and gentlemen, I refer to his 1965 appointment as Principal of Morant Bay High School.
Mr. Parkins, not only were you a “Grovian” taking charge, but history will record that you were the first Jamaican to be appointed principal at that institution; as William Haydn Middleton, who you succeeded was a Welshman. By the time you left, (some 21 years after) you had taken that institution to one of high academic standards and good moral standing.
Despite attending universities in the United States and the United Kingdom, you always returned to your homeland to make your contribution. Happy Grove, York Castle , Morant Bay and St. Thomas Technical are the benefactors of your touch. You entered the teaching profession at a time when there was a severe shortage of teachers, due to the war, and I am sure there was little monetary compensation. I would like to think that your sterling dedication is based on the patriotic zeal infused in the education you received at Happy Grove.
Undoubtedly, one of your greatest pleasures in life has been to do the job you loved – teaching, and teaching in a place you love, your hometown of Morant Bay. That was an exciting time as you seized the opportunity to make secondary education available to many children in the Parish of St. Thomas.
In an important way, teachers set the tone for society. I am certain that all of us gathered here, can recall a teacher who made a difference in our lives, one who steered us in the right direction or showed faith in us early on, or encouraged us when things weren’t going well. I can remember so many.
To paraphrase Ralph Waldo Emerson, a great American poet and philosopher, life is but the angle of vision, and as such a man is measured by the angle at which he looks at objects. Life is but what a man thinks of all day. That is his fate and his employer. Knowing is the measure of the man. By how much we know, so are we. Mr. Parkins, you have been measured by your principled approach to education and your contribution to humanity.
You hold a critically important place in the life of our nation, not just because of the skills you imparted, though that would be sufficient, but because you shaped the students into the citizens they have become. …And you did this by being the kind of person that we would want our children to become. Calm, co-operative, conscientious and congenial, are among your finest attributes. You toiled with quiet confidence and little fanfare, not always receiving the praise you deserved. For the love of education, you gave up your first retirement to serve as Acting Principal of Stokes Hall Secondary, now (St. Thomas Technical).
Your kindness and the values you live by have echoed down the decades. To quote Henry Adams, “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” In May, 1998, our own, Dr. Hugh Norton Duhaney expressed similar sentiments at the Centennial Anniversary celebrations. In reflecting on his high school years, Dr. Duhaney, proudly pointed out that it was under the tutelage of Dr. Kenneth B.M. Crooks (deceased Headmaster) and Mr. Stanlie Parkins, English teacher extraordinaire that he had an introduction to English Literature of the Masters.
Your commitment to service was not confined to the classroom, but to the community at large. You served as a member of the Hospital Management Board, the Jamaica Teachers’ Association, Justice of the Peace, Chairman of the St. Thomas Festival Committee and the Principals of High Schools group.
Throughout all your many contributions to society you have had the constant support of your elegant wife, Faye, a highly respected Latin teacher among “Grovians,” and the love of your children, Charles, Helen and Robert.
Mr. Parkins, you have been an exemplary Jamaican, of whom we all can be proud. I am proud to say, “Hail the man,” he is an alumnus of my alma mater. I now present this award in recognition of your contribution.
Patricia C. Hunter
number of view: 1295
Herman Alvin Pitter
Herman Alvin Pitter Herman Alvin Pitter, 72, a loving husband, father and friend, passed away peacefully Wednesday, March 5, 2008, at Margaret Dozier Hospice House.
A memorial service in the manner of the Society of Friends (Quakers) will be at 5:30 p.m. EDT Monday, March 10, at First Presbyterian Church. Fellowship and a meal for guests will follow the service at the church.
Bevis Funeral Home in Tallahassee (850-385-2193 or www.bevisfh.com) is handling arrangements. Memorial contributions may be made to Boys Choir of Tallahassee, c/o Earl Lee Jr., Director, P.O. Box 1182, Tallahassee, FL 32302-1182, or to Southern Poverty Law Center, 400 Washington Ave., Montgomery, AL 36104.
Herman was born April 3, 1935, in Kingston, Jamaica, to Josiah Constantine Pitter and Estella Marie Smith Pitter. He was educated at Happy Grove High School, a Quaker school, after which he attended William Penn College in Oskaloosa, Iowa, as well as graduate school at Kansas City, Mo., and Florida State University. His professional life included employment as an English professor in St. Joe, Mo., an adviser at Florida State University, a training manager at the Florida Department of Labor and a senior management analyst at the Florida Department of Vocational Rehabilitation.
Retired in 2003, Herman was always involved in movements and work with individuals involved in peaceful solutions to conflicts, domestic or international, as well as being a consistent supporter of Quaker educational institutions.
Always a sports fan, he was a stellar force in the Jamaican soccer scene before moving to the states and continued to play with the Tallahassee Soccer Association upon moving to town.
He married his loving and lifetime partner, Gita Wijesinghe, in 1978 in a Quaker wedding and showed continuous commitment to family and friends. He was a devoted father who relished the successes of his beautiful and talented daughters, Sharmini, now pursuing a graduate degree at Stanford University, and Viveka, a sophomore at Lawton Chiles High School.
The many friends who knew Herman will sorely miss his camaraderie, laughter, insight and warm friendship. In addition to his wife Gita and daughters Sharmini and Viveka Pitter, he is survived by his sister-in-law, Yvonne Pitter; his brother-in-law, Geoffrey Wijesinghe (and wife Leela); cousins Vincent Thompson and his wife Beryl, Beatrice Crutchley, Beryl Thompson Perry, Joyce St. Marie, Dryden Evans, Dawn Anderson, Stephanie Henley, and Lorna Charles. Mr. Pitter also had nieces, Pat Fleury and Audrey Pitter, nephew Michael Pitter and other cousins, grandnieces and grandnephews. His brother, Leslie Pitter preceded him in death.�
Published in the Tallahassee Democrat from 3/7/2008 – 3/8/2008
number of view: 1341
February 22, 2008
Dear Alumnus,
The organizing committee of “Happy Grove 110th Anniversary Reunion 2008, is requesting a contribution from you, which will be used to defray costs associated with the following:
1. Food and drink at the Brunch
2. Transportation to all functions
3. Food for the Cook-out at Innes Bay
4. Disco for music at all functions
5. Material for decoration at the Church and the Gala.
The committee has recommended a minimum contribution in the range of US$100 or Jamaica $6,000.
Pledges can be sent to the reunion e-mail happy_grove08@yahoo.com. Please make your pledge by March 20, 2008. You will be contacted after that is done to make arrangements for collection. We look forward to hearing from you.
Regards.
Sincerely yours
HAPPY GROVE 110TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION COMMITTEE
Clement Burnett
Chairman
number of view: 1375
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