It is indeed interesting to look back 50 years to see where we came from to where we are today in the field of education in S.V.G. Much has changed, and there are improvements to be desired.
I start with the year 1954 when I entered the St. Vincent Grammar School, having left the Richmond Hill Primary school. At the time, there were 5 primary schools in the Kingstown area; in year 2002, in addition to those 5, there are Sion Hill, Lodge Village, Dorsetshire Hill, Petersville and Windsor primary to serve the Kingstown area. There are now 60 Government primary island-wide and 5 private schools to cater for the educational needs of the children.
The training of primary school teachers has also improved. In 1954, we sent a few primary school teachers each year to either Trinidad or to Erdiston College in Barbados for training. This did not produce enough trained teachers for the schools. The 1964 opening of the S.V.G Teachers Training College marked a giant step forward in the training of local teachers, and the improvement in the classroom.
Increase in secondary schools island-wide:
1954 2002
1.
St. Vincent Grammar School A total of 21 High Schools
St. Vincent Grammar School A total of 21 High Schools2.St. Vincent Girls High School
St. Vincent Girls High School3.Intermediate High School
Intermediate High School4.Kingstown Emmanuel High School
Kingstown Emmanuel High School1954 2002
Post Secondary: Post Secondary:
School of Nursing 1. S.V.G. Teachers College
2. Technical College
3. 6th Form College
4. School of Nursing
Vocational School
1. Layou Trade School
2. Baroullie Multi-Center
3. Campden Park Multi-Center
4. Kingstown Multi-Center
5. Georgetown Multi-Center
The Grammar School enrollment in 1954 was 240 students, and we admitted 44 new students each year, 22 in Form 2B and 22 in Form 2C. Thus competition to enter was extremely fierce, and the entrance examination was given on Saturday morning, at the school in mid May.
Gaining admission to the school was the easy part; staying in school was very difficult for lot of students. To begin with, there were the fees of $14.80 to be paid each term. Many families could not keep up with the cost of books, uniform and the $14.80 fees each term. The academic work was of a high standard and a student was allowed to fail and repeat one class. If he failed a second time, expulsion was automatic. Social promotion had not arrived yet.
We have come a long way from those dark and dreary days. In year 2000, we admit 120 students per annum, and the total enrollment is 600. But we still lack enough qualified teachers to adequately address all the subjects on the curriculum, especially in Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics and Biology. This problem has plagued down through the ages and just would not go away.
The curriculum has expanded over the years; in year 1954, we had an incomplete list of subjects on the curriculum. We had Latin but no Greek, French but no Spanish, Chemistry but no Physics, Botany but no Zoology. Happy to say, we now offer Spanish, Physics, and Biology even though Latin had to be dropped.
More Scholarship Opportunities:
In 1954, most of the teachers were non-Vincentians and we always had a strong contingent of Barbadians in both the primary schools and at the Grammar School. Starting with Mr. Freddie Reeves (1908), Mr. William Lopey (1913 - 1955), Mr. G. Millar (1956 - 1959) and Mr. U. Crick (1961 - 1964), the tradition was there. That started the change in 1960 when 13 Vincentians under-graduate students enrolled at the Mona Campus of U.C.W.I, most of them on Government scholarships. Most of these graduated and returned home to teach at the secondary schools or work in the Civil Service. There has been a steady availability of scholarships from that time forward. The Canadian scheme came on track soon thereafter and enabled a lot of our students went to Canada for graduate training and returned to serve in St. Vincent. Mr. F. I. Jack and the late Stanley Campbell were in the early wave that returned to give yeoman service in the educational system. Thus we saw more Vincentians on the staff as opportunities arose in that period. Peace Corp teachers and teachers from England also came in to work on the staff.
Sports:
We had our shining moment when old Boys as Frank Mason, Alphonso Roberts and Mike Findlay played cricket for St. Vincent, the Windward Islands and even made the Test Team as West Indian cricketers. Our sports teams have to re-organize to produce players of this caliber again. It happened once, it can happen again.
The Island Scholarship:
In 1954, the scholarship was awarded every 2 years. Thus if a student wrote the exam in 1954, he could not qualify as that was the "wrong year". You had to resit the exam in 1955, the "correct year". This obviously was very frustrating. Glad to see that in year 2000, we award four scholarships each year.
The crossover from primary school to a secondary school curriculum is easy if the student is adequately prepared. If however, the student who passes the common entrance exam. Does not have the mental or attitudinal competence to cope with the new curriculum, problems may arise. To make matters worse, the Grammar School does not have resources to perform remedial work. If the student needs remedial work, he is on his own. The school also needs a full time guidance counselor to assist where necessary.
Over the past 15 years, the 6th Form Community College at Villa now caters for all those students. So the school is smaller than before and graduates students in the 5th Form.
